I am going to vote no on all of the propositions in May. Very simply stated, the so-called spending limit does not warrant the tax increases, or an extension. As usual, our Republican friends in the Legislature got sold a bill of goods. They really got nothing for the tax increases they voted. for. The ballot propositions that are supposed to implement the budget solutions are either meaningless, foolish, or increase state spending. As usual, the Democrats got everything they wanted, that is, no spending reductions at all (I am not going to argue about the baseline issues, there really are no spending reductions), all the tax increases they wanted, and no effective limit on future spending. All in all, just another typical year for this Governor, who, after being given historic opportunities to revamp state spending, has done nothing. He is not the Governator, he is not a terminator, he is the Capitulator, and through his capitulation to the demands of the Democrats and the special interest union thugs they represent, he has done more damage to the people of the state of California, and to the Republican party, than anyone can measure.

Let’s start… Read More

I am going to vote no on all of the propositions in May. Very simply stated, the so-called spending limit does not warrant the tax increases, or an extension. As usual, our Republican friends in the Legislature got sold a bill of goods. They really got nothing for the tax increases they voted. for. The ballot propositions that are supposed to implement the budget solutions are either meaningless, foolish, or increase state spending. As usual, the Democrats got everything they wanted, that is, no spending reductions at all (I am not going to argue about the baseline issues, there really are no spending reductions), all the tax increases they wanted, and no effective limit on future spending. All in all, just another typical year for this Governor, who, after being given historic opportunities to revamp state spending, has done nothing. He is not the Governator, he is not a terminator, he is the Capitulator, and through his capitulation to the demands of the Democrats and the special interest union thugs they represent, he has done more damage to the people of the state of California, and to the Republican party, than anyone can measure.

Let’s start… Read More

As I mentioned on Monday when we started a process of figuring out where California’s 45 Republican State Legislators stand on Proposition1A, we would be keeping you updated. Since Monday, we’ve heard from Assemblyman Steve Knight’s office that he has been an opponent of 1A for some time, and also from Connie Conway that she opposes the measure. Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee’s office has said that he does not take positions on ballot measures.

Currently two-thirds of Senate GOPers oppose 1A. On the Assembly side, it’s three short of that mark — with six unknowns…

Below is the current tally:

Ten State Senate Republicans are publicly opposed to Proposition 1A: Sam Aanestad, John Benoit, Jeff Denham, Bob Dutton, Tom Harman, Dennis Hollingsworth, George Runner, Tony Strickland, Mimi Walters, and Mark Wyland.

Four Republican Senators are publicly supporting Proposition 1A: Roy Ashburn, Dave Cogdill, Bob Huff, and Abel Maldonado.

One Republican Senator has… Read More

The following is just in from the Poizner for Governor Campaign…

California Insurance Commissioner and Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner today sent the following letter today to California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring calling on the CRP to formally oppose Proposition 1A on the May 19 ballot. A copy of the letter follows:

March 24, 2009 Mr. Ron Nehring Chairman, California Republican Party 1903 W. Magnolia Blvd.… Read More

The following commentary was submitted for publication by the proponents of Proposition 1A. It’s author, Loren Kaye, is the President of the California Foundation for Commerce and Education, which is a research and policy foundation associated with the California Chamber of Commerce. Kaye’s piece references an interview that FR conduced with economist Benjamin Zycher, which can be found here.

Taking Issue with Economist Ben Zycher’s Analysis of Proposition 1A By Loren Kaye

FlashReport recently published an interview with Ben Zycher of the Pacific Research… Read More

The following commentary was submitted for publication by the proponents of Proposition 1A. It’s author, Loren Kaye, is the President of the California Foundation for Commerce and Education, which is a research and policy foundation associated with the California Chamber of Commerce. Kaye’s piece references an interview that FR conduced with economist Benjamin Zycher, which can be found here.

Taking Issue with Economist Ben Zycher’s Analysis of Proposition 1A By Loren Kaye FlashReport recently published an… Read More

It’s rather infamous that February’s “big budget/big taxes/open primary” deal which spawned a series of a half-dozen ballot measures, Proposition 1A – 1F, was crafted in order to co-opt the state’s most aggressive public employee union – the California Teachers Association – and get them on board with the deal. Some of the signs of this accommodations include the questionable language surrounding Proposition 1A cap (there is no doubt that the language could have been much tighter and stronger), the presence of $16 billion in additional taxes that are triggered with the passage of 1A, and then there is Proposition 1B – a measure that, if it and 1A were to pass, would restore billions and billions in cuts that education took in the budget deal.

It would appear, at least preliminarily, that to the extent that all of this accommodation was designed to keep the CTA from nuking the budget deal and supporting the ballot measures, that the first part was definitely achieved (too many Democrat “union tools” of the CTA in the legislature voted for the budget deal, which would only happen with their sign… Read More

Two hundred thousand plus state employees may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits. This is an issue that has Employment Development Department (EDD) lawyers in a tizzy. Clearly, the Governor-ordered furloughs are a reduction in pay, but the employees are being sent home on furlough days so their rate of pay stays the same. The loss is a loss of hours to work, which is one way of defining unemployment. In fact, EDD already has a program in place for workers who are furloughed or laid off from work on a temporary basis with a promise of future work with the same employer. Under this program the worker getting the benefits is not even required to look for another job. Do state employees on furlough qualify? No one seems to know. Another big question is whether salaried employees have the same eligibility as hourly employees. Most state employees are on salaries but with strict work hour requirements. As they say, developing…… Read More