As Assemblyman Chuck DeVore and candidate for US Senate has so aptly stated, “California, with 12 percent of the nation’s population now has 32 percent of the nation’s welfare recipients according to the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. California’s welfare rate was 7.1 times that of Texas, the next largest state – and a border state at that with large numbers of illegal immigrants.”

Further, DeVore says, “This was because, contrary to previous Democrat statements accusing the Governor of being “immoral” “vindictive” “dumb” and “petulant” with regards his proposed welfare budget, the Governor had been “remarkably consistent” in this area, calling year-after-year for welfare reforms to reduce fraud while moving welfare recipients to the dignity of a job. Every year, of course, the Democrats nix the Governor’s welfare reforms. California’s welfare burden is so high because we have the highest benefits, the easiest eligibility criteria, little fraud enforcement, and a weak and poorly enforced five year lifetime limit for welfare.”

Ken Mettler, President of the CRA states, “Public employee unions are complaining about pending reductions to their paychecks need only to look at the very legislators that they supported for public office and their incompetent stewardship of the taxpayers’ money especially with excessive welfare spending.”

Bakersfield—The Kern High School District Board of Trustees (KHSD) are contemplating eliminating junior varsity sports and reducing summer school programs to help achieve budget cuts of an additional $30 million on top of the $20 million previously cut.

It is now time for the Board to think “outside the box’ and to demand that further cuts not impact our kids’ education. Considering that 85% of the KHSD general fund budget is for school public employee salaries, benefits, and pensions, they should reduce this portion of the budget pie before they cut programs that directly benefit our students.

It is proposed that the State of California reduce public employee salaries and benefits by 5% a year for the next three years, this could be a model for KHSD to save our kids’ education and KHSD employees’ jobs.

Now is the time to reduce public employee salary and benefits that are no longer affordable during these tough economic times. Many private sector individuals have seen their income reduced by 20% to 100%—the public employees cannot be exempt from the same economic realities.

The advisory budget vote will be at the meeting on July 2, 2009 at 8:30 AM. The Kern High School District office is located at 5801 Sundale Ave. 93309

On Wednesday, June 17^th, the Assembly Education Committee heard testimony on SB 572, the bill that mandates every May 22nd as Harvey Milk Day in California. The bill encourages schools to celebrate Harvey Milk’s so-called “contributions” to society. Children as young as five would be taught about Milk’s homosexual activism. The bill passed the committee on a party-line vote, but not before committee Democrats attacked the conservative leaders testifying against the bill.

CRA Vice President Ben Lopez and CRA National Committeewoman Karen England presented arguments against the bill and were called “stupid” and “hateful.” Democrat Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, a liberal San Francisco homosexual activist, was particularly harsh in his attacks on these pro-family advocates. Even more shameful, the committee chair, Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, a Democrat from Santa Monica, allowed the attacks to continue.

Three Republicans on the committee, Vice Chair Brian Nestande, Martin Garrick and Jeff Miller, all left the room during the hearing of this particular bill, leaving Lopez and England without any allies on the committee.

Assembly Democrats should be ashamed at their outrageous behavior towards citizens who testified at a government hearing. Assemblyman Tom Ammiano should apologize for his disgraceful behavior and Assemblywoman Brownley should apologize for allowing such inexcusable behavior to persist in her committee room.

At a time when Republican, conservative pro-family leaders needed their fellow allies in the Legislature to come to their defense, none of them were around. Republican leaders should stand firm and demand that the legislature treat citizens engaging in public debate in a civil manner. Foot soldiers on the front lines of the culture war in Sacramento should not be left hanging ever again.

TAKE ACTION:

Call Tom Ammiano and tell him to apologize for his behavior towards committee witnesses. (916) 319-2013

Call Karen Bass and tell her to investigate why members are not showing common courtesy to citizens in their committee hearings. (916) 319-2047

Call Julia Brownley and tell her to apologize for failing to protect citizens from unmerited attacks from her committee members. (916) 319-2041

Contact Republican Assemblymen Brian Nestande, Martin Garrick and Jeff Miller and ask them why they didn’t stand up for pro-family leaders during the committee hearing.

Brian Nestande

(916) 319-2064

Martin Garrick

(916) 319-2074

Jeff Miller

(916) 319-2071

BAKERSFIELD “LEADERS” LEAN LEFT OF THE BAY AREA…AND INSULT THE CITIZENS WHO OBJECT

Here in Bakersfield, our leaders have determined that record-setting foreclosure rates, depressingly high unemployment, bankruptcies across industries and historic devastation to the area’s homebuilding industry is the perfect time to…you guessed it…RAISE fees! The brilliant plan would charge homebuyers an additional $6,000.00 for their new home – mostly because everyone knows that only new homebuyers drive on city roads but also because every time prices go up we can’t wait to buy! Right? Nothing turns off a potential buyer more than a “Prices Reduced!” sign.

But this isn’t even the most embarrassing part. While Bakersfield leaders deliver a swift kick to already beaten down homebuilders and their hopeful buyers, cities in the Bay Area are lowering traffic impact fees in order to encourage growth and economic activity. The BAY AREA. Ah the humiliation.

Merced, Santa Maria, Menifee and others cities throughout California have also lowered fees to encourage economic activity in the homebuilding sector. But Bakersfield, desperate to match a huge amount of road pork that our former congressman successfully procured, is practicing very questionable and decidedly not conservative fee creation strategies that are unlikely to produce the number of houses/fee income that they have neatly penciled into their spreadsheets.

The final insult is to have the Homebuilder’s Association representative minimized by our city manager, Alan Tandy. Bob Decker, just months into his position with the HBA but many years in the profession locally as a civil engineer and project manager, has requested answers to a number of substantive questions, to which the city has not responded. Instead, we have a city manager on local television saying he’s been “transparent” enough and Decker must just be too “new” to know what’s going on.

Elected officials and bureaucrats in our community need to stop inventing punitive taxes and new fees (like raising our utility bills) and start being responsible with the massive amount of fees and taxes they already collect. And while you’re at it - how about a modicum of respect for the citizens who pay your salary?

Then maybe we can get back on the right side of the Bay Area.