Mark Hill in WSJ

Congrats, Mark, for fighting the good fight! And getting mentioned in the Wall Street Journal.

Some parents object to what they see as proselytizing by their kids' schools. Mark D. Hill, who until recently was chairman of the Republican party in Marin County, says some mothers called him upset when their children came home from Bacich Elementary School in Kentfield, Calif., with fliers stuffed in their backpacks advertising a screening of "An Inconvenient Truth." The parents thought the public school shouldn't promote the screening, which was paid for by a local parent, because they considered it a political statement.

Sally Peck, the principal of Bacich, disagrees. "We have a responsibility to educate our children," she says.

Mr. Hill says the mothers worried their children would be criticized if they spoke out, so they kept their names secret. "It's very scary for mothers," he says. "They kind of go with the programs because they don't want to be viewed as trouble-makers."

Wall Street Journal, Sat, 9/29/07.

Update on Joe Arpaio, Sheriff, Maricopa Co. Sheriff, Author Unknown

TO THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOE ARPAIO HE IS THE MARICOPA ARIZONA COUNTY SHERIFF AND HE KEEPS GETTING ELECTED OVER AND OVER.

THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY: Sheriff Joe Arpaio (in Arizona) who created the "tent city jail":
He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.
He stopped smoking and porno magazines in the jails.
Took away their weights.
Cut off all but "G" movies.
He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work on county and city projects.
Then he started chain gangs for women so he wouldn't get sued for discrimination.
He took away cable TV until he found out there was a federal cour torder that required cable TV for jails. So he hooked up the cable TV again, only let in the Disney channel and the weather channel. When asked why the weather channel he replied, "So they will know how hot it's gonna be while they are working on my chain gangs."
He cut off coffee since it has zero nutritional value. When the inmates complained, he told them,"This isn't the Ritz/Carlton. If you don't like it, don't come back."
He bought Newt Gingrich' lecture series on videotape that he pipes into the jails.When asked by a reporter if he had any lecture series by a Democrat, he replied that a democratic lecture series might explain why a lot of the inmates were in his jails in the first place.

More on the Arizona Sheriff: With temperatures being even hotter than usual in Phoenix (116 degrees just set a new record), the Associated Press reports: About 2,000 inmates living in a barbed-wire-surrounded tent encampment at the Maricopa County Jailhave been given permission to strip down to their government-issued pink boxer shorts. On Wednesday, hundreds of men wearing boxers were either curled up on their bunk beds or chatted in the tents, which reached 138 degrees inside the week before. Many were also swathed in wet, pink towels as sweat collected on their chests and dripped down to their pink socks. "It feels like we are in a furnace," said James Zanzot, an inmate who has lived in the tents for 1 year. "It's inhumane."

Joe Arpaio, the tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic. He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates: "It's 120 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers are living in tents too, and they have to wear full battle gear, but they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your damned mouths!"

Way to go, Sheriff! Maybe if all prisons were like this one there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders. Criminals should be punished for their crimes - not live in luxury until it's time for their parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can't afford to have for themselves.

Sheriff Joe was just reelected Sheriff in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Sonoma Republican Party Barbeque - Oct. 6

Sonoma County Republican Party is having a Barbeque Sat., Oct. 6, 4pm - 6pm, at Russ Green's Vineyard in Healdsburg - live music, food, beverages, prizes, and fun for the whole family. Special Guest is Shawn Steel, Former Chairman of the CA Republican Party, and Candidate for Republican National Committeeman from CA. Assembly Candidate Dr. Sam Wakim is confirmed. Other invited guests: Supervisor Paul Kelley, and Petaluma Councilman Mike Harris.

Danoodle's NYC blogger begins UN gig

Gillian Duke, at Danoodle hq's in NYC, has started a gig at the UN. Looking forward to Gillian's blogs from the organization Danoodlers love to hate. Can we hear sweetest words in nyc, Press Pass ?

San Diego County Pension Woes....County tells public employees.."You Pay for it !" while those that gave it away are facing felony charges !!

San Diego public employee abuse of taxpayers is no different than Marin County's except they are now bankrupt and many of the union bosses and conflicted policy makers are awaiting trial on FELONY charges while taxpayers are left with a mess. One solution: Unions should pay for this mess.


