Yesterday afternoon brought with it the news that State Senators Joel Anderson, Steve Knight and Andy Vidak will be presenting a resolution on the Senate Floor this morning to formally expel Rod Wright. Much has been written about Wright’s eight felony convictions by a jury in Los Angeles nearly a month ago — they concluded that Wright lied when he said he actually lived in the district in which he ran for re-election. Yesterday I published a lengthy column that was an overview of the entire Rod Wright saga, and making the case for why Wright should be removed from the Senate.

It is my hope that on a unanimous vote the Senate will adopt the Anderson/Knight/Vidak resolution, the convicted felon will be expelled, and the Senate can move passed at least the Rod Wright-related scandal (Calderon is a whole separate issue). Unfortunately the overwhelming likelihood is that Senate President Darrell Steinberg and his leadership team will use some of their God-like power under the Senate rules to keep the resolution from being considered. Ultimately Anderson, Vidak and and Knight will be able to force a procedural vote, either to overrule the Chair or to try and… Read More

On Tuesday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m. I will be partnering with the California Farm Bureau Foundation, to host a Telephone Townhall on tax issues specific to the agricultural industry.

Central Valley Senators Anthony Cannella and Andy Vidak will also join the call. Senator Cannella serves as the Vice Chairman of both the Senate Agriculture and Senate Natural Resources and Water Committees. In addition to his legislative duties, Senator Vidak is a farmer and rancher, growing cherries in Kings County and raising cattle in Tulare County.

Every day, farmers and ranchers face challenges with tax laws in the state of California. The laws can be complicated and, at times, confusing and taxpayers can face stiff penalties and interest if deadlines aren’t met and record keeping isn’t accurate.

Most taxpayers want to do the right thing but even the most savvy business owner can make mistakes. The tele-townhall will address such topics as sales and use tax, partial farming exemptions, and sales of feed and animals.

Better understanding of tax laws allows farmers, ranchers, and business owners selling to the agricultural industry to spend less time concerning… Read More

While there has been much focus on Republican Kevin Faulconer’s convincing victory in deep-blue San Diego’s mayor’s race, the analysis hasn’t included what those of us in San Diego know to be a key factor in the win: a dedicated group of young GOP operatives, many who volunteer their time each election to build one of the most impressive GOTV operations in California.

And it is truly inspiring to see them spring to action to build their operation each election. What makes it so impressive is that after working together for so many cycles, they come together, both volunteers and paid staff, to fulfill their role in building and executing the program. Some of them even travel from other states to play their role and they are now so experienced in doing it, that each cycle it gets better.

Queues of volunteers show up and are methodically put through training, supplied with materials, and deployed to their precincts with a precision I rarely see on a campaign. Each campaign has the ambition to do it, but often not the resources, whether financial or personnel. This operation had both, and I experienced first-hand the efficiency of the program by walking… Read More

This coming Friday State Senator Rod Wright will be celebrating an anniversary of sorts — he will be celebrating the end of his first month serving in the California legislature while simultaneous being a convicted felon. On January 28th Wright was found guilty in Superior Court of eight felonies. A jury of Wright’s peers found that he had committed perjury and fraudulent voting, after Los Angeles County District Attorney prosecutors successfully made the case that Wright did not, in fact, reside in the Senate District in which he ran. Wright will be formally sentenced in May, but based on the crimes for which he was convicted he could face up to eight years and four months in prison.

Following his conviction, Wright did not resign his seat in the State Senator. On the contrary, within 48 hours the now-convicted Senator was introducing self-serving legislation that would allow some convicted felons, like himself, to later have their felony convictions reduced to misdemeanors.

With the exception of being relieved of a committee chairmanship (but not his committee memberships), Senator Wright has enjoyed a post-conviction life in the Capitol that,… Read More

“401Ks carry no guarantee, and that’s the distinction between a defined contribution system and a defined benefit system.” – Rick Shimmel, executive director of the Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association, February 20, 2014,Fox News Soundbite

Truer words were never spoken, Mr. Shimmel. But when the “guarantee” can’t be lowered to levels that are merely unfair and burdensome, as opposed to monstrously unfair and financially catastrophic, then replacing “guarantees” with uncertainty and risk becomes the only option.

The latest attempt at pension reform in California is theVentura County Pension Reform Initiative, affecting an affluent and idyllic coastal region that includes cities to the north of Malibu and south of Santa Barbara. It’s hard to imagine a nicer place to serve as the latest battleground in the pension wars.

What Shimmel objects to is the provision of the pension reform that creates a 401K “defined contribution” plan for all… Read More

This morning, the Board of Equalization voted in favor of a staff proposal to cut the excise tax on gas by ten percent. Because of our action, Californians will pay 3.5 cents less in excise taxes on each gallon of gas they buy starting July 1.

Our vote will lead to a much-needed tax cut for all Californians who are suffering under some of the highest taxes in the nation. But, unfortunately, California’s gas tax will continue to be a complicated mess unless the Legislature and the Governor act.

In 2010 and again in 2011, the Legislature passed laws that created what is called the “Fuel Tax Swap.” The swap was a scheme intended to take money that was earmarked for transportation projects and use it to pad the state’s General Fund.

That scheme requires the Board of Equalization to follow a complicated formula to estimate future tax revenue that theoretically keeps gas tax revenue the same as it would have been if the Fuel Tax Swap had never passed. Really it creates a potential roller coaster for gas excise tax rates.

As I wrote in the Orange County Register last year, “The calculations used to estimate future tax revenue are a guessing game… Read More

One of the most significant labor relations fights in the country is currently taking place here in California. Proceedings have turned ugly, with many questioning the legal tactics and scruples of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board.

As the United Farm Workers labor union and the state Agricultural Labor Relations Boardhave found themselves on the brink of extinction and future irrelevance, they have joined forces to reverse their misfortune by targeting one of the biggest non-union farming operations in the state. Should they succeed in unionizing the 5,000 total Gerawan Farming employees, it would more than double union membership, and certainly boost the ALRB’s status.

The UFW won an election to represent Gerawan Farming’s workers 23 years ago. But after only one bargaining session, the union disappeared and wasn’t heard from for more than 20 years.

In October 2012, the union reappeared to impose a contract on Gerawan Farming and its employees — without a vote of the workers.

But the workers don’t want the union.

The wrangling with the United Farm Workers Union began again in October of… Read More

Today, I joined my fellow Board of Equalization members in a 5-0 vote to lower the gasoline excise tax 3.5 cents per gallon as of July 1, 2014.

Our vote today is good news for California taxpayers. This much-needed tax relief will arrive as Californians are on the road for summer vacations.

Lower gas taxes are good for our economy and good for jobs, but even with this cut Californians will continue to pay one of the highest gas taxes in the nation.

Unfortunately, some in the Legislature want you to pay more taxes, rather than less. Just last week a leading lawmaker proposed raising your gas tax by up to 43 cents per gallon.

Rather than plotting to raise taxes at a time when the state is already awash in cash, lawmakers should be finding ways to simplify our tax laws and make life easier for California taxpayers.

Lawmakers could start by scrapping the confusing and complicated gas tax formula they enacted in 2010 and replacing it with one that is simple, straightforward and easy to understand.… Read More