Growing Mail Ballot Lead — GOP now +3,286 in SD vote-by-Mail totals — Latest 24K ballots break 43% Republican vs. 38% Democratic

Jim SillsJim Sills Leave a Comment

The SD Registrar has processed another 24,561 mail ballots since SD Rostra’s last report, and registered Republicans (43.2%) outnumber Democrats (38.5%) within that cohort.  The overall GOP lead is up  from +2,154 on Monday to + 3,286 on Thursday.  And the GOP share of all mail ballots (42%)  is now 7 points higher than its registration share (35%).   Votes-by-Mail are expected to be 60% …

CRP says District 7 candidate Kostrinsky “doesn’t want you to know who he really is” — A veteran past SEIU union official

Jim SillsJim Sills 53 Comments

With public opinion tilting against public employee unions, the California Republican Party says D7 council candidate Mat Kostrinsky (D) does not want voters to know of his career interlude with the influential local SEIU chapter.  And a check of the Biography Page at Kostrinsky’s campaign website  does not mention the SEIU.  SEIU press releases or agendas from Local 221 identify Kostrinsky as an SEIU official here in 2010 and …

June 2012 Ballot Recommendations — San Diego Tax Fighters

Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax FightersUndesignated Leave a Comment

June 2012 Ballot Voter Recommendations Contact: Richard Rider, Chairman Phone: 858-530-3027 Revised 20 May, 2012 LOCAL PROPOSITIONS (with “!” for extra importance or emphasis) Proposition A – City of San Diego Fair & Open Competition Ordinance. Amends Municipal Code: YES!! Proposition B – City of San Diego Comprehensive Pension Reform Initiative. Amends City Charter: YES!!! Proposition C – City of …

San Diego (& CA) electricity rates are sky high

Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax FightersRichard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters 1 Comment

While I’m not adding this electricity cost analysis to my dreary “Breaking Bad: CA vs. the Other States” fact sheet (this analysis is a hard item to condense into one sentence), it’s a situation my California readers need to understand. Our state’s residential electricity rates often are outrageous compared to the rest of the nation. And under AB32, these rates …

Mitt Romney and the Rev. Wright Controversy

Bob SiegelBob Siegel 1 Comment

From Bob Siegel’s column Forbidden Table Talk on Communities At WashingtonTimes.com SAN DIEGO, May 22, 2012 — Both the mainstream media and the Obama campaign seem determined to short circuit any GOP attempts to hold President Obama responsible for past associations. Last week, the New York Times reported plans for a possible GOP ad campaign that would examine Barack Obama’s …

Last Major Mayoral Debate – Today

Tony ManolatosTony Manolatos 1 Comment

The San Diego Association of REALTORS® (SDAR), one of my clients, is hosting the last major mayoral debate. When: Wednesday, May 30 Time: Registration & VIP Reception at 11AM; Lunch at 11:45AM; Debate at 12:15PM Location: Town & County Conference Center in Mission Valley. Debate is in the Golden Pacific Ballroom. VIP Reception is for media, candidates and guests and is in …

A Self-Imposed Crisis

Guest ColumnGuest Column 15 Comments

Guest Commentary by Hugh Akston I was going to remain silent on this issue, but comments made at a recent San Diego City Council hearing on the issuance of bond offering documents as well as articles by former Councilmember Donna Frye at Voice of SD and SD Rostra got the best of me. While I can probably guess that most …

New SuperPAC/National Org Dedicated to America’s Security Launched Today in SD

Thor's AssistantPress Releases / Media Advisories 7 Comments

View as a Webpage | Forward to a Friend FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 22, 2012             Contact: Dave Gilliard (916) 626-6804 or John Hoy (858) 361-5254   San Diego, CA — A new SuperPAC and national association, Fight 4 America, dedicated to America’s security and national defense was launched today at a press conference overlooking the USS …

For shame, John Stahl

Thor's AssistantRostra Administrator (Thor's Assistant) 29 Comments

Rostra Editorial Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.  Since 1934, sacred ground. Yet, to 52nd District Congressional candidate John Stahl, that ground is a mere political prop, a venue for a good camera shot, a place for the dead who served our nation so valiantly to now be served up for the sake of political opportunism.  A Hollywood backdrop from which to …

