Last week I wrote about the shameful lack of debate on bills in the state legislature. With 3,000 bills introduced every year, lawmakers don’t have time to consider truly important issues (like a balanced budget) because they’re preoccupied with ridiculous issues like banning novelty lighters. Average citizens who come to the capitol to participate in their governmentare allotted seconds to express their input on laws that will impact their lives. Well, yesterday Democrats in the Senate Judiciary Committee got a taste of their own medicine when Chairman Ellen Corbett wouldn’t allow debate on a bill authored by Assemblyman Tony Mendoza. Check out the exchange between Corbett, Senator Dean Florez and Mendoza:… Read More

Today I was on Inga Barks’ radio program on KERN radio in Bakersfield. Topics we discussed included the state budget crisis, Assemblyman Danny Gilmore’s quixotic support of Proposition 1A ($16 billion in higher taxes) on the June ballot, the California Energy Commission’s efforts to ban big screen televisions, and the attempt by the legislature to create a brand new California Blueberry Commission. To listen — click on the link below. For those in the Fresno area, I will be on again with Inga this afternoon in the 5pm hour on KMJ radio.… Read More

California Good editorial piece in today’s Union Tribune.

In recent weeks and months we have seen story after story about fraud and overpayments in… Read More

The Small Business Action Committee has just engaged in a statewide media buy for a new television spot "Hold The Line" that highlights the precarious state of the California economy, and the need for California government to live within its means — balancing the state budget without raising more taxes. It’s appropriate that this ad is coming from the SBAC as small businesses around California are particularly vulnerable to our recession.

We reached out FR friend Joel Fox, the President of the SBAC, for comment. As always, Fox was quite direct: "We want the state to live within its means and are calling on legislators to pass a balanced budget with no new taxes. California has its highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression, there’s no doubt that we cannot afford to pay any more in taxes."

You can see the spot below… … Read More

Assemblywoman Diane Harkey just sent this over…

Unbeknownst to most Californians, yesterday was the Special Election run-off for Congressional District 32, a traditionally Democrat-controlled seat due to the infamous gerrymandered districts we have here on the left coast. Not surprisingly, Judy Chu, Democrat from the San Gabriel Valley and current Member of the Board of Equalization, District 4 – another seat traditionally held by Democrats – won by a margin nearly parallel to the RE v. DEM voter registration gap (against Republican Betty Chu). This leaves us with a vacancy on the State Board of Equalization upon Judy Chu’s resignation. The important question: Who will Governor Schwarzenegger appoint to replace her on the Board of Equalization?

Rumors have it that the Governor is “worried” about his legacy. So far, many of us have been impressed with his recent “about face” towards fighting on behalf of the taxpayers and promising to veto any budget that even hints of raising taxes or fees. Fighting for taxpayers on a responsible budget deal is a great place to start. However, it doesn’t end there. He has the opportunity to… Read More

The California Republican Party today released a new web ad entitled "Get Serious." The web ad highlights the status of the state budget crisis and displays Democrat leaders Karen Bass, Darrell Steinberg, Noreen Evans, Lori Saldana, and Isadore Hall, in their own words demonstrating their out-of-touch and insincere approach to the state’s budget problem.

Democrat leaders in Sacramento have shown a startling lack of accountability and flippant attitude regarding the tough decisions lawmakers must make. Conversely, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Republican lawmakers have stood up for California by pressing for a comprehensive solution to the budget crisis, that does not increase the economic burden on our already struggling California families.

… Read More

Governor Schwarzenegger has unveiled a tough new 60 second television commercial in which he looks straight into the camera and makes it clear to Californians that the Governor is committed to rejecting any budget that includes tax increases, that does not curb waste fraud or abuse, or that "kicks the can" into the future. It’s a great commercial, and in sixty seconds provides and much stronger message to the public than the weak California Teachers Association ads that ran last week. You can see the Governor’s new commercial below.

I want to take the opportunity to thanks and commend Governor… Read More

Governor Schwarzenegger has unveiled a tough new 60 second television commercial in which he looks straight into the camera and makes it clear to Californians that the Governor is committed to rejecting any budget that includes tax increases, that does not curb waste fraud or abuse, or that "kicks the can" into the future. It’s a great commercial, and in sixty seconds provides and much stronger message to the public than the weak California Teachers Association ads that ran last week. You can see the Governor’s new commercial below.

I want to take the opportunity to thanks and commend Governor… Read More