Podcasts about state controller

On May 1, International Workers Day, several hundred students, workers and other community activists marched from the SUNY Central Administration buildings in downtown Albany to the State Controller's office and then to the state capitol. The protestors called for the SUNY Administration to support the free speech rights of all students, including those supporting Palestinians and called for SUNY to divest from Israel. They also called for State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli not to renew $50 million in Israeli bonds that just expired. We here from Eyad Alkarubi of the Queer Palestinian Empowerment Network, Jamaica Miles of All of Us, Jim McCabe of Columbia County for Palestine, UAlbany student activist Jess, David Banks of UUP, labor leader Doug Bullock, and Julian Mostachetti of DSA. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

The results from Idaho's spring primary are official. The Idaho Board of Canvassers — made up of the Secretary of State, State Controller and State Treasurer — met Wednesday in Idaho Falls to certify the results of the May 21st primary election and review post-election audit findings. Several four-person auditor teams from the Secretary of State's Office spent the week ahead of the state canvass conducting precinct-level audits of specific races in several counties. Idaho Reports observed part of the Valley County audit on Monday at the courthouse in Cascade. View the photos: https://blog.idahoreports.idahoptv.org/2024/06/06/election-results-finalized-no-major-audit-findings/ More from Idaho Capital Sun: https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/06/05/idaho-election-officials-certify-may-primary-election-results/

I'm thrilled to share my conversation with California State Controller Malia Cohen recorded Live at Manny's in San Francisco on February 22, 2024 With excellent moderation by Precious Green, we explore the art and science behind effective advocacy and the role we all can - and must - play in defending democracy and uplifting our communities. 01:01 Diving Into the Book: The Power of Legislative Advocacy 02:06 The Journey of a Lobbyist Turned Author 04:37 Understanding the Role of California's State Controller 10:55 The Art of Making Change: Clarity, Advocacy, and Strategy 26:44 Coalition Building: The Key to Legislative Success 31:31 Navigating California's Political Landscape 34:49 The Controller's Role in Policy and Change

As more and more candidates announce their plans to run for statewide office in California, the Republican Party's most successful candidate in recent years has decided to sit 2024 out, at least as a candidate himself. Last year, Stanford public policy expert and Hoover Institution fellow Lanhee Chen ran for State Controller and won more votes than any other Republican in the country. But it wasn't enough to win that general election, in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2 to 1. Chen has been seen as a rising star for the California GOP, a smart, moderate Republican with four degrees from Harvard who has served in both Republican and Democratic administrations. But he announced this weekthat he will not run for public office anytime soon, and is instead launching hisown political action committee, the Golden State Watchdog PAC. For more on this, Doug Sovern, KCBS Radio's Political Reporter spoke with Lanhee Chen. 

Union membership among California state workers dipped in 2022, according to data from the State Controller's Office. The trend reflects the challenge of recruiting new members in the era of hybrid and remote work, union leaders say. CNN CEO Chris Licht says he has taken a “stunning” level of hate, mostly from the Left, since taking over the top job at CNN earlier this year. Fresno's Tower Theatre has new ownership in the city of Fresno. And in the near future, it'll have new management as well.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

