Update: The bill was voted down 27 aye votes,all Reeps, to 45 no votes, all Dems

Our budget vice chair, Roger Niellois presenting on the budget package put forth from the Republican caucus, for vote right now. The bill is known as SB 1087, and amends the Budget Conference Committee report. It decreases spending from the original report document by over $5 billion. Though not a perfect document, as we hit day 71 of the ‘new’ fiscal year, this version is the best version so far that does not raise taxes, nor hurt the economy, and keeps spending priorities fairly well intact considering the mess we’re in. This is one we can live with.… Read More

State Board of Equalization Member Bill Leonard, a longtime FR friend, sent the following letter over to the President of the California Taxpayers’ Association, upon hearing that they had endorsed the Governor’s budget proposal that includes a massive, multi-billion dollar sales tax increase…

State Board of Equalization Member Bill Leonard, a longtime FR friend, sent the following letter over to the President of the California Taxpayers’ Association, upon hearing that they had endorsed the Governor’s budget proposal that includes a massive, multi-billion dollar sales tax increase…

Dear Teresa,

I am sorry that I was unable to reach you this morning, but I did want to let you know as soon as possible that I oppose the decision of your organization to support general tax increases. If this position does not violate the charter of your organization, it should.… Read More

As the hijinks of the legislative and budget process lurches along, the "day-counts" are becoming a kind of interesting subplot…to me anyway. Now, with all the conventions over and the bill deadline over, it now can become time for the media to focus on why the Republicans should give in to a tax increase. Hey, everyone else is. What I mean by the day-countsis that today is the 70th day since the June 30 fiscal year or "working deadline" came and went. The latest budget ever was signed Sep. 5 so we have that record going for us,70 and counting.

Then, counting down, for us legislators termed out this year, we have79 days until wehave to get our stuff outof our state offices, November 26 at 5 PM, the Wednesday beforeThanksgiving. They want a couple days for the incoming crop to have their offices switched over, ready on the day of their swearing in Monday, Dec 1 at noon.

Our termsare technically until November 30 at midnight [83 days]so I guess my constituents will have tocall me or our staff by cell or at home for case work issues those last 4 days. Or maybe they find a way to do without their… Read More

The State Senate just gave thumbs down to the no tax budget plan advanced by the Republican caucus by a vote of 13 ‘aye’, all Reeps, and 21 ‘no’, all Dems.… Read More

As a follow-up to yesterday’s FR mainpage link to the SFChron Matier & Ross story, here’s today’s announcement as noted by California Special Districts Association….

Correctional Officers Announce Effort to Recall Schwarzenegger

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA) announced today that they will begin the process to recall Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"It’s about leadership," said CCPOA spokesman Lance Corcoran. "Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is the worst governor in the history of worst governors …" The union is collecting the 65 necessary valid signatures to serve the governor a… Read More

As the hijinks of the legislative and budget process lurches along, the "day-counts" are becoming a kind of interesting subplot…to me anyway. Now, with all the conventions over and the bill deadline over, it now can become time for the media to focus on why the Republicans should give in to a tax increase. Hey, everyone else is. What I mean by the day-countsis that today is the 70th day since the June 30 fiscal year or "working deadline" came and went. The latest budget ever was signed Sep. 5 so we have that record going for us,70 and counting.

Then, counting down, for us legislators termed out this year, we have79 days until wehave to get our stuff outof our state offices, November 26 at 5 PM, the Wednesday beforeThanksgiving. They want a couple days for the incoming crop to have their offices switched over, ready on the day of their swearing in Monday, Dec 1 at noon.

Our termsare technically until November 30 at midnight [83 days]so I guess my constituents will have tocall me or our staff by cell or at home for case work issues those last 4 days. Or maybe they find a way to do without their… Read More

In perhaps San Diego’s highest profile run-off election in the last several years, Judge Jan Goldsmith is taking on incumbent Democrat City Attorney Mike Aguirre. Goldsmith, endorsed by the San Diego GOP prior to the primary, is now pulling in one Democratic endorsement after another.

Goldsmith was clearly a moderate as a state assemblyman. Yet, at a time when many simply desire stability in the city attorney’s office, his call for a lack of partisanship is serving him well as a coalition builder. The Dem support for Goldsmith not only shows an across-the-board respect for his capabilities, it also signifies the overwhelming disdain for Aguirre’s job as the city attorney, regardless of party.

Aguirre, a longtime liberal Democrat, successfully ran four years ago as a reform crusader against the pension-debacle powers-that-be of both parties at City Hall, those responsible for making San Diego the “Enron by the Sea." Once elected, his continuing crusade may have cost him previous big labor support, but he also became something of a darling among many fiscal conservatives and some Republicans. They cheered his willingness to call a spade a… Read More