Sometimes I refer to State Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth as the "Accidental Leader" because of the circumstances which lead to his ascention to his current post. As California politicos know, Hollingsworth was elected leader in the wee hours, after the previous occupant of the Senate GOP’s top post, Dave Cogdill, was rather unceremoniously (and appropriately) removed from his post after pledging his personal support for a budget plan that included massive tax increases, rather than representing the views of his caucus, the vast majority of whom saw that February budget deal as being fatally flawed. From many accounts, Cogdill’s conveyance of information from the Big 5 meetings was less than stellar, adding a "shock value" to the news he brought his caucus of his support for higher incomes, sales and car taxes.

You’ve heard that saying, "what a difference a day makes?" Well, what a difference a few months make. In talking with many… Read More

Orange County local elected officials will come together tomorrow to oppose the compromise budget deal. They call it a "Reckless and Irresponsible Ponzi scheme."

Already in this forum there is commentary on the League’s response.

Fleischman brings up an interesting point. Perhaps there ought to be an alternative organization that represents the interests of cities. I am thinking of a PAC, totally separate from governments yet funded via the efforts of local elected officials.

Smaller government is a great idea, but in the mean time, I trust local governments to spend my taxpayer dollars more than I trust the legislature. It is much easier to hold accountable the city council member I see in Synagogue or the water board member I run into at the super market.

I wish local elected officials had more clout in Sacramento. A fund raising vehicle that would support their interests would help.

Click below to see the full media advisory.

* * * NEWS CONFERENCE ADVISORY * * * Media Advisory: City Officials and Taxpayer Advocates Hold Press Conference Wednesday, July 22 at 2:00 p.m. to Condemn State Budget Deal… Read More

Mr. Fleischman poses an interesting question in his post two below, specifically: Is there any statewide group out there that represents cities besides the League of California Cities? Let me attempt to answer.

Jon, although there are no other statewide groups that represent cities of which I am aware, there are a number of groups across the state that do in fact represent individual cities.

They are called city councils.

However, all too often these bodies and/or their individual members seem to march lockstep, herd mentality, with the consistent pro-tax philosophy of the "League."

All the more ironic, in that the League itself really doesn’t represent any taxpayers, at least not directly, while the city councilmembers most certainly do.

The reason I mention such heresy, is that I know there are dozens and perhaps hundreds of locally-elected city officials from throughout California that do in fact understand and realize the duplicityof a statewide association that admittedly does a pretty decent job in protecting… Read More

It appears that the back-room negotiated budget deal has hit a snag. Apparently in the area of cuts to the Department of Corrections, the Big 5 agreed in concept to an overall amount of cuts, but not in any degree of specificity to the exact cuts. As we all know, there has been a wide disagreement between the left and the right about how to make cuts (or whether to make cuts) to this part of the budget — Dems favoring reducing the prison population, some Republicans calling for other cuts in the Agency that don't impact prisoner population.

Apparently the thought was the the “epic debate” over this issue would be sorted out sometime after the rest of the deal was adopted.

From what I understand, word started to spread around the Capitol that Democrats were planning to, in fact, not leave these cuts “to be named later” and put up the cuts for a vote that would lead to over 30k inmates being released from prison earlier than the end of their sentences.

The bad news is that this puts a serious pause in the budget negotiations — but the good news is that the marketplace has rooted out a flaw in the plan. It… Read More

Is there any statewide group out there that represents cities besides the California League of Cities — I would like to know? I just got a press release on League letterhead that some local elected officials are protested the raid on local government dollars in this budget deal.

Where were they during the last budget deal, which “raided” the pockets of taxpayers (their constituents) with billions in higher income, sales and car taxes?

While I appreciate the policy reasons for why the raid on local government funds is a bad idea, I am having real troubles building up sympathy for politicians that protest this under the banner of the pro-tax increase League of Cities.

The League needs some new political leadership — that will push for smaller state government — not look out for its narrow interest by supporting tax increases on city residents.… Read More

Unfortunately I can’t "leak" a memo from Senate Republican Dennis Hollingsworth. In addition to being a fine conservative, he is a personal friend. I wouldn’t risk my friendship by leaking private correspondence that he generates.

That said, Capitol Weekly doesn’t have the same chains on them. They have a "leaked" memo from Hollingsworth to Senate Republicans that is worth a read.… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail…

Arnold Wins a Round

… Read More

Those who have talked to me about it know that I have been stewing for a few weeks now about the vote of Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack in support of the national energy tax bill ("cap and trade") that narrowly passed through the House of Representatives. Astonishingly and in a most disappointing development, Republican Members of the House provided the margin of passage for what was hailed as Nancy Pelosi’s most important legislative achievement as Speaker. Because my brain is hard-wired to California politics, my angst is largely directed to Bono Mack, the only California Republican to vote for this terrible piece of legislation. The state budget crisis has provided me with a little bit of a distraction, and spared Rep. Bono Mack, thus far, of a pretty hard-hitting commentary from this website publisher.

That said, this morning I was perusing the Red County website, and came across what I would call a "must read" column from FR friend Chip Hanlon. Chip, a conservative who "gets it" has been providing solid leadership in my home county of Orange for many years, and I am pleased to say that he has started to provide some… Read More