In reponse (I believe) to Speaker Karen Bass’s explanation that “legislative leaders have compromised,” Cheslog writes, “The Democrats have been compromising with themselves on the state budget crisis. The Democrats have agreed to horrible spending cuts and other measures that go against their interest groups…The myth of bipartisan intransigence may be a more interesting story for state pundits to tell, but this fiction does nothing to move the state towards a solution to this problem.”

Here is the Bloomberg report on the plan Governor “blow the box up” Schwarzenegger proposed on December 31.

Here is the transcript of Speaker Bass’s reactions to the Governor’s proposed budget plan

Will the last sane adult leaving California please remember to turn out the lights?

The awards were announced on November 17 at the 19th National Trails Symposium in Little Rock, Arkansas. A local presentation of the award will be made to Torlakson at the Delta Protection Commission’s meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, in Stockton at the San Joaquin County WorkNet Building Conference Room, First Floor, 56 South Lincoln Street.

The Delta Protection Commission nominated Senator Torlakson for the national honor in recognition of his vision in the creation and initial planning stages of the Great California Delta Trail through his authorship of SB 1556, which was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 30, 2006.

Just imagine how Republican Lynne Leach must feel to know her mug just got pasted onto the same mailer that the Piepho camp used to tout the support of Democrat Senator, Tom Torlakson, with his Republican-killer smile?

That’s got to be embarrassing for any respected Republican leader supporting a candidate who’d just as soon tout the support of a Republican nemesis itching to cut Republican representation off at the knees in the California State Legislature.

At stake is the cozy relationship the Supervisors have with public employee unions to the detriment of the poor, public safety, fiscal sanity, and taxpayers. Then there is the “pay for play” willingness to that encourages developers like Tom Koch to use the BOS to pry open the Urban Limit Line. Take a look at the upfront and behind-the-scene scaffolding now supporting RINO Republican, Mary Piepho.

Bielle Moore
Former fundraiser for State Senate Majority Leader Don Perata and Attorney General Jerry Brown. Recently sponsored and raised money for Supervisor Piepho on Friday, May 9th

David Bowlby
Top Aide to Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher. Assisted Tauscher in defeating Congressman Bill Baker. Held a fundraiser at his house for Supervisor Piepho on Friday, May 9th

Tomi Van de Brooke
Chief of Staff for Supervisor Piepho. Former Republican turned Democrat. Worked to promote Project Labor Agreements (PLA) that raise project costs and hinder private builders from fair competition. Used her influence from past jobs to get major Dems to support Mary. Whispers at cocktail parties indicate Tomi wants to replace Republican Supervisor Gail Uilkema.

Tom Torlakson
State Senator until he switches with former Republican Mark DeSaulnier for his Assembly seat. Sources say this leading California Democrat endorsed Mary for Supervisor from the recommendations of the above individuals. Knocked Senator Dick Rainey out of office. Torlakson cites Piepho’s support for his bills to raise fees to pay for questionable domestic violence programs. Piepho supported Torlakson’s proposal to raise the real estate transaction fee to pay for eminent domain abuse to build “smart housing” and “tranist villages” via a housing trust fund.

Unfortunately, and not to make too fine a point about it, the confusion over political identity in Contra Costa caused by Republican Party incompetence and fuzzy thinking is further illustrated as erstwhile Republican leaders including Lynne Leach, Tom Del Beccaro, Tom Hawkins, and Arne Simonsen play Pollyanna and support Piepho as a “Republican’s Republican.” In fact, as recently as May 4, Simonsen commented on Lisa Vorderbrueggen’s site that, “You should have no fear of Mary Piepho changing her party registration. She is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican through and through.”

Really? It’s beyond insanity when so-called Republican leaders back a RINO candidate that welcomes support from a leading Democrat that has vowed to destroy Republicans statewide and taxpayers by removing the two-thirds vote in the legislature to raise taxes. Nevermind the old saw about dancing with who brought you to the party, ’cause if this is what Republican leadership in Contra Costa County believes to be a “dyed in the wool Republican,” then no wonder they can’t win elections.

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FULL DISCLOSURE, the author of this article and publisher of Halfway To Concord, Bill Gram-Reefer, is a candidate for the Republican Central Committee for District IV.

Join Senator Tom Torlaksonfor his annual Walk and Talk Town Hall meeting to celebrate California Fitness Month. The event will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 10.

This year’s Walk and Talk Town Hall Meeting will take place on the East Bay Regional Park District’s Carquinez Strait Overlook Loop Trail at the Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss legislative issues–including the state budget crisis, protecting and improving our public schools, health and fitness legislation, and any other subject important to you.

Tom will walk slow so KEEP UP!

Think this is intrusive and irrelevant? “But it only applies to large foundations,” its backers say. And they aren’t worried about the requirement to “out” not only a foundation’s own staff and board, but even the staff and board of grantees and business partners! Worst of all, the advocates of such “diversity” don’t worry that the effect of such reporting will be to pressure the foundations into selecting staff and board, and making grants, not according to the foundations’ mission statements but rather according to the diversity lobby’s conception of the appropriate distribution of jobs and money.

Oops. It isn’t that the backers simply overlooked the fact that enforcing this kind of “diversity” reporting will result in a foundation sector that is less diverse in appearance and mission . . . rather, that’s the whole point. The Greenlining Institute, the inspiration for the bill, turns aside all objections by saying that the bill “simply requests diversity data in return for billions in tax subsidies.” So tax exempt status is not the government’s acknowledgment of the public good performed by private, independent actors, but rather a subsidy to which every kind of popular string can be attached.

This doesn’t seem like the best way to construct a robust and fruitful partnership between government and civil society. Here’s a very bad idea that is very likely to show up in other states. Urge Senator Tom Torlakson to vote against Senate AB624, and see how far you get.

Discussion will look at successes and challenges of current CTE best practices, and the potential for these programs to be an integral piece of the comprehensive high school reform efforts in California. The hearing will also highlight local efforts in CTE. The meeting will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Mount Diablo High School’s Multipurpose Room, located at 2450 Grant Street, in Concord.

Earlier in the campaign, Maria Alegria a Recall target charged with mismanagement and incompetence, had called Recall supporters “thugs” in a hit piece paid for by the firefighters union angling for a big payday in upcoming contract negotiations with Alegria.

Members of Concerned Citizens of Pinole, responding to repeated thefts of Recall signs and signs belonging to those running in the election - especially those of Debbie Long, whose signs have been replaced with Ivette Ricco signs at several locations in the city - decided to form a stakeout to try to catch the thief. Tuesday was the first night of the stakeout.

CCOP members Dave Vida and John Bender had been on duty for only a few minutes when, around midnight, they saw the suspect race out of the bistro, cross the street, and begin removing signs from Parkview Plaza. As it happens, a police cruiser saw the suspect, who fled back into the bistro, out the back door, and threw the signs in the bistro’s Dumpster. A total of three police units responded. After arresting the suspect, police took photos of the signs in the Dumpster, then released the signs into CCOP custody.

Question for Maria Alegria…who are the thugs and hooligans? Shame on you and your supporters, including labor and democratic party deniers that support this sort of ham-fisted illegal campaign of intimidation.