I admit that even I’m growing a little numb to the mess in Sacramento these days. It takes a lot to get me to say "wow." But something that came out of Speaker Karen Bass’s office today literally made my jaw drop.

In a note to the news media from her spokesperson Shannon Murphy, Speaker Bass invoked both Rosa Parks and gender bias in explaining why she had chosen to no longer be part of the process of developing budget solutions. As they say on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update: "Really? Really?!?"

Let’s see what led up to this: Yesterday morning, Bass chose not to attend a meeting of the legislative leadership with the Governor. Then, she said to the collected press corps that she’d consider not attending additional meetings of the "Big 5." The LA Times rightly headlined their story this morning: "Speaker Boycotts California Budget Session."How then, does the top-ranking elected official in the state Assembly react? She invokes the memory of "staying off buses in Montgomery to bring down Jim Crow" and quibbles with the word "boycott." Then, she accuses the… Read More

The Whitman for Governor Campaign just released this Campaign Memo (Poizner’s Campaign released one last week…)

TO: Campaign Leadership Teams FROM: Henry Gomez and Jeff Randle DATE: July 6, 2009 RE: State of the Race Update The June 30 campaign reporting deadline is the first tangible measuring point of the 2010 campaign. In just five months, Meg Whitman has… Read More

For those state vendors who have been given warrants rather than checks from the state, the Board of Equalization will vote at our July 21st meeting whether to accept the warrants from these vendors for their tax obligation on sales to the state. I have received a legal opinion that it is permissible for the Board to do so. However, that opinion states that if the warrant is greater than the tax liability, then the Board cannot issue refunds until the warrant has reached its maturity date.

It is important for the BOE to accept these registered warrants as a sign of good faith to the people of California, and those who receive these IOUs from the Controller that they really do have value.… Read More

The Sacramento Bee has reported that Democrat Assembly Speaker Karen Bass boycotted this morning’s Big 5 budget talks, and that apparently she may do so again this afternoon.

Now if Bass were skipping meetings to object to the closed Big 5 process, and demanding a more open, public process. Well, that we might applaud. But guess why Bass skipped this morning’s meeting? She skipped it because she doesn’t like some of the ideas that are being put on table to try and deal with the state’s fiscal woes.

One hears this and thinks of a little four-year old who pouts because they don’t get there way.

The reality is that Bass and her party have spent California to the brink, and then some. She could at least be enough of a mature adult to attend the discussions, make the points of her caucus known to the others, and take home relevant information to them.

Way to go, Assembly Democrats —… Read More

California is officially insolvent and has begun paying its bills with IOUs. While certain sacred cows are protected from getting IOU’s, taxpayers are first in line to get hosed.

Assemblyman Joel Anderson has authored critical legislation, Assembly Bill 1506, to provide relief to taxpayers and businesses who will be receiving IOUs from the state.

So far, $50 million worth of IOUs are on their way to taxpayers who are owed a refund. Next in line are vendors, private businesses that provide services to the state on a contract basis. Assembly Bill 1506 allows IOUs to be used as payment for any obligations to the state.

For example, if you are a business with state contracts and you receive an IOU for $50,000, you could use that IOU as payment for your payroll taxes, DMV fees or any other obligation to the state. Without AB 1506, many businesses will be forced to close their doors and layoff employees. This bill is about protecting jobs and the economy from onerous, irresponsible government.… Read More

We’ve gotten a lot of "tips" today that there are leadership runs at least being talked about against both Senate President Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass. I don’t follow the internal politics that take place on the left side of the aisle too closely. There are those that do, but will they blog about it somewhere? Who knows.… Read More

Well, I guess I played a role in an Orange County politician resigning from office today. Another dubious distinction for my resume.

Readers know I have been reporting here about the apparent jihadthat is ongoing by the Secretary of State, Debra Bowen, and the Los Angeles District Attorney, to nail people involved in politics who are registered to vote at one address, but apparently live most of the time at another. Mark Jacoby, a petition gatherer, was charged with a felony along these lines late last year and pled to a misdemeanor a couple weeks ago. I was surprised by the plea, I thought he might have gotten off if he fought the charges. But after his plea, the same authorities nailed liberal Latino activist Nativo Lopez with the same type of wrap, but with FOUR felony counts. He won’t enter a plea until next week, and is out on $55,000 bail. Ouch!

So on the 28th, when I read Teri Sforza’s story appearing in the Orange County Register on the 26th, (I was a little behind on my reading) about Metropolitan Water District of Southern California board member Ergun Bakall, who repsents… Read More

June’s local school tax elections went 3 for 4. Yesterday La Canada Unifiedapproved a parcel tax with over 70% of the Vote. They join Palos Verdes Peninsula and South Pasadena Unifiedin passing parcel taxes. Yours truly went 4 for 4 when Rowland Unified’s attempt to pass a parcel tax got a little over 51% of the vote. Parcel taxes need a two-thirds vote to pass.

It seems that these votes were referendums on their local school districts. Most local taxes are viewed through that lens. Each of these communities had rejected 1A on May 19th. That was a referendum on the state.… Read More