The San Diego Community College District offers yet another example of how government officials cost taxpayers millions of dollars unnecessarily. In this case, the district costs taxpayers more by simply not acting on decisions to purchase land in a timely manner.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune (May 19, 2008), “The San Diego Community College District routinely paid more than its appraisals for property needed to expand campuses because it didn’t act quickly enough when real estate prices were skyrocketing. Officials spent about $81 million buying 25 properties across the city as part of a voter-approved effort in 2002 and 2006 to upgrade the state’s second-largest community college district.”

Unfortunately for taxpayers, the San Diego Union-Tribune found that purchase… Read More

This morning I attended the 47th Annual California Prayer Breakfast in Sacramento. Hosted by the Legislative Fellowship Group, the bipartisan event brings together legislators (Democrat and Republican), public policy experts, lobbyists and others wanting to lift up our state in prayer. With the current difficulties facing our state such as wildfires, budget shortfalls and an out-of-control judiciary, we certainly need to seek God’s guidance and protection. Several members of the Assembly and Senate Republican caucuses were in attendance, as were members of the Democratic caucuses. Notably absent was the elected official usually honored at the breakfast: the governor. Governor Schwarzenegger’s cancellation must have been last minute because, as the program noted, he was scheduled to speak.

The featured speaker for the morning was Mark Joseph, an influential film, music and TV producer, as well as a blogger for the Huffington Post. Mr. Joseph’s speech struck just the right note for a prayer breakfast: it was informative, humorous and… Read More

Whoops. It seems that I rather unfairly tarnished some Republican legislators in my commentary this morning. All is good in the world because apparently Republicans do NOT want to ban Teflon coating! I incorrectly looked up a reconsideration vote on SB 1313, and Assemblyman Bob Huff called me on it (literally). My apologies to all five GOPers on the committee, as it turns out NONE of them voted for the bill. Assemlymembers Emmerson, Gaines, and Huff voted against 4! 1313. Assemblymen Nakanishi and Silva were absent or abstained.… Read More

Trying to write about particularly stupid legislation that is moving forward in the State Legislature is a sport akin to shooting fish in a barrel (see the video). That is to say that the freedom and liberty of Californians are under assault from so many directions that it is literally impossible to follow it all. In the case of hundreds of terrible, terrible bills, the only thing that stands between them and becoming terrible laws will be the veto pen of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Yesterday, our own Matt Cunningham blogged on a bill by Democrat Senator Ellen “free, unregulated people make me nervous” Corbett, SB 1313. In layman’s terms, this bill would seek to ban/severely increase the cost of the use of the “non-stick stuff” that is used… Read More

Trying to write about particularly stupid legislation that is moving forward in the State Legislature is a sport akin to shooting fish in a barrel (see the video). That is to say that the freedom and liberty of Californians are under assault from so many directions that it is literally impossible to follow it all. In the case of hundreds of terrible, terrible bills, the only thing that stands between them and becoming terrible laws will be the veto pen of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Yesterday, our own Matt Cunningham blogged on a bill by Democrat Senator Ellen “free, unregulated people make me nervous” Corbett, SB 1313. In layman’s terms, this bill would seek to ban/severely increase the cost of the use of the “non-stick stuff” that is used… Read More

Today the Governor signed into law Assembly Bill 1667 by our own Doug LaMalfa.

Why isn’t this Carny smiling?

La Malf’a’s AB 1667 provides that it is a crime for any person who owns or operates a fair or carnival concession that utilizes a mechanical device, which he or she reasonably should know will be fraudulently used to diminish the chance of any patron to win a prize.

What’s a Carny to do? Then again, someone needs to explain what this law means in language that he can understand…… Read More

One of the things Calfornia is in the news for each year is the wildfire season. Usually, fire season tends to peak in the fall as that is when the fire fuels are at their driest. Weeds have completely died off, last years dead brush, slash, berry vines, etc. have lost their moisture. Forested areas have dried out completelyof snow, runoff, and any residual moisture in these fuels has been extractedby summer heat and all the dead and dying timber and slashis fully exposed to fire danger.

We see many fires already breaking out aroundthe state now, in mid-June.Here in Butte County, the Humboldt Fire,which is down to the last bits of mop-up duty, was a national news item.A total accounting so far of 84 homes and multiple out buildings were destroyed, along with over 20,000 total acres burnedof forested, grazing or brushy canyon lands.

Conditions are acutely dangerous this year.Because of low overall rain and snowfall, the fuels are extremely dry all over with the moisture content in the less than 10% range, which is usually what is typical for later in the year. Indeed, CalFire chiefsI’ve spoken to call it… Read More

Are we seeing a big shift of public opinion in California in support of off-shore oil drilling?… Read More