Last week, I launched the AD72 Special Twitter feed to provide California political junkies up-to-date with the latest in this whirlwind special election to fill the Assembly seat of the fallen Mike Duvall.

Joining me as inaugural contributors are FR Publisher Jon Fleischman and RedCounty.com contributor Allan Bartlett.

Allan was at last night’s AD72 special election candidate forum organized by the OC Young Republicans; you can read his Twittering of the event on the feed, and his related post on RedCounty.com. One thing is becoming clear, mystery GOP candidate Richard Faher’s sole purpose in running seems to be to wreck Chris Norby’s candidacy.… Read More

With a h/t to FR Friend Leigh Wolfe and Patriot Axium, we present this great, short video taken at San Jose State University where the College Republicans protested a small rally in support of raising oil severence taxes, with the guest of honor — liberal State Assemblyman Alberto Torrico.

Torrico claims his legislation will generate $1 billion to fund higher education. The bill would increase gas prices and the final fiscal report on the bill shows it will generate less than half the promised $1 billion. A study of the proposal also found that it will result in the loss of 9,000 jobs in the oil and natural gas industry in California, a state that already has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.

After he speaks, Torrico is confronted by College Republican activists and pressed on his support of higher taxes in a bad economy. When asked if he was ok with putting 9,000 people out of work he responded with a clear “I’m willing (for this tax) to cost 9,000 jobs."

I should add, as a former Chairman of SJSU College Republicans, that I am particularly proud of their… Read More

According to the latest Field poll, only 13% of Californians approve of the job the State Legislature is doing.

Good luck to those that want to “reward” the polical class in the State Capitol by weakening California's legislative term limits given this “popularity” number.

How about focusing on the real problem in Sacramento, which is not term limits — it is the pervasive and corruptive political influence of public employee unions. We note with some cynicism that the public policy advocacy group California Forward includes no curbing of union influence in their list of needed-fixes for state government. Should we be surprised?… Read More

Some thoughts penned by FR correspondent Bradley Benbrook…

Why do state and local governments have public employee unions? Normal unions in the private sector organize for the purpose of negotiating with management over pay and benefits. There are two very distinct sides to the negotiating table. Not so with public employee unions. Public employee unions use millions of dollars in member dues to elect (and then strong-arm) the very same politicians who will sit across from them at the negotiating table. In other words, there is no labor-versus-management dynamic when it comes to public employee unions. In the public sector, labor has become management, and labor has predictably rewarded itself with generous pay and benefits. Of course, this only works because public… Read More

Some thoughts penned by FR correspondent Bradley Benbrook…

Why do state and local governments have public employee unions? Normal unions in the private sector organize for the purpose of negotiating with management over pay and benefits. There are two very distinct sides to the negotiating table. Not so with public employee unions. Public employee unions use millions of dollars in member dues to elect (and then strong-arm) the very same politicians who will sit across from them at the negotiating table. In other words, there is no labor-versus-management dynamic when it comes to public employee unions. In the public sector, labor has become management, and labor has predictably rewarded itself with generous pay and benefits. Of course, this only works because public… Read More

The recently released Field Poll shows former Governor Jerry “moonbeam” Brown with a wide lead in the Democrat primary and a sizable lead over all GOP challengers.

Brown enjoys a lot of advantages — particularly in the Democrat primary. His biggest advantage is that most of his strongest challengers have fallen by the wayside, leaving him to face (currently) only controversial SF mayor Gavin Newsom.

Newsom is best known statewide for his guttural “it’s coming whether you like or not,” mocking of traditional marriage. Many same-sex marriage proponents blame Newsome’s riff – and his subsequent response – for the passage of Prop 8, and the arrogant declaration probably alienated values voters in both parties permanently.

So matched up against Newsom, you gotta like Brown’s odds.

But I don’t think Brown should start posing for a new Gubernatorial portrait just yet.

Brown has… Read More

This just in from our friends at the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association:

On the eve of a crucial vote, a Union-backed proposal to increase Pensions at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has now been withdrawn.

The proposal, which would have hiked Pensions for workers to receive 75% of their annual salaries upon retirement, was to be voted on tomorrow at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the MWD. It appears tonight — after much pressure from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the John and Ken Show on KFI, and others — that the taxpayers have succeeded in knocking some common sense into the Board Members who were leaning toward a pension increase in the midst of a recession.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association vows to continue to fight against egregious Pension increase proposals — and there are plenty around the state of California right now— whenever they are brought to a vote.… Read More

I was asked to provide some ideas for Republican legislators for tax reform bills. Below is a list of ideas for a fairer tax system and enhanced justice for taxpayers. The first items are what I like from the Commission on the 21st Century Economy’s recommendations. ELIMINATE THE SALES AND USE TAX – COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION I support the Commission’s proposal to eliminate the state’s portion of the Sales and Use Tax. The Sales and Use Tax made sense when the vast majority of the economy consisted of tangible items. The economy has been transformed so much the Sales and Use Tax no longer effectively captures consumption. With economic growth occurring in services and electronic communications, the Sales and Use Tax is now merely a tax on a declining universe of businesses and it is exacerbating their decline. Additionally I support eliminating the local portion of the tax as well. LOWER … Read More