Retirees could cover pension-perk shortfall
Sanders blasts low fees for more years of credit
By Jennifer VigilSTAFF WRITER
September 22, 2007
SAN DIEGO – Mayor Jerry Sanders, angry over the San Diego pension system's formal admission yesterday that prior retirement boards undervalued a special employee perk, opened up the possibility that the burden of the $146 million shortfall could be placed on current and future retirees.
The sum represents about 15 percent of the city's $1 billion unfunded pension liability, a debt that has led to five years of financial and legal turmoil and protracted conflicts between elected officials and employees.
Advertisement The announcement marked a vindication of sorts for City Attorney Michael Aguirre, who has long made the case that the city was bearing an unfair share of the expense of a program that allowed employees to purchase credit for up to five years in which they did not work.
Aguirre also has said benefit increases granted in 1996 and 2002 are illegal, but courts have soundly rejected the contention. He is appealing the decision.
Sanders and Aguirre have stood by each other's side while criticizing the city's previous handling of the pension fund, but recent spats over development and water conservation have caused tension.
The mayor – who left City Hall early after an emotional week in which he reversed his stance and supported same-sex marriage – issued a late afternoon statement in which he called the low fees employees were charged for additional years of credit “completely unacceptable.”
Aguirre was unaware of the development, as the mayor's office prepared to ask him to evaluate the city's options. Although he has criticized the pension fund's board and administration at almost every turn, Aguirre said he would “work with whomever, whenever if it means less for taxpayers to have to pay.”
A pension specialist working for the retirement system found last month that the shortfall on the purchase-of-service program rose to $20 million by 2000, then jumped dramatically – by $126 million – in three years. That mirrors other estimates offered by consultants in 2004 and 2006.
Pensions are calculated using a formula that includes the number of years worked and the final salary earned by employees. Increasing one of the factors allows workers to receive higher payments once they retire.
From 1997 to November 2003, employees paid 15 percent to 26 percent of their annual salary to obtain each extra year of credit. The pension board raised prices in late 2003, to 27 percent to 50 percent of salary. The fund's liability has not risen due to the program since.
More than 3,200 current city employees have participated in the program. Aguirre said the city's options include trimming the share of the city's annual payment to the pension system that is applied to the credits.
That could shift the responsibility to retirees, who could be given the option of paying the difference in price or giving up the credits. Rebecca Wilson, a pension spokeswoman, said the system will host meetings within the next two months to give fund contributors a chance to weigh in on the next step.
An early version of the mayor's news release accused former board members – most of whom, until 2005, were city employees – of committing “conscious acts” in pricing the credits incorrectly. Sanders' staff later dropped the accusation.
Six former pension board members are facing felony charges stemming from their votes on retirement fund matters, but Steve Robinson, a prosecutor in the District Attorney's Office, said his case is strictly focused on actions allegedly taken in 2002 and probably won't be widened.
“It's very unlikely there would be an inquiry unless there was new information,” Robinson said.

Senator Migden says - Go away so I can push my "values" .

I received this from a committed Republican Marin County resident and father of two who took issue with our "driving challenged" State Senator quotes today in the Marin IJ...just click the title above to see the article:

Mark:

State Sen. Migden’s comments in the IJ just make my blood boil.

First, she thinks it’s not only her right to pick her voters (which was accomplished under the corrupt redistricting plan that the Legislature refuses to reform, despite demands from even left-wing organs like the SF Comicle) but now she thinks she should be “unopposed”. Talk about freaking hubris….

Second, she’s convinced she’s done a “really good job” and says her job is to “spread our values”!!!! Since when is it the job of an elected official to “spread values”? Let alone the alternative lifestyle “values” she’s embracing?

Lastly, she wants top raise taxes and give more money to “education”, read: CTA (one of the most powerful special interests in the state), without mentioning that education gets about 60% of the entire budget now, or the god-awful results our public schools in Cal. have produced.

Jim

"You're Fired" from Marin Club

The Marin Club fired a second, long-time Board Member, Sue Campbell, by not nominating her to the '08 slate that will stand for election. The current Board shifted jobs for next year in order to comply with their Bylaws, but the Nominating Committee did not ask Sue to remain on the Board. Sue is currently VP in charge of speakers for the monthly meetings, (a particularly time-consuming, and apparently thankless, job.) Sue's talents will be missed; she has done a stellar job in arranging interesting speakers, and also getting publicity for the monthly meetings. She was previously Membership Chair. Why the Marin Club wants to "fire" their Volunteers who put in countless hours to help the Marin Republican Women Federated is a mystery to Danoodle.