December 12, 2022, Sarah Reith — The Board of Supervisors is looking for $6.1 million to balance its books for Fiscal Year 2021/22, as costs and interest rates soar and sales tax decreases. The county reached a tentative agreement with its largest employee union for a 2% Cost of Living Adjustment, which it might be able to fund with a pension reserve account. The self-funded healthcare plan that was in place when the county racked up a $3.6 million deficit has now been swapped out for a pool plan that will require an increase in employee contributions. That's supposed to save the county $685,000 a year, but unknown future obligations are likely to be sizable. At last week's budget workshop, the Board reviewed an analysis of the costs for building the new jail for mentally ill inmates, which includes millions in staffing. The Board also heard a reminder that the county is still waiting on more than $9 million of covid relief money promised by FEMA. That money has been borrowed from the treasury, and the interest is not recoverable. And there's been no paper trail documenting the direction that former auditor Lloyd Weer allegedly received from the State Controller's office in 2016, telling him the county should spend down the healthcare reserves by not paying into the health plan for three months out of the year or requiring employees to pay into it. Supervisor Ted Williams described the situation to Assembly member Jim Wood last week, and asked him for help from the state. “I don't know, when I've voted on balanced budgets in the past, whether they were actually balanced,” Williams said. “That's coming to light. We have a health plan that was millions over, and part of that was due to a holiday. I understand that's because we got a call from the state. The state said we had accumulated too much money. We needed to spend it down. I don't know what department of the state or why they would have done that by phone instead of writing…our finances are in such disarray, if I were in the state's position, I would be looking at this rural county, thinking, we need to conserve them, clean up this mess and then give control back. Do you have any thoughts on how we move forward? We don't have the local labor pool, we don't have the funds to hire the staffing. It sounds like we have an office that was based on paper and spreadsheets, not automated systems. I think the Board and staff want to move forward and get our books in order, but we don't know how.” Wood was noncommittal, saying, “We're happy to work with you on that. Those are issues that we're becoming aware of. I don't know where there is potential for state resources there, but one of the things I'm always pushing for in my role is more technical assistance and support for rural counties.” Acting Deputy CEO Sara Pierce told the Board the county has received $9.1 million in covid money from FEMA and is still waiting for another $9.4 million. Supervisor John Haschak questioned her and CEO Darcie Antle. Pierce said when the county receives the amount FEMA has promised, it will go into the county's disaster recovery budget unit, since that unit “is currently sitting in a $10 million deficit.” “How does that deficit show up?” Haschak asked. “Are we using reserves to cover that deficit at this point?” Antle told him that she believes the county is paying interest to the treasury, as it is for the money it borrowed to cover the health plan deficit. “And so that interest won't be recoverable,” Haschak deduced. “When FEMA finally pays us, it will just be the base pay.” “Correct,” Antle confirmed. The Board also learned that the new jail will cost the county $2.5 million a year in employee wages and benefits. General Services Agency Director Janelle Rau explained why expectations for ongoing facilities costs at the new jail have risen. “We're moving towards a cost of ownership model, versus the historical practice of what is contained in the Board's Policy 33 regarding facility maintenance,” she said. That policy, last amended in 2007, states that seventy cents per square foot is to be funded for future capital costs. The standards for the cost of ownership model, which includes a capital reserve that budgets for ongoing facilities upkeep, is closer to $3 a square foot. Projections under the new model are sobering, and possibly more realistic. Rau told the Board that, “What we've estimated now, based on that expanded footprint, would be an additional $175,000. Again, currently the Board is not funding capital maintenance reserves. Funding is occurring on a project by project basis.” Supervisor Dan Gjerde argued for several belt-tightening initiatives, including consolidating dispatch services, offering employees the option of a less comprehensive healthcare plan, and unloading county parks. “How can we maintain the pretense that we're going to keep these five or six county parks that are basically neighborhood parks?” he asked, before proposing an aggressive policy for park divestiture. “I think we need to set a schedule, where in the next two to three years, at a certain date and point in time, they will be offloaded. We will put them on the open market, if no non-profit steps forward, if no community services district steps forward, because we do not have the money to maintain our county roads.” The budget ad hoc committee, which consists of Supervisors Williams and Glenn McGourty, made several suggestions, including maintaining the current vacancy rate for non-mandated General Fund positions, except for those currently in recruitment; decommissioning services, including animal control on the coast; and increasing remote work to cut down on county-maintained office space. The budget workshop is on the agenda again for tomorrow's meeting. The Board will also decide on whether or not to accept agreements with two employee unions.

