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Archives 2008

 

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February 2008 Election Results

The good news:  on the most important three of the state ballot measures, Orange County voters agreed with OCTax!  Statewide voters also agreed with OCTax. 

The bad news:  voters disagreed with OCTax on the Indian gaming agreements. 

The sort of good news:  at least the Indian gaming agreements, unfair as they are, will bring a trickle (a fraction of one percent of the budget) of additional revenue to the state.

 February 5th, 2008 Ballot Results

 

State Ballot Propositions	OCTax	Orange County Voters	Statewide Voters
Proposition 91:  Transportation Funds. Initiative Constitutional Amendment	No	No	No
Proposition 92:  Community Colleges.  Funding.  Governance.  Fees.  Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute	No	No	No
Proposition 93:  Limits on Legislators’ Terms in Office.Initiative Constitutional Amendment	No	No	No
Propositions 94, 95, 96, 97:  Referendum Petitions to Overturn Amendments to Indian Gaming Compacts	No	Yes	Yes

 

The Orange Grove: Now's not the time to stop building, Opinion, OC Register, Feb. 7, 2008

More people will live here in the future, and they will need housing, By Kristine Thalman

California will gain 7 million to 11 million new residents by 2025, increasing the state's population from 37 million today to as many as 48 million.  This surge is due to natural increases (the excess of births over deaths) and immigration, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. 

It is naive and irresponsible to not plan for our incoming population.  The threat of anti-growth policies often fueled by NIMBYs (not in my back yard) or environmental zealots may prove to be the greatest hazard to homeownership in Southern California.  Ironically, most of the NIMBYs and no-growth activists often own homes in recently developed communities that might be nearly identical to those they seek to prevent elsewhere.

 

Supervisors approve plan to cut pensions, OC Register, Jan 30, 2008

Decision shows 'disdain' for civil servants, unions say, By Peggy Lowe 

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday formally approved the filing of a lawsuit seeking to cut deputies' pensions, dismissing a plea for a third-party legal opinion and ignoring calls of “political grandstanding.” 

With the vote, the fierce fight between organized labor and those who want to limit public pensions began in earnest.  Union leaders said the board callously betrayed civil servants while groups like the Lincoln Club hoped the case could be the beginning of a larger effort aimed at slicing away at public workers' benefits.

 

Banning Ranch Puts Plans in the Open, Orange County Business Journal, Jan 28, 2008

REAL ESTATE: New team considers development, sale to keep open space 

The new management team overseeing Banning Ranch, one of Orange County’s last stretches of largely undeveloped coastal land, plans to step up its “visibility” in 2008 as the team considers potential housing and retail development on the land, or an outright sale of the property.

 

OCTax’s letter to the Coastal Commission in support of completing SR-241

Most public testimony on the proposed completion of the SR-241 Toll Road in the counties of Orange and San Diego focuses on the environment.
 
The Orange County Taxpayers Association (OCTax) cares about our environment too.  That’s one reason we support toll roads.  Free-flowing traffic causes less pollution than stop-and-go traffic. Just as importantly, it generates economic wealth that enables us to maintain our parks, beaches, housing, water and sanitary systems, flood control, landfills, recycling facilities, fire protection and other services that enhance the environment.  OCTax supports the completion of the 241 Toll Road.

 

Governor Schwarzenegger supports 241 extension

Flyer, prepared by TCA, seeking more public support for the project

OTax has testified a dozen times to various agencies in support of the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ completing construction of SR-241 from Oso Parkway to I-5 south of San Clemente.  We will do so again on February 6 before the California Coastal Commission at its hearing in Oceanside.

Toll roads are the best of infrastructure projects.  They are public benefits provided by private investors at little or no cost to taxpayers.  They are funded by fees, not taxes; if you don’t use them, you don’t pay.    

At last (and in keeping with his promise to promote public-private partnerships) Governor Schwarzenegger has joined the battle on the right side of the issue.

 

Proposed “Peaker” generating facility in Ladera Ranch- Letter to the Editor, OC Register, Jan. 13, 2008

The substation is already in place; the additional unit will be located within the same footprint area, and it will serve as an important component of Orange County's energy infrastructure.

The project is supported by businesses and residents alike. 

Insuring an increased supply of safe and reliable energy in South County is critical to high quality of life and economic vitality.

 

 Proposed “Peaker” generating plant in Ladera Ranch, Letter to Ladera News, Jan. 11, 2008

As a resident of Ladera Ranch I support the proposed “Peaker” Plant to be located adjacent to an existing SDG&E substation.  I have bought energy efficient appliances, turned off the air-conditioning, delayed using appliances and otherwise tried to reduce my power usage during the dog days of summer—but we need to step up to the plate and increase our power generation.  

 

Orange County Taxpayers Association's Cheers and Jeers Awards for 2007, Opinion by OCTax appeared in the Orange County Register on January 13, 2008 . Several highs and lows involved action on government employee benefits.

 

Toll agency says criticisms of Foothill South road are flawed

241 Toll Road and the Transportation Corridors Agency letter  appeared in the O. C. Register on January 10, 2008.

OCTax supports toll roads generally and the extension of the 241 in particular.  Fee-based services generally are better than tax-supported services.  

 

Summary of the Governor’s Budget Reform plan, which (from OCTax’s standpoint) is the most important part of his State of the State message.  OCTax has long supported a spending cap similar to the Gann Limit:  restricting growth in spending to a percentage equal to the growth of inflation plus growth in population.  That isn’t the Governor’s plan, but at least he’s taken a step in the right direction.  Will the big-spending Legislature enact the needed legislation?  We’ll see.  

Orange County Taxpayers Association

30205 Hillside Terrace

San Juan Capistrano CA 92675-1542

phone (949) 240-6226

fax (949) 240-030

www.octax.org

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OCTax advocates positions on ballot measures, legislation, and other public policy issues of interest to taxpayers.

OCTax does not endorse political candidates or make political campaign contributions.  OCTax is registered under Section 501(c)(4) of the IRS code as a tax-exempt "civic league . . . for the promotion of community welfare."  Your annual investment may qualify as a deductible corporate subscription (business expense).