What Celebrities Teach Us About the Nanny State

Gillian Duke, Danoodle NY HQ

Hark! “Celebrities” and the media that follow them might just serve a purpose after all. Britney, Lindsay and Paris, and their various rehab and legal troubles, actually offer us a glimpse into the world of court-ordered rehab and First Amendment violations.

This item about Spears’ custody battle is illuminating. US Weekly (that bastion of accurate and serious reporting) writes that a judge ruled today that Britney can keep partial custody of her children, if she complies with a list of court mandates including meeting with a parenting coach 8 hours a week to observe her parenting skills and twice-weekly random drugs and alcohol tests.

I know nothing about Britney Spears, and I have no opinion about her parenting skills. But I do find it interesting that the court system can mandate such obviously invasive procedures as a result of a custody case. Perhaps this would be acceptable after a full child-services investigation (though there are legitimate questions about that as well), but such measures as a result of a divorce case seem like an extreme example of the courts overreaching their jurisdiction.

Also according to US weekly, Britney and Kevin (how do I even know his name??) cannot make derogatory statements about each other. Is that not a violation of the First Amendment? Perhaps the court is employing the logic of driver’s licenses; having children is a privilege, not a right? Both options offer insight into the power of the courts.

This first occurred to me when I came across an article mentioning that Lindsay Lohan was wearing a court-ordered Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (or SCRAM). Reuters tells us that SCRAM is used in,

“Court-ordered rehabilitation programs of 43 states. About 40,000 people nationwide have used the device, some of them voluntarily…Worn around the lower leg or ankle, the monitor detects whether a person has been drinking by measuring the evaporation of alcohol from perspiration on the surface of the individual's skin, using essentially the same technology as a Breathalyzer.

Data from the device is then transmitted electronically to the company's field operations personnel, who in turn furnish the information to a probation officer, counselor or other person assigned to oversee the patient's recovery.”

If it weren’t for Lohan, we never would have known this system existed. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as court-ordered rehab. It's mildly disconcerting that a judge can order someone to go to rehab and wear a bracelet monitoring their intake of a legal substance.

Lohan’s coke-pants incident also highlights some legal quirks: her previous rehab attempts help her case. They show that she is struggling with addiction, and historically judges are more lenient on addicts than on your normal weekend drug-user. Paris Hilton’s DUI case is another example. If you are to believe the reports, it can sometimes take only one drink to fail a Breathalyzer. This might be good information to know should you run into one of Beverly Hills’ festive Christmas roadblocks, designed to capture those driving “under the influence.” While we would never advocate drunk-driving, we are beginning to wonder what exactly constitutes “drunk” these days (and if the taxi lobby is somehow behind it…) We hear sugar and caffeine are addictive substances too - are they sufficiently "influential"?

If you argue loudly enough, you can find a public-safety justification for just about any law (no handheld cell phones in cars, anyone? Children under 12 must ride in the back seat? No smoking in PG-13 movies? We could go on…) And history shows that capricious states are willing to enforce laws that compromise individual freedom (the anti-contraceptive law which led to Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) and established the right-to-privacy doctrine.)

In tandem with this morning’s hearings about wire-tapping abroad, our privacy at home is worth scrutinizing too. It’s just funny that we have to hear about it through LaLohan.



Picture via Newday.com and MSNBC

Elephant Talk added to Danoodle.com

I've just added Deke Welch's ELEPHANT TALK, August 2007, as a .pdf file. There is some useful info in this edition on upcoming November elections. Don't miss! ET is a terrific addition to Danoodle. Thanks, Deke.

I've added a Campaign Directory to a new page at Danoodle - Election 08. Email me at howeybarb@danoodle.com if you have any additions to the Directory. I need to fill in the blanks.

Also, I've added a Fav Quotes page, where I'm parking the Julia Roberts "repugnant" quote...should never be forgotten or relegated to the wastebin.

Who is in charge here? by Mark Hill, former Chairman and current member, Marin Republican Party

This recent article about the Marin County public union pension fund advisor and her cronies giving her an unprecedented 40% increase (ummmm...remember, when SHE retires that will be for lifetime benefits too !) is just mind boggling. Even with the increased scrutiny from County taxpayers, the press and lawsuits going against this unmitigated rip off of taxpayers, the union bosses have no shame. Who is in charge of the oversight here one should (and have) ask? Well, its kind of hard to tell from the quotes embedded in this article:

Pensions - Marin County style.

