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Archive for the ‘Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters’ Category
Jerry Brown pension may cost him the election
The story below could cost Jerry Brown the election this November. Brown gets a lucrative state pension for his relatively short time in state government. No surprise there.
But what IS scandalous is that the state’s secrecy over such pensions. More important for Brown, he is credited with MANY more years’ state service than he seems to have earned, boosting his pension even more. This story is still developing, but Meg Whitman will surely be out with devastating ads on this soon.
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Evidence the SD sales tax is doomed
When the San Diego city sales tax was first agreed to this week by the city council, there was a short “Breaking News” piece on the U-T website. The next day there were over 200 comments. But what struck me was the OVERWHELMING rejection of the tax by commenters. Normally there is a hyperactive cadre of government employees commenting away (often on govt time), but they seemed reticent to come out and play on this.
Then today (Sunday 8/8/10) the U-T published seven letters to the editor about the city sales tax increase — ALL opposed. And I didn’t write any of ‘em!
The perfect candidate for Congress — or whatever
This campaign ad could work for a candidate in either party! It should be shown in our schools.
CalPERS complicit in Bell scandal — they lied
Recently CalPERS expressed shock and surprise at the huge public administrator salaries in the small, poor city of Bell.
But they lied.
Turns out that FOUR YEARS AGO internal memos at CalPERS expressed concerns about this rip-off — but no action was taken.
Even more outrageous, CalPERS stated that while it was a problem to give huge pay increases (and therefore pension boosts) to a SINGLE employee, it was just fine if a GROUP of employees all got the same outrageous raises. NOW we know why City Manger Rizzo gave big raises to his subordinates (aside from hush money, of course).
City of Bell scandal continues to grow
The scandal in the city of Bell continues to grow — and to toll the death knell for runaway government pay and benefits. It’s hard to imagine that this raped city will not declare bankruptcy shortly.
Breaking News: More Bell City Employees Were Receiving Big-Time Salaries
Written by James Spencer August 6, 2010
The phone still rings in the city of Bell.
Yes, it’s been busy lately. The woman who answered the city phone on Thursday afternoon admitted that they’re getting used to the calls. So much so that the city set up a separate line for all media inquiries.
How Bell got poor taxpayers to unwittingly pay for their huge salaries
The outrageous story of the hapless city of Bell, California is now widely known across the nation. A group of city politicians led by City Manager Rizzo allegedly colluded to pay themselves obscene salaries in a poor city of under 40,000 residents.
The disgraced city manager has resigned, losing his $790,000 salary. But not to worry — he’ll get by okay.
It turns out that his pension likely will as much as $710,000. When you factor in the employee deductions from a $790,000 salary, odds are that the pension roughly equates to the take home pay the city manager was previously receiving.
ZOMBIE SALES TAX RETURNS YET AGAIN
SALES TAX IS NOT DEAD YET!
We enjoyed some brief success yesterday (Monday, 26 July, 2010) when Donna Frye threw a monkey wrench into the San Diego City Council majority’s plan to put a sales tax on the ballot. As you probably all know by now, she joined with Carl DeMaio and Kevin Faulconer to torpedo a sales tax increase that the rest of the union-beholden Councilmembers wanted.
Folks – as they used to say in the old Westerns about the attacking Native Ameicans — “here they come again!”
Don’t pay ANY benefits to city managers
There’s an interesting ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER story about a San Juan city manager who draws two salaries. Of course, the reader indignation abounds, and not without good reason.
But there’s an intriguing, positive aspect of the story that has been largely ignored.
The city manager is doing his job WITHOUT A PENSION or other benefits. He’s on contract — his salary is his TOTAL compensation.
This fact is important for 3 reasons:
1. The obvious point is that he is working for a lot less compensation than his peers, and this should be taken into account.
From get-go, Petco Park study is bogus
This is a bogus study, from a group that quite likely is PAID to provide bogus studies. If I get the time, I’ll later run through some of the fatuous assumptions they used to reach their fatuous conclusions.
This preordained result “consulting” is standard practice in politics. We’ve seen this with compromised actuaries providing skewed data to help approve foolish pension plans, or consultants justifying tax increases. Every stadium subsidy ever passed (or put before the voters) includes one of these bogus studies as proof of the viability of the project.
