I had already read Tuesday’s Jon Fleischman Commentary by the time the FlashReport publisher called me later in the dayto ask if the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors had, as he had urged, rejected a proposal to "subsidize" to the tune of $700,000 the for-profit California Speedway. The proposal he spoke of was in the form of an agreement for title sponsorship of a new raceway venue and some upcoming NASCAR races.

I told Jon the Board had not rejected the proposal, and in fact approved it. Now I’ll start off by saying Jon is right to point out that San Bernardino County is a red county, and that its Board is dominated by a Republican super-majority. In fact, I believe the Board’s decision on the sponsorship package was justified based on some very sound and not un-conservative reasoning. There may be times when conservative pro-business principles seem to run counter to conservative anti-tax, limited government principles. But I don’t think this is… Read More

San Bernardino County is a red county. While it was not always the case historically, this sprawling Inland-Empire County has become a bastion of conservatism. This is evidenced by the significant partisan advantage that Republicans have in terms of the delegations to Washington, D.C., and to the State Capitol. But nowhere is this GOP influence felt more than on the local Board of Supervisors. On that board, you not only have a dominant Republican Super-Majority, but Bill Postmus, the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors is also Chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. Postmus has been a friend for many years, and his Chief of Staff, Brad Mitzelfelt, is the San Bernardino Correspondent for the FlashReport! So I was quite surprised to read in the newspaper a scheme that doesn’t sound very conservative at all…

I cannot tell you how disturbed I was to read an article in the San Bernardino County Sun newspaper that, if accurate, makes it sound like the Republican County Board of… Read More

San Bernardino County is a red county. While it was not always the case historically, this sprawling Inland-Empire County has become a bastion of conservatism. This is evidenced by the significant partisan advantage that Republicans have in terms of the delegations to Washington, D.C., and to the State Capitol. But nowhere is this GOP influence felt more than on the local Board of Supervisors. On that board, you not only have a dominant Republican Super-Majority, but Bill Postmus, the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors is also Chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. Postmus has been a friend for many years, and his Chief of Staff, Brad Mitzelfelt, is the San Bernardino Correspondent for the FlashReport! So I was quite surprised to read in the newspaper a scheme that doesn’t sound very conservative at all…

I cannot tell you how disturbed I was to read an article in the San Bernardino County Sun newspaper that, if accurate, makes it sound like the Republican County Board of… Read More

Former GOP Long Beach Frank Colonna lostthe Long Beach Mayor’s race to Bob Foster. Now he is lookint running for the Water Replenishment Board of Southern California against fellow GOP’er Norm Ryan. See article here.The Water Replensihmnet District is HUGE and Colonna has good name ID and can raise some cash.

Four years ago Ryan was endorsed by the state party for the Long Beach Mayor’s job. After losing , he was elected to this post. This year he ran for council, failed to make the run-off and then endorsed the Dem.Creating some ill will.

It will be interesting to see where the party would go. Deadline for filing is Friday.… Read More

OK GOP Legislators, it’s time for a huddle… Today the State Legislature will come back into session after their Summer recess, and it is my hope you Republican legislators will come to Sacramento ready to face the coming onslaught of big-government legislation as a team. Of course, the primary source of pressure to pass bills that raise fees and taxes, or expand the size, scope and reach of the state government will come from the Democrats who control a majority of votes in both houses of the legislature. By remaining unified as Republican caucuses on these bills, you GOPers in the State Senate and State Assembly can achieve two important goals: the first would be to ensure that no tax or fee increases requiring a 2/3 vote of the legislature will ever see the light of day. But equally important, your united opposition to liberal legislation will send an important message to Governor Schwarzenegger that we are unified, and opposing poor public policy proposals. Of course,… Read More

People like to compare San Francisco to Chicago. Chicago is, hands down, my favorite U.S. city and San Francisco doesn’t hold a candle to the Windy City….except when it comes to politics. There I will agree that the two cities have much in common: city politics and governments dominated by the Democratic Party. Today’s Matier & Ross column in the San Francisco Chronicle highlights the questionable fundraising of a Board of Supervisors candidate, Jaynry Mak. Mak has lots and lots of big donations from minimum-wage type of workers, some of whom M&R couldn’t find when they doublechecked the donor’s info. Makes me think of… Read More

In the city of San Clemente the rights of property owners have been set aside by the council majority, but some residents are not taking it lying down.

While I am mainly a pollster, ever once in while I find myself running an independent expenditure campaign or even more commonly, I am the consultant people call to take on city hall or some other government agency that has overstepped their authority. It is a role I really enjoy, mostly because I am good at it–and almost always win. Fighting for the cause of liberty and getting paid well for the work is tremendously rewarding.

I am in the midst one such battle in San Clemente.

The OC Register today published a rebuttal to one of their editorials that called the city council in San Clemente out for their anti-property rights vote. The rebuttal, written by Jim Cogan, a leader among the "we don’t think our neighbors should be able to make home improvements and add on to their homes" crowd makes me the focus of his response.

Here is an expert from the rebuttal (… Read More

OK GOP Legislators, it’s time for a huddle… Today the State Legislature will come back into session after their Summer recess, and it is my hope you Republican legislators will come to Sacramento ready to face the coming onslaught of big-government legislation as a team. Of course, the primary source of pressure to pass bills that raise fees and taxes, or expand the size, scope and reach of the state government will come from the Democrats who control a majority of votes in both houses of the legislature. By remaining unified as Republican caucuses on these bills, you GOPers in the State Senate and State Assembly can achieve two important goals: the first would be to ensure that no tax or fee increases requiring a 2/3 vote of the legislature will ever see the light of day. But equally important, your united opposition to liberal legislation will send an important message to Governor Schwarzenegger that we are unified, and opposing poor public policy proposals. Of course,… Read More