Special Interests

Learn About Legislative Action

jmonma — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:52:24 -0800

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association maintains a permanent legislative office in Sacramento where bills that can harm or help taxpayers are carefully reviewed and analyzed by our Legislative Analyst.

HJTA takes strong action to counter those bills which undermine the taxpayer protections contained in Proposition 13 and 218, the Right to Vote on Taxes Read more >>

Why Can't Governments Treat Us Like Customers?

gforster — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:53:05 -0800

No doubt, most of us who have stood in a long line at an unresponsive institution like the Post Office have had such thoughts, before succumbing to the realization that when dealing with a total monopoly, you either accept the service you get or you get no service. Read more >>

Phony Homeowners Group Fronts Phony Ballot Measure

gforster — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:55:11 -0800

The League of California Cities and their developer allies have constructed an initiative that has nothing of substance on the inside, and to further confuse the voters, they are featuring its support by the League of California Homeowners, Inc. While this attractive name may cause many voters to think this is a broad-based statewide homeowners organization, it is actually a corporation whose primary function is to act as a contractor referral service. Read more >>

Property Owners Deserve Better

gforster — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 17:06:36 -0700

For those who believe that eminent domain should be reserved for legitimate government purposes like roads, schools and fire stations, and limiting the taking of property for private use, then the California Property Owners & Farmland Protection Act is the real deal. Read more >>

Our Tax Dollars Turned Against Us

gforster — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:10:21 -0700

When the Legislature is in session, the Capitol is awash with millions of dollars worth of lobbying talent. You have never seen so many suits per square yard in your life. Read more >>

If Wishes Were Horses: Lawmakers Fantasize About Spending

gforster — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 18:07:19 -0700

Within the last week the stock market has reached an all-time high. But wasn't it just weeks ago that the market suffered a one-day decline of over 400 points, the worst since the 9/11 attack? Read more >>

Usually It's Taxpayers Who Get Spanked

Jon Coupal — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 17:29:28 -0800

Not surprisingly, Assemblywoman "Spankin'" Sally Lieber has withdrawn her bill to criminalize the paddling of young children. Apparently, in addition to the heaps of ridicule generated by the press, her colleagues pleaded with her to back off. Lawmakers are anxious to appear at least marginally rational now that an initiative petition to extend their terms in office has been filed. Read more >>

The Pharaohs Would Be Proud of Us

Jon Coupal — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 17:32:45 -0800

When thinking of grandiose monuments to self, names like Kufu and Ramses the Great come to mind. Rulers like these would forcibly direct their empire's productivity into building the most expensive temples, statuary and mausoleums that their subjects could afford.

Two recent developments show that when it comes to the actions of leaders with unhindered power, human nature has changed little in 3,500 years. Read more >>

It's All About Dollars

Jon Coupal — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 18:09:38 -0800

A horrible crisis has gripped the California education establishment. Lower test scores? Higher drop out rates? Fewer kids going on to college? Far worse than that. The disaster is that there are fewer kids to teach. A report from the California Legislative Analyst shows K-12 enrollment will drop next year by more than 6,000 students, a trend that is predicted to continue through the end of the decade. Read more >>

In the Silicon Valley, Political Hypocrisy Is a Way of Life

Jon Coupal — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 19:41:46 -0700

To many Americans, the word "hypocrisy" is a synonym for politics. Congressman Alan Mollahan is only the latest example. Accusations that he funneled government money to supporters and business partners forced the ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee to step down. Will he eventually share a cell with his former colleague, Randy "Duke" Cunningham, a Republican lawmaker and war hero, who recently pled guilty to accepting bribes to influence decisions on defense contracts? Read more >>