Sacramento, CA – The California Taxpayers Association has given Sen. Strickland a perfect score on their annual Voting Record.

“I’m honored to have once again received a perfect score from the California Taxpayers Association,” Sen. Strickland said. “I have always been and will continue to be an advocate for taxpayers throughout California.”

“Hardworking Californians are continually treated like the government’s own personal ATM machine and it’s got to stop,” Sen. Strickland added. “We need to maximize the precious dollars that already do come to Sacramento and instead of raising taxes yet again, focus on job-creation and putting people back to work.”

Founded in 1926, the California Taxpayers Association is the state's largest and oldest organization representing taxpayers. Established as a nonpartisan, non-profit research and advocacy association, CalTax has a dual mission to guard against unnecessary taxation and to promote government efficiency. Their 2011 Legislative Voting Record is based on the bills which would most affect the health of California’s economy.

A copy of the California Taxpayers Association’s 2011 Legislative Voting Record can be found here.

Tony Strickland represents California Senate District 19, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties.

George Runner, Second District Member of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), today announced an annual meeting of BOE Board Members and county assessors from each of California’s 58 counties. This year’s meeting will include panel discussions on embedded software and a split-roll property tax. Public comment on both of these topics is welcome.

What: Annual Meeting of BOE Members and County Assessors

Where: State Capitol, Room 4203

10th and L Streets, Sacramento

Streaming live at www.boe.ca.gov

When: Wednesday, October 19, 10:00 a.m.

Background:

The BOE is required by law to hold meetings with assessors at least once a year to discuss issues relating to the administration of assessment and taxation laws, and to promote uniformity of procedure in property tax matters throughout the state.

Elected in November 2010, taxpayer advocate George Runner represents the Second District of the Board of Equalization. Runner was sworn in as Second District Board Member on January 3, 2011. Prior to his election to the Board, Runner served twelve years in the State Legislature. As a thoughtful conservative, his legislative priorities included improving the economy, business growth, education excellence, and public safety for all Californians. As a member of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, Runner consistently led the fight against tax increases and supported tax relief for families and businesses.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects more than $50 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.

When I arrived in London in September it had been more than forty years since I had last spent any time in the city. If I hadn’t kept up with recent events through my British contacts, the changes would have been startling indeed.

The most popular tourist spots appear much the same, and the commercial areas are still thronged with shoppers. No matter where you go, however, the presence of Islam makes itself felt. With the rapid increase in the Muslim population over the past decade, the capital of Britain has moved that much closer to becoming an Islamic city.

The process... http://frontpagemag.com/2011/10/14/the-islamization-of-london-a-photo-to...

CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson, who has reported on this story from the beginning, said on "The Early Show" that the investigation into the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)'s so-called "Fast and Furious" operation branches out to a case involving grenades. Sources tell her a suspect was left to traffic and manufacture them for Mexican drug cartels.

Police say Jean... http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/14/earlyshow/main20120395.shtml

George Runner, Second District Member of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), today announced an annual meeting of BOE Board Members and county assessors from each of California’s 58 counties. This year’s meeting will take place at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 19, 2011 in room 4203 at the State Capitol, located at 10th and L Streets in Sacramento.

“As chair of the Board’s Property Tax Committee, I look forward to a lively discussion of front-burning tax policy issues facing our state,” said Senator Runner. “Our goal must always be to ensure taxpayers are treated fairly and with respect by all levels of government. California’s county assessors are a vital partner in this work.”

The BOE is required by law to hold meetings with assessors at least once a year to discuss issues relating to the administration of assessment and taxation laws, and to promote uniformity of procedure in property tax matters throughout the state.

This year’s meeting will include panel discussions on embedded software and a split-roll property tax. Public comment on both of these topics is welcome.

Elected in November 2010, taxpayer advocate George Runner represents the Second District of the Board of Equalization. Runner was sworn in as Second District Board Member on January 3, 2011. Prior to his election to the Board, Runner served twelve years in the State Legislature. As a thoughtful conservative, his legislative priorities included improving the economy, business growth, education excellence, and public safety for all Californians. As a member of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, Runner consistently led the fight against tax increases and supported tax relief for families and businesses.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects more than $50 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.

City of Fillmore

REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011 6:30 P.M.
FILLMORE CITY HALL CENTRAL PARK PLAZA 250 CENTRAL AVENUE FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA 93015-1907

Agenda

1. Call to Order: 6:30 P.M.

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call: Council Members Brooks, Conaway, Sipes and Walker, Mayor Washburn

4. Approval of Agenda

5. Presentations and Announcements

6. Public Comments

7. Consent Calendar

Recommendation for Items A through E is to Approve.

