California’s unemployment rate, which has risen to 6.2%, is now the third highest in the nation (following only behind Michigan and Alaska). This should start some alarm bells ringing in the California State Capitol.

Every legislator, before they vote for any legislation in committee, or on the floor, should be applying a simple litmus test – is this legislation going to create jobs? Will this bill improve our business and job creation climate so that new jobs are created for our unemployed? Will this bill help a small business who is close to closing its doors? If the answers are yes, then the vote should be yes. On the other hand, there are some other questions that can be asked… Would this bill create new regulations or burdens on employers, increasing the likelihood of layoffs or business relocations or closures? Would this bill increase the cost of doing business in California? If the answers to these… Read More

Remember back in the mid-1990s, when everyone and their mother wanted a piece of the booming communications industry?

Well, the City of Alameda was part of that crowd. But now after a decade, the City’s venture in providing cable TV and Internet services to its residents may come to an end.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle (March 25th), officials from the city-owned Alameda Power & Telecom laid out the options for the public in a presentations to the city’s public utilities board. Unfortunately, none of the options is likely to recover the $85 million the city spent to launch and operate the service.

And, if that isn’t enough, Alameda, which has a general fund budget of $80 million this year, is due to make a $33 million balloon payment next year on the original construction bond for the telecom system.

Girish Balachandran, the utility’s general manager, confirmed that a consultant has been hired to identify and contact parties interested in buying… Read More

Below is the Duncan D. Hunter press release regarding the open 52nd Congressional District. These rounded numbers tell the full money story:

Candidate: Raised 1/1-3/31 / Total Raised / Cash on Hand

Duncan D. Hunter: $278,816 / $503,000 / $263,000

Bob Watkins: $79,268 / $201,000 / $44,000

Brian Jones: $28,243 / $160,000 / $77,000

I haven’t had time to look at, nor do I necessarily care about, any respective debts. The Hunter release (which is all I’ve received thus far):

Duncan D. Hunter Far Outpaces Opponents in Fundraising

(La Mesa, CA) — The Duncan D. Hunter for Congress campaign raised $278,816 during the latest period, out-raising their nearest Primary opponent by over 3 to 1 margin, according to campaign reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission.

"We are very pleased with the strong support we have received from donors, volunteers and voters," said Hunter, who returned late last year from his third tour of duty with the Marines since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

In the period from January… Read More

It seems like nothing makes a liberal more happy and excited than using the coercive powers of government to modify human behavior. Never mind that our Republic was founded on the notions of individual liberty and personal freedom… Democrats in Sacramento are constantly passing bills (hundreds of them each year) that place restrictions, impose fees, provide incentives – all geared towards shifting decision-making away from the individual, and over to the collective – in this case state government.

This election cycle, liberal Democrat Mike Davis of Los Angeles has introduced a classic case of what I call “social engineering” legislation. His bill, AB 2829 would mandate that every large grocery store or pharmacy charge a 25 cent tax on every plastic bag issued to a customer. Davis doesn’t hide his motive – he wants people to stop using plastic bags, and he is going to try to use the coercive power of the government to achieve his goal.

Of course, even though it would smack each shopper with substantial increased costs, this legislation is not called a “tax… Read More

It is not easy being the minority party, yet that is what Republicans have had to settle with in the State Legislature (with a brief notable capture of the Assembly in the mid-90’s) — and the situation isn’t likely to change soon without real redistricting reform.

So it falls to Republicans to mount a strong contrast effort to make it clear that if we were the majority party, we would take California government in a much different direction than Democrats. To the credit of former Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman (and with great anticipation from his successor) and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, Republicans have by-and-large been doing just that. Right now, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t get the point — Democrats stand for overspending and new taxes, and Republicans stand for spending cuts and no new taxes.

That said, there is one troubling issue taking place in the State Capitol, orchestrated by good ol’ Fabian "Louis Vuitton" Nunez where I have yet to see loud and clear Republican objection (and I am positioned to notice).

The issue is described aptly by Sacramento Bee columnist… Read More

It seems like nothing makes a liberal more happy and excited than using the coercive powers of government to modify human behavior. Never mind that our Republic was founded on the notions of individual liberty and personal freedom… Democrats in Sacramento are constantly passing bills (hundreds of them each year) that place restrictions, impose fees, provide incentives – all geared towards shifting decision-making away from the individual, and over to the collective – in this case state government.

This election cycle, liberal Democrat Mike Davis of Los Angeles has introduced a classic case of what I call “social engineering” legislation. His bill, AB 2829 would mandate that every large grocery store or pharmacy charge a 25 cent tax on every plastic bag issued to a customer. Davis doesn’t hide his motive – he wants people to stop using plastic bags, and he is going to try to use the coercive power of the government to achieve his goal.

Of course, even though it would smack each shopper with substantial increased costs, this legislation is not called a “tax… Read More

San Diego City Councilman Scott Peters, while running for city attorney, voting for a 24 percent council pay hike and then reversing himself in the wake of public outcry, thus ensuring that his campaign opponents will not only refer to him as an out-of-control tax-and-spender, but now also a flip-flopper…

Proof that attorneys are no smarter than the rest of us.… Read More

Voters in the 4th Congressional District got their first look at the two contenders for the open seat at a debate in Rocklin this evening. Doug Ose and Tom McClintock faced off in an almost two hour debate. The event, hosted by the Placer County Lincoln Club, was packed with almost 500 people in attendance. Gary Dietrich, political report for local KFBK radio, served as the moderator.

Upon entering the room I noticed that there were lots of people with Ose for Congress stickers on their lapels but as soon as the debate started, it was clear that McClintock was the crowd favorite. Each candidate was given a four minute opening statement with the first turn going to Ose. He immediately launched into his campaign theme of being the only candidate “born and raised in Northern California.”

In his opening statement, McClintock set the tone for the evening by making it clear that this primary race is a battle between two factions in… Read More