Money, Honey

So I asked my baby, “How can this be?”

She looked me over and said to me:

“Money, honey.

Money, honey.

Money, honey

If you wanna hang around with me.” 

Rather than threatening to veto their genius legislation, Gov. Schwarzenegger might have instead asked California’s lawmakers to tithe some of the loot from their prodigious fundraisers to state coffers and erase some of the debt.     Read more »

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They Don’t Make ‘Em Like This Anymore

Dean Misczynski is retiring for state service. If anyone deserves a tip o’ the hat for his contributions to California, it’s Mr. Misczynski.

“He is one of the most remarkable of the extraordinary, quiet people who do their jobs at the capitol with humor and professionalism,” to quote Rob Gunnison, my former colleague at the Chronicle, who has known Dean for several decades.     Read more »

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Lifted from the “Unclear on the Concept” File

Note the salutation on the letter linked below.

This epistle, from the hand of California’s CEO, was sent to state employees late Friday August 8. It explains the ramifications to them of a recent executive order cutting their pay to the federal minimum wage and firing thousands of their friends and co-workers.    Read more »

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Paging Franz Kafka. Mr. Franz Kafka

While this news item, culled from the most recent Cal-TaxReport, needs neither commentary nor cockroach to sharpen its point, the length of time this legal tussle has dragged on is both remarkable and indefensible. 

A protest over a tax audit took more than a decade to be fully adjudicated by a state agency?    Read more »

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A Few Words In Defense of Our Country

A president once said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” 

Now it seems like we’re supposed to be afraid. It’s patriotic in fact and color coded. 

And what are we supposed to be afraid of? Why, of being afraid. That’s what terror means, doesn’t it?

That’s what it used to mean.    Read more »

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High School Exit Exam Question

Using the information below, please answer the following three questions: 

California has 120 legislators and 12 statewide officeholders. 

Despite legislative district lines drawn to protect incumbents, these public officials routinely host fund-raisers — events designed to solicit money to pay for the re-election of the elected official.   

1. How long would it take 132 state public officials to hold 29 fundraising events?     Read more »

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I’ve Bought Mail!

I received a nice piece of mail this week from Dan Lungren, my representative in Congress. 

It was odd that his missive was addressed to me since among the things my Congressman and I don’t share is party affiliation. 

Indeed, a savvy political operative might suggest that the less I know about Dolph, as we like to call him in the Lucas home, and what he’s doing in our nation’s capitol is probably good for both of us.     Read more »

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Go Ahead — Veto Them All!

Thirty-eight days into the new fiscal year without a budget, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid down the law with legislators – literally. 

He told the Democratic-majority Legislature that any bill they send to him before a budget is enacted will be vetoed. That goes for any stuff his GOP buddies can get down to him as well.     Read more »

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Whoopty Do

Well, the wait is finally over. The Democrats announced all those zany tax increases they’d been keeping secret for the past six months.  Alittle more than $8 billion worth. 

Whoopty do. 

Both Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger say California needs to overhaul its archaic tax system, created during the Great Depression and riddled with so many inequities, loopholes and exceptions it makes Swiss Cheese look solid.     Read more »

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The S-Man Cometh

Who says Republicans are melons? 

Assemblyman Cameron “Word-to-Your-Mother” Smyth was way crump the other night at Fiona Ma’s karaoke fund-raiser. So ill was the always dap S-Man that he totally overstood Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice Baby.” 

Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it: 

Yo, vip, lets kick it! 

Ice ice baby, ice ice baby

All right stop, collaborate and listen

Ice is back with my brand new invention

Something grabs a hold of me tightly

Then I flow like a harpoon daily and nightly

Will it ever stop?    Read more »

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