What does it mean when of all people on the San Diego City Council, it is Donna Frye that is the articulate voice against bigger government? Well, last week, that is exactly what happenned, as she and colleague Tony Young cast the only two dissenting votes on hiking the city’s hotel-room tax. I read with disappointment that the City Council in San Diego voted 6-2 (with only, of all people, Donna Frye and Tony Young voting no) to create what they call a "tourism marketing district" in San Diego. Let me explain how this works. In the geographic area specificied for the district (in this case, a broad area) there are 175 hotels. The Council, in establishing this district, increased the hotel tax for these businesses (via the bill on their guests) by 2% raising the hotel room tax (called a "transient occupancy tax") to 12.5% from 10.5%. What was the justification for an increase of taxes in the City of San Diego? The theory is that this is a tax that was "asked for" by the hotel industry, as the funds coercively taken… Read More

Here’s the release from the GOP, as well as links to two perspectives on last night’s Salate to Republican Elected Officials/Straw Poll Event. Some interesting comments starting to thread the posts….

"First in the South" Southern California Straw Poll Results

(SAN DIEGO) — Last night the Republican Party of San Diego County held its "first-in-the-south" Southern California Presidential Straw Poll at the Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Resort and Spa as part of its annual Salute to Republican Elected Officials.

512 Republican enthusiasts of voting age from Orange, Imperial, Riverside and San Diego Counties RSVD’d to participate in the event and the Presidential straw poll.

Balloting systems were provided by Unisyn Voting Solutions, a new state of the art voting systems manufacturer. Official results of the straw poll:

Of those attending, 313 cast ballots.

Mitt… Read More

There couldn’t be a more qualified candidate seeking a seat on the California Republican Party Board of Directors than Steve Baric. Baric, the President of the California Republican Lawyers Association, posseses a combination of traits that will serve the party will in one of its governing board members — Steve is smart, understands politics and the role of political parties, grasps business issues (at the end of the day, the CRP is a major corporation) and is grounded in his freedom-liberty oriented ideology.

Anyone who thought they were alone in their positive opinions of Steve needed only attend what was billed as a modest fundraising event on Wednesday night for Steve’s campaign for CRP Secretary (the position is up at this February’s convention and the incumbent, Jalene Forbis, is termed out). Well over a hundred people came to the event, and Steve’s haul was five-figures! The good news for CRP members is that it means that Steve will have the resources to really communicate his message going into the convention.

While I was unable to make it to Steve’s event (I admit it, I was taking full advantage of free cocktails… Read More

Today the Board of Directors of the California Chamber of Commerce is meeting to discuss, among other things, whether or not the Chamber will take an official position on Proposition 93. As is often talked about here on the FlashReport, Proposition 93 is what we call the "Fabian Nunez Career Politician Extension Act" as this measure was crafted by Nunez, and placed on the ballot by him, as a pretty naked attempt to preserve and consolidate his political power, as Assembly Speaker, for another six years. Some members of the Chamber’s Board may actually want to roll up their sleeves and get into the policy matter of the initiative. But before they do so, they may want to consider the politics of the situation… The Chamber, under the very able and capable leadership of Allan Zaramberg, came out pretty publicly and strongly saying that it would support a change in the state’s legislative term limits as part of a negotiated deal that would include a fair… Read More

Today the Board of Directors of the California Chamber of Commerce is meeting to discuss, among other things, whether or not the Chamber will take an official position on Proposition 93. As is often talked about here on the FlashReport, Proposition 93 is what we call the "Fabian Nunez Career Politician Extension Act" as this measure was crafted by Nunez, and placed on the ballot by him, as a pretty naked attempt to preserve and consolidate his political power, as Assembly Speaker, for another six years. Some members of the Chamber’s Board may actually want to roll up their sleeves and get into the policy matter of the initiative. But before they do so, they may want to consider the politics of the situation… The Chamber, under the very able and capable leadership of Allan Zaramberg, came out pretty publicly and strongly saying that it would support a change in the state’s legislative term limits as part of a negotiated deal that would include a fair… Read More

Two items in today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary of interest to California politicos — the first on Duncan Hunter’s son, and his candidacy for dad’s seat… The other about how Lance Armstrong has brought on an aide from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s shoppe…

In the Hunt

Regardless of who tops the Republican presidential ticket next year, Rep. Duncan Hunter will have long coattails in at least one congressional race — that’s because the leading candidate to replace the 14-term House Member is also Duncan Hunter, his 30-year-old son.

The elder Mr. Hunter may be floundering in his presidential campaign at 3% in the national polls — his bleak third-quarter fund-raising report showed him with just $200,00 in the bank. But his son is already the instant front-runner based on name recognition and endorsements. Plus, he’s raised a respectable… Read More

Here is a statement from CalCounts Campaign Consultant Dave Gilliard: "CalCounts has been in existence for just 44 days, has raised over $1.2 million from 866 donors, and gathered well over half a million signatures. Due to the tight calendar we are operating under and the challenge of raising money and gathering signatures during the Holiday season, we understand that submitting signatures and having them counted in time to make the June ballot, is no longer a realistic goal. CalCounts will continue with its fundraising and signature drive because we believe Californians deserve the right to vote on this important initiative to reform the Electoral College and to make our state count again in presidential elections. The official… Read More

The FlashReport has obtained audio recordings of Jeff Denham Recall signature gatherers, where it is revealed they may be from outside the senate district, which would be a violation of state election law. READ ON…

Detroit is not in California’s 12th Senate District, and that could spell legal troubles for Senator Perata’s “Denham Recall” election team if, in fact, the signature gatherers working on the recall are not residents of the district. State law requires legislative recall signature circulators to live in the district in which they are circulating the recall petitions.

The FlashReport has learned that volunteers recently recorded several conversations with Denham Recall signature gatherers where they appear to admit not being from outside the district.

For example, at the Target store in Hollister, one Denham Recall paid petition circulator says he lives in San Mateo County, which is nearly 100 miles outside the district. [click here to listen]

At the Safeway in Hollister, another petition circulator admits “I actually do not live here. I’m… Read More