Archive for October, 2009
Representative Sal Esquivel: Insanity of raising business taxes
From State Representative Sal Esquivel,
There is so much happening in our world it is difficult sometimes to focus in on topics for a newsletter. Many of the issues that are being dealt with at the national level are the same concerns we dealt…
Fore!
From our sports department comes this word:
The Obama PGA Czar has announced MAJOR rule changes to the game of golf. This is only a preview as the complete rule book is being rewritten now.
Here are a few basic changes:
Golfers with handicaps:
- below 10 will have their green fees increased by 35%.
- between 11 and 18 will see no increase in green fees.
- above 18 will get a check each time they play.
The dollar amount placed in bets will be as follows:
-for handicaps below 10, an additional $10.
-between 11 and 18, no additional amount.
-above 18, you will receive the total amount in the pot even if you donot play.
The term “gimme” will be changed to “entitlement” and will be used as follows:
-handicaps below 10, no entitlements.
-handicaps from 11 to 17, entitlements for putter length putts.
-handicaps above 18, if your ball is on green, no need to putt, just pick it up.
These entitlements are intended to bring about fairness and, most importantly, equality in scoring.
In addition, a Player will be limited to a maximum of one birdie or six pars in any given round. Any excess must be given to those fellow players who have not yet scored a birdie or par. Only after all players have received a birdie or par from the player actually making the birdie or par can that player begin to count his pars and birdies again.
The current USGA handicap system will be used for the above purposes but the term “net score” will be available only for scoring those players with handicaps of 18 and above.
This is intended to “redistribute” the success of winning by making sure that in every competition, the above 18 handicap players will post only “net score” against every other player’s gross score.
We’re suggesting an additional rule: Cheesy shorts should be banned from all public and private links in the USA.
The Piper
New Jersey Supreme Court
There’s a good chance the next governor could reshape it with as many as four appointments on a seven-seat court. [Mary Fuchs, Star-Ledger via NJLRA] P.S. And why, asks Paul Mulshine in the WSJ, does Republican candidate Chris Christie keep…
"Resegregation" count for October
How many times can one Raleigh opinion outlet use a variation of the word "resegregate" in one month?
Answer: 27
I do not include blog posts in the count, just articles. I may have missed a few, but my count is as follows:
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009: 2
Wednesday,…
Mayor’s Race: Dumb Flier, Dumber Reaction
Here’s the flier sent out by the state Democratic Party to some 30,000 Democrat and independent voters. Crap “sprawl” buzz-word and dubious logic, but there is no denying that John Lassiter — along with most of city council — has been very snuggly with Charlotte’s developer community.
But does the effort rise to the level of [...]
Spending Limits: Not Special Exemptions
Yesterday, Republican state Rep. Sam Rohrer of Berks County introduced legislation to help local governments cope with declining revenues, ever-increasing amounts of regulation and new programs from the state. The Emergency Mandate Suspension Act would allow municipalities, school districts, and counties to temporarily ignore unfunded mandates from the state — including programs where the state has missed two consecutive payments to the local entity.
“Essentially, if there is no money, there will be no mandate,” Rohrer said. “Local authorities would be given the option to opt out of expensive unfunded mandates. This is the fastest and most direct way that we can help school districts, local governments and the taxpayers who must fund them.” HT: Capitolwire (Subscription)
While the proposal may prevent local tax hikes, it fails to address the underlying issue: out-of-control state spending and mandates. The Taxpayers Protection Act (TPA) would create a strong disincentive for the General Assembly to reduce funding for existing municipal mandates, and to enact new ones. The TPA proposes to cap annual spending growth from the state’s General Fund at the lesser of: 1) the average rate of personal income growth for the preceding three years; or 2) the combined rates of inflation and population growth for the three preceding years. Also, under TPA, any cuts in funding for municipal mandates would result in commensurate reductions to the state spending limit.
Spending limits are highly correlated with strong economies; in fact, taxpayers in Maine and Washington State will vote on their own versions of spending limits next week.
TVW Asks Constantine Campaign to Pull Ad that Misuses Footage
Washington’s non-partisan public affairs channel, TVW, has asked King County Executive candidate Dow Constantine to stop using TVW footage in his political campaign advertisements. Constantine is running an ad that uses footage from Washington Policy Center’s 2008 Annual Dinner. Constantine…