Obama’s hubris drives his drop in polls
President Obama’s popularity continues to head south. Explanations abound. Here’s mine.
Obama’s problem is that, as the quintessential central planner, he had every confidence he could “make it all work” — what Nobel Economist Friedrich Hayek called “the fatal conceit.” Obama made scores of performance promises, and delivered on almost none of them — while screwing things up royally because of the “Law of Unintended Consequences.”
It’s not so much that he lied as a candidate — I think he actually BELIEVES what he says. But he’s working in a job that is WAY above his capabilities and understanding. Even worse, all his advisers come from the same DC Disneyland School of Economics.
Steve Rosen’s opponent makes convincing case for voting for Rosen for SDUSD
The item below is a compelling “Exhibit A” for convincing Republicans, Libertarians, and perhaps many “Decline to State” and AIP voters to support and contribute to the Steve Rosen campaign for the San Diego Unified School District Board.
http://www.rosenforschools.com/
(As the San Diego political cognizanti know, Steve made the runoff by a tight margin, beating the complacent incumbent for the second runoff spot. He faces a spirited contest culminating in this November’s election.)
I’m making a small contribution today — and I seldom contribute to candidates in general and to school board candidates in particular.
Jerry Sanders Wants a Sales Tax Increase? Bring it on!
Jerry Sanders Wants a Sales Tax Increase? Bring it on!
Prepare to LOSE, Jerry – big-time
Let’s see if I can summarize what’s happening. From a financial viewpoint, the city of San Diego is going down the tubes. Reforms are being blocked by the labor union owned (well, rented) city council. We are a grossly mismanaged city held up to nationwide ridicule – “Enron-by-the-Sea.”
Demented CA State Senator still votes!
Most folks don’t know that one of the California Democrat State Senators suffers from apparent dementia. She seems to not know what is going on around her. Yet she still holds office, draws her salary and has highly paid handlers to take care of her.
But the amazing thing is that she still votes. Her chief overseer is Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg. When he needs an extra vote on a bill (as happened recently on FOUR bills) he sends for her to meet in some quiet alcove, where her vote, directed by Steinberg, is duly recorded. See this SACRAMENTO BEE story.
A city of 90,000 — with TWO city employees. It works!
Carl DeMaio’s San Diego managed competition proposal is a tad short of my ideal model – but a quantum leap forward from our present predicament. I enthusiastically support his efforts.
Yet it does raise the question – what WOULD be my ideal model, given the constraints of the real world we live in. My proposed model is indeed not a model – it’s a city in Georgia. Sandy Springs did it right.
Honest pension liability accounting will bring needed change
Posted on my blog: RiderBlog.NotLong.com
It appears that reality finally is coming to the arcane field of government pension accounting. So why should you care? Consider the following.
If (as the Dan Walters article below suggests) we start getting really serious about fully accounting for the unfunded liability of government pensions, bankruptcy can’t be far behind for many local jurisdictions.
BK or not (at this stage, I oppose BK for San Diego and most local jurisdictions), this sensible accounting step is GREAT NEWS if it becomes widely accepted. Real change will come only when it has to come.
U.S. limits BP oil spill liability to $75 million. Madness!
The monumental British Petroleum Gulf of Mexico oil spill has been held aloft by Big Government advocates as a dramatic example of “the failure of the free market.” But is it? Short answer: Hell NO!
[Ex-economist (now partisan commentator) Paul Krugman goes so far as to point to this incident to condemn libertarian thinking -- chastising libertarians for trusting government to do the right thing (huh?????). For a description of the Krugman smear, and a short but devastating rebuttal that would embarrass any responsible economist (but certainly not Krugman), read this article by David Boaz. But BEFORE you read the Boaz article, finish this piece by me.]
SD Tax Fighters June endorsements
SAN DIEGO TAX FIGHTERS
JUNE 2010 CANDIDATE (and PROP) ENDORSEMENTS – Version 1.0
Contact: Richard Rider, Chairman
Phone: 858-530-3027
Email: RRider@san.rr.com
Generally, the board of San Diego Tax Fighters chooses to dwell on issues rather than candidates. But there are times when we make candidate endorsements – sometimes reluctantly, but endorsements nevertheless.
It must be pointed out that we may still make additional recommendations before the June election – especially in the little known nonpartisan races. We will consider constructive feedback from fiscally frugal sources.