San Diego GOP takes 2,154-ballot Lead in County Vote-by-Mail returns as of May 21 — A significant Repeat of the 2010 Trend

Jim SillsJim Sills 5 Comments

Among the first 89,223 Mail Ballots returned to the SD Registrar of Voters, registered Republicans (36,986) have taken a 2,154 ballot lead over Democrats (34,832), replicating a trend SD Rostra first noted in 2010.  The GOP zooms from 35.2 % of registration, to 41.3 % of ballots received as of May 21st.  This may assauge the whining  concerns some critics directed …

City Journal: The Worst Union in America

Thor's AssistantRostra Administrator (Thor's Assistant) Leave a Comment

from City Journal… by Troy Senik The Worst Union in America How the California Teachers Association betrayed the schools and crippled the state In 1962, as tensions ran high between school districts and unions across the country, members of the National Education Association gathered in Denver for the organization’s 100th annual convention. Among the speakers was Arthur F. Corey, executive …

What the City of San Diego is Telling Wall Street about Prop A…and other things you may not know

Guest ColumnGuest Column 13 Comments

In the spirit of bringing our readers thoughtful and meaningful commentary from alternative viewpoints, we are pleased that former Council Member Donna Frye asked Rostra if we would consider a guest opinion piece. Guest Commentary by Donna Frye  There are serious financial risks to the taxpayers and the City of San Diego if Proposition A, which bans project labor agreements (PLAs), …

DeMaio Releases Water Ratepayers “Bill of Rights” to Stop Outrageous Water Rates

Carl DeMaioCarl DeMaio 18 Comments

Urges Reform and More Protection For Ratepayers Whose Water Bills Have Increased 67% Since 2007  For the past five years, San Diegans have seen their water rates rise 67%. Mayoral Candidate Carl DeMaio today released his “Water Ratepayer Bill of Rights” to protect San Diego families from outrageous water rate hikes. “San Diegans have been hosed by higher water rates …

RIP, Tom Fuentes — here is Rostra’s 2010 interview of Orange County’s “Mr. Republican” — He shares leadership secrets and reveals his long-time Ties to San Diego

Jim SillsJim Sills 6 Comments

Last week, Tom Fuentes was holding court in a quiet corner of San Diego’s Republican state convention. For 20 years (1984-2004) he chaired the Orange County GOP, and was arguably the most-influential County GOP chair in California’s long history. Ronald Reagan, George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson and dozens of congressmen and state legislators relied on both his power and good counsel. But Tom Fuentes did not want …

Political and Social Rules For America

Bob SiegelBob Siegel 4 Comments

From Bob Siegel’s column Forbidden Table Talk on Communities At WashingtonTimes.com SAN DIEGO, May 15, 2012 — Despite all the talk about the equality of countries spread across our 21st century world, America is still almost universally regarded to be in a class by herself. Even people who dislike America admit that America is special. Otherwise they would find it …

The Best and Worst SD Mayor Videos

Tony ManolatosTony Manolatos 1 Comment

Politics & Media Mashup Good videos are an effective way to communicate a message, especially since many of us are attached to iPhones and iPads. I believe political videos will eventually replace mail pieces and most news releases. Won’t that be nice! That’s a post for another day. Today I decided to mashup the best and worst campaign videos from …

Reality

Nathan FletcherNathan Fletcher Leave a Comment

Over the past couple of weeks you received a barrage of negative mail and saw TV advertisements from the far left and far right attacking Nathan Fletcher. These mailers and negative stunts are not only false, but also a reminder of what type of political climate we live in today. In fact, Bill Osborne from the UT San Diego said, …

Are unions exemplifying amnesia or cowardice on Project Labor Agreements?

Guest ColumnGuest Column Leave a Comment

Guest Commentary by Eric Christen San Diego’s union bosses and their political allies have either contracted a case of highly contagious amnesia or they have simply become cowards when it comes to admitting they support Project Labor Agreements on taxpayer funded projects.  This is something to behold. The latest campaign message from opponents of Proposition A is that the City …