A. Warrant List for October 11, 2011.
B. Minutes for July 12, 2011(to be available by October 10, 2011)
C. Proposed City Council 2012 Meeting Schedule
D. Receive and File the Report to the Supplemental Law Enforcement Oversight Committee (SLEOC) for the period ending June 30, 2011
E. Authorization and Approval to Release Warrant Payments to Vendors during Council Dark Periods

8. Department Reports

City Manager

A. Presentation by Ventura County Health and Fillmore Family Coalition representatives regarding Reducing Youth Access to Tobacco

Finance

B. Consideration of 2010-11 Year End Budget Adjustments and Adopt Resolution 11-3323 Amending the City of Fillmore 2010-11 Budget and Resolution 11-253 Amending the Fillmore Redevelopment Agency Budget.

Recreation

C. Consideration and Direction to Staff Concerning the Proposal for Installation of Side Access Gate to Fillmore High School Track for Walking/Running Club Use at a Cost of $7,071 and the City to be repaid over time.
D. Financing Discussion Regarding Two Rivers Park Ball Field Improvements

City Council Subcommittee

E. Subcommittee Update and Power Point Presentation on Town Theater
F. Subcommittee Recommendations for Four (4) Planning Commissioners and One (1) Film Commissioner

9. Committee, Commission, and Board Reports

10. City Council Reports, Recommendations, and Comments

A. City Councilmember Travel Requests/Brief Reports

B. Any Councilmember May Propose Items for Placement on Future Agenda

C. Council Referrals/Brief Comments

11. City Manager

A. Follow-Up on Requests from the Public/City Council

B. Announcements and Upcoming Issues

12. Closed Session - None

13. Adjournment: City Council adjourns to a Regular Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 250 Central Avenue.

Upcoming Meetings and Related Agenda Items (Info Only)

Written By Richard A. Serrano

Reporting from Washington— High-powered assault weapons illegally purchased under the ATF's Fast and Furious program in Phoenix ended up in a home belonging to the purported top Sinaloa cartel enforcer in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, whose organization was terrorizing that city with the worst violence in the Mexican drug wars.

In all, 100 assault weapons acquired under Fast and Furious were transported 350 miles from Phoenix to El Paso, making that West Texas city a central hub for gun traffickers. Forty of the weapons made it across the border and into the arsenal of Jose Antonio Torres Marrufo, a feared cartel leader in Ciudad Juarez, according to federal court records and trace documents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The smugglers' tactics... http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-atf-guns-20111009,0...

It’s time for some blunt speaking: Pakistan is trying to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan and that is an act of war. The Pakistanis have tried to deny it altogether or blame it on rogue elements, but 10 years after 9/11, these “rogue elements” are as active as ever. Our troops deserve to be protected, and their attackers don’t deserve taxpayer money. It’s time to treat the killers as killers.

The crisis in Pakistani-American relations reached a new height when Admiral Mike Mullen​, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, accused the Pakistani ISI intelligence service of being behind the attacks on the U.S. embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul in mid-September. He also said the ISI orchestrated a truck bombing on September 10 that wounded 77 American soldiers and an attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul on June 28. The U.S. learned of the truck bomb headed towards its forces in advance, and two days before the explosion, asked the top Pakistani military commander to intercept it. Unintentionally confirming that Pakistan has the power to stop such attacks, he said he’d “make a phone call” to stop it. It wasn’t.

“The Haqqani network acts... http://frontpagemag.com/2011/10/07/pakistan%e2%80%99s-undeclared-war-on-...

Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed compromise legislation aimed at avoiding a costly ballot fight between Amazon and in-state retailers. This compromise opens the door for Amazon to build distribution centers in our state that could provide thousands of jobs for out-of-work Californians. That's very good news.

But it's hard to dismiss the nagging suspicion that while the "Amazon tax" saga created political intrigue and drew media interest, it has done little to move our state toward economic recovery.

The compromise measure, while welcome, provides only a short-term delay to a bad law that lawmakers approved as part of California's budget this summer. The constitutionally questionable law was supposed to produce $200 million a year in revenue by forcing more out-of-state online sellers to serve as California's tax collectors.

The law was doomed to fail from the start. It did not produce the revenue, or provide the level playing field, its proponents envisioned. Even so, it took a well-funded referendum effort to force lawmakers to negotiate a delay to allow time for Congress to act on the issue.

Absent a highly unlikely federal solution, we'll be right back in the same mess in a year. The state of California will again be killing jobs, driving away investment and inviting costly litigation.

