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AD-55 Watch: GOP Assembly Candidate supports NPP Candidate for City Council

Posted by Allen Wilson on February 24, 2014

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Local elected Republicans support Republicans for local office, right?

Not exactly with GOP Assembly candidate Diamond Bar Councilwoman Ling-Ling Chang.

The Diamond Bar-Walnut Patch article dated January 16, 2014 revealed that Chang is supporting Betty Tang for Walnut City Council.

It was brought to this author’s attention Tang is a registered voter but as a NPP (No Party Preference).

Furthermore, Chang opts not to endorse Republicans former Assemblyman now Walnut Councilman Bob Pacheco and Councilwoman Mary Su.

Both Pacheco and Su have been long standing Republicans whom has done very well with limited government philosophy and served the Walnut community with distinction.

Perhaps, it is because Chang was once a DTS (Decline-to-State) voter in 1998 and again in 2004 until she finally became a Republican in 2006 after being elected to the Walnut-Valley Water District Board of Directors in 2005.

Perhaps, it is because Chang doesn’t want to ruffle any political feathers with her protege Senator Huff whom still have icy feelings towards Bob Pacheco, which is widely known in local political circles in the San Gabriel Valley, due to Huff’s bitter lost in 1998 for State Assembly to Pacheco.

GOP Assembly candidate going around in Republican circles seeking the party’s blessings should give pause to GOP activists.

Yes, Local Elected Republicans should support local Republican candidates, especially if one is a Republican Assembly candidate, because Republicans want to maintain party philosophy of limited government and not those that have no preference to any political party like Tang.

By showing up at GOP circles and functions is one thing, but GOP activists should not be blinded by facts and the truth of a GOP Assembly candidate.

Yes, facts are stubborn things!

Posted in 55th Assembly District, Brea, California, La Habra, Placentia, State Assembly, Yorba Linda | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

AD-55 Watch: Diamond Bar Councilman Tye Enters and Fee-Tax Position Haunts

Posted by Allen Wilson on January 24, 2014

SteveTye

Diamond Bar Councilman Steve Tye has thrown his hat in the ring as a GOP Candidate for State Assembly in the 55th Assembly District.

Mr. Tye was first elected to the Diamond Bar City Council in November 2005 after losing in a bitter June 2005 Special Election contest to Jack Tanaka for a seat that was vacant due to Bob Huff elevation to the State Assembly in 2004.  Mr. Tye has been re-elected in 2009 and as recently in 2013.

On June 25, 2013, OC Political article entitled “55th AD Watch:  Another Candidate Dual Run?” inquired at the time whether Councilman Tye was flirting a run for two offices:  City Council and State Assembly.

Those inquiries are now put to a rest with confirmation that Mr. Tye is indeed an Assembly candidate.

However, Mr. Tye position on taxes and fees may not sit well with Conservative voters in the GOP safe Assembly District, especially in North Orange County portion of the 55th Assembly District.

On September 21, 2010, the Diamond Bar City Council unanimously approved an increase of user fees for Community Services, Public Works and Community Development Departments to be phased in the next three years tied with CPI (Consumer Price Index) beginning on July 1, 2010.

Diamond Bar City Manager James DeStefano submitted the 40 page report to the council for approval.

This contributor spoke to the Diamond Bar City Council on September 21, 2010 with a reminder that an increase of user fees are misguided in an unstable economy and that such user fees are taxes which comes out of someone’s pocket one way or the other.

Councilmember Tye was adamant with a defensive tone, according to September 21, 2010 Council Minutes, by stating:

“…this is not a tax but a user fee.”

“…was a proponent for adding a fee for licensing a cat.”

“…it is appropriate if it costs $100 to issue a permit to have a water heater install in his home that he should pay the $100.”

“…likes the idea of someone plans to add to his home he pays the fees for it.”

“When the City gets closer to recovering those user fees, it will be better for all of the citizens of Diamond Bar.”

