Last week, Gov. Jerry Brown and his capitol cronies passed their solution to fix our crumbling roads and highways. Despite the fact that Californians already pay the highest sales tax, state income tax and the second highest gas taxes in the nation, their solution was to pass Senate Bill 1, the largest gas tax increase…
California is facing a severe housing crisis as home prices have skyrocketed in recent years. Many working families can no longer afford homes. In an attempt to address this growing problem, the California State Legislature is considering several proposals, including a new tax and a housing bond. Unfortunately, neither legislative measure even comes close to…
Mark Twain once said, “No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.” That observation was especially applicable to the 2017 session of the California State Legislature. Middle-class taxpayers in California were hit with more tax increases than any year since 1935; the Legislature reduced penalties on criminals, endangering public…
Published: Victorville Daily Press – 10/17/16 When I was first elected to the State Assembly, I had optimistic expectations about transparency in our state government based on my own experience serving at the local level. For example, when I was a member of the City Council, state law required us to publicly publish every meeting agenda…
Published: San Bernardino Sun – 7/29/16 Enforcing the law and promoting low crime rates is unquestionably one of the most crucial roles that our government must perform. High crime rates endanger hard-working members of our society and create instability and uncertainty. Crime in California is increasing, and if we don’t start paying attention to the…
Before I was elected to represent you in the California State Assembly, I served as mayor of Big Bear Lake. I still vividly remember that on my first day as mayor in 2012, I received a call from our presiding county superior court judge informing me that the courthouse in Big Bear was being closed…
Californians pay some of the highest gas prices in the country. In fact, it is not uncommon for California residents to pay 70 cents more per gallon than the national average. With oil prices continuing to drop, it is extremely frustrating not to see a significant corresponding change in gas prices in our state. This…
Californians pay some of the highest gas prices in the country. In fact, it is not uncommon for California residents to pay 70 cents more per gallon than the national average. With oil prices continuing to drop, it is extremely frustrating not to see a significant corresponding change in gas prices in our state. This…
California motorists pay some of the highest gasoline taxes in the nation. On average, states impose a combination of taxes and fees that amount to about 30 cents a gallon, whereas California’s gas tax is an astonishing 42 cents a gallon. On top of that, according to a report released last fall by the Legislative Analyst’s Office,…
Property owners who own land within a designated State Responsibility Area (SRA) are currently required by law to pay approximately $150 per year for every habitable structure on their property. This is an unfair and illegal tax and I am taking steps this year to roll back this burdensome law that has been forced upon…
Monday marked the beginning of the 10th Annual Sunshine Week, a week dedicated to promoting the importance of civic transparency and the value of unrestricted access to public information. Founded by the American Society of News Editors, Sunshine Week underscores the simple idea that open government is good government. Unfortunately, the State of California is still a…
Five of the 10 worst road systems in the U.S. are located right here in California, according to recent findings released by The Road Information Program. Here in the Inland Empire, an astounding 46 percent of our roads are badly in need of repair. Furthermore, the Bay Area and Los Angeles have the roughest roads…
As California enters its fourth year of a historic drought, the governor and Legislature have both called for a sweeping reduction in water use. Recently, Gov. Jerry Brown signed an executive order requiring water districts to reduce their water use in order to reach a statewide savings of 25 percent. While conservation is important, this…