HALFWAY TO CONCORD » budget negotiations

Howard Jarvis group bemoans CalTax fat cats

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:55:57 +0000

The fat cats keep getting fatter! John Coupal, of California’s Howard Jarvis Tax watchdog group, recently published a scathing editorial excoriating the California Taxpayers Association for caving under pressure to Governor Schwarzenegger’s $10 billion dollar tax increase. As if taxpayers don’t already pay too much in taxes.

Sadly, much of Coupal’s jeremiad will fall on deaf ears as California businesses know they can pass on costs to make consumers and the poor pay for any tax increase. This smug corporatism of big business, big labor, and big government is the death knell of prosperity for California that is bound to erode individual freedoms, as well. But every election, Republicans and Democrats buy into this madness.

Constitutional Amendment proposes California Legislature do its budget duty on time

Community Forum — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:38:22 +0000

Reader James Kyle writes…The current and past budget crises in California should show the public that the Legislature is no longer capable of doing what they are charged with in the state Constitution when it comes to spending and budgeting. Their inability to provide the electorate with a balanced budget by the Constitutional deadline is no longer acceptable. They promised to reform the budget process, they promised to reform redistricting, they promised to repair our infrastructure. They have failed us time and again, it is time for the Voters to take control of our State back. I therefore propose a amendment to the State Constitution that will require the Legislature to perform their duties according to the wishes of the Voters and not their whims. The following should be passed into state law. The Amendment reads:

The Legislature shall pass and forward to the Governor for signature a balanced two year budget by June 30th of every odd numbered year beginning with the first full odd numbered year following the passage of this amendment. Failure of the Legislature to pass a balanced budget on time will require the Governor to dissolve the legislature and call for elections to be held no sooner than 90 days and no later than 180 days. No member of a dissolved Legislature can run for any elected state office or be appointed to any state position for four years following their removal.

Heads begin to roll at County: Human Resources Manager resigns

admin — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:27:49 +0000

The whiff of a new regime is wafting above Martinez. Contra Costa County Human Resource Manager, Lori Gentles, is the first department head to submit her resignation to the Board of Supervisors (BOS) since the announcement that David Twa, from Ramsey County, Minnesota, will replace the current CAO, John Cullen, when he retires this Fall. In her memo posted nearby, “Jiggles” states her departure date as July 22.

In addition to HR duties, Gentles has been closely involved in negotiating contracts with various public employee unions. In the memo Gentiles states she will be taking a position with San Francisco State University as the Associate Vice President of Human Resources.

Sources close to the BOS state under condition of anonymity, that Gentles departure foreshadows the arrival of David Twa, who will be building his own executive team in the CAO as well evaluate other current department heads.