Redistricting Agencies in California are dead. For some time there will continue to be some stories about the death-throes, since unwinding these agencies is a complex process.

That having been said, I just wanted to remind FlashReport readers that the end of the redevelopment era in California is a good thing, and we should all be very happy about it.

You see in a great many cases, Redevelopment Agencies had been primary violators of the private property rights of Americans. Using the government’s power of eminent domain, private property would be seized by many of these agencies not for widening a road, or laying down a railroad track, but because politicians preferred some other use for the land than that being carried out by the existing owner.

Redevelopment Agencies were also a magnet for crony capitalism. And by that I mean that local politicians would get into the practice of using redevelopment funds to benefit specific businesses and companies, who would then, in turn, help out the politicians. And when I say “helping out” — that came in various forms ranging from the “taking” of someone’s property… Read More

The influential Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association’s PAC has endorsed the candidate of Phil Paule in the 67th Assembly District in Riverside County, and Sherry Hodges in the 76th Assembly District in San Diego County.

I spoke with HJTA President Jon Coupal who told me, “”We believe that now is a critical time to send strong taxpayer advocates to Sacramento, who will provide leadership in the legislature against raising taxes — we feel that in the 67th Assembly District that person is Phil Paule and in the 76th Assembly District it is Sherry Hodges. HJTA PAC is pleased to endorse them both.”

For a Republican candidate, the HTJA endorsement is the “gold standard” in terms of credibility with the voters. From survey’s that I have read, to Republican voters the HJTA name tests higher than the actual Republican Party. But it also does very well with Democrat voters, especially seniors.

These endorsements are politically interesting because in both of these Assembly Districts, which are “safe Republican” seats, no Democrats filed, and so the runoff races are between two Republicans. In the 67th… Read More

The 2nd District Court of Appeal has agreed with attorneys representing the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association that a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 13 lacks merit.

Since his retirement, former UCLA Chancellor Charles Young has been busy filing lawsuits to try to overturn a critical taxpayer protection contained in Prop. 13: the two-thirds vote required of the Legislature to impose new taxes on Californians.

Young initially filed his case directly in the California Supreme Court, arguing that time was of the essence because California needed more revenue to balance its budget, but Prop. 13 stood as a barrier to new taxes. The Supreme Court rejected this ploy and instructed Young to refile in the Superior Court like everyone else, which he quickly did.

Although Young strategically named as defendants only officers of the Legislature who have no incentive to defend Prop. 13, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association intervened on behalf of California’s taxpayers, and argued to the court that the issue of Prop. 13’s constitutionality was settled law, for in a 1978 court case, Amador Valley Joint Union High School District… Read More

San Diego Politics & Media Mashup

I feel like a kid walking around campus for the first time as I write this blog post, which I hope is the first of many for FlashReport.

Jon Fleischman called me about a week ago and asked me to join the team, and here I am. Some of my posts from San Diego Rostra have run here in the past, but this is my first post for FlashReport.

Eight months ago I launched a weekly blog called “Politics & Media Mashup” at Rostra, which has helped me market my communications consulting business, By George Strategies, and some of my clients. Rostra also introduced me to some great people who don’t take themselves too seriously, so I’ve had a lot of… Read More

RIDER COMMENT: I think we Americans all are suffering from “unemployment fatigue.” We are sick and tired of discussing, pondering and complaining about this ongoing problem.

But this reality is still a huge depressant on our economy – both economically and psychologically. Logically unemployment should still be the #1 issue in the November election – which is why Obama is busy throwing mud in every direction but his own.

Here’s a readableWALL ST JOURNALop-ed on this problem. But first I’ve listed my 10 factoids and observations — mostly from the article:

1. Fewer Americans are working today than in 2000, despite the fact that our labor force has grown by 11.4 million.

2. The U.S. economy is NOT rebounding as in times past — an ominous parallel with the 12%+ permanent European unemployment condition.

3. Fifty percent of the jobs created since the recession hit have been part-time, with no benefits and a wage that’s inadequate to enter the middle class.

4. Counting discouraged workers no longer seeking employment and part-timers who want… Read More

Like so many others involved in California politics, I was stunned to learn of the passing of David Howard, the political director for the California Association of Realtors. Apparently just a few weeks before his passing, David learned that he had Lung Cancer. He was 64 years old.

David was a great person, and someone who was totally passionate about politics. I first met David many, many years ago at a California Chamber of Commerce retreat, and we got to talking about the political landscape for that particular year’s upcoming elections. In no time at all, we found ourselves “in the weeds” as it were, really getting into the nitty… Read More

As the author of the legislation establishing California’s AMBER Alert program, I joined CHP Assistant Chief Mark Brunet and others today at an event marking its ten year anniversary.

As I noted at the event, the AMBER Alert is government at its best. It protects Californians, which is the first priority of government, and it does so efficiently and effectively.

According to the CHP, this life-saving program has led to the safe recovery of 234 children since it was first implemented statewide in July 2002. In addition to the hundreds of children safely recovered, the AMBER Alert program has also led to the capture of abductors before they could commit further crimes.

I was able to personally see the benefits of the system almost as soon as it came online; the very first AMBER Alert issued happened to be in the area near my home in the Antelope Valley area. In that instance, two young ladies were successfully rescued after a Cal-Trans worker recognized the vehicle described in the alert.

The State of California needed a mechanism in place to assist in recovering our children safe and sound. I’m pleased to have been instrumental in the success… Read More

The Ultimate Takedown of Obama’s ‘You Didn’t Build That’ Speech Below is an odd post that quite impressed me — a comprehensive takedown of Obama’s “you didn’t build that” speech. All of my allies know that Obama is oh SO wrong, but dissecting his populist argument for others to understand doesn’t come easy.

What is odd about this solid refutation is that it’s an anonymous piece. But the lack of authorship ID should not diminish the value of the message. This piece deserves dissemination.

Business owners throughout the nation (and many others) have to be angry about Obama’s disdain for entrepreneurship. But the Obama speech was not some flippant, off-the-cuff rant. It is a carefully crafted commentary, intended to draw the Occupy sympathizers and shallow thinkers (overlapping groups whose “members” are FAR more numerous than just the Occupy movement itself) to his banner while somehow shaming business owners.

Surely the crafters of such policy have done the “focus group” analysis and found that, on average, it’s a winning strategy. After all,… Read More