A recent survey by the Performance Marketing Association found that in just two months, the Amazon tax wreaked havoc on an estimated 25,000 California-based Internet affiliate businesses: 37 percent lost more than half of their income, 22 percent closed their businesses, and almost 32 percent moved or plan to move out of state.

Given Amazon's plans to reinstate affiliates, some of these folks will soon get a new lease on life. But for the estimated 15,000 affiliates who don't have ties with Amazon the news means they will be able to work for an additional year only if they are reinstated. There's no guarantee that will happen.

Those who have already left California are unlikely to return. In early August, successful online entrepreneur Erica Douglass blogged "Dear California: I'm Leaving You. Here's Why." In her blog post, she describes several "examples of the crap" California's government has put her through. She writes that the Amazon tax was the "final straw" that prompted her to relocate her business from San Diego to Austin, Texas.

Julia Wessels founded the website "The Frugal Find" as a hobby, but it quickly became a full-time family business based out of her and her husband's home in Antioch. After losing 40 percent of their gross monthly income after the Amazon tax became law, they decided to move their kids and business to Oregon. In just four weeks they were gone.

These are just two of the many entrepreneurs who have decided to leave our state as a direct result of legislative malpractice. But each is a significant loss for our state.

Some might argue that the loss of these entrepreneurs is a small price to pay in order to achieve greater sales tax collection for the state of California. I disagree.

The only way to provide lasting revenue for our state's budget problems is by growing our state's economy and jobs. To achieve this end, we must provide a stable business climate that helps entrepreneurs like Erica Douglass and Julia Wessels stay, grow and thrive in California.

California now ranks a dismal 50th in net business creation; we have the second highest unemployment rate in the nation. If California's leaders spent more time talking to job creators instead of attacking them, they might find ways to legislate without inflicting pain on Californian entrepreneurs in the process. A jobs deal with Amazon and other companies could have easily been reached months ago – without an Amazon tax.

California once was a land of opportunity. Unfortunately, high taxes and excessive regulations have driven California's unemployment rate to record highs. Our state continues to chase out employers, entrepreneurs and even workers – just about anyone who can't afford to fund ballot measures to repeal the bad laws and regulations that drive them crazy.

It's a good thing Amazon is coming to California. Unfortunately, the Amazon compromise provides no model for our state's future job creation efforts. By creating an uncertain future for entrepreneurs and investors, it will only reinforce the notion that job creators enter California at their own risk.

George Runner, a former state senator, is a member of the Board of Equalization. For more information, go to www.boe.ca.gov/Runner.

by Robert Spencer

Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, the leftist American hikers who unwittingly ventured across the Iran/Iraq border and were convicted of espionage and imprisoned for two years in Iran, have been freed – and at a press conference Sunday, revealed that they were none the wiser for their ordeal.

They indulged in some moral equivalence: “Two years in prison is too long, and we sincerely hope for the freedom of other political prisoners and other unjustly imprisoned people in America and Iran.” They assured the right-thinking world that their hearts (obviously not their minds) were in the right place: said Bauer, “The irony is Sarah [another hiker who was freed earlier], Josh and I oppose U.S. policies towards Iran which perpetuate this hostility.”

They thanked... http://frontpagemag.com/2011/09/27/useful-idiots%e2%80%99-stockholm-synd...

Written by Daniel Pipes

In a Middle East wracked by coups d’état and civil insurrections, the Republic of Turkey credibly offers itself as a model thanks to its impressive economic growth, democratic system, political control of the military, and secular order.

But, in reality, Turkey may be, along with Iran, the most dangerous state of the region. Count the reasons:

•Islamists without brakes: When four out of five of the Turkish chiefs of staff abruptly resigned on July 29, 2011, they signalled the effective end of the republic founded in 1923 by Kemal Atatürk. A second republic headed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoDan and his Islamist colleagues of the AK Party began that day. The military safely under their control, AKP ideologues now enjoy can pursue their ambitions to create an Islamic order.

•An even worse... http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/09/27/daniel-pipes-is-turkey-go...

Written by Yoram Ettinger

U.S. President Barack Obama's speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday reaffirmed his world view on global affairs in general and on the Palestinian issue in particular.

For instance, the president reiterated his, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's, assessment that the seismic turmoil on the Arab street constitutes a “transition to democracy,” with “[non-violent] youth delivering a powerful rebuke to dictatorship.” Obama believes that “the patriotism that binds Bahrainis together must be more powerful than the sectarian forces that would tear them apart.”