Who is in charge here? By Mark Hill, former Chairman and current member, Marin Republican Party. Blog posted Sunday, 9/16/07. This recent article about the Marin County public union pension fund advisor and her cronies giving her an unprecedented 40% increase (ummmm...remember, when SHE retires that will be for lifetime benefits too !) is just mind boggling. Even with the increased scrutiny from County taxpayers, the press and lawsuits going against this unmitigated rip off of taxpayers, the union bosses have no shame. Who is in charge of the oversight here one should (and have) ask? Well, its kind of hard to tell from the quotes embedded in this article:

MARIN IJ "Supervisor Charles McGlashan, a member of the retirement board, said it's time to look into setting up the pension system as an independent agency. ..."It just creates all kinds of morale problems," McGlashan said Wednesday, before the pension board met for two hours behind closed doors to discuss the issue. He noted that supervisors are being unfairly criticized for a raise that they did not set or have any say in setting. The pension board is made up largely of employees and retirees who benefit from the system they oversee. McGlashan and county Treasurer Michael Smith are the only representatives elected by taxpayers, who last year contributed more than $48 million."

Soooooo.....the County has an unfunded pension liability, (to be paid by Marin County taxpayers..who elected Charles McGlashan to represent them....) of over $700 million and growing and our Supervisor thinks there NOW might be a need for independent oversight? De facto, he is admitting he isn't independent...he's not, he is a public employee too .. owned lock stock and barrell by the Marin County public employee union bosses. Um Charles...you are over to $700 million in give aways TOO LATE.

MARIN IJ "Pension board members refused to disclose any specifics about Wednesday's private session, but after the meeting Smith called the discussion "very tense."Board president Sandy White, a county employee, declined to comment.The pension board's attorney, Linda M. Balok, also declined to comment after the closed-door meeting called to discuss "potential litigation." "

No surprise here...these are all public employees and are part of the public employee UNIONS ...get it? They don't care about taxpayers....thats what our Supervisors should be doing. But they don't and won't unless the cost of doing nothing is higher (letting the Union bosses run things ) than doing something...thankfully we are about there. The public and Marin County taxpayers are outraged as they should be.

MARIN IJ "McGlashan, during a public part of the Civic Center meeting, advanced his proposal to end the longstanding relationship in which pension program workers are considered county employees, even though they are paid by a pension system that has a separate budget and board of directors.

That bureaucratic relationship led to Benner getting a twin set of raises. The pension board approved a three-year, 30 percent increase; also, supervisors approved three years of raises, totaling as much as 13 percent, for Benner and other county department heads.The raises put Benner on a pay pace to be one of the 10 highest-paid county workers. By 2009, her annual pay could hit $239,343. She is now paid $166,046 a year.McGlashan said supervisors were not aware of the pension board pay hike until it wound up on their agenda for their endorsement. He was not at the pension board meeting when it voted to approve the raise, but he has said he would have supported it."

Again, where was leadership here before? The union bosses are smart...to the tune of $700mm by gaming the system so there is NO ACCOUNTABILITY. All of our Supervisors look like a long game of Twister ...blaming everyone but the ones who are responsible: themselves. This game of nods and winks at taxpayer expense should be illegal if it isn't already....the jury is still out on that one in a lawsuit in Orange County against their Supervisors and Public Union Bosses !

MARIN IJ "Supervisor Hal Brown on Tuesday said the pension board should be asked to reconsider and "modify" Benner's pay increase.Supervisors have been told by their lawyers that they have no say over the raise approved by the pension board, but they don't like being politically "tagged" for voting to ratify it, McGlashan said. "

UMMM...where is President Truman when you need him? Where does "the buck stop" Mr. Brown and McGlashan? As I see it, the answer has been clear...the public employee union bosses.

MARIN IJ "He has not complained about the raise, just the bureaucratic process that places supervisors in a position of having to ratify a pay hike over which they have no say.Benner's raise has turned into a political hot potato. Three supervisors - McGlashan, Brown and Steve Kinsey - face re-election in June 2008.McGlashan said there is support among the supervisors to look into getting out of the business of ratifying hirings and wages for the pension board, which has nine other member agencies besides the county."

