OC Political

We are live from the OC GOP Endorsements Committee where they are considering a recommendation of the gas tax repeal measure proposed by Assemblyman Travis Allen.

Endorsements Committee Members present are Chair Peggy Huang and Members Gene Hernandez, Leroy Mills, and Erik Weigand are present. Members on the phone are Laurie Davies and Tyler Diep. 

Your blogger missed the opening statement due to traffic.

Central Committee Member Tim Whitacre speaks in support of Assemblyman Travis Allen’s effort to repeal the gas tax since the GOP should support tax repeals and Allen is a member of the Orange County delegation.

Endorsements Committee Member Leroy Mills asks about the possibility of endorsing multiple tax repeal measures.

Emmanuel Patrascu on behalf of the tax repeal ballot measure argues that there is nothing wrong with endorsing all gas tax repeal measures.

Endorsements Committee Member Gene Hernandez argues this is the only repeal measure that exists.

Endorsements Committee Chair Peggy Huang notes that they are not precluded from doing so, but they have not done so historically in candidate races.

Endorsements Committee Member Erik Weigand asks about the ballot measure’s fundraising plan.

Mike Johnson on behalf of the gas tax repeal ballot measure says the campaign plans to raise $1,000,000 to qualify the measure.

Weigand asks what signature gathering firm will be hired for the ballot measure.

Johnson names various well known signature gathering firms.

The committee asks about the language of the measure.

Patrascu goes into a lengthy explanation about the various sections added and repealed.

Yours truly wearing his Central Committee hat jumps in and explains that SB 1 (the gas tax) adds various sections and repeals various sections, and that the tax repeal measure simply reverses SB 1.

Weigand asks if the ballot measure committee money can be transferred to Allen’s gubernatorial campaign money.

Patrascu and Johnson state many such transfer would be illegal. They also note that the ballot measure committee is named according to state law.

Weigand moves and Hernandez seconds to recommend endorsing the gas tax repeal measure.

Central Committee Member Thomas Gordon speaks in favor of the motion noting the gas tax repeal is a “no-brainer” because it goes to core Republican principles.

The committee approves 6-0 to recommend the full Central Committee endorse the gas tax repeal measure at its July 10 meeting.

ENDORSEMENT OF GAS TAX REPEAL BALLOT MEASURE RECOMMENDED UNANIMOUSLY TO FULL CENTRAL COMMITTEE.