The Orange County Register Editorial on September 21, 2010 clarifies during the debate over Proposition 26 proposal to close loopholes regarding fees and the two-thirds vote requirement for approval by the state legislature:  “Calling fees what they are:  Taxes“.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has been vigorously fighting over the Fire Fee (Tax) that was approved in 2011 along party lines with Democrats support and Republicans opposed in the state legisature and signed into law by Governor Brown.

The $150 Fire Fee (Tax) for Fiscal Years 2011-12 AND 2012-2013 has effected hundreds and thousands of properties under the CalFire’s jurisdiction known as the State Responsibility Area.

So, Mr. Tye says “a fee is not a tax” may not have read the Orange County Register article, has a lack of understanding of why HJTA is fighting a fire fee that is a tax and surely has a lot of explaining to the voters in the 55th Assembly District whom loathe fees AND taxes.

Posted in 55th Assembly District, Brea, California, La Habra, Placentia, State Assembly, Yorba Linda | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Councilmembers Murray and Eastman Cost Anaheim Taxpayers $2 Million

Posted by Allen Wilson on January 8, 2014

KrisMurrayGail Eastman

The protracted issue regarding how Anaheim councilmembers are elected has come to an end but with a steep price.

Councilmembers Kris Murray and Gail Eastman has cost the taxpayers of Anaheim at a tune of $2 Million.

The City of Anaheim has already racked up $1.2 Million to defend itself and now must bear the cost of paying the litigants legal bills of over $1 Million, the ACLU and Anaheim Community Activists, who brought the issue to it’s head two years ago.

The Orange County Register reports that Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait says, “the cost of fighting the lengthy lawsuit could have been avoided if the City Council in August 2012 had approved his call for similar ballot measure.”

The two councilmembers joined with then-Councilman Harry Sidhu in 2012 as council majority stubbornly rejected Mayor Tait’s proposal.

The issue centers around Latino activists who echoed the need to change how councilmembers are elected from at-large to districts, because no Latino currently sits on the dais and 52% of the community are Latinos.

The settlement was agreed upon from a case Moreno, et al. vs. City of Anaheim that was slated to go to trail on March 17, 2014 regarding the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA).

The Voice of OC reported that Councilmember Murray called the deal “a win for our citizens, for our residents, for the taxpayers of Anaheim.”

Ironically, the Orange County Register reports that Councilmember Murray says, “I am still opposed to a form of single-member district election.  I think this lawsuit and the fees attached to it are unfortunate for this city.”

In the January 8th, 2014 edition of The Anaheim Blog contributor Matthew Cunningham asserts that the ACLU and Jose Moreno are at fault for costing the taxpayers huge legal bills:  “The fault lies with the plaintiffs’ stubborn insistence on bypassing the voters in favor of the imposition of single-member districts by judicial fiat.”

Frankly, Mr. Cunningham forgets that Councilmembers Murray and Eastman have an fiduciary duty to protect the city’s assets such as taxpayer funds and settle the issue back in 2012 as suggested by Mayor Tait to let the voters decide how their councilmembers are elected.

Councilmembers Murray and Eastman should realize that the buck stops with them and they have the power by finding a consensus with Mayor Tait instead of fighting against him and the community.

The bottom line is this:  consensus is cheap, litigation is expensive.

Posted in Anaheim, California, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , | 35 Comments »

SB County Supervisor Ovitt announces retirement Assemblyman Hagman enters contest

Posted by Allen Wilson on January 6, 2014

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In a stunning move, San Bernardino County Supervisor Gary Ovitt announces his retirement and that he will not seek a third term on the Board of Supervisors.

Ovitt hails from Ontario who is an ordained Minister, once a Councilmember and has served on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors from the Fourth District since 2004.

This contributor has confirmed that Assemblyman Curt Hagman (R-Chino Hills, District 55) will be running as a candidate to succeed Ovitt in June 2014.

Hagman is serving his last term in the State Assembly in 2014 due to term limits.

The Fourth District makes up 133 square miles with 400,000 residents in Chino, Chino Hills, Montclair and Ontario.

