I’ve had more than a few contacts over the passage of AB 606 that would allow the creation of a CaliforniaBlueberry Commission. I’ve been asked why can’t all the stuff they are proposed to do be done by a private association, like the current California Blueberry Association (and sponsor of the bill)?

First, I love blueberries from California. I have strayed occasionally and eaten them from other states. Maine’s are particularly good and the do have a commission as does Oregon and Michigan other tempters of my palate.

Blueberries are great morning, noon or night. There are blueberryjams, blueberry pies, blueberry pancakes, blueberry waffles, blueberry syrups, blueberry salsas,blueberry cobblers, blueberry donuts,blueberrysalad dressings, blueberry muffins,blueberry shakes, blueberry… Read More

This was just released to the public…

June 11, 2009

An Open Letter to Elected Officials: We, the undersigned taxpayer advocates, have grave concerns about the current effort to amend the California Constitution in a manner which would allow a simultaneous or subsequent initiative calling for a Constitutional Convention. Rather than being a panacea for California’s woes, such an effort could very well result in the weakening or outright repeal of vital taxpayer protections such as Proposition 13 and Proposition 218, the Right to Vote on Taxes Act. At the outset, we acknowledge the good intentions of many of the individuals and organizations who have previously supported the notion of a Constitutional Convention. Notwithstanding these good intentions,… Read More

Pacific Legal Foundation announced today that it is filing a lawsuit to challenge Caltrans’ new race- and sex-based quotas projects. According to PLF, Caltrans announced in March that it would be implementing the 2009 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program, which “sets a quota of having 6.75 percent of contracts go to women or members of targeted, preferred groups – African American, Asian-Pacific American, and Native American (but not Latinos or any other group).” PLF filed the lawsuit on behalf of Associated General Contractors of America, San Diego Chapter.

During a media conference call today announcing the lawsuit, PLF principal attorney Sharon Browne explained that this new program not only violates the United States Constitution’s equal protection, it violates California’s Proposition 209. In fact, Ward Connerly, the former UC Regent who led the campaign to end race-based quotas in California’s government institutions, participated in the media conference call. Connerly stated that it’s wrong to place the construction industry in the… Read More

Predictably, the public employee union bosses and various left wing groups are calling for the repeal of various tax breaks on businesses that were part of the infamous big taxes/big spending/open primary budget deal that took place last February. In return for their political support for the $14+ billion in income, sales and car taxes in that deal, and support for another $16+ billion in more taxes in funding the Yes on 1A campaign (which thankfully lost), the "business community" got tax breaks through that will save business between $1-2.5 billion. Of course, since business in California is particularly overtaxed in the "Golden" state, who can blame them? Well, okay, I can. The whole thing stunk — where the business community should have allied with taxpayer protection groups and the Republican Party against ANY new taxes, they… Read More

Governor Schwarzenegger’s statement in the Los Angeles Times today could have come from the mouth of Ronald Reagan. Of those Democrat members of the Legislature who refuse to cut spending that our state can’t afford, he said: "[d]o they want to protect the workers that provide the services, or do they want to protect the people that get those services? The choice is up to them."

Indeed it is. The Governor has put on the chopping block a myriad of proposals to reduce wasteful and unnecessary spending. All the Legislature has to do is connect-the-dots and begin shaping budget Legislation that truly balances the budget. What the Governor gets after the Props. 1 election fiasco, is that government works for the people, and not the other way around. The Democrats in the Legislature still don’t get that yet; as they feel, despite a huge electoral loss, thatgovernment is there for them to exercise power over all God’s things, including blueberries, and at the same time cuddle their state union comrades with unreasonably high wages and benefits, and in some cases needless jobs that don’t help… Read More

The Orange County Register’s Brian Joseph is their Sacramento bureau chief and he wrote a great article on the State’s budget woes that appeared on the front page of Sunday’s paper. With the several other articles sharing the cover I decided that not even this Flash Report could replace the OC Register or other print dailies.

I wrote a column that appears on today’s Irvine World News on the subject of newpapers. You can check in out here.

I read a lot of new online, but there is something about grabbing the paper from the driveway that I enjoy and hope I always get to do.… Read More

This just in from Assemblyman Martin Garrick who last week was named Assistant Assembly Republican Leader:

Television: the new human right! But don’t take my word for it.

Today’s Los Angeles Times front page (on the web version) joined the plea for rights exclaiming: "250,000 Southland Households not ready for digital TV switch."

At first glance, 250,000 seems like quite a lot — or does it?

If you look at Los Angeles County, this listing claims the population is 10 million. Put another way, 250,000 is .025 of the total population. Taken another step further (the story reports on the total within the "Los Angeles region") so let’s look at the entire Southern California population. This listing reports the "greater Los Angeles area" has a population of 17 million, of which 250,000 is .014.

We’re not told how many get coverage from cable, internet or simply choose to own televisions but watch only movies or online content. Helpful little things, those… Read More