The California Air Resources Board seems to be on everyone’s list of what not to do in state government. Charged with implementing AB 32, the California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, CARB is under increasing scrutiny for operating as a rogue agency, appearing to be accountable to no one.

All attempts to reel in the agency have failed, including another attempt to audit its operations and finances–thanks to Democratic legislators who clearly are getting marching orders from Assembly and Senate leaders.

A Joint Legislative Audit Committee hearing on Wednesday brought CARB close to accountability with the threat of the six-month state audit. But the committee chairman, Assemblyman Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, surprised everyone when he nixed the plan after having made the pretense that he was on board.

CARB and AB 32

In 2006, the Legislature promised that AB 32 would help clean the environment while still protecting the economy. Supportive legislators promised that utility and gasoline costs would not increase with the implementation of the climate change law.

The opposite has happened, and businesses are now… Read More

Okay, THIS one is special. EVERYONE — regardless of political persuasion or IQ — will agree that this is government madness at its best.

Ya want proof (so to speak)? Even ABC News figured it out!

Trust me — you’ll want to watch this 3 minute video. And then ask yourself this question — Why does ANYONE trust politicians to make economic decisions that control our lives?

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/coins-costing-taxpayers-14076274

Coins Costing Taxpayers? Federal government mints coins that nobody uses.

NOTE: Perhaps I unwisely gave ABC News the benefit of a doubt, crediting them with recognizing the absurdity of this madness.

Above is the ABC headline for the piece. But why in the world is it a QUESTION??? Is ABC not sure of the answer?… Read More

Over on the venerable Sacramento Bee Capitol Alert blog, they have posted up an easy to read spreadsheet of all of the claims paid by the State of California as a result of accidents with state-leased vehicles assigned to legislators. In many instances the claims indicate that a spouse or child of the legislator was behind the wheel. Nice.

The link is here. Check it out.

It’s just as well Governor Brown has decided to just ask the legislature to increase taxes, without waiting for a vote of the people. Because I can only imagine the cynicism of the electorate as they absorb the fact that California is the only state in the country where legislators get state-leased vehicles (let along two — yes, unless the legislator drives to work from nearby, there is a second state-leased vehicle parked under the Capitol for the use of each legislator).… Read More