The Press Enterprise posted an editorial about the Governor’s careless veto of Assemblyman Cook’s AB 264, a bill to create a “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” in California.  Take a look at it here:

http://bit.ly/UGQg

Jim Miller, State Capitol reporter for the Press Enterprise, has an even-handed write-up on the condition of public employees in California. Much has been made of the three furlough days Governor Schwarzenegger has imposed on state workers, resulting in a 14% pay cut.  However, these folks still have a job.  Miller points out the following:

"The number of government employees in California fell from 2.52 million in July 2008 to 2.5 million in July 2009, a 0.9 percent drop, according to the California Economic Development Department.

By comparison, all non-agricultural salary employment fell 5.1 percent during that time. The state's unemployment rate was 11.9 percent, 13.9 percent in San Bernardino County and 14.7 percent in Riverside County."

Public employee unions have fought the furloughs, but have offered no other budgetary solution aside from raising taxes. Perhaps they should embrace reality and accede to necessary layoffs, such as the private sector has endured. (We all know the state could live without a few bureaucratic functions.) Compared to layoffs, furloughs simply spread the pain to all employees. Moreover, they retain the costs for the state. There is still overhead to pay in the luxurious public employee benefits and the pay cut is temporary, meaning better budget times will result in an immediate 14% increase in payroll expenses. For the unions, it means all members retain their jobs; hence, these employees stay in the union (providing greater strength in numbers) and the unions continue to collect union dues, filling their coffers.

People who advocate more spending, bigger government jobs, and higher taxes can’t see the forest for the trees. Cuts are painful. But the quicker government shrinks, the quicker the private sector will respond, which will create jobs for everyone – current public employees included.

AB 774, a bill allowing transit programs at California Community Colleges, and AB 830, a bill concerning reimbursements for oncologists, have made it through the tough Legislative process and will soon be on the Governor's desk.

Read more about the passage of these bill here.

Thus far, five bills by Assemblyman Paul Cook have made it through the Legislature this year.

Everyone recognizes the devastating effect of fires and the incredible effort by firefighters who risk their lives to save our families, homes, pets, and valuables. We have new wild fires ravaging the states, so the Governor took this opportunity to … (drum roll please) … push for new taxes. Where does this guy stand on taxes?

To be clear, Paul Cook has always been supportive of firefighters and efforts to improve fire response. In an Oak Glen press conference, the Governor made these three assertions (JPCblog grading in italics):

1. The budget the Legislature sent to him was not balanced. Correct!
2. He made the budget balanced by making additional cuts. These cuts provided the money to fight these fires. Partial credit. The first assertion is true; we need more evidence on the second part.
3. Legislature should pass the Emergency Response Initiative, which would make $100 million available to fight fires throughout California. Well …
   

Problem is, the Emergency Response Initiative is a tax on property owners in California. Just a few weeks ago, the Governor stated that he would sign no budget that contained tax increases.

So which is it Governor? Taxes or no taxes?

Unintentionally, he also proves the point of fiscal conservatives like Paul Cook. If you send a good budget to the Governor, money will be available to fight these devastating fires. No new taxes needed.

Amid the largest tax increase in state history, and word yesterday that even more increases were on the way, thousands of protestors showed up on the steps of the State Capitol to protest the tax-and-spend attitude of the majority party.

Protestors thus far have been energetic, but, as expected, well mannered and orderly. Here’s to hoping their voices carry into the offices of politicians who think Californians aren’t suffering enough and that new taxes are the solution.

Assemblyman Paul Cook's bill to allow community colleges to enter into contracts with local transit agencies passed out of the Senate, thus clearing the largest remaining hurdle before reaching the Governor.

The bill will enable Riverside Community College District and Riverside Transit Agency to continue their successful ridership program. Read about the bill here.

Last year, the City of San Francisco paid least $150,000 to cite, transport, and treat (unsuccessfully) a single drunken idiot. Kenny Walters, who is homeless, is symbolic of everything wrong with health and government spending. With no penalty or need to be personally responsible, Walters is unremorseful:

"I do get caught for drinking out here every day," he said affably. "I wish I had another beer right now."

How does a homeless, jobless drunk find the money to party like a rock star? Well, more taxpayer money, of course!

He said he gets $953 a month in Supplemental Security Income for disabled and aged citizens and pays $650 a month for a hotel room in the Tenderloin under the city's Care Not Cash program.

With free meals available from local charities, that leaves $300 a month for booze. Walters says he doesn't do hard drugs, just pot. He just drinks, usually "40 ouncers," big, cheap bottles of beer.

Remember the continuous assertion by right-minded folks about waste and abuse in government and the counter arguments by the left that this waste and abuse is mythical? Well here's your proof.

In a society, you get what you subsidize. In this case, taxpayers are subsidizing laze and drunkenness. This man receives money with no strings attached and creates ambulance and hospitals bills that taxpayers must foot.  Should we be surprised that he acts this way? Big government facilitates the abuse.

Read Walter's story on SFgate here:
http://bit.ly/ILPlA

After Democrat opposition at a previous committee hearing, Assemblyman Paul Cook's AB 307, to ban sex offenders from operating ice cream trucks, gained the approval of the Senate Public Safety Committee. Read about it here:

http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/65/?p=article&sid=164&id=221207

http://vimeo.com/6255032

Cook floor speech on AB 264: "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day"

After extensive negotiations, AB 307, a bill to keep sex offenders from operating ice cream trucks, has been given a second chance in the Senate Public Safety Committee. If you recall, the bill met an abrupt end in the Senate Public Safety Committee way back on July 14.

There are no guarantees in this building, but the amended version of the bill gained the support of the Committee Chair and stands a fighting chance of making it out of committee. We'd still need to gain the necessary votes on the Senate floor and the Governor's signature, but making it out of Senate Public Safety would be a big accomplishment.

The amended bill will be up for a hearing tomorrow at 9:30AM.

- Assemblyman Paul Cook