In reality, the stormy Arab... http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=530

George Runner today issued the following statement in response to Governor Jerry Brown’s signature of AB 155:

“I’m glad the Governor signed compromise legislation today to help get some California affiliates back to work and bring thousands of Amazon.com distribution jobs to California. That’s very good news.

“Unfortunately, this legislation is by no means a cure-all. It does nothing to solve the long-term problems created by the Legislature’s botched efforts to compel out-of-state retailers to serve as California’s tax collectors.

“Absent a federal solution, which is highly unlikely in such a short time frame given all of the competing interests, we’ll be right back in the same mess in a year. The State of California will again be killing California jobs, driving away investment and inviting costly litigation.

“Let me be clear: this compromise legislation, while welcome, provides only a short-term delay to a bad law that will never produce the revenues, nor the level-playing field, its proponents imagine.”

Elected in November 2010, George Runner represents more than nine million Californians as a member of the State Board of Equalization. For more information, visit www.boe.ca.gov/Runner.

Written By Jessica Garrison and Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times

In its heyday, Montebello was known as the Beverly Hills of the Eastside.

Perched on the rolling hills above the 60 Freeway, it was the move-up community for working-class East L.A. and Boyle Heights, with a municipal golf course, shopping mall and manicured parks.

Now tree... http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-montebello-20110924,0,324170.sto...

He also says it has become a "common practice." As long as the victims are lower on the totem pole than Sunni Muslim Pakistanis, Islamabad will not see a crisis. But the same supremacist conduct they look the other way from when it is perpetrated against non-Muslims or non-Sunnis is gradually eroding the stability of the entire society and its institutions. "Punjab: armed Muslims rape a Christian, a 'common practice'," by Jibran Khan for Asia News, September 24:

Lahore (AsiaNews) – The rape of Christian women in... http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/09/pakistan-priest-in-diocese-of-lahore-s...

Written by By Matt Patterson

Years from now, historians may regard the 2008 election of Barack Obama as an inscrutable and disturbing phenomenon, a baffling breed of mass hysteria akin perhaps to the witch craze of the Middle Ages. How, they will wonder, did a man so devoid of professional accomplishment beguile so many into thinking he could manage the world's largest economy, direct the world's most powerful military, execute the world's most consequential job?

Imagine a future historian examining Obama's pre-presidential life: ushered into and through the Ivy League despite unremarkable grades and test scores along the way; a cushy non-job as a "community organizer"; a brief career as a state legislator devoid of legislative achievement (and in fact nearly devoid of his attention, so often did he vote "present"); and finally an unaccomplished single term in United States Senate, the entirety of which was devoted to his presidential ambitions. He left no academic legacy in academia, authored no signature legislation as legislator.

And then there is... http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/08/obama_the_affirmative_action_pres...

Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) today criticized a California bill that would allow businesses in the state to opt-out of E-Verify. This bill, the Employment Acceleration Act of 2011 (A.B. 1236), was passed earlier this week by the California State Senate. The bill now heads to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for signature.

Chairman Smith: “California has the second highest unemployment rate in the U.S., yet elected officials in Sacramento just sent a bill to the Governor’s desk that will further diminish job opportunities. California’s E-Verify opt-out bill shows exactly why we need a federal E-Verify law. Without a federal law on the books, some states—including those with the largest illegal immigrant populations, such as California—will be free to hire illegal workers.

“That’s why I have introduced the Legal Workforce Act. This bill requires all U.S. employers to use E-Verify to check whether prospective employees are legally authorized to work in the U.S. This program is free, quick and easy to use – those eligible to work are immediately confirmed 99.5% of the time. This bill is one of the most significant steps we can take to put millions of Americans back to work and curb incentives that drive illegal immigration.”

Chairman Gallegly: “Illegal immigration cost Californians a net of more than $20 billion in 2010 in services and incarceration costs. Yet California continues to provide magnets to draw illegal immigrants to the state. That includes free education for illegal immigrant adults, sanctuary cities and – soon – an opt-out for E-Verify.

“Illegal immigration will not subside until we remove the magnets, including the largest one, a job. California’s bill to prohibit cities and counties from requiring employers to use E-Verify is one of the reasons I am working with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith of Texas to pass a federal law to make it mandatory for all employers in the United States. It has a 98 percent accuracy rate, which is far better than the antiquated I-9 forms now used.”

In June, Chairman Smith introduced the Legal Workforce Act (H.R. 2164). Chairman Gallegly is an original cosponsor. This bill could open up millions of jobs for unemployed Americans by requiring all U.S. employers to use E-Verify.

A federal E-Verify law for all U.S. employers is essential to protecting jobs for American workers and reducing the jobs magnet that encourages illegal immigration. Only 17 out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia have an E-Verify mandate in place. And unfortunately, these state laws are only applied in a limited way or are rarely enforced.