Posted in California, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

AD – 55 Watch: OC Sheriff Hutchens Endorses Phillip Chen

Posted by Allen Wilson on December 9, 2013

We just received this Press Release from the Phillip Chen for Assembly Campaign:

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Sheriff Sandra Hutchens Endorses
Phillip Chen for Assembly in AD 55

YORBA LINDA, CA – – The Phillip Chen for Assembly campaign announced this morning that Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has endorsed Phillip for Assembly in the 55th district. Sheriff Hutchens is one of the most popular public servants in Orange County.

“As a reserve deputy sheriff, Phillip Chen is committed to public safety and to helping make our homes, schools and neighborhoods safer places,” said Hutchens. “Combined with his experience as a school board member, health care expert and small business owner, Phillip has all the qualities needed to be an excellent representative for the 55th district.”

Phillip Chen is a Republican running in the 55th district with the support of the district’s current representative, Curt Hagman. The district covers parts of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

“I am deeply honored to have the support of Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, one of the most respected crime-fighters in California, and I look forward to working with her and our law enforcement community to keep us safe,” Chen said.

Phillip Chen is a small business owner and USC Professor who was the top vote-getter in the Walnut Valley Unified School District Board election in November of 2011. He is a top advisor on health care issues to Supervisor Mike Antonovich and a reserve Deputy Sheriff for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. Phillip was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to serve in the Governor’s Office of Criminal Justice Planning, where he worked on legislation involving foster care, gang prevention, drug awareness, and mental health.

Phillip is a Doctoral Candidate at USC, he has a Master’s in Public Administration from USC and holds a B.A. in Communications from Cal State Fullerton. In addition, Phillip teaches Public Administration as an Adjunct Professor at USC.

Posted in 55th Assembly District, Brea, California, La Habra, Placentia, State Assembly, Yorba Linda | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

55th AD Watch: Popular Assemblyman Curt Hagman endorse Phillip Chen

Posted by Allen Wilson on October 29, 2013

OC Political just received this press release from Phillip Chen Campaign for Assembly in the 55th AD (Brea, Diamond Bar, Yorba Linda):

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Assemblyman Curt Hagman Endorses Phillip Chen in AD 55

YORBA LINDA, CA – – Republican State Assemblyman Curt Hagman has endorsed Phillip Chen as the next Assemblyman in the 55th district, which Hagman currently represents. The highly coveted endorsement from the popular incumbent Curt Hagman solidifies Chen as the clear frontrunner in the June election.

“I am endorsing Phillip Chen to continue my work representing the people of the 55th district. Phillip’s background as a reserve deputy sheriff, School Board Trustee and small business owner gives him important insight on the most important issues facing our area – jobs, education and crime. I am extremely confident that Phillip Chen will be an outstanding new conservative member of the Assembly for our district,” stated Hagman who has represented the Orange County, Los Angeles and San Bernardino based district since 2008.

“I am very honored to receive Assemblyman Curt Hagman’s endorsement and I look forward to continuing the standard he has set with his strong, conservative leadership,” said Chen.

Phillip Chen is a small business owner and USC Professor who was the top vote-getter in the Walnut Valley Unified School District Board election in November of 2011. He is a top advisor on health care issues to Supervisor Mike Antonovich and a reserve Deputy Sheriff for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. Phillip was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to serve in the Governor’s Office of Criminal Justice Planning, where he worked on legislation involving foster care, gang prevention, drug awareness, and mental health.

Phillip is a Doctoral Candidate at USC, he has a Master’s in Public Administration from USC and holds a B.A. in Communications from Cal State Fullerton. In addition, Phillip teaches Public Administration as an Adjunct Professor at USC.

Posted in 55th Assembly District, Brea, California, La Habra, Placentia, State Assembly, Yorba Linda | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Antonovich for Governor 2018?

Posted by Allen Wilson on October 19, 2013

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The 2014 campaign is underway for many candidates, but some California Republicans are looking for some light in the tunnel: 2018.

The leading candidates running for a challenge to incumbent Governor Brown in 2014 are former Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado and Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R-Hesperia).