November 9, 2022 — The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors attempted Tuesday to close in on who and what is responsible for the multi-million shortfall in the health plan, which has caused as-yet unknown damage to the county's fiscal health. The county has set aside $4.6 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA funds, to patch the hole in the health plan deficit, which accumulated over two and half years but didn't come to light until April of this year. In addition to the $4 million projected deficit, this week's CEO report stated that there was an incurred but not reported loss of $2.6 million in Fiscal Year 20/21. CEO Darcie Antle reported previously that in fiscal year 16/17, then-Auditor Controller Lloyd Weer said the State Controller recommended spending down an overly robust reserve in the health plan. The county and its employees responded with a health holiday, which means neither party made health insurance payments for three months out of the year for fiscal years 17/18 and 18/19. Supervisor Dan Gjerde identified a key flaw in that approach at Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting. “It was represented to the Board by the elected auditor, Lloyd Weer, that the State of California was telling him that the reserves were too large,” he recalled. “And that they needed to be drawn down. At the time, their proposal was to only extend the holiday to the employees. Well, the county, the plan sponsor, is paying 75% of the plan. So the Board said, well, we'll have the holiday, but both parties benefit equally. When employees have a pay holiday, so will the county. What the managers should have said was well, we weren't proposing that. We'll need to scale that back to maybe one month, because both parties are having a holiday. They never said that. They just went ahead and implemented a three-month pay holiday for both the employees and the employers and they did not speak up, as they should have, and said, well the math doesn't work with that.” Deputy CEO Cherie Johnson told the Board that Weer was the only one who knew exactly what the communication from the state had been. “I have not ever seen any documentations from the State, stating that the health plan reserves or savings needed to be drawn down,” she told the Board. “That was information that I had received from the auditor's office. We did talk with our broker. He had never seen that either, and he said other counties had not received that information.” Now, in the wake of the pandemic, the deficit is one of many heavy blows to the local economy. Cannabis taxes are lagging in a lackluster market, and the county has yet to see millions in disaster reimbursements from FEMA. County workers, feeling the pinch of inflation and frustrated by the lack of a cost of living adjustment, or COLA, packed the chambers to overflowing during public comment, with social workers citing staggering caseloads and union leadership warning of an impending worker exodus. SEIU 1021, the county's largest union, is asking for a 2% COLA, but county negotiators won't budge. Antle reported that the county is offering each employee a one-time payment of $3,000 from the ARPA fund, but is asking for a year-long pause in the COLA until last year's fiscal books are closed. In early October, the county switched over from its self-funded health plan to a fully funded plan called PRISM health, an insurance pool for counties and other public entities that allowed employees to stay with their current healthcare providers. Health plan premium increases have been frozen until fiscal year 23/24. But even with a new health plan, supervisors wanted to talk about how the old plan's deficit spiraled out of control. Gjerde said the Board got bad information about the health holiday. “At no time was the Board advised that it would result in depleting all of the reserves and actually creating a deficit,” he emphasized. “That's been new information since we've had a changeover in auditor and new people managing the healthcare fund and new eyes on the healthcare fund. I believe there should have been better advice given to the Board.” County Counsel Christian Curtis conceded that the Board had gotten bad information. “In some cases, the information that was put into the sheets as to what balances you were drawing out, and what one-time funds you were using, may have been incorrectly entered into the spreadsheets before they went to the Board, and that you may have had that erroneous information in front of you at the time that those decisions were made,” he said. When Supervisor Glenn McGourty asked him who would have entered the information, Curtis replied that the CEO may “be able to speak to that a little bit better. My understanding is they were generated by the auditor's office.” Supervisor John Haschak pointed out that more than one party was supposed to be keeping track of the health plan. “We've been paying an actuarial to manage the health plan,” he said. “And we have the auditor looking at the health plan, and we have the Executive Office looking at the health plan too, right? So how do we figure out where this deficit happened, and how do we get to the bottom of it to see, why wasn't the Board informed about it, and how this all happened?” Curtis said there is more material to review, but that with key personnel now retired, he expects the information “may be imperfect.” Still, he said the information, while not highlighted, had been available. “If I can be a little blunt,” he warned. “The deficit itself is reflected in the budget documents. I think this may have just been something that was buried; that while the Board may have had the information, it may not have been particularly called out, or addressed very explicitly.” Supervisor Ted Williams wondered if the Board could expect more revelations along the lines of the health plan deficit. “Do we think there is any other data entry that may have provided inaccurate reporting?” he asked. Curtis demurred, saying, “I can't speak to that at this time.” Williams pressed him: “Can you and the CEO assure us that that's not the case? Can we trust the data that we have received?” “We can't make such assurance,” Curtis told him. “No.” The Board agreed to ask Weer to provide an explanation, in writing if he prefers.