Sacramento, CA – Sen. Tony Strickland, co-author of Senate Bill 292, released the following statement on the passage of this bill:

“This legislation is a no-brainer. It will help to ensure we bring jobs to hardworking Californians and bring much-needed revenue to Southern California,” Sen. Strickland said. “We have the second-highest unemployment rate in the nation and companies are fleeing California left and right. When most investors are taking their money out of state, AEG is investing billions into our economy. This project is privately-funded – it does not rely on any taxpayer dollars – and brings nearly $2 billion to our local community, as well as over 23,000 jobs.”

“It’s been over 16 years since the NFL has had a presence in Los Angeles and it’s high time we change that,” Sen. Strickland added. “The Farmers Field project will make Southern California a destination for conventions and big sporting events such as Final Four, the Super Bowl, and boxing events. This project will have a positive impact for years to come.”

“The only way we fix our current budget problem is by creating jobs and the Farmers Field project is a step in the right direction towards achieving this,” Sen. Strickland added. “SB 292 is also a step in the right direction in ensuring the project gets a fair environmental review, without allowing it to be held up in frivolous lawsuits.”

SB 292 expedites review for the Farmers Field project, without suspending the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) or the environmental impact report. Because the NFL is on a strict timeline to bring a team back to Los Angeles, this bipartisan legislation was necessary in ensuring the project moves forward.

SB 292 passed the Senate and now heads to the Governor’s desk for signature.

Sen. Strickland is available to the media for an interview or comments.

Tony Strickland represents California Senate District 19, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties.

[A Fillmore citizen and resident of the El Dorado Mobile Home Park invited Senator Sharon Runner to speak
to the senior residents at her convenience. At issue was the Senator’s vote, or abstaining from voting, on
SB444, saying it has the same affect as voting ‘no’. [Quote from the Capitol Report, the GSMOL Californian,
the July/August Edition, page 4, showing a report by GSMOL Lobbyist Brian Augusta: “Note that a ‘no’ and
an ‘abstain’ are the same; abstaining from voting on SB444 has the same affect as voting no”.]This is the
response from her Runner’s Legislative Director, Tanya Vandrick]

Senator Runner is very busy this week due to it being the end of the legislative session, as am I, so I apologize for the delay in responding. However, Senator Runner will not be addressing the residents at El Dorado MHP. It seems you are misinformed about Senator Runner's vote as she abstained on Senate Bill 444 (Evans).
While she normally supports policies which give local governments more local control she also strongly supports private property rights. SB 444 failed in the Senate with a vote of 18-16. If it had passed it would have discouraged the conversion of mobile home parks to resident ownership. Specifically, it would have allowed a local government to establish ordinances or use other provisions of law to disapprove conversions, so it could have had the effect of keeping mobile home parks under local rent control ordinances that could otherwise convert and get out of rent control. Senator Runner believes that such a policy would have allowed local governments and residents to control private land use decisions for land they do not own thereby infringing on the property rights of the park owner.

Senator Runner understand that she and the residents do not agree on this legislation and will not agree on legislation of this nature in the future. Therefore;— while she appreciates your invitation to address the residents of El Dorado MHP, she respectfully declines. You are, of course, welcome to write an editorial expressing your support for the bill. Senator Runner appreciates an open exchange of ideas with her constituents because this helps her make policy decisions that reflect her constituency as a whole. Believe me, she has had plenty of feedback from both proponents and opponents of SB 444.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns with Senator Runner. She was happy to have me help you track down the person you needed at the City and she hopes your concerns are addressed by the judge's decision to require an EIR before a conversion can be done.

Best regards,
Tanya Vandrick Legislative Director

While taqiyya may make it difficult for some to discern the truth concerning Islam, there is another way: connect the dots. Consider: if a Muslim follows the minor commands of Muhammad as recorded in the hadith, is it not reasonable to conclude that he or she also follows, or at least accepts as legitimate, Muhammad's major commands in the hadith -- such as disassociation and enmity for infidels, "while smiling to their faces"? For instance, Hamas-linked CAIR's Arsalan Bukhari (pictured above), who helped sue those who refuse to uphold the beard and maligns those who speak the truth about Islam, also just so happens to follow Muhammad's precise commands concerning the beard. What about Muhammad's other commands -- the ones that cannot be read on the face? More on the significance of the beard, from Pajamas Media (via RaymondIbrahim.com):

To develop a thorough understanding of... http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/09/raymond-ibrahim-why-the-muslim-beard-b...