However, there are sources this writer has obtained that a group of donors are willing to hedge their bets behind Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich as a credible and viable candidate for Governor in 2018.

Supervisor Antonovich has a long resume of public service that started in 1969 with his election to the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees. Antonovich was then elected to the State Assembly in 1972 by serving three terms.

In 1978, Antonovich was unsuccessful in seeking the Republican Nomination for Lt. Governor, which he lost to Mike Curb.

In 1980, Antonovich ran and successfully defeated incumbent Baxter Ward for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and has been re-elected eight times and is term limited in 2016.

Though, in 2018 Antnovich would reach the age of 79 and my sources has indicated that the Supervisor is not interested to be a candidate for Governor of California.

California has been receptive by electing elder leaders to keep an eye on the youngsters running the bureaucracy and especially in the legislature.

As for the donors to skip the 2014 election cycle by looking towards 2018 is very telling for Maldonado and Donnelly that both must prove to skeptics and donors that 2014 is the year for Republicans in California.

Posted in California | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

California Republican Party Adopts County-Centric Endorsement Procedure for Primary Elections

Posted by Chris Nguyen on October 6, 2013

CAGOPThis morning, delegates at the California Republican Party (CRP) Convention in Anaheim voted to adopt the County-centric endorsement procedure for primary elections proposed by Mike Spence and Deborah Wilder, with the adoption of amendments incorporating portions of the Adam Abrahms procedure.  (See the original proposals in OC Political’s Friday report on the convention.)  These endorsement procedures apply to partisan offices (i.e. federal and state offices, but not local offices).

Under the new rules, for races for the U.S. House of Representatives, the State Senate, and the State Assembly, any Republican who is the sole Republican on the ballot is automatically endorsed by the California Republican Party, but if there is more than one Republican on the ballot, the following will apply:

  1. With at least five days’ notice, a meeting will be held with all Republican candidates in the affected race will appear before a County Central Committee, and that County Central Committee will vote to endorse a candidate by a 2/3 vote.
  2. If each County Central Committee that has at least 5% of the registered Republicans who can vote on a race endorses the same candidate, then the State Board of Directors may be a 2/3 vote endorse that candidate on behalf of the California Republican Party.  Any one County Central Committee that has at least 5% of the registered Republicans who can vote on the race may issue a veto by making an explicit 2/3 vote of “No Endorsement” in that race.

At the urging of Board of Equalization Member George Runner, the above procedure was applied to Board of Equalization endorsements except the endorsement votes from County Central Committees representing 95% of registered Republicans in the BOE district (instead of County Central Committee that has at least 5% of the registered Republicans who can vote on that race since in vast BOE districts, there are numerous County Central Committee that do not have at least 5% of the registered Republicans since there are dozens of counties in many BOE seats).

Jon Fleischman’s proposal to adopt a fusion of CRP delegates and County Central Committee members vote on endorsing statewide candidates was tabled.

In other convention news, Tony Krvaric of San Diego was re-elected to a two-year term as Vice Chair for the South Region (Orange, San Diego, and Imperial Counties).  Adam Abrahms of Santa Monica was re-elected as Vice Chair for Los Angeles County, and Adele Harrison of Temecula was re-elected Vice Chair for the Inland Empire (Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono Counties), .

Aaron Ginn of San Francisco defeated Liz Kolstad of Fresno for the Associate Representative position, also a two-year term. This position is unique among Board of Director positions, as only the Associate Delegates can vote for this position.  All other positions are elected by the regular Delegates.  (For those less familiar with the state party structure, Associate Delegates are effectively alternates to the voting members.  While there are specific formulas for the number of Delegates that can exist, there is no limit on the number of Associate Delegates.)

Posted in California | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

California Republican Party Convention in Anaheim Begins Today, Continues Through Sunday

Posted by Chris Nguyen on October 4, 2013

CAGOPThe California Republican Party’s Fall 2013 Convention begins in Anaheim at 8:30 AM today at the Hilton and continues through Sunday.

