Think that voter fraud is ACORN signing up some poor kid 29 times for smokes? Apparently voter fraud is now for the rich and famous as well. Opponents of a Hilton condo and hotel projectare reporting 569 questionable voters in the election that approved the project by 129 votes.

George Runner should do a press conference there for his Vote Safe Initiative.No smokes needed.… Read More

Actually, Susan Kennedy, the Chief of Staff for this Governor and the last, is a good student of government. She knows that in crisis there is opportunity. In her speech to the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce she said, "There is a greater chance that we will achieve change this year than in the last 50 years.” And she added: "The single biggest danger is that in our urgency to solve our problem, we’re going to miss the opportunity for structural reform — which is critical.” She also called for a flat income tax and made the promise, "I guarantee you a lot of those obsolete boards and commissions will be eliminated." Thanks to Carla Marinucci of the San Francisco Chronicle for being the only reporter I can find who covered this important talk. As Kennedy said "our backs are against the wall’ and we have no other choice but to make changes that were not considered even a month ago.

Some of these changes should have happened decades ago as money was spent on programs that have marginal benefits.… Read More

" We are looking for hard working people who believe in free market capitalism…Multicultural specialists, ultra liberal zealots and college tainted oppression liberations need not apply." This recruitment statement come from one of California’s best Middle Schools. The American Indian Public Charter School, Oakland ranks the 5 th highest of any Middle School from the thousands in operation. Unlike the other schools mostofthe children are exceptionally poor. Bay area liberals are aghast and want this school’s success buried. Betty Olsen-Jones the boss of the far left Oakland Education Assn, aka Teachers Union, isn’t happy with American Indian’s success, byteaching students with discipline, basics, respect, uniforms and homework.… Read More

You have to love the Democrats in the State Assembly. Finally confronted with having to actually cut general fund spending, their frustration is being revealed in hysterically funny ways. Take this exchange for example:

"At the budget conference committee Monday, Assembly Budget Committeee Chairwoman Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, vented some of her frustrations at chief deputy finance director Ana Matosantos. "Noting that the governor had made three separate revisions to his May budget, Evans curtly asked Matosantos "Are we done now?" Evans’ cross-examination of Matosantos garnered an angry reply from the administration. “We will continue to revise our budget numbers as the situation deteriorates,” Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said. “It is our sincere hope that Assemblywoman Evans will be able to keep up.” Where has that type of rhetoric been for the last five years? Ridicule should be an integral part of our comeback strategy.… Read More

In 1983, while I was still in Junior High School, the California State Legislature passed into law the “Gwen Moore Telecommunications Act” which, among other things, based on the idea that all people, regardless of their financial means, should have the ability to have basic telephone service, directed the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to create a tax on all phone bills, and the money collected from that tax would then be used to significantly subsidize basic phone service for those who fall below a certain financial income level – this is called the “Lifeline” Program.

As FlashReport readers might suspect, as a conservative columnist, I think that such radical “wealth redistribution schemes” are un-American, and represent yet another example of the expansion of the right to life, liberty and happiness by the political left. Unfortunately, this 1983 law is just one example of thousands of pieces of legislation passed over the years that contribute to California being one of the most expensive places to live and work in our country.

You may wonder why I am bringing up a piece of legislation that is as old as Michael Jackson’s… Read More

Last week, on Wednesday and Thursday, the number two ranked House GOPer, Republican Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia, was out in California where he announced that he was endorsing Meg Whitman in her campaign for the GOP nomination for Governor. Cantor appeared at two fundraising events for Whitman (one in the Bay Area, the other in Los Angeles) and sat for two interviews with Whitman. One with FR friend Joe Mathews (what Joe lacks in defining ideology he makes up for with his irrepressible sense of humor) and the other with the FlashReport.

Immediately below this introduction is a short 90 second video that I shot with the handy FlashCam right after the interview — the endorsements of the FlashReport are worth seeing it to its conclusion, despite the terrible lighting which makes it hard to see the subjects. Below that is the full text of the 35 minute interview. It is a bit lengthy but when I am able to give a full… Read More

Last week, on Wednesday and Thursday, the number two ranked House GOPer, Republican Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia, was out in California where he announced that he was endorsing Meg Whitman in her campaign for the GOP nomination for Governor. Cantor appeared at two fundraising events for Whitman (one in the Bay Area, the other in Los Angeles) and sat for two interviews with Whitman. One with FR friend Joe Mathews (what Joe lacks in defining ideology he makes up for with his irrepressible sense of humor) and the other with the FlashReport.

Immediately below this introduction is a short 90 second video that I shot with the handy FlashCam right after the interview — the endorsements of the FlashReport are worth seeing it to its conclusion, despite the terrible lighting which makes it hard to see the subjects. Below that is the full text of the 35 minute interview. It is a bit lengthy but when I am able to give a full… Read More

Had enough of elections? In Los Angeles County there will be four, count them four school districts that will try to pass a parcel tax.

Parcel taxes of course require a 2/3rds vote to pass. This is an important protection to property owners that actually pay the tax.

June 16th, South Pasadena Unified has a tax of $95/unit in multi-unit parcels and $288 for other parcels that will last four years.

June 23rd, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District has a $165 per parcel for four years.

June 30th features two elections. La Canada Flintridge with a five year $150 a parcel tax and Rowland Unified with a five year $120 annual levy.

Will these pass? Probably, with the exception of Rowland Unified. May 5, 2009 San Marion residents approved a parcel tax just 14 days before San Marino voters rejected the tax extension measure 1A.

Local taxes usually pass in Los Angeles County.

One little secret is that everyone one of these measure exempt seniors from paying for the tax. Why only seniors? Some say it is because they don’t use the schools or they are on fixed income. Home school or private school parents or for the matter the… Read More