North County – Escondido, the only city in North County not to become a charter city is finally looking at the change. Considering the major projects that the city is looking at developing in the near future, including a Triple A ballpark for the Padres minor league team and a Marriott hotel on city land, the savings from eliminating prevailing …
Faulconer: Thanks to City Council for Redevelopment Support
The following is an email San Diego City Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer sent yesterday. It was titled “Important City Council Action Taken Today” and includes a link to a redevelopment op-ed by Faulconer that ran in Sunday’s San Diego Union-Tribune. Hello: I am writing to acknowledge the support my City Council colleagues gave today to several important redevelopment …
UPDATED — Issa Probing Bardella, Says Politico
(UPDATE at end of this post) If true, Politico’s story is obviously bad news for fellow Rostrafarian Kurt Bardella. Here’s the first three grafs: Rep. Darrell Issa, the Republican chairman of the powerful Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has launched an inquiry into whether spokesman Kurt Bardella improperly shared e-mails from other reporters with a New York Times reporter writing …
Some Reminders About the Wisconsin Debate
To clarify a few points on the debate in Wisconsin. Collective Bargaining is not a “right.” If it was, federal workers would have the right, they do not. Collective Bargaining is not a “right.” If it was, then all state employees in the U.S. would have the right, they do not. Collective Bargaining is not a “right.” Nowhere is it …
DeMaio Unveils Major Policy Proposals in 2011 State of the District Speech
In case you missed it here is a full copy of my State of the District speech. Below, we laid out the speech in broad form for your review. Each initiative will be laid out in greater detail in the coming months. — Carl Pension Reform, Solar Energy, and Water Rate Reductions Top List of Priorities Councilmember Carl DeMaio …
Shady California bookkeeping creates the nation’s largest budget shortfalls
Depending on the day, California taxpayers are on the hook for $25-28 billion of debt, however according to one state watchdog group this number is just the tip of the iceberg. California Political News reported that the $25 billion figure does not include $10 billion in outstanding lawsuits, $3 billion owed to government schools or the $146 billion owed to …
Ridiculous Developments in Redevelopment Saga
Jerry Brown’s money grab of redevelopment funds has set off an orgy of spending projects up and down the State and everyone is trying to get a slice of the action. Here in San Diego, the City is planning to vote on over 4 Billion dollars in projects this week. The San Diego school system, led by Richard Barrera, and …
From Twitter — SD Unified’s “Barrera Plan” Seeking City of San Diego Loan: Is it Legal?
The following is a Twitter conversation from Friday afternoon between Tony Manolatos, deputy chief of staff/communications director for Councilman Kevin Faulconer, and Evan McLaughlin, director of politics and legislation for the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council. Kelly Davis, associate editor of SD CityBeat, also joined the discussion near the end. The conversation stems from yesterday’s announcement by San …
Federal govt bans its own employees from unionizing
Here’s a Wall St. Journal “must read” article concerning government employee labor unions. Trust me. Technically, the federal employees CAN join labor unions. But they cannot negotiate either pay or benefits. And workers cannot be compelled to join, nor to pay dues. The Wisconsin bill allows the employee labor unions to negotiate pay, but not benefits. So it turns out …
Michael Barone says New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is the Real Deal — His speech to the American Enterprise Institute
Michael Barone, author of the Almanac of American Politics, went to bat for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie this week, after speaking to him at the American Enterprise Institute, where Barone is a Resident Fellow. Barone was impressed by Christie’s candor in his AEI speech, “Drawing on his struggles with New Jerseys public employee unions over pensions and benefits, he turned to national issues. …
NJ Governor Chris Christie Chickening Out?
Sadly, it look like NJ’s charismatic YouTube sensation Governor Chris Christie is chickening out. His “frank talk” leadership got the state fiscal reform ball rolling nationwide — with several state governors standing up to the public employee labor unions. But like many firebrands who settle in to their offices, he’s losing momentum, while other governors have passed him by with …
Are you better off since Obama took office? Not hardly.
Below is an excellent, current (about 2/15/11) snapshot of our national economy since the inauguration of President Obama (with Democrat control of both federal legislative bodies until this year). It seems that the goal of the table of figures is to disparage Barack — and well he’s earned it. It appears that Dick Morris first publicized this table of comparisons. …
Top 10 ways to tell if you might be a public-sector employee
I enjoyed this one. Quite funny, but too true to be hilarious. The Daily Caller Top ten ways to tell if you might be a member of a public-sector union By Rod Pennington – The Daily Caller 10.) You take a week off to protest in Wisconsin and your office runs better. 9.) On a snow day when they say …
Republicans celebrate Tony Krvaric’s 40th Birthday tonight at Rancho Bernardo Headquarters Party
It was a packed house tonight as well-wishers celebrated Tony Krvaric’s 40th birthday at the Republican Party of SD headquarters in Rancho Bernardo. Among those attending were City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, Escondido councilwoman Marie Waldron, Fairbanks Ranch GOP Women President Linda Dealy, pollster John Neinstedt, political whirlwind Mindy Fletcher, Imperial Beach Councilman Brian P. Bilbray, and from Senator Joel Anderson’s office, …
City Beat Doesn’t Check It’s Facts
Regarding today’s Voice of San Diego blurb… CityBeat’s John Lamb’s incredibly lame excuse for printing an incorrect story. Yes, John, you should have put on your reading glasses. Sort of one of the normal obligations of the press when they decide to zing someone. All of us know you salivate wildly at any hint of negative news (or news you …
Statewide Report Reinforces San Diego Pension Reform
The Little Hoover Commission just released a bipartisan report on public employee pensions. The data is sobering to say the least. · The 10 largest public pension plans in California faced a combined shortfall of more than $240 Billion in 2010. · Major cities in California including San Diego are or will be spending 1/3 of their operating …
Last Stop For the Union Gravy Train
Guest Commentary by Rhonda Deniston In November 2010 the American voter sent a luminous message around the nation that they want responsible and fiscally conservative representatives, not at just the Federal level, but at the state and local level as well. Wisconsin, a leftist state, actually voted for both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama by double digits in recent elections, …
$700 Million Question for Mayor Sanders and all 2012 GOP Mayoral Aspirants
Mayor Sanders and all current GOP mayoral aspirants: Do you support or oppose the use of a project labor agreement (PLA), which would mandate the hiring of union workers, on the $700 million San Diego Convention Center Expansion?
Gamers to get a new violent game — “Call to Juarez: The Cartel”
Violence south of the border is not a game in real life but the makers of a new video game, “Call to Juarez: The Cartel” are banking on the brutality of drug kingpins to lure gamers into coughing up $60 to play cartel assassins. The new cartel shoot-them-up video game has angered some Mexican lawmakers who believe kids will get …
Wisconsin Update – Gallup Poll, Local Coalition Presser
As I feared, the initial reaction to the specific issue of restricting collective bargaining for public employees is not favorable, according to Gallup, with 61% opposed. This, despite an earlier Rasmussen poll that shows support for Governor Walker’s overall approach. HotAir points out that Gallup has not released the details of this poll, so it is hard to analyze the …
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