The party will hold elections for two-year terms three of the eight Regional Vice Chair positions (the other five were elected at the Spring convention).  The Vice Chair for the South region (Orange, San Diego, and Imperial Counties), Tony Krvaric of San Diego, was elected in 2011 and is now up for election, as is the Vice Chair for Los Angeles County, Adam Abrahms of Santa Monica, and the Vice Chair for the Inland Empire (Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono Counties), Adele Harrison of Temecula.

The Associate Representative position is also up for election, with Aaron Ginn of San Francisco and Liz Kolstad of Fresno seeking the position. This position is unique among Board of Director positions, as only the Associate Delegates can vote for this position.  All other positions are elected by the regular Delegates.  (For those less familiar with the state party structure, Associate Delegates are effectively alternates to the voting members.  While there are specific formulas for the number of Delegates that can exist, there is no limit on the number of Associate Delegates.)

The headline speaker of the convention will be Saturday’s dinner speaker, Texas Governor Rick Perry.

The more significant headline out of the convention is that earlier this week, Chairman Jim Brulte announced that the CRP’s seven-figure debt had been wiped out.  This is all the more impressive since Brulte, who was elected Chairman earlier this year, began his debt retirement drive just six months ago.

The most controversial item on the convention agenda will be the three competing proposals on how to handle CRP endorsements in a post-Prop 14 world.  A temporary arrangement was made for the 2012 elections, but that procedure expires before the 2014 election, so delegates will be implementing a permanent procedure going forward.

The three proposals are named for their authors:

  • Mike Spence and Deborah Wilder propose that in any primary where there is more than one Republican, the state party will only endorse if 2/3 of the Board of Directors votes to do so after a request is made for the state party endorsement by the Chairman of each affected County Central Committee and only if each affected County Central Committee (by a 2/3 vote) has endorsed the same candidate.  Spence and Wilder also propose that any Republican who is the sole Republican on the ballot is automatically endorsed.  Spence and Wilder’s proposal does permit the CRP Board of Directors (by a 2/3 vote) and each affected County Central Committee (by a 2/3 vote in each County) to adopt an endorsement procedure in a district wherein every Republican registered to vote in the district (including overseas military personnel) can vote on the endorsement.
  • Jon Fleischman proposes that endorsements be made by all voting delegates of the State Party and all County Central Committee members present at the state party convention in the Spring before the primary will vote to endorse a candidate, provided that “60% + 1” of those present and voting vote to endorse that candidate.  There will be no more than three rounds of balloting, and the candidate with the lowest number of votes will be dropped from the first round and again from the second round.  Should no candidate achieve “60% + 1” in the third round, there is no endorsement.  Unlike all other state delegate votes, there will be no proxy voting allowed (similarly, proxy voting is moot in the Spence/Wilder and Abrahms proposals since County Central Committees do not have proxy voting nor does the State Board of Directors).
  • Adam Abrahms proposes that in any primary where there is more than one Republican, the state party will only endorse if 2/3 of the Board of Directors votes to do so, provided that the Board of Directors may not endorse any candidate whose opponent has been endorsed by at least one affected County Central Committee.  He also proposes that a majority of any affected County Central Committee may vote to preemptively veto a state party endorsement, no later than five days before a state party endorsement meeting.  Abrahms also proposes that any Republican who is the sole Republican on the ballot is automatically endorsed.  He also defines an affected County Central Committee is one where at least 5% of the precincts in the district are in that county.

Posted in California | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

73rd AD Watch: Baric Drops Assembly Bid

Posted by Allen Wilson on October 1, 2013

Steve Baroc

We surely got your attention and this morning’s headline will require no caffeine for OC politicos.

Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Steve Baric is taking himself out of the race for State Assembly in the 73rd Assembly District (South Orange County).

Jon Fleischman of Flashreport explains Councilman Baric’s reasons why the sudden departure.

My colleague Chris Nguyen on August 1st explained that Baric was the runner-up on the campaign war chest.

The 73rd AD contest will surely shake things up in the coming days.

Posted in 73rd Assembly District, California, Rancho Santa Margarita, State Assembly | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

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