Sorry folks but we will not get a respite from campaigning in 2009 even though it is an off year for traditional elections. The following was just issued this afternoon by the office of Neal Kelley, Orange County Registrar of Voters.
Subject: Special Election Likely in Early 2009
Good Afternoon,
I hope everyone had a good New Year. I thought I would take a moment to bring you up to speed on the possibility of an election in 2009. The state continues its budget talks and many of their proposals would need voter approval if they get past the impasse they are currently facing. The Legislature has floated three possible dates for a special election: April 21st, May 19th or June 2nd. April and May seem more likely due to the time they would need to deal with budget issues should the measures pass prior to the end of the fiscal year.
There are elections in Los Angeles on April 21st and May 19th, which make them likely. This would also seem to indicate they would allow consolidations (although keep in mind they can write whatever they want in an election bill). The California Association of Counties has sent a letter to the Legislature asking for enough notice so that we can prepare for the election and we at the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials will be sending one towards the end of the week. Both letters ask the Legislature to consider conducting a special election by all-mail, but this is unlikely.
I will let you know if and when the election is called.
Neal Kelley
Registrar of Voters
County of Orange
So if I read this right, the special elections will be to vote on measures the legislature floats to balance the budget?
email response:
And How much will this Special Election push us further into debt?
Paul. My sense is that the bailout for CA may entail floating Bonds which would require voter approval. This would be just like the $10 billion just approved by the clueless voters for a bullet train so that Arnold can commute from Sacramento to Brentwood instead of taking Southwest Airlines.
These would be good dates for the Board of Supervisors to target work furloughs for the Registrar’s office as they have just done for the employees of the Social Services Agency. Now that would be a political statement about voting for any kind of State tax increases!
The best thing to do is to get propositions ready for these special elections like:
Return the state legislature to part time un-paid status.
Get rid of term limits.
I’ve already blocked off those 3 Tuesdays to work the polls and figure 3 more in the fall too.
One then I hope we vote on is the new banking fee/tax, whereas the state levies a 10 percent charge on the balance in your checking and saving account on the same day your pay is direct deposited. (monthly fee)
Those funds can be used to save the banks and investment houses by giving the pension funds more money to lose. Would something like that on the election card bring you to the polls this spring and fall?
As we continue to read about our budget nightmare in SAC at our last city ocuncil meeting we were given a report on the San Joaquin Hills (SR73) tollroad’s current financial shortfall.
The solution. RAISE the tolls. Brilliant! Chase (and punish)the riders instead of reducing the tolls to encourage more of us to use their system. According to their web site the max weekday cash peak toll is $10.50 from Newport to Laguna Niguel.
I would offer a free Saturday so that we could appreciate the shorter ride and less freeway congestion. Who knows we might find it a good alternative and eventually increase ridership.
But what do I know. Even the OCTA rejected my application to serve on their board.
Larry, that SR 73 story reminds me of the wall street bailout where the private parties have all the reward and the taxpayers have all the risk.
I think I remember the toll road on the 91 threatening the state with a lawsuit if they even did roadway repair to fix potholes on the public section of the toll road because of a non-compete clause in the toll road agreement. I think it was shortly after that that the taxpayers bought the toll road portion from the private developers and I’ll bet the private developers made a huge profit, and the banks made a huge profit, and the investors made a huge profit and the taxpayers got stuck holding the bag.
Yeah lets do that on the 73.