On Tuesday I took my interns to Sacramento to meet with policy advocates from Cal Chamber and various legislators. Thanks to the help of Chris Finarelli in Assemblyman Huff’s office(thx, Chris!!!), the day was the perfect opportunity for my interns to see their state government up close and personal. While we were in town, we learned some interesting factoids, and I thought I would share some of these with all of you in the form of a contest. The first person to name all the Sacramento Superstars correctly gets a prize pack of goodies!. You’ll get an official Go Green t-shirt…lovz it…a Go Green coffee mug…when what you drink is sew hott…and a Go Green eraser…very handy during deficit budget dayz.

So, here’s the quiz. See if you can name the lobbyist or the legislator who fits this description…

This legislator serves as the head of the E3 caucus. (You get a bonus point if you know what the E3 caucus is.) This lobbyist probably works with CBIA on a number of issues. This legislator thinks we should follow the example of the French. (You get a bonus point if you can explain why). This lobbyist is a … Read More

Jon Coupal, the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, sent over this exclusive piece with all of the discussions that somehow the Governor’s proposal to increase the state sales tax by a full cent for years may "not" be a tax increase — um, yeah, it is… A Tax Increase is a Tax Increase By Jon Coupal

We’re hearing only rumors of the budget "deal" that Don Perata claims he has with Governor Schwarzenegger but, if what we’ve heard has any basis in reality, the proposed tax increase is a non-starter.

The rumored deal involves a "temporary" sales tax increase that would, not only be repealed in three years, but would actually be reduced until it is "paid back" to the taxpayers.

A couple of simple concepts here. First, even a temporary tax increase is still a tax increase. Any legislator who… Read More

Grover Norquist is widely respected as one of the nation’s leading taxpayer advocates. As President of Americans for Tax Reform, he has been leading the charge in Washington, D.C., and in the states against new taxes. He has penned this exclusive column for FlashReport readers in light of the current over-spending crisis in Sacramento…

IN TAX TALK, TEMPORARY MEANS PERMANENT; BUT IN CALIFORNIA THE GOP CAN STOP ANY TAX INCREASE By Grover Norquist The History of Americans for Tax Reform’s No Tax Hike Pledge In 1985 president Reagan asked me to run Americans for Tax Reform — to be the grassroots lobby for what… Read More

Yes Virginia, it is a tax increase, and no Aaron, the principled opposition to any new tax is not a partisan position. The Governor cannot avoid his responsibility for this crisis by calling on Legislators to end their political careers to bail him out of a situation he created. Had he listened to them two years ago or last year, instead of engaging in the name calling he is engaging in again this year, he would not be in this mess. To say now that the disaster he created because he was too eager to cut a budget deal before is now the result of the Legislators that tried to help him avert this disaster is pure narcissism. Last year, Senate Republicans tried to stop this disaster. The Governor insulted them, impliedly allowed the Democrats to go after Jeff Denham, called them every thing he could think of, and today says they are being unreasonable because they didn’t want to have to vote for a tax increase this year? Just who does he think he is?

I have been out of the country for some time, so I haven’t followed the debate too close, but over the last several days, I have been satisfying my addiction to talk radio, and I have been hearing the… Read More

There hasn’t been an override of a Governor’s veto of a California Governor… in well a long time. Previous GOP Governors worked with GOP legislators to help keep overrides from happening.

Except for occasional lobs of grenades into budget negotiations, the Governor really isn’t focused on getting a budget. In fact I question if he is focused on governing at all. He isn’t talking to Republicans.

Why not send him a message? He recently threatened to veto all bills until there is a budget. The legislative response has been to hold passed bills until there is a budget. I know all us Republicans think vetoing all the bills would be great. The reality is that won’t happen. That’s why he allowed bills to go back rather than veto them.

Since there won’t really be a rash of vetoes, why not send him a message about who is relevant. Pick a bill that everyone agrees on and send it to him. If he vetoes it, override it. Then maybe he would have to work with GOP legislators like Wilson and Deukmejian did.

For the Dems, It would show California his increasing irrevelency in California’s governance. That should be part… Read More

Rumor has it that there are three Republican votes for a budget with a tax increase. Since only two are needed, why would three Republicans vote yes? Once again, according to rumors, one of these Republicans wants to protect Lou Correa, the only Democrat in a target district, from having to vote for a tax increase. If these rumors are true, we have three Republicans who wish to betray Republicans two ways, (1) by violating the basic principles upon which they all were elected, that is, the basic commitment to smaller government and less taxes; and (2) protecting the Democrat majority from the consequences of their spendthrift ways by protecting one of the targets.

Who are these three? Once again according to rumors they are Roy Ashburn, Jim Battin, and Abel Maldonado. All friends of mine, all Senators for whom I have great respect and all Senators that would break my heart if these rumors are true. Now I know my heart is unimportant in the scheme of things, who am I anyway? But I feel like that little boy who looked at Shoeless Joe Jackson after the Chicago Black Sox scandal and said "Say it aint so, Joe." Say it aint so, Jim, Roy, Abel. Say it… Read More

Let’s be clear here. A mega-billion dollar rail bond is a bad deal for California taxpayers. Not only because of the principle that an eneavor such as this should be financed via user fees, not on the backs of tens of millions of taxpayers (not counting the ones not yet born) — but California is already over-loaded with debt.

This “fix” legislatuon that appears to be up for a vote in the Assembly today has as a major purpose making this boondoggle more palatable to voters.

Conservatives should be committed to defeating this bond measure. This includes voting against legislation designed, in essence, to help it pass.

The FlashReport joins with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and others in strongly urging a NO on the bill.… Read More

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that Senate President Pro-Tem Don Perata has announced that Senate Democrats have negotiated a budget deal…with the Governor (not with Senate Republicans).

Before I go on, let me share that it is embarassing to me, as a Republican, that the Governor of my party would attempt to emasculate GOP legislators by not insisting that his party’s legislators be included in any negotiations.

That said, I suppose my expectations of Governor “Post Partisan” leave me disappointed, but not surprised.

The good news is that Republican legislative votes are still needed to pass a budget.

So… Now I say, what is this “deal” that has been reached? I call on the Governor and Senator Perata to unveil all of the details for scrutiny. Is there a tax increase? What kind? Are there spending cuts? What and where?

In short, I have little faith that without GOP legislative input, the interests of taxpayers are reflected in this “deal” — and look forward to hearing reaction from our Republican legislators about the deal-points and specifics. Once someone… Read More