Harkey: Chavez says he raised gas prices “for the industries”
Press Release Chavez defends his vote to raise gas prices by up to 73 cents a gallon Says he “did it for the industries” Oceanside, CA — In a stunning admission, State Assemblyman Rocky Chavez has admitted that his vote for Governor Jerry Brown’s Cap and Trade Bill that is raising California gas prices by up to 73 cents a …
The hidden costs driving California gas prices up
This op-ed originally appeared in The Orange County Register and can be viewed here. Gasoline prices around the country have dropped dramatically so far this year, as the price of oil has slumped. Gas prices in California, however, remain much higher than the national average. At the February meeting of the State Board of Equalization, I voted with the majority to …
Getting Into the Weeds Part IV: Pot Legalization Could Create a Banana Republic
This op-ed originally appeared in The Press Enterprise and can be viewed here. As we enter 2016, our new industry and cash crop, marijuana, is the buzz in Sacramento. Over 30 new pieces of pro-marijuana legislation will be introduced this year, with little outside-the-beltway scrutiny. Big players are waiting in the wings to seize the marketplace with recreational use ballot initiatives. …
The Sacramento Strategy to Undo Proposition 13
This op-ed originally appeared in the Flashreport Serving in the Legislature for six years, I had a front row seat to the culture in Sacramento where operatives strategize and execute plans to continuously raise your taxes to fund an ever expanding state government. For the first time in years, our state budget is running a surplus, and yet the demand …
Watered-Down SB 350 Still Threatens California
This op-ed originally appeared in the Riverside Press-Enterprise Once in a while, even in the California state Legislature, we witness democracy in action or a rare moment when a well-intentioned, but harmful, strongly supported and lobbied bill, is rejected due to a lack of votes. In the final days of the Legislature’s 2014-2015 session, the right number of elected officials listened …
Premature for California to Plan for Cannabis Banking
This op-ed originally appeared in the Orange County Register With all the financial challenges impacting our global economy, many are planning for the next economic slowdown. Not to be undone, Sacramento is focused on creating a new economy and “cash crop” for the Golden State. Ready to place an initiative on the 2016 ballot, high-ranking elected state officials and other promoters …
Getting Into the Weeds Part I: Don’t Sanction Criminality
This op-ed originally appeared in the Press Enterprise Imagine you have a business, such as a restaurant, retail establishment or auto dealership. Then imagine that you can only accept cash and cannot retain financial records or bank accounts because they could be seized by the federal government. Would you expect the state of California to accept your estimate of sales, …
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: A Snapshot of Legislation Moving Through Sacramento
This op-ed originally appeared in the Flashreport The Good AB 2031 (Dahle) – Provides relief for certain retailers who must collect the Lumber Products Assessment (LPA) by excluding those who sell less than $25,000 in qualifying products annually. LPA is a 1 percent tax on purchases of lumber products and engineered wood products. This bill provides a much needed break …
Road to Recovery – Not a Zero Sum Game
This op-ed originally appeared in Fox & Hounds While improving appearances on the financial front, albeit at the expense of higher taxes, California’s true recovery depends on increasing private sector employment. Publicly, Governor Brown and his GoBiz office have acknowledged as much; many of the employment damaging policies occurred prior to his watch. But how his administration moves forward will be …
Beware Extreme Expansion of ‘Prevailing Wage’ Rules
This op-ed originally appeared in the Riverside Press-Enterprise Hold on to your hat and your wallet. In the lower house of the California Legislature, 54 is a magic number. With 80 Assembly districts throughout the state, 54 seats are exactly what Democrats need to hold a supermajority in Sacramento. The California Constitution requires that tax increases and emergency legislation must …
Understanding Employers and Why Republicans Matter
This op-ed originally appeared in Steve Frank’s California Political News & Views Common sense dictates that people as well as employers will act in their own best interest. This is the premise underlying market economies and why they provide more goods, services and improve the lives of all of us, much more so than a command or government manipulated market can. …
Why OC Is Losing $73 Million in Property Taxes and More
This op-ed originally appeared in the Flashreport Sometimes being in the room helps get the story straight. Orange County lost its case to retain $73 million in property tax revenue, in a legal decision stemming from the 2011 state budget deal. The decision will be appealed, as County Supervisors struggle to fill the gap which will decrease employment and services …
Governor’s State Budget – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
This op-ed originally appeared in the Flashreport As budgets go in California there is much to be liked about the Governor’s May revise. First, it balances and does again reduce the accumulated structural deficit (internal and external borrowed monies used to plug holes since 1999) projected to fall from a height of $35 billion to $26 billion. The budget establishes …
Return of the Car Tax and Why Legislators Should Say No
This op-ed originally appeared on BudgetWatchdogs.org The “Car Tax” is back but may be on life support. Assembly Bill 8, a “gut and amend” bill that failed during the final hours of last year’s session, would increase or extend $2.3 billion of fees on car owners until 2024 – an eight year extension from the original expiration date of 2016. …
Checkers Won’t Save State GOP
This op-ed originally appeared in the Riverside Press-Enterprise With California election losses still playing out, the argument for Republicans revising who we are and what we stand for falls short. Republicans face a Democrat supermajority of both houses of the Legislature, and Democrats hold every state constitutional office. Without leadership that includes a long term “chess” strategy for integrity of …
Avoiding the Cliff – And Preventing a Collision in 2013
With all the drama focused on DC where the political marketing machine on steroids has us envisioning the horrors of careening off a “financial cliff,” the focus should be in California, as we are actually the pace car for the states racing behind us. In that vein, to begin 2013 there is good and bad news to report regarding “California’s …
Top Twenty Worst Bills Worthy of the Governor’s Veto
This op-ed, co-authored with Senator Bob Dutton, originally appeared in the Flashreport As of today, the Governor has yet to act on any of these bills. When he is done, we will grade Governor Brown on his performance. The Governor’s “letter grade” will be computed using the following scale… If he vetoes 90% or more, the Governor got an “A”, 80% – …
Last-Minute Drama in the Legislature
This op-ed originally appeared in the Orange County Register Reporting the type of back stories that made radio commentator Paul Harvey famous should be a must for the end of each legislative session in Sacramento. But to report behind-the-scenes stories, you need guts and a front-row seat. Now for the rest of the story: Widely reported was the defeat of …
They’re Back…Redevelopment Agencies Times Two
This op-ed originally appeared in the Flashreport Redevelopment times two appears to be returning to California, less than a year after the program was dissolved by the Legislature at the direction of Governor Brown. After Redevelopment Agencies (RDAs) were disbanded, members of both parties, the education establishment, and property rights advocates applauded the action. But less than a year later, …
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