This is ridiculous.....the Supervisor's solution to the public union boss' $700 million rip off of the Marin County Taxpayers?? Simple: "Run and Hide." One can hardly ignore the fact that none of the Supervisors are openly challenging the unions ... even today !!

MARIN IJ "Benner and County Administrator Matthew Hymel met Tuesday to discuss the matter. Hymel has told supervisors that it would take state legislation to turn the pension system into an independent special district.Benner said San Bernardino County just went through a similar process for its public pension system.She said it appears to be a natural evolution for public pension programs in California."

The Public Employees Union is a STATEWIDE organization. Every county is going through this process because all of the County public employee unions are doing the same thing Statewide. Not only is it bankrupting Marin, but it HAS bankrupted San Diego, Ventura County and many others. There is no "natural evolution" here...this is a sophisticated gaming of our County and State governments by the Union bosses to take untold billions from State and County taxpayers at the expense of our schools, roads, environment and needy people.

MARIN IJ "In Marin, it is a process that began last year with County Counsel Patrick Faulkner's decision to step down as the pension board's lawyer, a job that his office had held for many decades.Faulkner said the pension board needed its own separate legal counsel as he couldn't represent both the county and the pension board if there was a dispute between the two."

Sorry for being slow, but wasn't Patrick Faulkner (oh yes...a public employee too) conflicted when he "ok'd" the very retirement benefits that are now bankrupting our County? He should have recused himself from the beginning. All agreements made with his sign off should all be re visited due to this conflict which he NOW readily admits to. Hello.... District Attorney is anybody home???

MARIN IJ "McGlashan said making the pension system an independent district would be similar to the Transportation Authority of Marin, on which the county has representation, but its board and management decisions are independent from the county.For years, retirement system workers have been considered county employees, even though they are paid by the pension system."

Let me get this straight, actually, forget it....there is no straight about it...I am cross eyed by it. Can't those that supposedly represent us, present taxpayers with a straight answer, accountability and oversight??? If not, why not? Answer: THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNION BOSSES and the Marin County Supervisors who are beholden to them.

MARIN IJ "McGlashan on Tuesday said it's time to consider "disconnecting the type of awkward oversight" role in which supervisors find themselves. The pension system should be "a completely independent body," he said. "

REALLY Mr. McGlashan? Well the question is where have you been? Welcome to the party. We are in the hole over $700mm already.

MARIN IJ "I don't understand why we have anything to do with this," Supervisor Susan Adams said. "This shouldn't even show up on our agendas."

Oh Ms. Adams - It is showing up on your agenda because the Unions set it up that way and with your and all of your colleagues' approvals, it has now cost this County over $700 mm in unfunded liabilities. To put it more bluntly, its your job.

MARIN IJ "Pension board member James Phillips said Wednesday there are no plans to change Benner's contract or to reduce the pay hikes she's been promised.He said the controversy started because the pension board did not confer with the county before it raised Benner's pay. He added that Benner's job is a unique position as it oversees a diversified portfolio that exceeds $1.5 billion."It's not similar to any other position in the county," he said.He praised Benner, who took over the pension's top job in 2005. "She very competent. She's very good. She's very smart," he said."

Well this is great oversight, one public union employee complementing another public union employee for giving away yet more taxpayer money. I remind all, that if this was a business, this "Company" of less than 5000 people would be over $1 billion in debt with not a hint of an idea (except one..tax increases) of how to pay it off.

MARIN IJ "Another board member, Allen Haim, said he was dismayed at moves to separate the pension program from the county."It's been a county family," said Haim, a former assistant county counsel who represents retirees on the pension board. "We're together, whether you separate us out or not.""

We are family???? The County has over 100,000 residents. These 3000 current employees (40% retiring in less than five years) and 2000 plus retirees, have taken their "family members" (that would be us) for over $700 mm. And like any bully, his last line wins its all: "We're together (aka "you are going to have to pay all this money we forced or tricked your Supervisors into paying us..$700mm) whether you separate us out or not". GOD HELP US.

I salute the Fourth Estate ... the Marin IJ ..... for their never ending and great coverage of this travesty. Cheers. mhSee "Pension chief in line for 44% pay raise" by Brad Breithaupt, Marin IJ, Monday, Aug. 27.