In being both a candidate and an Associate Editor of this here blog, I want to be fair to my opponent. I really do. And so, because I have a story about my own campaign coming up, I want to give my opponent equal time, using press releases sent to this blog from its campaign via Bill Bird, even before my story about my own campaign comes up. Here’s five of them. It should go without saying that I cannot vouch the veracity for their contents. Not one bit.
[1] “A Small Step, Just Not Enough”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 31, 2012
CONTACT: Bill Bird
SACRAMENTO – The Senate Republican Caucus released the following statement today regarding the passage of AB 340, the public pension reform legislation:
While this legislation has its merits, enough to receive support from some caucus members, the plan falls short of what is necessary, leaving California and many local governments in California with hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of unfunded liabilities in projected pension and health care expenses.
This legislation is a prime example of the shortcomings that can occur when bypassing our established committee process, which cloaked this legislation from proper review.
This final gut-and-amend product is the result of closed door negotiations between legislative Democrats, public employee unions, and the Governor’s administration. Issues that should have been publicly addressed, such as the size and scope of the estimated unfunded liabilities we should be working to close, were never established. In fact, no independent analysis of the legislation’s savings has been conducted.
Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar)
“We are missing a golden opportunity to implement the Governor’s original 12-point public pension reform plan that contained, on the whole, the solutions that Republicans outlined last year,” said Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar). “Senate Republicans introduced the Governor’s public pension plan in SB 1176 and SCA 18, a plan the Governor called ‘the minimum’ necessary to address California’s unfunded pension and retiree health care liabilities. Today’s so-called fix addresses only $15-$60 billion over the next 20-30 years, yet the current pension liability is $240 to $500 billion. We still have a lot of work to do.”
[2] August 16, 2012 “Capitol Comment”
To: William.Bird@SEN.CA.GOV
Sent: 8/16/2012 7:37:00 P.M. Mountain Standard Time
Subj: Capitol Comment With Senator Bob Huff
A new Capitol Comment has been posted to Senator Huff’s youtube page for the week of August 13th, 2012. The file is located here:http://youtu.be/pCV3XDEk5cM
As promised, a short script for your blogs:
Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) gives a preview of the final two weeks of legislative session in the California State Capitol and provides an update on Senate hearings into unreported “slush funds” hidden in the California State Parks and Recreation budget in his Capitol Comment for the Week of August 13th, 2012.
Senator Huff is particularly concerned with a number of “Job Killer” bills that are still working their way through the Legislature. The California Chamber of Commerce has bestowed the tag of “job killer” on 14 bills that will lead to lost jobs, higher costs for consumers or more regulatory burdens for California business owners.
Senator Huff also says farewell to Senate Fellow Ryan Cogdill, who served in Senator Huff’s State Capitol office this year as part of the 2011-2012 Senate Fellowship program. Senator Huff serves as the Senate Republican Leader and represents the 29th Senate District covering portions of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties. Follow Senator Huff on Twitter @bobhuff99. Visit Senator Huff’s webpage at http://www.sen.ca.gov/huff.
Here are some tags if you need them: Senator Bob Huff, Senate Republican Leader, 29th Senate District, Los Angeles County California, Orange County California, Republican, Twitter, Leadership, Effective Leadership, California Fiscal, Diamond Bar, Capitol Comment, Budget, Taxes, State Spending, Transparency, Accountability, Trust, Governor, $54 million, Slush Funds, Hidden Money, Legislative Session, Bills, End of Session, Ryan Cogdill, Senate Fellow
And that’s it for this week! Questions? Comments? Call or email at anytime…
BILL BIRD
Communications Director
Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff
29th Senate District
[Phone contact information omitted]
[3] August 16, 2012 “Capitol Comment”
To: William.Bird@SEN.CA.GOV
Sent: 8/9/2012 5:57:50 P.M. Mountain Standard Time
Subj: Capitol Comment With Senator Bob Huff
Greetings Bloggers!
Yes – the State Legislature is back in session! And that means another four solid weeks of Capitol Comment with Senator Bob Huff! I know you missed us…
At any rate – the link to this week’s Capitol Comment now posted on youtube is: http://youtu.be/MvFh-d4hmzY
A short script for your blogs:
Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) gives his reaction to the resumption of Legislative Session following a four-week summer break and the latest scandal to envelop the California State Department of Parks and Recreation.
Senator Huff says the discovery of $54 million in hidden money within the Parks and Recreation budget is a sign that government cannot be trusted and should not be trusted with more taxpayer money. Senate and Assembly Republicans have called upon Democrats to launch a wide ranging investigation into the slush fund discovered at Parks and Recreation, to hold full legislative hearings and subpoena witnesses.
The Senate Republican Leader is also calling upon the Governor to launch a full audit of every state agency, adding that the one-week review that the Governor undertook isn’t the kind of action that taxpayers want or deserve. Senator Huff serves as the Senate Republican Leader and represents the 29th Senate District covering portions of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties. Follow Senator Huff on Twitter @bobhuff99. Visit Senator Huff’s webpage at http://www.sen.ca.gov/huff.
