The registration numbers and past history tell us that the election for the 18th Assembly District was over when Mary Hayashi won the Democratic primary in June. But this year, the GOP candidate, Jill Buck, is making the general election matter by running a smart campaign that has attracted Republican and Democrat supporters. Even elected Democrats are coming out to publicly support Buck’s campaign for the Assembly. Check out this quote by Dublin Mayor Jane Lockhart (which will be going out on a mailer to district voters): “As a life-long Democrat I look to my party to provide the best candidate. Sometimes that does not happen, and I must step outside my party affiliations and select the best person for the job. Jill Buck is just such a candidate. I know she will work hard to form a bipartisan team in Sa cramento and will represent ALL of the district’s… Read More

This time of year is the silly season for candidates and their tripping all over each other to parade out their endorsements from newspapers. So I thought I would take a few minutes to share my ten cents about "newspaper endorsements" — which is this.

First and foremost — what IS the endorsement of a newspaper? In almost every case, it means that the editorial board of a newspaper has held some sort of vote and decided to put the good name of that paper behind a particular candidate for office. Who is on an editorial board? Well, to be honest, that varies from paper to paper. But it has been my experience that these are the editorial writers for the paper, and then add for good measure the editorial page director, sometimes it includes columnists, and even the local cartoonist. Decidedly NOT voting on the final decision to endorse a particular candidate are the political reporters from the ‘news’ side of a newspaper, though often the news reporters are invited to come and ‘explain’ the details of a race that they are covering, and answer questions from the editorial board. Of course, the important… Read More

Supervisors today made San Bernardinothefirst county to approve ameasurefurthering the provisions ofJessica’s Law (Prop. 83) byunanimously givinginitial approval toa proposedordinanceby SupervisorsBill Postmus andGary Ovitttoexpand onsex-offendercontrol protections in the statewide initiative.

The County’s ordinance,scheduled for final adoption on Election Day, November 7,would prohibit sex offenders from residing within 2,000 feet of a daycare center and within one-half mile of a school. It would alsocreate 300-foot "Predator-Free Zones" around schools and parks inunincorporated areas.

In April,Postmus and Ovitt created a Child Safety Task Force to encourage municipalities and county departments to prepare to implement local-government provisions of Prop. 83.Postmus said the ordinanceis a result of that effort. He added thatit wasdrafted in a format to allow cities,where mostcitizens reside, toeasily be able to provide their residents suchincreased… Read More

Back in June, the Democrats had a pretty heated race in the 34th Senate Primary. Assemblyman Tom Umberg, backed heavily by the unions lost to Supervisor Lou Correa, who had Senate President Don Perata on his side. Despite the General Election match-up with Assemblywoman Lyn Daucher beingthe hottest legislative race in the state, and the Republicans’ best chance at picking up a seat in either house, rumors persisted that Labor was going to sit this race out.

It would certainly appear that those were more than just rumors.

As is the case every year, the unions have sent out their Voter Guide, pitting the “little guy” against “the man,” and urging votes for a predictable lot of liberal politicians.

This version of the Union slate comes from Central Orange County. In addition to the pre-printed section which advocates for Angelides, Garamendi, Bowen, etc down the line, they also have a laser section which goes on to pushing for the guy who’s going to lose to Dana Rohrabacher, Measure M, and Assemblyman-to-be Jose Solario. They… Read More

The Lincoln Club of Fresno County’s radio buy on Fresno’s KMJ 580 has had the desired effect – 25,000 downloads of our voter guide in just six days. New memberships, and better yet, lot’s of recognition in the area. Our objectives are simple: drive turnout for the downticket candidates, our local endorsed candidates and the defeat of all of the bonds and tax increases.

We also know that many of these downloaded voter guides will wind up emailed all over the State.

Assemblyman Mike Villines reads our next ad, starting Thursday. Check out our voter guide at www.fresnolincolnclub.org.

By the way, I am in Ohio this week. You want to see negative ads, come out here. It’s a bloodbath.… Read More

Congresswoman Mary Bono’s Congressional Campaign is thundering towards November 7th. Recent reports indicate the Bono re-election campaign has received more than $1.2 million in contributions to support her re-election effort. During the most recent reporting period (July 1-September 30), Bono raised nearly $350,000. A deeper look inside the numbers indicates the Bono Camp has raised more than $100,000 during the last 17 days.Over 2,600 individuals have contributed to her re-election.

Mary is up on the air and in the mail. Her opponent, David Roth is not. (No he’s not THE David Lee Roth, sorry rockers.)

Every two years an opponent comes out of nowhere, rattles sabres, and drifts away. This year’s candidate even came with Howard Dean’s campaign staff. Maybe after the paychecks were written there wasn’t enough left for voter contact.… Read More

Nothing is more frustrating than the lack of information available about judges. I’ve already given the LA County Lincoln Club picks for LA Superior Court and told everyone to vote No on Supreme Court Justice Joyce Kennard. The same provision that allows us to vote on State Supreme Court Justices allows us to vote up or down Court of Appeals Justices. There is hardly any information.

Outside of LA, CRA has recommended a NO vote on Kathleen O’Leary- an extreme Davis appointee in the Orange, San Diego and Inland Empire area. As for LA I (not CRA) make the following recommendations.

But, First the method to my madness. I looked at their bios. If you were a Brown and Davis appointee–easy no. Deukmejian, Wilson served in ReaganAdministartion, — yes. The current Governor of course is wobbler on these things. So if you were a Democrat, Brown appointee and then elevated by Arnold- More Likely No. I… Read More

On a recent trip a friend of mine suggested that, "Affordable housing is whatever I am willing to pay for it."

I have to admit I laughed when he said it. Call me cold. But the idea that government can or should successfully dictate housing costs in any particular market goes against my ideology. However, as a planning commissioner I am in the middle of the affordable housing debate all the time. And since the other leaders in my city don’t hold my philosophy, I am usually trying to improve the plans and programs rather than block them.

So whenever someone who I respect comes up with a cogent commentary on affordable housing I read it with interest. Diane Harkey is a Dana Point city councilwoman and financial whiz and one of the few elected officials I know that has a command of how our economy really works. Here are her thoughts on the subject: The Affordable Housing Dilemma…or the problem with living in paradise…

We love to read about how… Read More