McClintock, Hedgecock & Rider agree on CA props
It’s not always the case. But on the June CA statewide props, we three agree. Yes, no, no, yes, yes.
Roger Hedgecock’s endorsements can be found here. Mine have previously been posted on this website.
And below are McClintock’s prop endorsements for this June — and his rationale:
Prop. 13. Seismic Retrofits. YES: Earthquake proofing your house shouldn’t trigger a tax increase until you’re ready to sell. Any questions?
HJTA: Greed and Ambition Fuel Prop. 14
RIDER COMMENT: Prop 14 is NOT an “open primary” proposition. But it WILL effectively eliminate third parties from ballot qualification in California, and will ban write-in votes.
And this supposedly promotes democracy??
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Greed and Ambition Fuel Prop. 14
May 24, 2010
By Jon Coupal
Promoters of Proposition 14 on the June ballot are calling it the “open” primary.
Ah yes, “open” makes it sound so inclusive, so liberating, so egalitarian — what could possibly be wrong with that? If you pay taxes in California, the answer is: plenty!
Health care bill’s form 1099 Frankenstein
Sometimes I get irritated at my own laziness. But after all, I’m retired!
Here’s an outrageous item I meant to post over 3 weeks ago, but let slide. Thankfully my bro-in-law Adam reminded me to get going on this.
This 1099 provision in the massive health care bill is madness. Apparently it means my (and your) SS# or TIN (business ID#) could be floating around in many vendors’ hands. The opportunities for mischief are boundless.
I guess the only good news is that — if the 1099′s are filed on paper rather than electronically — the IRS will be overwhelmed with paperwork — complete with many errors. Crushed, actually.
Thomas Sowell rebuts Obamanomics
After my main man Milton Friedman, Thomas Sowell is easily my favorite economist. But he’s more than a great free market advocate. He offers enlightening sociological and philosophical insights. Professor Sowell is truly an original thinker. Watch his YouTube interview.
Even though he is a bit past his peak as a communicator, Sowell’s intellect towers above little people with little partisan minds, such as “economist” Paul Krugman.
Sowell’s quick summation of the failure of the vaunted “New Deal” is important for all to understand. The enduring myth of FDR’s “success” has caused great harm long after we put the awful Great Depression behind us.
SD Tax Fighters’ Positions on June Props
San Diego Tax Fighters has completed its review of the June 2010 Primary Election state and local ballot measures and issued its ballot recommendations. A supermajority (75%) vote of the SD TF Board of Directors is required for a position to be taken on any ballot measure. The recommendations (with subjective exclamations marks added by Richard Rider — not by the board) are:
STATE PROPOSITIONS
Public employees underpaid? NAHHHHH
Below is the link to a detailed rebuttal of a recent bogus study claiming that public employees are paid less than the private sector. This rebuttal was done by my friend Adam Summers with the Reason Foundation.
Of course, the opposite is true. Today most (not all) public employees are paid MORE than the private sector average, and their benefits are off the chart. And then there’s the job security thingy.
For most casual readers, this analysis is perhaps TOO detailed. A skim of the article is sufficient.
Navy naming warship the “John Murtha”?
Incredibly, the Navy (yes, OUR Navy) is planning to name a warship after the late John Murtha — a contemptible human being who served many years as a U.S. Congressman. A ragtag but vocal opposition movement is developing on Facebook…
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109473479090697
Most of the opposition is because of Murtha’s remarks calling military personnel cold-blooded murderers. You’d think that alone would be enough to keep the Navy from naming a ship after him.
But it’s not. It turns our that senior military and defense folks are whores — selling names of ships to career Congress critters (regardless of their character) in exchange for the politicians’ votes support of military appropriations bills.
HELP! Who to support for Poway CC?
I’m looking for guidance and input concerning the Poway city council elections. I understand that certain candidates are opposed to the proposed Poway Wal-Mart Superstore (for whatever reasons they care to claim).
I’m interested in supporting candidates who will vote FOR the Wal-Mart enterprise. I care not what the claimed reasons are.
My pro-Wal-Mart position is based on consumer choice, free markets and property rights. Furthermore, anyone who is anti-Wal-Mart is probably seeking the support of the Poway public employee labor unions (and the county unions as well). That’s enough to vote against any such supporter.
Is there someone here on this blog who can provide guidance on this matter?
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