FLASHREPORT

Here's an inspiring story about an elementary school teacher who almost single-handedly turned a school's math scores from dismal to great.
 
Denise Maimone applied logic when she stealthily went into Georgetown Elementary School, located in a remote region of El Dorado County, and rejected the notion that every single 8th grader is somehow magically prepared for algebra, when in fact most aren't. Instead, she parsed out those kids who were ill-prepared for the rigors of higher math and those who had the skills and brought the school's math test scores up by 88 percentage points – the highest, by far, in the state.
 
As a founder of a private Christian school, I have always supported and protected funding for education. It's really a no-brainer to support the education of our future generation of kids. That being said, I don't think California leaders achieve academic greatness simply by dumping lots of money into the system and hoping for the best.  I have always said the quality of our education investment dollar outweighs the quantity – Ms. Maimone is a shining example of my belief. 

She is a model for the rest of the 1,000+ California school districts to follow.
 

The King of Green, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, is requesting CEQA exemptions for his City by the Bay to attract a major regatta race.  Hey Mr. Mayor, why not just comply with the act?  After all, living “green” is the centerpiece of your campaign for Lieutenant Governor, and you expect all the little people to live by your example. Oh, that’s right; CEQA is arduous, complicated and often leads to litigation not to mention being a leading job killer. But get rid of CEQA and San Francisco stands to gain $1 billion in economic stimulus and the creation of 9,000 jobs.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m in favor of true economic stimulus and job creation (and I love a good regatta and San Francisco). But I am opposed to elected leaders who exempt themselves or the communities they represent from state laws. If an official is going to ask for exemption from CEQA, they should go a step further and work with conservatives to simplify the law and make it more amenable to economic growth, giving every city, county and small business person a fair chance to attract business. This “do as I say, not as I do” mentality is obnoxious and gives citizens one more reason to resent and mistrust elected officials.

Read more here.

A study released yesterday reveals that while California increased spending public schools in a five-year period, it spent less on classrooms.

"More of the funding increase went to administrators, clerks and technical staff and less to teachers, textbooks, materials and teacher aides," according to this Associated Press article.

This is a slap in the face to teachers, students and taxpayers. But it's not surprising.

Anyone who has dealt with public schools (which is most of us) knows that classrooms have been given the short shrift for years. School districts reward administrators with raises and job security while handing out pink slips to teachers. Furthermore, teachers must regularly dig into their own wallets to fund classroom supplies.

I've said it before and I will say it again: California's public education system isn't under-appropriated; it's misappropriated. 

I am opposed to legalizing marijuana because encouraging the public, particularly young people, to use drugs in order to increase state revenue is reprehensible.

After listening to testimony today from RAND researchers, my resolve is strengthened: Legalizing pot is a bad idea.

The researchers put forth plenty of questions (how much money will California generate from marijuana sales? Will tax invasion on marijuana sales become a problem? Will the usage of marijuana increase dramatically?), but they were only able to offer theories instead of concrete answers. 

That's because nobody really knows the outcome of legalizing pot since it's not been done anywhere in the world. California would be swimming in uncharted waters if Proposition 19 were to pass in November. In other words, once again California would be the great experiment for the rest of the world at the expense of public safety, community health and common sense.

One thing the RAND researchers were certain about: California would not save that much money in law enforcement costs - maybe $300 million, some of that General Fund money, some local dollars. Why the nominal savings? Because very few people go to jail for pot, and when someone does it's because they are a big-time drug dealer and/or guilty of other crimes.

On Sunday, many families will celebrate Father's Day. As a Dad, I look forward to this day because it means spending extra time with my kids and grandkids. But in all seriousness, Father's Day provides a great opportunity for people to recognize the important role men play in their families.

According to a 2008 survey, 95% of Californians agree that fathers are just as important as mothers in influencing their children. Hardworking dads who make an effort to be there for their kids contribute positively to their self-esteem and decision-making abilities. A strong father figure is irreplaceable in a child's life.

Just this last week, I authored a Father's Day resolution (SCR 112) commending the important role fathers play in their household and community. Annoyingly, the resolution wasn't even given a hearing, but was blocked by progressive liberals. It's funny that the party whose members claim to champion families and disadvantaged kids would choose to ignore a resolution with such a positive message.

Regardless, I'd like to wish all the dads out there a happy Father's Day.

Only a foolish politician would make a crucial decision based on seeking revenge instead of enacting good policy. For proof, look no further than the Sacramento City Council and its mayor who voted last night to boycott any Arizona-based business in contract with the City.

It's too early to tell if the act will have an injurious affect on Arizona, but I am willing to bet that Sacramento will suffer more than our neighboring Cactus state. A Sac Bee story reports about one AZ-based construction company (Sundt) that will lose contracts with the City of Sacramento, but at the cost of nearly 70 local jobs.   (Insert Homer Simpson's famous "Doh!" here).

Some people might ask why I care about the goings-on of the Sacramento City Council since I am a resident of Lancaster. But the fact of the matter is I spend time in the Sacramento city limits where I live part-time and purchase goods and services from local business people. I have reason to care and a right to be angry about local leaders choosing to engage in a political stunt over performing their civil servant duties entrusted in them by voters.

