Sometimes I wonder if agencies like the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) make it past their own headlines and read the rest of the newspaper. The above-the-fold front page headline in Thursday’s Tri Valley Herald reads, “Air board gets jump on pollutants,” and goes on to explain a new set of thresholds requiring builders to conduct pollution reduction studies before developing projects that fall within the typical range of what cities call “infill development.”Infill development has helped many cities replace blighted areas in their downtown areas with new, affordable housing for residents who want to work in the cities and enjoy short, often public transportation-enabled, commutes. While the executive director of the BAAQMD, Jack Broadbent, was patting himself and the agency on the back for being the first to adopt such guidelines, business leaders and advocates of affordable housing were not so enthusiastic. Adding additional legal hurdles to the development of badly needed urban housing in California only … Read More

FlashReport readers are very familiar with Peter Foy. You’ll recall that in addition to being Chairman of the Americans for Prosperity California chapter, Peter is an elected Ventura County Supervisor. What you may not know is that Peter was elected to the Board of Supes four years ago by taking on and defeating an incumbent RINO (Republican In Name Only). Since then, Foy has been a solid conservative leader in Ventura County, and he is coasting towards a big re-election this Tuesday night.

Foy does have an opponent, however nominal, who would not even be worth writing about, except for his big-time blunder in for all I know is his only mail piece. Foy’s opponent is a Moorpark School Board Trustee by the name of Bruce Thomas. A mail piece just dropped for Thomas (the entire piece is viewable through the link below) but check out the clip from… Read More

It’s that time again. Stop what you are doing and take a stab. Send your picks to me here. (do not post them as a comment).

Deadline is 7:55 p.m. on June 8 (or anytime before).

Winners will be announced after the election, when I can get to it, or later in the case of any hand counts or other chads-like determinations by the Registrar, especially if followed by protracted lawsuits and court battles.

The contest victors get the ultimate prize – their fellow hacks’ amazement at their prowess.

On yes, in the past, some FR readers have complained that this contest is too "San Diego oriented." Well, yes, I do write about San Diego area politics. It is your choice to participate. Or not.

So, here we go, eleven questions and a couple of tie-breakers, if needed…

1. Chula Vista Fair and Open Competition Initiative: Will Measure G win or lose?

2. Oceanside Charter City question: Will Measure K win or lose?

3. Poway (two part question, must get them both correct):

a) Will Betty Rexford… Read More

Very interesting numbers coming out of absentee data in the Special Election run-off to be held concurrently with the Primary Election on Tuesday.

As of Friday, absentee ballots returned:

This is a district with about 50% Democrats, 25% Republicans, and 25% DTS. About 1/3 of the voters are expected to be Armenian. This is significant because Republicans should have a much higher turnout on Tuesday with very competitive races for Governor and U.S. Senate while the Democrats do not have similar competitiveness (and let’s face it, less than hyper-partisan voters are not flocking to the polls to vote for Assembly).

Republican businessman Sunder Ramani has actually raised impressive amounts of money though not at the level of his Democrat opponent who is able to rake in special interest money from Sacramento.

Ramani has considerable support in the Armenian community and is considered a strong ally while the Democrat, Mike Gatto, is distrusted and has shown very little concern for Armenian issues. Ramani’s campaign has… Read More

Last week I penned a lengthy commentary where I highlighted the fact that San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Katcho Achadjian, who is seeking the GOP nomination for the 33rd Assembly District this Tuesday, had not signed the Americans for Tax Reform "No New Taxes Pledge."

Today, on behalf of Katcho’s campaign, I was faxed this signed copy of the ATR pledge. For and foremost, I commend Katcho for publicly committing to the voters that he seeks to represent that if he is elected to the State Assembly, he promises never to vote for a tax increase. In signing this pledge, Katcho joins with his two primary opponents, Etta Waterfield and Matt Kokkonan.

I do find it interesting to note that Katcho’s pledge is dated for May the 20th — a week and a half before I penned my column. So it does make one wonder why Katcho signed the pledge, but then kept to it himself… Read More

Last call. If you are a Republican Assemblymember, don’t assume that you are on the record in opposition Proposition 14, Schwarzenegger and Maldonado’s scheme to make it easier to raise taxes by driving conservatives out of the State Capitol.

You can get ON THE RECORD with your opposition by simply clicking here and sending an email.

On the State Senate side, EVERY Senate Republican is on the record opposing 14 with the exception of Dave Cox.

Note: This might be especially critical if you were a vote to place 14 on the ballot. In the Senate, three GOP Senators who voted to put it on the ballot – Cogdill, Denham and Ashburn – have all come out against it.… Read More

Fontana City Councilwoman Acquanetta Warren did a interview weeks ago in a local newspaper, expressing support for the AZ law (SB1070) that created a statute allowing the state to inquire as to immigration status of those stopped for other offenses. The same law has been in place in Federal statutes for years, and even here in California, we have a similar law.

But now that the issue is garnering attention, radical liberals have begun a series of attacks against Warren in the media — even at City Council meetings as in the following video.

Rather than bow down to angry illegal immigrant activists, Warren stepped up her efforts, launching a petition to demand the legislature abandon efforts to try to punish Arizona for enforcing immigration laws. Thousands of people have signed up to distribute petitions (available at www.Acquanetta.org), Warren has since been featured on the John & Ken show, who have run the clip almost daily.

… Read More

With the latest Survey USA poll showing Jim Patterson with a 4 point lead over Jeff Denham, the Chukchansi Tribe in Madera County is funding a six figure IE against Mr. Patterson – a negative barrage of mail, radio and TV designed as one final assault on Mr. Patterson’s record.

The Fresno Bee carries a story on this today – make no mistake about it – there are several FEC complaints pending, and a huge mess to sort out with regard to the tribe’s coordinated "fundraising" event feating $150,000 in ads funded by Denham’s State account and featuring Denham himself.

If I were the Tribe I’d start the shredders and wipe the email servers. They’ve already fired 12 people connected with the "fundraiser" and they’ll get rid of anyone with a story to tell about this "independent" expenditure as well. And I have news for them – we aren’t letting this go.

In… Read More