If your blog uses tags, here are a few:
Senator Bob Huff, Senate Republican Leader, 29th Senate District, Los Angeles County California, Orange County California, Republican, Twitter, Leadership, Effective Leadership, California, Fiscal, Diamond Bar, Capitol Comment, Budget, Taxes, State Spending, Transparency, Accountability, Trust, Governor, California Department of Parks and Recreation, $54 million, Slush Funds, Hidden Money
Questions? Comments? I’m just a phone call or email away…
BILL BIRD
Communications Director
Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff
29th Senate District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Bill Bird
August 8, 2012
[4] Huff Legislative Measures Pass Key Fiscal Test
Assembly Appropriations Committee Sends Measures to Assembly Floor
SACRAMENTO: Two measures authored by Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) passed a final committee test in the Assembly Appropriations Committee today and have been sent to the Assembly Floor for a final vote. SB 1137 and SB 1364 received support from both Democrats and Republicans during today’s hearing.
“I’d like to thank members from both sides of the aisle for their unwavering support for both bills and I’m hopeful for similar support when they reach the Assembly Floor,” said Senator Huff.
Introduced at the request of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, SB 1137 addresses needed changes in education statutes regarding California heritage schools. Defined in California’s Education Code, heritage schools are privately financed, culture-based educational entities. In an effort to provide an even safer environment for students enrolled in the heritage school programs, SB 1137 seeks to specify that each school must register with the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The measure also prioritizes and enhances student safety through the electronic registration form by requiring the acknowledgement that all heritage school employees must report any and all known child abuse.
SB 1364, meanwhile, seeks to ensure that ratepayers served by private water companies are not asked to pay more for the same service than a ratepayer served by a public agency without a clear understanding of the associated costs.
There is an ever increasing trend for water utilities to request advice letter treatment for major projects and expenditures as part of private water companies’ general rate case applications. Consumers are not always notified adequately of pending rate increases through this method, which has led to confusion and frustration among ratepayers. Senator Huff’s legislation seeks to give cities and consumers’ advance notice on advice letter notifications in order to protect them from unforeseen rate increases.
“Both SB 1137 and SB 1364 address key issues that have come to light both inside and outside the 29th Senate District,” said Senator Huff. “They are consumer protection measures that deserve legislative support.”
Senator Huff serves as the Senate Republican Leader and represents the 29th Senate District covering portions of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties. Follow Senator Huff on Twitter at @bobhuff99.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Bill Bird
July 13, 2012
[5] New State Budget Extorts Money from Local Governments
Cash Strapped Cities Face Unexpected “Pay Up Or Else” Order
SACRAMENTO: Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) says he’s deeply troubled by new and unexpected developments that are now emerging from one of the 11th-hour state budget “trailer” bills passed by the Democrat-dominated California Legislature, and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. One of the trailer bills in question, AB 1484, directs counties to take money from cities.
Without warning, the State of California has given cities in the 29th Senate District a three-day notice to pay millions of dollars in newly calculated fees. The sudden and unexpected “demand for payment” also carries a threat that any delay in payment will result in additional late fees.
“Brea city officials informed my office that they received a bill for more than $15.5 million,” said Senator Huff. The City of Walnut reports that they received a bill for $3.9 million, while the City of La Verne confirms it has received a payment demand of near $1.9 million. “They had three days to pay the bill or incur penalties that can amount to 10% or more. In Brea’s case that’s $1.5 million. This is unacceptable.”
The eye-popping bills are the result of actions taken in 2011, when legislative Democrats abolished California’s 400 redevelopment agencies in a vain effort to close the state budget gap. Their action left agencies and local governments scrambling to pay their outstanding obligations.
This year, to pour salt in that still-fresh wound, Democrats passed another bill demanding repayment of some previously distributed redevelopment funds. This week, the Department of Finance directed the counties to waste no time in calculating the bills, sending them with notices that the full amount, in some cases millions of dollars, must be paid within three days or incur severe financial penalties.
On July 12th, even while some local agencies were attempting to question the amounts or negotiate lower payments, the Governor, via the Department of Finance, issued a letter stating that the previous demands for payment will not be reduced.
“I question the wisdom of this move,” said Senator Huff. “Local services have been cut. Firefighters and police officers have been let go due to local budget shortfalls. Three California cities have already been forced into bankruptcy and more may be headed in that direction. The last thing our communities need is a state government literally balancing its budget on the backs of local government.”
Senator Huff serves as the Senate Republican Leader and represents the 29th Senate District covering portions of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties. Follow Senator Huff on Twitter at @bobhuff99.
Note: this is MUCH more information from Sen. Huff than I will be presenting on my own behalf later today. I expect to jump in and post some of my own reactions these five press releases later today, once I’m off work time — and they won’t be entirely negative, either! I encourage others to post their observations as well! And of course Sen. Huff’s office and his partisans are welcome to comment both here and in my upcoming story (with one Bohemian exception if he can’t behave himself), as well as elsewhere on this site.
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