This is a rare year for turnover in Fresno County elections. In our neck of the woods, those elected countywide don’t ever lose o it can get quite boring around here at times in local politics. But over the last two local election cycles most of the county administrative offices have turned over after retirements by long term officeholders. This year presents two major announcements. First, Sheriff Richard Pierce if retiring after serving two terms. He followed longtime Sheriff Steve Magarian, who was Sheriff for over a decade. Announced candidates thus far are few, but a well known Clovis City Councilman and former Mayor, Jose Flores, has announced his intention to succeed Pierce. Councilman Flores is also a captain in the Sheriff’s department and appears to be the early frontrunner. If elected, he would become one of the only Hispanic countywide officeholders in Fresno County history. And, yes, he is a recent convert to Republicanism.

The next major retirement announcement came from longtime County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Pete Mehas. A lifelong Republican, he has an educational and political resume too voluminous to reprint here.… Read More

Probably the most telling comment of the budget announcement yesterday was when the governor made the joke about his motorcycle accident. It answered a nagging question in my mind: How much was pillow talk directing state policy? The answer is one I was fairly certain of: a lot.

In case you missed it, the governor’s joke was (as reported by the Sac Bee): "A car pulled out in front of me … I just couldn’t make a decision which way to go.… Read More

In the first California election of 2006, reform Republican Kevin Faulconer (disclaimer – Coronado Communications client) appears to have defeated the labor council’s Lorena Gonzalez 50.99% to 49.01% (14,050 to 13,506) in the race for San Diego’s 2nd City Council seat. There are 2,500 remaining absentee votes to be counted – mostly absentees. If the numbers hold, this was a huge upset that quite literally will alter the direction of the seventh largest city in America.

This victory gives Republican Mayor Jerry Sanders the leverage he needs to pass his City Hall reform agenda. There are now three Republicans on the city council, one conservative Democrat (who is Council President), one populist ("surfer chick" Donna Frye who recently lost the Mayoral race) and three machine Democrats. Better, Frye actually lost her own 6th Council seat to Sanders in the Mayoral race, which indicates she may be interested in jumping on the reform team in order to avoid the serious challenge that… Read More

Let’s begin with the premise that being called too conservative by Phil Angelides is like Paris Hilton telling you that you’re spending way too much time studying quantum physics. It’s not a particularly high threshold, coming from such a far end of the other side of the spectrum.

But Angelides may have inadvertently helped Arnold Schwarzenegger make the case for the fiscal responsibility of his bond proposal. After a long weekend of trying to figure out a way to criticize Schwarzenegger’s building plan without offending commuters, parents, residents of flood plains, and other desirable constituencies, the likely Democratic nominee for governor took a break from calling for tax increases on rich people to criticize Arnold for not spending enough on the bond package.

The key point that Angelides made is this: Schwarzenegger’s proposal actually decreases the average annual expenditure on bonds from the rate that has existed for the past five years. Since 2000, California voters have been passing $7.1 billion in new bonds per year. The governor’s bond package calls for an average of $6.8 billion in bonds. What… Read More

We are only ten days into the New Year and I think the most honest and noble act by a politician that will be done in 2006 has already happened.

Congressman Rohrabacher has stood by his long-time friend Jack Abramoff through the high flying days and now at Mr. Abramoff’s lowest point. This is a quality we should all emulate. Without regard for political fallout, Congressman Rohrabacher says what he believes–does what is right.

Congressman Rohrabacher, is the best of the best we have in Congress (except for some of his Middle East policies, but at least with Dana and I that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends)..

The bottom line: Good people at heart do not dispense with friends as they do with old appliances that break down.… Read More

CONSERVATIVES UNITED ON THE HILL The Republican Study Committee is made up of the most committed, conservative Members of Congress. Today, the FlashReport features an exclusive column from one of the leading conservatives in Washington, D.C – Congressman Ed Royce. From 1992-1993, I had the privilege of working for Congressman Royce when he first was elected to Congress. He is exactly the kind of person we need in Washington. This is someone who, at his core, has a firm grasp of economic principles, and just as importantly, he understands the principles of federalism, and the importance of a restrained federal government. Congressman Royce not only ‘gets it’ – but he espouses it, and he networks it. The Congressman is one of the … Read More

CONSERVATIVES UNITED ON THE HILL The Republican Study Committee is made up of the most committed, conservative Members of Congress. Today, the FlashReport features an exclusive column from one of the leading conservatives in Washington, D.C – Congressman Ed Royce. From 1992-1993, I had the privilege of working for Congressman Royce when he first was elected to Congress. He is exactly the kind of person we need in Washington. This is someone who, at his core, has a firm grasp of economic principles, and just as importantly, he understands the principles of federalism, and the importance of a restrained federal government. Congressman Royce not only ‘gets it’ – but he espouses it, and he networks it. The Congressman is one of the leaders on the Hill in terms of really … Read More

Here is a ‘must read’ initial analysis by Dan Weintraub of the Sacramento Bee, from his blog (he is NOT a big fan of this budget):

The other day the governor fell off his motorcycle. Today he fell off the wagon. The budget-balancing wagon, that is.

Schwarzenegger had been making slow if not spectacular progress in balancing the state budget since he took office in the fall of 2003. The structural gap between spending and revenues estimated for the coming year shrank from about $16 billion when he took office to less than $4 billion, and a balanced budget was actually in sight. But his proposal today would spend $7 billion more next year, while the state’s revenues are expected to increase by just $4 billion. He has stopped making progress. Now he is going backwards.

The governor is… Read More