As the state budget continues to unfold I am struck at how the only ways that we have to deal with the problem is to take power away from our elected leaders.

Speaker Nunez previously argued (Prop 93) that we don’t allow Legislators enough time in Sacramento to be able to figure things out. Many of us often talk about how elected leaders need more discretion. Despite this, when they are given discretion it is abused.

In an ideal world I would oppose spending limits because I want to allow elected leaders to make good choices. Yet time and time again that has not happened.

Revenues to the state have rocketed up over the past eight years or so. If we were looking for a cushion to be able to set the ship straight that opportunity has passed.

The spending limits being advocated in this budget solution move us to "State Budgeting for Dummies". In this case it will not even be taken by the voters through… Read More

Wouldn’t it be nice to give yourself a huge pay raise, take as many vacation days as you want, and eat at fancy restaurants on someone else’s dime? Well, that is precisely what is happening at the Southeastern Economic Development Corporation (SEDC)–a non-profit city agency that is supposed to be helping redevelop the east part of downtown San Diego. The agency is charged with transforming the area into a successful and flourishing economy. But instead, taxpayers are paying for a public servant to flourish and flaunt her own success while misusing public funds. The San Diego Tribune (August 7, 2008) reported,“Staffers at the nonprofit city agency enjoyed fine meals and multilevel bonuses at taxpayer expense, according to documents the city released yesterday. The documents show that [the] SEDC President … used… [her] authority to… Read More

While the central budget debate is focused on how high the Legislature will raise your taxes, Democrats are attempting to sneak in numerous dangerous public safety measures under the radar.

As part of Democratic leaderships’ budget solution, inmates will receive one day’s early release credit for every day served in state prison – just for being alive. The plan would repeal the existing statute, which allows inmates to earn up to a day’s credit for each day served but only if they participate in work or education programs.

As proposed by the Democrats, no work or classroom participation would be required. An inmate sentenced to four years could be back on the street in two years without working or earning educational credits.

Under this “welfare-program-for-prison-inmate” plan, the concept of working to earn credits under existing laws will be repealed. Credits will simply become an entitlement granted to anyone simply for committing one or more felonies that result in a prison sentence. For most high school students who have passed an exit exam, this would appear to be a 50 percent… Read More

"I’ll oppose higher taxes…" proclaimed then Assemblyman Lou Correa in a letter (see it here) he mailed to Central Orange County voters as he made his case for why he, and not his opponent, should be elected to the State Senate. If his promise, emphased in boldfaced text, in a personally signed letter to voters wasn’t emphatic enough, in terms of where Correa promised he would be on tax increases, then there was the glossy full-color mailing, with the words emblazed on the front: "Where I stand on… Taxes." Open up the mailing (see it here… Read More

"I’ll oppose higher taxes…" proclaimed then Assemblyman Lou Correa in a letter (see it here) he mailed to Central Orange County voters as he made his case for why he, and not his opponent, should be elected to the State Senate. If his promise, emphased in boldfaced text, in a personally signed letter to voters wasn’t emphatic enough, in terms of where Correa promised he would be on tax increases, then there was the glossy full-color mailing, with the words emblazed on the front: "Where I stand on… Taxes." Open up the mailing (see it here… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail…

Hasta La Vista, Arnold

Some things never change in the Golden State. Seven weeks into the fiscal year, California still has no budget and faces a Pacific Ocean-sized $15 billion deficit. On Wednesday, Governor Arnold Schwarzennegger offered a "compromise" plan that kicks the legs out from his own party with a big new sales tax increase. "It’s time to put ideology aside," he insisted.

Now he faces a revolt from Republicans in the legislature who think this is precisely the time to be ideological. "Any tax increase plan won’t pass with Republican votes — absolutely not," a… Read More

Veteran FlashReport leaders are quite familiar with the writings of Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Weintraub. I have actually known Dan for almost two decades, going back to when he actually worked for the Orange County Register. Dan’s insightful and inciteful columns are always great reading and we almost always provide FR readers to links to his regular columns in the Bee on our main page daily news links. In addition to being a recognized columnist who has an important impact on policy and politics in the Golden State, Dan (pictured) was truly a pioneer in launching his Insider blog on the Sacramento Bee website years ago — serving as an inspiration to many of us who followed him.

In June, I had a chance to sit down with Dan in Sacramento, and he enthusiastically shared with me that he would be spearheading a new endeavor for the Sacramento Bee called The Conversation. At the time, I told him that once it was up and… Read More

Come Hell or High-water Ron George likes getting his way. Whether it isre-defining marriage to his liking, ignoring previous decisions to get the parental consent result he wanted, violating private property rights or religious rights, Ron George and the Imperial Court he runs gets his way.

Now, George through the Judicial Council is poised to get his way with courthouses and a 10 billion dollar revenue bond through SB 1407.

SB 1407 raises fees on all kinds of court filings including parking tickets, family court filings, traffic violations and attending traffic school in order to get 5 billion dollars worth of money for courthouse construction.

Whats wrong with that? Lots of reasons.

Why are courthouses getting special budgetary treatment over other budgetary items? Shouldn’t the General fund make them a priority?Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association thinks so, they oppose the bill.

Maybe we could re- allocate a mere $500 million a year and not pay billions in interest. It takes 10 billion in fees to get 5 billion in buildings.

This is an end run around the people of California that rejected courthouse bonds in the past. An end… Read More