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We all know from the general media that the Republican Party is split between moderates and the far right as embodied in the Tea Party. What is not well known is that the Tea Party itself is not unified, either ideologically or politically.

We can start with the identification of the Tea Party as Republican. As far as the media is concerned, Republican identification is a given, but when I attended the Tea Party California Caucus (TPCC) meeting/rally at the state GOP convention in early October, I found there is no consensus at all on Tea Party affiliation. Speaker after speaker told how he or she had once been a Republican but left the party when it “lost its way.” Even the TPCC backed candidate for governor, Tim Donnelly, spoke of the party as if he were not in it. One might well ask what this group was doing at the state Republican convention.

In contrast, in Tea Party groups outside the convention I have found no such disaffection from the party. I’ve been communicating with Tea Party members in Southern California, and last night I attended a local Tea Party meeting in the L.A. mid-city area. It was well attended by about 45 people. While there was… Read More

Sacramento is a scary place for taxpayers and not just on Halloween. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Association2013 Legislative Report Card shows the number of legislators who failed was more than three times the number who received A’s.

The grades confirm that the majority in the Legislature continue to be “hunters,” while already beleaguered taxpayers are their “prey.”

Inordinate pressure is being placed on all lawmakers by legislative leaders, lobbyists and government employee unions to go along with every conceivable scheme to raise revenue and it takes a special breed of courageous and principled legislator to resist and continue to stand up for the interests of average Californians.

We at the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association want to thank the following legislators who earned a perfect Report Card score for standing with taxpayers through thick and thin.

• State Senator Joel Anderson (second consecutive perfect score)

• State Senator Ted Gaines (second consecutive perfect… Read More

Whenever anyone suggests that public sector unions are forcing their members to make political contributions, the unions retort that the contributions are strictly voluntary. Technically speaking, this is true, but the tedious process of opting out of making political contributions is a powerful deterrent.

The California Teachers Association, for example, allow their members to become “agency fee payers,” which means they no longer belong to the CTA, do not have to make political contributions, and merely need to pay their “fair share” of the collecting bargaining expenses from which they still presumably benefit. But even if a CTA member has served written notice and been given agency fee payer status, they still will have 100% of the regular union dues withheld from their paycheck as full members; about $1,200 per year. They then have to request, in writing, between Sept. 1st and Nov. 15thevery year, that the CTA issue them a check for the portion of their dues that was used for political spending.

This amounts to a rigged system that ensures that very few CTA members bother to opt-out, and even fewer manage to consistently… Read More

On 25 October I posted the following item on my blog:

Ten years after disastrous San Diego County “Cedar” brush fire, major reforms STILL not implemented

RICHARD RIDER COMMENT: Shortly after the disastrous 2007 “Witch” brush fire in (primarily) San Diego County, the LOS ANGELES TIMES paid me to debate fire issues with a local UCSD professor in print. What followed was a civil five day written exchange where good points were raised – mostly by me, of course. In essence, it’s ten linked, point-counterpoint op-eds — included below.

The issues, shortcomings and solutions discussed are still germane today. I suppose this exchange/debate won’t interest many until AFTER the next major Southern California blaze. Such is life.

Given that the San Diego press is memorializing/celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Cedar Fire which destroyed 2,200 homes and cost 15 lives, now seems to be a good time to bring this up again. Most of the important fire fighting reforms I suggested here and elsewhere have… Read More

California Republican Party Chairman, Jim Brulte has been very clear about the Party’s goals for the 2014 election cycle: Keep the GOP majority in the House of Representatives; and break the Democrats super majority status in Sacramento.

As co-chair of elections for the Assembly GOP Caucus, I can attest that our Caucus is fully in-line with those goals and have been working hand-in-hand with Chairman Brulte.

Despite the tough political climate our fundraising has out-paced where we were at this time last cycle. In fact, GOP Assembly Leader Connie Conway raised the bar on herself by raising her fundraising goal to close out theDecember 31st report.

The Caucus’s mantra for 2014 is “Defend 3 and Pick up 2.” Based upon 2012 election results and voter registration, we’ve determined the Caucus needs to focus special attention on three incumbents: Jeff Gorell (44 AD); Mike Morrell (40 AD) and Eric Linder (60 AD).

Although we believe there are multiple opportunities for pick-ups across the state the two obvious targets are Democrat members Steve Fox (36 AD) and Sharon Quirk-Silva (65 AD) both whom represent historically GOP districts.

Many… Read More

I can never give blood again – I am on the “may not give” registry. When I fill out forms asking about my medical history, I always have to check obscure boxes and fill in a lot of information in the extra space provided. There’s a huge area on my stomach where the nerves are cut and I can feel nothing – and I sport a scar that I sometimes I say I got in a bar-fight, even though I’ve never fought anyone in a bar. I have a love for life, and a strong relationship with God, that comes from someone who almost died, but lived to tell about it.

Fifteen years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. I survived. And except for the “getting cancer” part of the whole experience, it was one of the best things to ever happen to me…

It was February of 1998 and I was working professionally on the English for the Children, Yes on Prop. 227 campaign. I was also working as campaign manager for Gloria Matta Tuchman, the Republican candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction – Gloria was the co-author of Prop. 227. On top of this, I was busy with all kinds of other conservative and Republican activities. The last thing I expected was the… Read More

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These last few weeks have proven that Republicans still haven’t figured out the power of the story. After all the posturing and debating, Obamacare remains fully funded, the debt ceiling was raised, and the government shutdown ended without the Democrats or the President having to give up a single thing.

The day after the government was re-opened, House Speaker John Boehner stated to an Ohio radio station, “We fought the good fight. We just didn’t win.” Recent poll numbers show that Boehner comment was right.

This goes to show that facts don’t always win arguments. Political and legislative positions, and the messaging to match, need to be translated into a language that John and Jane Doe and the 99% of Americans who don’t spend all day refreshing their Twitter feeds for the latest political update can understand.

Here are the sound bites that the President and Democrat Senator Harry Reid delivered:

“House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is the only thing standing between an end to the shutdown.… Read More

For many, the real scare this time of years is not the monsters at our doors on Halloween, but the property tax bill in the mail box.

Fortunately, as a direct result of Proposition 13, which limits increases in a property’s assessed value to two percent annually, most property owners have a good idea what their tax bill will be even before opening the envelope. Still, every year at this time, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association reminds taxpayers to carefully examine their latest property tax bill. Although not common, assessors do make mistakes.

Taxpayers should understand the various charges and make certain that they are not being dunned for more than they are legally obligated to pay. The best way to check a tax bill is to have your previous year’s bill handy for reference.

Checking the bill is especially important for those who bought their homes a few years ago at the height of the market. If the current home value is actually lower than the assessed value shown on the tax bill, the owner is entitled to file for a reduction in taxes.

Typically, the property tax bill will show three categories of charges. They are the General… Read More