Oct 272024
 

Some of you that read this blog have probably seen this. Why is your intrepid blogger supporting a TAX INCREASE!?

Ask Joe Patterson, James Gallagher, Brian Dahle, Megan Dahle, Josh Hoover, Roger Niello, heck, ask Mike Morrell (he is a former State Senator) – they will all tell you the same thing. In order to get money to fix local roads you have to have a local funding mechanism. (See also transportation tax)

In his rage-filled tirade a local Republican activist outright lied when he said there is enough money to pay for this. No, there is not and he knows it. Ask Tracy Mendonsa, Bonnie Gore, Shanti Landon, Ken Broadway or any of the host of City Council/Town Councilmembers – they will tell you that 85-88% of their money is spent before they even get to make decisions. You can’t pay for Police, Fire and Road Construction with only 12-15% of your budget available after mandates.

It is easy to lie about the circumstances local governments face when trying to build infrastructure.

The big lie against Measure B is that it is easy to live in the “It’s a Tax” intelectually lazy soundbyte world. I tried to engage some people in a discussion of the reality of the situation that has predicated the need for Measure B. Local Government’s money was stolen TWICE by Sacramento. The first time is tying gas taxes to matching local taxes because the supermajority party did this knowing that knee-jerk no tax at anytime for any reason counties would never vote to match the state gas tax funds. Then this allows the second theft to be completed when Sacramento Liberals to send our transportation gas tax funds elsewhere.

It’s not fair – but remember Republicans like Abel Maldonado provided tie-breaking votes to give the 2/3 to create this system and now the dems have the 2/3 they need to expand this system. Until we gain 24 seats in the Assembly with real Republicans and 12 seats in the State Senate with real Republicans this system won’t change. How long do you want traffic jams in Roseville and Rocklin?

But it’s a tax, and we have to vote no is the refrain.

Placer County was eligible for $800 MILLION IN MATCHING MONEY IN 2023. But Placer did not get it because they did not have a matching revenue stream. Are Placer voters proud to know that their gas tax money is going to build $350 Million in eco-housing in LA County? Continue to fund that stuff by voting no on B – because you know, it’s a tax!

$119 Million was sent from Placer County’s gas tax to fix the port of Oakland while you sit in CA-65 for an extra 30 minutes a day stuck in traffic!

But – It’s a tax!

Let’s look a measure B another way. If you knew you could spend $1 on building something and get another $5-$9 in matching state and/or federal money would you do it? How many of you bought taxpayer-subsidized solar for your house? It is basically the same concept – but somehow that feels different than a 7.75% sales tax rate.

What self-respecting fiscal conservative would not want to take a dollar and make it $5 at least? Sometimes, that dollar could even be $9 or more depending on how many grants the county could hit at a given time!

But – It’s a tax!

In my lifetime as a Republican activist and paid consultant, I have supported exactly three tax measures. Measure D built Westpark High School. Measure E built a ton of stuff for Sierra College and was the product of a significant compromise with political leaders. It was slimmed down considerably and now there is this measure. In each case the above facts were true (85+% of money being spent, other sources of money coming open, etc.)

People rag on the Placer County Republican Party and the Republican Party in general as being the party of no. It is because in circumstances like this where there is a clear nexus for Conservatives to bite the bullet, instead of listening to reasonable arguments, soundbytes and tirades carry the day. Placer County deserves better.

Get the facts. Vote yes on B.

P.S. for those of you that wonder – where I live the sales tax is 8.265% and we have freeway and local road construction everywhere. It is glorious. US395 near where I live is being widened from 2 lanes to 4 lanes + aux lane uphill and 3 lanes + aux lanes downhill and redone interchanges. This would have never happened had Washoe County not been able to get matching federal money… all the projects you see on I-80 in the Washoe County Area are the same nexus. Think it through and ask yourself what kind of world you want in your own area!

Oct 242024
 

Blogger’s Note: I have been focused on a lot of local elections in the North State of CA. As such, I have not been blogging so as not to divert the focus from the election at hand and my candidates. It is good to be busy.

That said, if you are not Knocking on Doors and Making Calls, you are losing. Rallies and Overpasses make you feel good but do nothing for the overall election.

FPPC Files Injunction as Part of Broader Pre-Election Compliance Efforts

Sacramento, CA – The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), California’s governmental ethics and campaign disclosure agency, is intensifying its pre-election compliance and enforcement efforts with a focus on transparency and voter access to critical campaign information. As part of these efforts, the FPPC today filed a Complaint for Injunctive Relief and Monetary Penalties in Butte County Superior Court against David Fennell, a candidate for State Senate, District 1, in the November 5, 2024 General Election.

Fennell, who has a history of failing to comply with California’s campaign disclosure laws, has not filed the required campaign statements for the upcoming election, depriving the public of vital information regarding his campaign’s finances. This legal action is a significant step in the FPPC’s larger initiative to ensure all candidates adhere to the Political Reform Act and provide full disclosure to voters ahead of Election Day.

“The FPPC’s proactive pre-election program is designed to ensure that voters have the information they need to make informed decisions at the ballot box,” said FPPC Enforcement Chief James Lindsay. “While our goal is compliance, not punishment, we are fully prepared to seek court orders to compel candidates to fulfill their legal obligations, when necessary, as we have done today with Mr. Fennell.”

The FPPC has been working diligently to identify non-compliant candidates through its Proactive Pre-Election Program, which engages local city and county clerks to monitor campaign filings. However, despite numerous outreach attempts, Fennell and his campaign have failed to file pre-election statements for the upcoming November General Election, necessitating this legal intervention.

The FPPC is asking the court to order Fennell and his committee to immediately file all outstanding campaign statements and reports. The court could also impose penalties in an amount yet to be determined.

“Our goal is to ensure every candidate complies with the law so that voters have access to the legally required information,” said FPPC Chair Adam E. Silver. “Today’s injunction against Mr. Fennell underscores the FPPC’s commitment to transparency and enforcement in the critical weeks leading up to Election Day.”

This action is part of a broader series of FPPC pre-election efforts, including the FPPC AdWATCH program, which allows the public to report improper political advertisements, and the prioritization of election-related complaints.

For more information on the FPPC’s enforcement programs and how to report non-compliant political advertisements, visit the FPPC AdWATCH portal on the FPPC website at https://link.edgepilot.com/s/0318a6a3/F2623ETIlU6zfK0g0H8WSQ?u=http://www.fppc.ca.gov/enforcement/adwatch.html.

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What is key here is the line: “Fennell, who has a history of failing to comply with California’s campaign disclosure laws, has not filed the required campaign statements for the upcoming election…

Please note that several GOP Central Committees have endorsed this guy and it appears he is in legal trouble for breaking the law based on the above. This is a terrible look for the GOP in the North State. Further, it was brought to my attention that Fennell sued the CAGOP again earlier this year and the lawsuit was dismissed. Fennell still owes the CAGOP a lot of money from a lawsuit he filed over a decade ago that he lost so bad the court awareded fees.

Please click here to see a PDF of the Press Release from the FPPC