Guest this hour: Lanhee Chen (running for CA. State Controller) Lanhee Chen is running for CA. State Controller. https://chenforcalifornia.com . Producer Skins is watching the Trump rally. Trump says he has BIG announcement on 11/15/22 - 1 week after the election.  AND, The Washington Post given Biden “The Bottomless Pinocchio Rating”.  A.K. comments on Americans were locked up because they questions the outcome of the 2020 election.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Hamilton Review Podcast, Dr. Bob welcomes Lanhee Chen to the show! Lanhee discusses with Dr. Bob why he is running for California State Controller along with an in depth overview of the role.    An important discussion ahead of the midterm elections on November 8th - enjoy and share this conversation! Lanhee Chen is a leader, problem-solver and educator who has built his career on tackling some of California and America's biggest fiscal policy challenges. He was raised in Southern California and is the son of immigrants from Taiwan. After earning four degrees from Harvard University, including a law degree and doctorate in political science, he served in senior roles in both Republican and Democratic presidential administrations. Today, Lanhee is regarded as one of America's leading policy commentators and experts. He is currently on leave from Stanford University, where he teaches public policy and conducts research at the Hoover Institution, a think tank on campus. He has helped leaders in California and across the country develop policies to address some of our society's most pressing problems—like improving our health care system, saving Social Security, and growing our economy. His writings have appeared in America's biggest newspapers and he has frequently shared his ideas and policy recommendations on television news programs across America and around the world. Previously, Lanhee was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as a member of the independent and bipartisan Social Security Advisory Board, a group of leaders that advise the President, Congress, and other policymakers on matters relating to the Social Security program. Lanhee built his own small business, which focuses on providing advice on fiscal and other public policy issues to leaders in both the public and private sectors. He is an investor who works with entrepreneurs to help them grow their businesses and create new jobs. Lanhee has also taken an active leadership role in a variety of nonprofit organizations. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of El Camino Health, a health care system in his community. Lanhee grew up rooting for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Lakers— and remains a die-hard fan of both teams to this day. He and his wife Cynthia, a nonprofit attorney, live in the Bay Area and have an eleven-year-old son and eight year-old daughter. How to contact Lanhee Chen: Lanhee Chen Official Website   How to contact Dr. Bob: Dr. Bob on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChztMVtPCLJkiXvv7H5tpDQ Dr. Bob on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drroberthamilton/ Dr. Bob on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bob.hamilton.1656

A breakdown of two key state-wide races for the Attorney General and State Controller. A survey of where school board candidates for Sacramento County's largest school districts stand on key issues. The Latino Center of Art and Culture is hosting a three-day Día de los Muertos celebration.  Attorney General & State Controller race

Three weeks before the November election, does a Republican have a legitimate shot at winning a statewide race in California? It's been 16 years since a candidate from the GOP was elected to a statewide office in California, but the party thinks it has its best shot since then, in the race for State Controller.   That candidate is Lanhee Chen, a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution who was policy advisor to Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio and was appointed by President Obama to the Social Security Advisory Board. He holds four degrees from Harvard, including a JD and a PhD. He is the Republican contender for state Controller, running against Democrat Malia Cohen, and he joins KCBS Radio's Doug Sovern, Bret Burkhart and Patti Reising. 

Sen. Brian Dahle joins the Issue Is to discuss rising gas prices, homelessness and his run for California Governor against incumbent Gavin Newsom. State Controller candidate Lanhee Chen discusses the role of the controller, abortion rights and California's fiscal future.

DeMaio on President Biden administration asking Saudi Arabia to postpone cutting oil production one month. Also California Controller Lahnee Chen, who is running for State Controller talks with Carl.

Political data-cruncher, and frequent Capitol Weekly Podcast guest, Paul Mitchell joins us to read the political tea leaves, 30 days out from the 2022 election.  Hang on!27: What to look for, 30 days out4:55 Candidate quality7:43 Could control of the House come down to California's congressional delegation?9:48 "There is a 60% chance that one party will win both (House and Senate)"10:25 How does VBM affect October Surprises?16:56 The State Controller's race20:23 What should we expect for turnout?21:31 The 2022 California Primary had the most voters in a gubernatorial primary in history26:36 Any surprises?31:20 #WWCA37:08 Endorsement watchWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang"#WorstWeekCA" Beat provided by freebeats.ioProduced by White Hot

Steve and Susan Shelley talk about the cover up of the education data, the race for State Controller and why it's important, and State AG Rob Bonta's loss over private prisons. They then play the tape on Democrats who did say they wanted to Defund the Police.

