Grover Norquist is widely respected as one of the nation’s leading taxpayer advocates. As President of Americans for Tax Reform, he has been leading the charge in Washington, D.C., and in the states against new taxes. He has penned this exclusive column for FlashReport readers in light of the current over-spending crisis in Sacramento…

IN TAX TALK, TEMPORARY MEANS PERMANENT; BUT IN CALIFORNIA THE GOP CAN STOP ANY TAX INCREASE By Grover Norquist The History of Americans for Tax Reform’s No Tax Hike Pledge In 1985 president Reagan asked me to run Americans for Tax Reform — to be the grassroots lobby for what… Read More

Petitioner Denise Erkeneff of Dana Point filed a lawsuit today against city council candidate Luigi Rossetti, Jr., the county and city to obtain a court order to strike the fictional name "Lou Penrose" from the ballot and ballot statements in the upcoming Nov. 4 municipal election. Rossetti is the District Director for Orange County Congressman John Campbell and a Dana Point resident. Erkeneff’s family are long-time Dana Point residents. Erkeneff is a Republican, and is active in the south country community.

Rossetti is registered to vote in Dana Point, and his driver’s license, marriage license, and social security numbers are all in the name of Luigi Rossetti, Jr. He is employed by Congressman Campbell and the U.S. Congress in the name of Luigi Rossetti, Jr., has received a traffic ticket in that name, has attended driving school in that name, and owns his home with his wife in Dana Point in that name.

However, Rossetti filed a Declaration of Candidacy for the Dana Point city council and a Candidate Statement in a different name, "Lou Penrose." The county and city certified this name on… Read More

Yesterday Assemblyman Mike Feuer was the floor jockey for Jack Scott’s SB 1171. SB 1171 prohibits carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle in unincorporated parts of California.

Several GOP Assemblyman (Keene, Benoit, Anderson, Berryhill and others) pointed out flaws in applying a city rule to very rural parts of California.

At the end of debate Mike Feuer complained about speakers talking about the lack of news stories about people driving around with loaded guns robbing banks, committing crimes in rural areas.

Mike Feuer than cited two cases of deputies, one from Yolo, the other Sacramento killed in the line of duty. Somehow this law would have protected them.

The truth is a little different. The Yolo County Sheriff was killed by a law-abiding citizen that was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon. I’m sure this new law would have factored into his thinking.

The Sacramento Sheriff pulled at 3:30 a.m. and was killed after a struggle with HIS OWN gun. The still haven’t caught the person responsible.

How would this law have saved them?… Read More

Jon Coupal, the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, sent over this exclusive piece with all of the discussions that somehow the Governor’s proposal to increase the state sales tax by a full cent for years may "not" be a tax increase — um, yeah, it is… A Tax Increase is a Tax Increase By Jon Coupal

We’re hearing only rumors of the budget "deal" that Don Perata claims he has with Governor Schwarzenegger but, if what we’ve heard has any basis in reality, the proposed tax increase is a non-starter.

The rumored deal involves a "temporary" sales tax increase that would, not only be repealed in three years, but would actually be reduced until it is "paid back" to the taxpayers.

A couple of simple concepts here. First, even a temporary tax increase is still a tax increase. Any legislator who… Read More

Rumor has it that there are three Republican votes for a budget with a tax increase. Since only two are needed, why would three Republicans vote yes? Once again, according to rumors, one of these Republicans wants to protect Lou Correa, the only Democrat in a target district, from having to vote for a tax increase. If these rumors are true, we have three Republicans who wish to betray Republicans two ways, (1) by violating the basic principles upon which they all were elected, that is, the basic commitment to smaller government and less taxes; and (2) protecting the Democrat majority from the consequences of their spendthrift ways by protecting one of the targets.

Who are these three? Once again according to rumors they are Roy Ashburn, Jim Battin, and Abel Maldonado. All friends of mine, all Senators for whom I have great respect and all Senators that would break my heart if these rumors are true. Now I know my heart is unimportant in the scheme of things, who am I anyway? But I feel like that little boy who looked at Shoeless Joe Jackson after the Chicago Black Sox scandal and said "Say it aint so, Joe." Say it aint so, Jim, Roy, Abel. Say it… Read More

AB 3034 passed off our floor this afternoon, 58-15, with 11 Republican ‘aye’ votes and 15 Rep "no" votes.… Read More

You have to love politics. Perata tells the Bee he has a budget deal with the Governor (see the post below). The response from the Governor’s office is that there is no deal.

We’ll see how this plays out. It could be an “almost deal” to keep the details hidden from scrutiny, for now…

Sigh.… Read More

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that Senate President Pro-Tem Don Perata has announced that Senate Democrats have negotiated a budget deal…with the Governor (not with Senate Republicans).

Before I go on, let me share that it is embarassing to me, as a Republican, that the Governor of my party would attempt to emasculate GOP legislators by not insisting that his party’s legislators be included in any negotiations.

That said, I suppose my expectations of Governor “Post Partisan” leave me disappointed, but not surprised.

The good news is that Republican legislative votes are still needed to pass a budget.

So… Now I say, what is this “deal” that has been reached? I call on the Governor and Senator Perata to unveil all of the details for scrutiny. Is there a tax increase? What kind? Are there spending cuts? What and where?

In short, I have little faith that without GOP legislative input, the interests of taxpayers are reflected in this “deal” — and look forward to hearing reaction from our Republican legislators about the deal-points and specifics. Once someone… Read More