Doesn’t the "I threaten to veto all bills unless" approach get a little old, especially if after the stated threat, one always comes up with a few "except that one" bills that are "too important" to have been lumped in with the rest of the lot?

Just a question.

If, in fact, we could really count on a veto of all pending bills, including the twenty or so terrible ones that Jon Fleischman has been tracking on these pages, perhaps we should actually support a no deal on water for the time being.

Just a thought.… Read More

I will have to admit – I’m tired of posers. What we need are principled fiscal conservatives leading California’s Government. I would love to go for the old "outreach template" in the Governor’s race, but its never produced an effective leader.

Dan Walters, columnist for the Sacramento Bee,wrote on Monday about California’s crumbling roads, highways and streets. Anyone with a car and a driver’s license knows Walters is right; our roads are a mess! And when compared to other states (which Walters did, having just returned from a road trip in the Northwestern states) the condition of our roads is inexcusable.

But I disagree with Walters’ assertion that our transportation infrastructure is in shambles because drivers don’t pay enough gas taxes.

With heavy use, the system needs, but is not getting, an extremely high level of maintenance to stave off deterioration. The gasoline tax, levied on gallonage, hasn’t been changed for many years. And because of greater fuel efficiency, the amount of gas being consumed has increased very little even as travel has increased sharply. Moreover, this flat revenue is being eroded by inflation.

Also on Monday, the California Taxpayers’ Association reported that the Board of Equalization released a report showing… Read More

Last week I had a chance to sit down with Gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman for the better part of an hour. Our interview covered a number of policy areas including global warming/AB32, eminent domain, gun control, abortion, and philosophy about government. Because we had the handy FlashReport digital recorder along, we’ll be able to bring you some direct excerpts from the interview. THIS IS THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THIS INTERVIEW. YOU CAN READ PART ONE (ON THE ENVIRONMENT, GLOBAL WARMING, AND AB 32) CLICK HERE… Read More

Last week I had a chance to sit down with Gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman for the better part of an hour. Our interview covered a number of policy areas including global warming/AB32, eminent domain, gun control, abortion, and philosophy about government. Because we had the handy FlashReport digital recorder along, we’ll be able to bring you some direct excerpts from the interview.

THIS IS THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THIS INTERVIEW. YOU CAN READ PART ONE (ON THE ENVIRONMENT, GLOBAL WARMING, AND AB 32) CLICK HERE.

Because of the location at which we met in Menlo Park on the San Francisco Peninsula,… Read More

Assemblyman Alberto Torrico’s (D- Newark) likes to talk tough, but he can’t even back up his own statements.

In a recent article by Capitol Weekly, Asm. Torrico referred to Governor Schwarzenegger and Senate Republican leader Dennis Hollingsworth as extortionists because they are holding firm for a comprehensive water solution. The legislative session ended on September 11, 2009 and nearly one month later the Democrats still haven’t delivered a plan to solve for our states water crisis; yet Asm. Torrico has the gall to criticize them?

It was Torrico who went on the Spanish language station of Univision on August 29, 2009 and declared that the Latino Caucus believed helping the Central Valley should take precedent over green concerns. He also called this a “necessity” and the “number one priority.”

It is difficult to call this issue a “necessity” and the “number one priority” when you are out chastising others for making it… Read More

It would appear, according to the Fresno Bee, that Senate and Assembly Democrats need a reminder that in trying to come to a solution that solves the problem of people in California not having enough water for their personal and business needs, passing a solution through the legislature is only the first part of a two-step process. Any solution, because of the inevitable need to borrow large sums of money, will require voter approval.

So it is with a certain level of cynicism that I read today in the Fresno Bee that Assembly Republicans have identified a staggering $3 billion in what Assemblyman Tom Berryhill refers to as "environmental pork" in the package as proposed.

Or put another way, Democrats apparently (and shamefully) want to use the water crisis as a means to try and get voters to approve billions in borrowing that have nothing to do with actually delivering water to those people and business in need. Unbelievable.

I would remind the legislature that the last time a poorly-devised "plan" was hatched in the Capitol and sent to voters, the… Read More

The debate increases daily over whether government agencies at all levels can continue to provide generous defined benefit pension plans to their employees. More and more local elected officials are beginning to face the reality that these plans are simply financially unsustainable, while in many cases — sadly — also trying to figure out how to vote for fiscal integrity without upsetting labor groups.

There’s nothing that drives the debate moreso than facts. The San Diego County Taxpayers Association has issued what clearly stands as a significant 52-page report on the impacts of pension systems in the region, a first ever analysis of 17 city governments in San Diego County that participate in the California Public Employee Retirement System.

The report draws a conclusion. Increased taxes are the direct result of high pension costs in some cities.

The media embargo was lifted on the report at 10 p.m. tonight. It’s 10 p.m. at the FlashReport. So, here is the press release, with the report attached below.

City Pension Costs Linked to Higher… Read More