Yesterday Congress adjourned without taking any action on energy policy. While not surprising, it’s really a shame for a lot of reasons. Some reasons we hear a lot about. Some we don’t.

For example, when the price of gasoline was only $1.25 a gallon, federal and state governments had no problems raising gas taxes. But now that fuel prices are up, revenue shortfalls caused by decreased gasoline demand, combined with poor energy policy, is contributing to a severe shortfall in highway funds. An L.A. Times report from July 21 gives an overview of the problem.

The President’s and Congress’ budget offices agree that the Federal Highway Account is projected to have a negative balance as early as 2009 or as late as 2011, respectively.

This particular government-related problem, among many we’re seeing in a downturned economy, will impact our ability to build transportation infrastructure in California in the next several years and perhaps beyond. That means building fewer roads, highways and interchanges.

About half of the road and… Read More

Yesterday Congress adjourned without taking any action on energy policy. While not surprising, it’s really a shame for a lot of reasons. Some reasons we hear a lot about. Some we don’t.

For example, when the price of gasoline was only $1.25 a gallon, federal and state governments had no problems raising gas taxes. But now that fuel prices are up, revenue shortfalls caused by decreased gasoline demand, combined with poor energy policy, is contributing to a severe shortfall in highway funds. An L.A. Times report from July 21 gives an overview of the problem.

The President’s and Congress’ budget offices agree that the Federal Highway Account is projected to have a negative balance as early as 2009 or as late as 2011, respectively.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

I have chosen not to comment on this year’s budget discussions to this point because I was thinking what is the point? Very few people listen, and those that do have already made up their minds. I have grown frustrated, however, at the lack of information presented in the debates on the budget, and since more information is better than less, I figured what the heck? Maybe somebody will get something from this comment.

I joined the Legislature in 1992, in middle of a budget debacle. Total general fund spending in the 1991-92 budget, which was in effect when I took office: $42.1 billion. The problem was that the spending plan called for approximately $46 billion in spending, and supposedly had a tax increase of $7 billion to cover the revenue "shortfall" (as they call it in government, as opposed to referring to it as it really is a "spending splurge"). Net effect of the tax increase, revenues fell in the 1992-93 budget from $42.1 billion to $40.9 billion as spending kept going up. Democrats called for another tax increase to cover this out of control spending. Republicans stood strong to allow the 1991 tax increase to roll off in… Read More

Here we are a full month into the ’08-’09 fiscal year, late again. I’ve been in the Assembly 5 2/3 years and have seen some opportunities come and go, toreform the budget process. My first year was the Davis Recall Budget year, 2003,when the voters said enough and made a change [that word did exist before the 2008 presidential cycle] and removed a governor.

One thing that has not changed, through the highs and lows of the economy since then has been the lack of discipline by the legislature on spending. Some stats say revenue has gone up 40% in the last few years. But at the same time spending has gone up 44%. In the meantime, even with all that new revenue, we are facing a deficit of $17 billion.

It’s not the fault of hardworking Californians not paying enough taxes, it’s the unabated spending. When the top 1% income earners ["the wealthiest Californians" is what the pro-taxers call them just before they seek to fleece them again] already pay about 40% of the entire tax load,then it’s notthat they aren’t paying their "fair share"… Read More

Here we are a full month into the ’08-’09 fiscal year, late again. I’ve been in the Assembly 5 2/3 years and have seen some opportunities come and go, toreform the budget process. My first year was the Davis Recall Budget year, 2003,when the voters said enough and made a change [that word did exist before the 2008 presidential cycle] and removed a governor.

One thing that has not changed, through the highs and lows of the economy since then has been the lack of discipline by the legislature on spending. Some stats say revenue has gone up 40% in the last few years. But at the same time spending has gone up 44%. In the meantime, even with all that new revenue, we are facing a deficit of $17 billion.

It’s not the fault of hardworking Californians not paying enough taxes, it’s the unabated spending. When the top 1% income earners ["the wealthiest Californians" is what the pro-taxers call them just before they seek to fleece them again] already pay about 40% of the entire tax load,then it’s notthat they aren’t paying their "fair share"… Read More

Fraud and abuse is alive and kicking in Los Angeles County. The District Attorney’s Office has filed charges against more than 20 people who defrauded an in-home care agency of $2 million. According to the Los Angeles Times (July 25, 2008),“Charges have been filed against 21 people accused of defrauding more than $2 million in benefits from a state-funded program designed to help the disabled and the elderly receive in-home care, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. announced.” “In one case, a man from Granada Hills claimed he was schizophrenic and…needed constant care, prosecutors said. The government paid his wife through the program to take care of him, giving her [an astronomical] $257,000 in [fraudulent] welfare benefits.” What’s worse is that prosecutors said her husband was rarely… Read More

Congress has passed no meaningful energy legislation to move us towards lower gas prices and more American energy and now has recessed for a 5 week break. Republicans, including yours truly, wanted to speak more about that on the floor of the House this afternoon. The Pelosi majority took the unusual step of calling for immediate adjournment to prevent these speeches from going forward and turned off the cameras and microphones on the House floor.

It’s one thing to not allow a vote on more energy production. It’s another to not even allow people to speak about it. I, and several dozen others are speaking on the House floor right now to a gallery full of cheering people to demand that Speaker Pelosi allow a vote on more American energy production. No TVs. No microphones.

You can turn off the lights, but you cannot silence the will of the American people.… Read More

Yesterday I heard a presentation from the Marin Institute. The entire thing was a justification for raising taxes on alcohol.

During the presentation I made a note to myself to check out this organization when I got some time.

Late last night I got the chance to do that and found something even worse than I expected.

Individual responsibility is something that I truly believe in. In fact, I think it is something millions of Californians believe in. This group considers it a tactic of "Big Alcohol". This is not a tactic. It is a basic foundation of the way people view the world.

After the presentation opened up for questions I asked if this group favored prohibition. The answer was no. I then asked about all the costs associated with bacon and cheeseburgers. The exact same rationale would apply to increasing taxes on these items as well.

Nanny government is everywhere.

If it is a legal activity then we need to let people do… Read More