Guests: Andy Matthews, Republican Candidate for State Controller

Guests: Andy Matthews, Republican Candidate for State Controller

August 18 — Union members packed into the Board of Supervisors chambers at last week's meeting, scoffing at claims of a financial crisis and calling for an increase in pay. “We've been hearing that the county can't afford a cost of living increase because there's a financial crisis,” said Patrick Hickey, the field representative for SEIU Local 1021, which represents most of the county's unionized workers. “But is there? In a word: no.” The county has asked for a year-long pause in negotiations over a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to assess the financial situation on the national as well as local levels. And the Board contemplated a program to exempt media from paying fees for public records act requests, even as a new system of including public comment on meeting agendas has drastically reduced the public discourse. Hickey argued that in the last five years, the county has overestimated expenses and underestimated revenues, sometimes by more than 100% for one source of tax funds. Union members clapped and cheered as he shared his data points with the Board. “The only potential funding shortfall is in cannabis taxes,” he declared; “which everyone who was paying attention knew was coming. But every other funding stream is increasing. How can the Board take action to support county employees? Number one: there are 264 funded, unfilled positions. Repurpose some of those funds. The county has argued that there is no money there because it gets used up by overtime and extra help. But you need to look at the actual data. If you review the past budgets, and the recently released annual comprehensive financial report, you will see that that is not true. There is an increase in overtime and extra help, but it doesn't come close to using up the savings when those positions are not filled. Number two: for this year's budget, the county has projected no increase in sales tax revenues. Let's take a look at how well the county has done in forecasting sales and use tax revenues.” In the last five years, he said, “actual revenues are regularly higher than projected, and expenses are regularly lower than projected. The budget is a fiction, designed to make the Board look prudent and effective. The Board needs to understand this, and make decisions accordingly.” Not all of the presentations were quite as data-driven. Jessica Christensen shared responses to county job postings on Facebook. “We are advertising that your check can be up to $1850 per paycheck,” she began. “Up to. And this is what the public had to say about that: ‘Mendocino County is a gorgeous place to live. But the job market couldn't suck harder if it attached a nozzle to it.'” She went on, including some frank language from users of the site, as union members laughed and held up their signs. Union President Julie Beardsley predicted what will happen if more workers become dissatisfied and leave the county. “Falling behind in employee compensation will result in a lack of services, phones not being answered, long wait times for permits, and it will put the most vulnerable in our county at risk,” she declared. The public is also no longer privy to correspondence with the Board of Supervisors on matters of public interest. Up until the beginning of June, comments addressed to the Board about items under discussion during the meetings would be attached to the pertinent agenda item. They were often plentiful, and they ranged from expert opinion to angry one-liners. But a new system, called Granicus, requires commenters to create a password-protected account, which has not caught on. I was first surprised on June 21, when it appeared that no one besides supervisors and county staff had anything to say about a controversial proposal for a sales tax. Since then, only county documents have appeared on the agendas. Since the new system was in place, I have obtained at least three important letters about topics that are clearly in the public interest — just not by way of the agenda. Chamise Cubbison, the elected Treasurer-Tax Collector/Auditor-Controller, wrote to the Board of Supervisors on August 2, characterizing assertions they had made about the county's budget as false. Earlier that day, the Board had agreed to ask the State Controller to help the county with its budget, due to an alleged financial crisis. Cubbison informed the Board that the meeting had been full of misinformation, and that she had not been given a chance to respond. That letter made its way into my hands informally. On July 29, Cannabis Department Director Kristin Nevedal wrote to the Board of Supervisors about updates to the manual for the cannabis equity grant program. Mismanagement and delays in administering the direct grants to qualified applicants were the subject of a recent Grand Jury report, called “Building the Airplane While it's Flying.” I also obtained this piece of correspondence, from a public servant to elected representatives, informally. I happen to be on the mailing list for the Redwood Valley Municipal Advisory Council, which wrote a letter to the Board dated August 10, urging it to adopt a standing committee to address cannabis issues. They wrote that, “As is obvious to everyone now, the roll out of the cannabis permit program has been fraught with hiccups and missteps sinc ethe inception.” At the meeting no August 16, the Board directed cannabis concerns to the General Government standing committee. The cannabis community has been requesting this for years, but the Board has held firm on its position that the entire Board should hear cannabis matters, and that an ad hoc committee should take up specific, narrowly defined problems. But the Board changed its position during a discussion about an item on a retroactive contract amendment that was pulled from the middle of the consent calendar. The public did not have a chance to see who, besides the MAC and the cannabis community, had weighed in on that decision by writing to the Board. The most recent agenda consisted of 66 items, and contained only one public comment, which was a memo from the Mendocino Cannabis Alliance, an advocacy organization that has long been working with the Board and the public to establish and clarify its position. I shared my thoughts about this with the Board during public comment on Tuesday. I said that previously, I have been able to gauge the level of public interest in an item, including the thoughts of people who are not well-versed in advocacy; and that I find value and interest in what the public has to say. Williams responded that he agreed, but that the Clerk of the Board's office is down from five employees to about 1.5. The union members, who were in the room for public comment, booed and groaned. Williams said the clerk is charged with saving emails as pdf's, and manually uploading them as comments. “We simply didn't have staff time, based on the number of comments,” he said. “I'm not saying that we shouldn't have that simplified model that we had before, but it's a struggle, and it's not just in the clerk's office. It's across the board. Every problem that we look at, we say, we don't have enough personnel to carry it out. Yes, it's a problem…I don't know what that solution is today. It's not as easy as directing staff to put back in place what was in place previously. Because we simply don't have the staff time to carry it out.” The County recently used close to $370,000 in one-time American Rescue Plan Act funds to remodel the Board of Supervisors chambers, including new chairs, a new telecom system, and an automatic door system. Beardsley, the union president, summarized her position: “We have examined the budget, and the claims of no money just don't add up.”

