By June California’s Supreme Court will render a decision on the constitutional nature of Proposition 8. Was it a revision or was it an amendment? The ruling will establish a legal precedent impacting all future initiatives. But regardless of whether the court finds Proposition 8 a legal amendment or an improperly approved revision, some state legislators want to ensure the people never have the ability to approve another Proposition 8. This legislative session there are no less than thirteen bills that seek to alter the initiative process. The Republican-sponsored bills mostly deal with the attorney general’s ability to tinker with ballot and title summaries—probably in response to Attorney General Brown’s blatantly biased rewriting of the Proposition 8 title and summary just months before it appeared on the ballot. But the other, Democrat-sponsored bills are shameless attempts to wrest control of the initiative process away from voters. Assemblywoman Lori Saldana alone has … Read More

Spataro Restaurant in Sacramento was the site of the now-infamous Schwarzenegger-Maldonado open primary love fest where Maldonado made it clear to the Governor (much to his delight) that his vote for higher taxes was conditioned, among other things, on placing an “open primary” measure on the ballot – such a measure is intended to reduce the influence of the political party system on the process of electing officeholders.

According to the Capitol Morning Report, last night Governor Schwarzenegger was the “guest of honor” at a State Capitol fundraising event for former Senate Republican Leader and now infamous no new taxes “pledgebreaker” Dave Cogdill. The location? Spataro!

It seems to me that conservatives either need to rush to this capitol area eatery right away before a pro-tax stigma develops – or else avoid it at all costs.

By the way, the Governor has only one other appearance scheduled at an event for a Republican legislator – in early April – for yet another of those GOPers that voted for the largest tax increase in the history… Read More

More updates — Assemblywoman Jean Fuller opposes Proposition 1A. Assemblyman Tom Berryhill has no public position on the ballot measure.

Also, in a tele-press conference that wrapped up not too long ago, the No on 1A campaign announced their Co-Chairmen: Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy, Chairman of Americans for Prosperity-CA, and Ted Costa of the People's Advocate.… 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

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

This just in… According to GOP sources, representatives of the Republican Party of San Diego County recently inquired about booth space at the April 19 Earth Fair in Balboa Park,with organizers responding that the GOP wasn’t invited to join the dozens of other exhibitors at the annual event on the City of San Diego-owned property.

Not, mind you, that partisan or political groups aren’t allowed (it IS an Earth Fair), or there wasn’t any space left.No, I am told it was more along the lines of the GOP not being "environmental," so the party was unwelcome to join in the festivities.

I assume that means the half a million or so registered Republicans in the area can stay home as well. I’d love to see how theLibertarians and AIPers fare in nailing down booth space.

In the meantime, I am further told that fair organizers are being contacted again as I write by a qualified individualto be told that the GOP will indeed be an exhibitor.

More to follow, especially if there is more to the story or someone has a differing take on what has transpired between the… 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