Posts under ‘News’

A big High-5 to celebrate the passage of the perfect budget!  A budget that extorts over $40 billion from the people of California.
“To preserve our independence, we must not let our politicians load us with perpetual debt. We must make our choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we can prevent the [...]

The Senate and Assembly have passed the budget.
Legalized extortion?
It’s time to mobilize and kick them all out!  The first one to be Able Maldonado.
– Updated 2/19/2009 at 8AM

What Maldonado got in return for his vote (from SacBee):

A constitutional amendment establishing an open primary system.
The measure will place on the June 2010 ballot an open primary proposal affecting congressional [...]

Finally the Republicans get some backbone!
Around 11 p.m., a group of GOP senators, unhappy with the higher taxes that Senate leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto agreed to as part of a deal with the governor and Democrats, voted to replace him in a private caucus meeting in Cogdill’s office.
To the Republicans: Stand your ground on [...]

We will stay on this floor until we get it done

said a clearly frustrated Steinberg, who is generally known as the Legislature’s nicest member. “Bring a toothbrush. Bring whatever necessities you need to bring because I will not allow anyone to go home and resume their lives.”
Senator Steinberg, this is to little to late!  possibly [...]

The Capital Weekly is reporting that “California labor unions, business associations and other interest groups spent more than $558 million – about $764,000 a day –  to influence California government during the 2007-08 legislative session, according to state records analyzed by Capitol Weekly.” Capitol Weekly: Interest groups’ lobbying tally tops $500 million.
No wonder the leaked [...]

Many state employees stayed at home today.  But for some reason that state thought it was a good idea to keep the State parks, museums and historic sites.  Interesting,  I guess they are giving the furloughed employees somethign to do on there day off!
For a list of offices that are closed see status of some [...]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the four legislative leaders have continued their negotiations behind closed doors for weeks, bypassing open legislative committees and offering the outside world few details as a precondition of their talks.
They are asking the taxpayers to give on average $1400 per household in exchange for vague environmental and workplace changes as well [...]

In the middle the December I emailed Governor Schwarzenegger informing him what I felt about the states spending problem and to tel him that a fix involving taxes was not the answer.  Today I received the following generic reply.
Thank you for writing to share your thoughts with me about the proposed tax increase to balance [...]

At least some people in government are thinking straight.  A Sacramento judge Thursday gave Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger the green light to furlough hundreds of thousands of state employees for two days a month, rejecting a union challenge that the governor exceeded his authority in issuing the December order.  This is great news, now people in [...]

It is now official.  The Franchise Tax Board has been told by State controller John Chiang (chung) not to send any more refund requests because his office will be unable to process them before Feb. 1st, dooms day.
In a world of tumbling stocks, zero percent interest rates, stimulus packages and out of control corporate spending California State leaders want to raise our taxes, [...]