It would appear, based on public statements from Democrat Legislative leaders, that dealing with the state’s fiscal mess is being punted until after the New Year. This after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged yesterday to veto an outrageous scheme concocted primary by State Senate President Darrell Steinberg — passing over $8 billion in new taxes (income, gas, sales, and more) on just a majority vote!

Fortunately for California taxpayers, the vice-like iron grip that the public employee unions have on Democrats in the legislature is so rock-solid that Steinberg and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass could not muster up the votes to give the Governor some "economic stimulus" policy changes that he wants in a tax-increase package, many of which relax labor law requirements on employers (California has some of the most notorious anti-business laws in the nation). So the Governor has said he will veto the package, and while he specifically avoided opining on the issue of the illegal votes to increase taxes, we’ll take the veto as a victory for taxpayers this round. That said, it is rather oxymoronic to say that you want to have… Read More

This is not the first time the Democrats have tried to raise taxes on a majority vote, and, guess what, on most occasions in the past they have been successful in their efforts.

Let’s start with Sinclair Paint. In that case, the Supreme Court authorized the passage of an assessment on all paint manufacturers for child health programs on a majority vote. The bill received no Republican votes, yet the tax was passed and collected, challenged in court, and the tax was legitimized by Ron George and the California Supremes. The Court’s reasoning was this: Paint manufacturers put lead in the paint 50 years ago, lead paint affected the health of some children, therefore a fee on paint manufacturers (even if those manufacturers did not make lead paint) for all children’s health programs (even if those health issues are not related to lead-based paint health problems) is a fee, not a tax, because it is assessed to remedy a problem created by the people upon whom the fee is assessed. Using this logic, quite frankly, almost any tax could be justified as a fee.

Another example–the so-called revenue neutrality rule adopted by the Legislative… Read More

With this shameful end-run around Proposition 13 being perpetrated by Capitol Democrats, one of our readers, Andy Nevis, asked if those who aspire to be our next Republican Governor had publicly commented on the situation. In response to that, I sent an e-mail to both the Steve Poizner for Governor campaign and to representatives of Meg Whitman, who has not formally announced her candidacy, but is in the final stages of preparing to do so.

Specifically, sent the following:

Below are the responses that I received, one from Insurance Commissioner Poizner, and the other from a representative of Meg Whitman. Poizner provided a thoughtful and specific statement. Whitman basically declined to give us her thoughts on the matter, her… Read More

Things are hectic here at the home base of the FlashReport — while Democrats in Sacramento were slamming through very constitutionally questionable tax increases — billions of dollars worth — I was out with the family buying a Christmas Tree for the house. Now I am writing an update on the antics of the Capitol before the tree delivery people arrive with our new purchase.

As promised, Senate and Assembly Democrats called session this afternoon, and rammed through bills containing gas, income and a car tax increases. We’ll give a closer look to see which Democrats didn’t vote FOR the taxes (I am sure they "protected" targets since they only needed majority votes under their lame plan) — but I can tell you that not one Republican in the Senate or the Assembly voted for ANY tax increase.

Nevertheless, in both chambers, these tax increases were declared as being passed with a majority vote. In the State Assembly, Republican Chuck DeVore objected to the tax increases being scored as needing only a majority vote. DeVore’s objection was overturned, and he then, in turn moved to overturn the ruling of the chair,… Read More

My youngest of three children just turned ten today! I can’t help thinking about how much life has changed since she was born…gosh, I didn’t even have a cell phone then…archaic! Actually, in the past week, all three of my kids have had their birthdays. (I know, I know – great planning, huh?) I get sentimental around this time each year, because I remember bringing each little bundle of joy home, and how each trip to the delivery room made me a fiercer and fiercer protector of my brood of Buck babies. Each time a new life was placed in my arms for the first time, I became more certain that I would do anything, sacrifice everything, and stop at nothing to make sure my kids were safe from harm. And hence, I found my life’s work…the Go Green Initiative (GGI) (www.gogreeninitiative.org). After sharing my bio when I ran for State Assembly in 2006, many of you already know the story of how the GGI came into being, and if you don’t, here is where you can find out: … Read More

There is already talk about the quick legal challenge to passing billions of dollars of tax increases with a 2/3rds vote of the legislature. But chew on this — undoubtedly a referendum will also be filed on these bills if signed into law. From my basic understanding of how that process works, just the start of the qualification process of a referendum halts the implementation of the laws for months… Chew on that! Anyone have the forms I need to submit to start the ball rolling? I think I just need to send in a letter a $200 check…… Read More

The Washington Post is reporting online that Los Angeles County Rep. Hilda Solis will be tapped as President-elect Obama’s Secretary of Labor.

A link to the full report is here.… Read More

Amidst the chaos of overspending crisis in Sacramento, I wanted to highlight an announcement from the Poizner for Governor campaign. They have released an impressive list of eighteen current County Republican Party Chairmen from all around the Golden State who are early endorsers of his bid.

"Who are they?"

Glad you asked, they are: Karna Boyer, Sutter County; Joan Clendenin, Stanislaus County; Joseph Day, Tuolumne County; Margaret Dominici, Shasta County; Prudence Eiland, Kings County; Howard Epstein, San Francisco County; Dale Fritchen, San Joaquin County; Tom Hudson, Placer County; Morgan Kelly, Marin County; Karen King, San Mateo County; Janet Kirtlink, Napa County; Brian Leach, Glenn County; Bob Richmond, Riverside County; Jim Rooney, Amador County; Ken Say, Tehama County; John Steizmiller, El Dorado County; Thaddeus Taylor, Inyo County; Steve Thompson, Butte County; and Bob Vile, Calaveras County.

Poizner also announced the endorsement of Linda Boyd, who was the long time Chairman of the Los Angeles County Republican Central Committee.

The list is most impressive as it has Chairmen who I would characterize as strong… Read More