Furthermore, the Bee article states "City staffers are going over hundreds of contracts to determine if the city does business with other Arizona companies. It's a time-intensive practice."  At a time when Sacramento is laying off police officers and shuttering schools, it's outrageous that leaders have voted for a useless resolution that will consume the valuable time of city workers who should be working for the benefit of residents, not for revenge against another state.

I've heard a lot of outrageous Big Government stories in my day, but here's one that wins the prize.  LA Times' Steve Lopez reports that owners of a mom and pop Chinese restaurant in the San Fernando Valley are under deep (and questionable) scrutiny by California state auditors, specifically the Board of Equalization, for allegedly under-reporting sales taxes.

As a candidate of the BOE (2nd district), I can assure you that I oppose tax evaders and cheats. The under-ground economy has disastrous consequences for society - look no further than Greece. However, I am equally opposed to big government harassing small business owners. 

Let's break down Lopez' facts:
1. The owners, Sander and "Mama" Ho, are the sole workers at the Tasty China, the restaurant under scrutiny.
2. Lopez' lunch for two, with tax and drinks, came to just over $12.
3. Many customers buy only a $1 carton of white rice.
4. The restaurant is small and rarely filled to capacity.
5. The Ho's dwell in a one-bedroom North Hollywood apartment.

Yet, BOE auditors claim the couple owes the state more than $9,000 in under-paid sales tax from the past three years.

First of all, it's dubious whether the couple owes that much - or any - money. But what strikes me as illogical and a gross waste of taxpayers' money is the fact that the BOE has probably spent more money on the investigation than the $9,000 bill the Ho's supposedly owe - especially when you consider Tasty China was visited by auditors on four different occasions, including a 10-hour visit by one BOE employee. 

One thing is for sure: The couple will close shop because they don't have the $9,000 and they can't afford an attorney. In the process of the BOE's questionable investigative findings, two more California jobs and one more small business will be eliminated.

My new 60-second radio ad for Board of Equalization is running across BOE District 2 starting today.

In the ad, Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (and fellow Flash Report blogger) says, "Senator Runner is identified as a taxpayer advocate on the ballot because that's exactly what he is."

"Runner believes that when people are taxed too much, liberty is lost," Jon also says.

"This isn't someone that's 'going along just to get along' in Sacramento, and that's why the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Political Action Committee proudly supports Taxpayer Advocate George Runner for the Board of Equalization," Jon continues.

The ad for my BOE race runs from today through Election Day (June 8) on conservative radio stations in Bakersfield, Fresno, Modesto, Redding, Chico, Marysville, Merced, Grass Valley and Sonora.

I am proud to be the only candidate endorsed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assocation in the race for Board of Equalization, District 2.  Thanks to HJTA for their support (and thank you, Jon, for your help with the ad, too!).

You can listen to the ad here.

While a small minority of Americans celebrates the passage of ObamaCare, one pesky - and unanswered - problem is the impending shortage of doctors, which is projected to top 150,000 in 15 years according to the Wall Street Journal.

I've said it before and I will say it again: Just because the government can provide health care insurance, doesn't mean it can provide enough doctors to serve the insured.  In other words, possessing a government-issued health insurance card does not mean adequate medical attention will be provided. That's why patients in medically socialized countries wait to see doctors for months - sometimes dying before the "doctor is in."

This past Thursday, the Modesto Bee ran an article about Steven Edwards, a parolee and convicted sex offender accused of stalking a young girl. Thanks to his GPS monitoring device, it was easy to prove Edwards had been within 500 meters of the victim's home and school.

The story clearly illustrates why the safeguards provided by Jessica's Law, such as requiring GPS monitoring devices and not allowing sex offenders to live closer than 2,000 feet of a school, are so important.   In the article, Prosecutor Annette Rees hits the nail on the head when she says, "Here is a case where the mandatory GPS tracking of sex offenders literally prevented further victimization and helped up put away a very scary individual."

Along these same lines, I recently introduced a piece of legislation, SB 1452, that would give local law enforcement the power to require non-revocable parolees to wear GPS devices while they are on parole.

The kind of technology provided through GPS can be a very effective tool in the hands of law enforcement. In this case, I am thankful it was able to assist in taking a dangerous criminal off the street.

What a difference a year makes. Last year the Tea Partiers could barely gain notice on local TV stations and newspapers. They were dismissed as irrelevent and merely a tool of the Republican Party.

One year later, the Tea Party movement has flourished in numbers and grown in strength. Now the media is taking the movement serious. Even the Capitol's paper of record included a pre-event story on the front page, "above the fold." (I may not agree with the story but the placement shows how important the movement has become).

Congratulations to my Tea Party friends. I applaud and support their efforts. They have bravely challenged the status quo and questioned the Sacramento establishment.

They didn't walk away when liberals dismissed them as a fad, or when political pundits downplayed the attendance numbers at Tea Party events.

The good news is now the media and politicos are listening. Some Left-leaning politicians may act unflappable, but everyone knows that liberals in targeted seats - on the state and federal level - are on alert and re-examining their campaign strategies.

Good job, Tea Partiers! Washington and Sacramento are listening. But today is a harbinger for things to come. The day of reckoning is six and half months away - Nov. 2 - when the full force of the Tea Party movement will be felt by out-of-touch politicians bounced out of office.