August 10, 2022 — The new fiscal year is off to a rocky start, with miscommunication about the health plan deficit, uncertainty about federal disaster reimbursements, and the county's main labor union filing a complaint with the state in the midst of contract negotiations. Last week, the Board of Supervisors agreed to ask the state controller for help with its books after Supervisor Ted Williams declared that the county was in a financial crisis. Chamise Cubbison, the newly elected Treasurer-Tax Collector/Auditor-Controller, wrote a letter to the board saying the discussion was full of misinformation, while retired Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Schapmire said the county is “absolutely not” in a financial crisis. CEO Darcie Antle said crisis is a strong word to describe the county's financial situation, but there are areas of concern, including close to $70 million in long term debt service and rising interest rates as the county contemplates refinancing bonds to fund the new jail. Eleven million dollars in disaster reimbursements from FEMA is still outstanding. And Antle described the confluence of events that led up to the sudden news about last year's $3.6 million shortfall in the county health plan. She recalled that just before COVID, and the high-dollar claims that followed, the county had a robust reserve in the health plan. “The prior Auditor-Controller came forward in 16/17 and stated that our reserve for the health plan, the fund balance, was too high,” she recalled; “and that the State Controller was concerned about that, and recommended that we spend down that amount of money. I think we spent down roughly $6 million through a health holiday. That occurred in 17/18 and 18/19. In the quarter of October through December of each respective year, employees and the county did not pay the premium for those months. So those were health holidays, which equated to about a $6 million spend-down. In December of 2019, who would imagine we would be going into COVID…claims increased, acuities increased, over the last three years.” In August of last year, Antle met with former Auditor-Controller Lloyd Weer to discuss a $1.1 million deficit in the health plan. She stated that in 2021, “that information was reported to the Board, a couple of times…At that time, the team, the HR team, and the Executive Office, did ask for an increase in the health plan, and that increase went into effect January 1 of 2022 at a 12% increase,” which Antle says was well within the amount allowed by the county's contracts with its labor unions. There was a delay in reporting the additional $2.5 million deficit to the board, and Antle said her team did report the inaccurate number. She said the $1.1 million deficit was on a cash basis, “which can be seen by any department running a month to actual report. That is what was obtained by the Executive Office, the HR office, and what was clearly understood by our outside actuary. The $2.5 million, which is the number that was missing from the original $3.6 million, that was on an accrual basis on the balance sheet, and the balance sheet is balanced once per year by the outside auditors. The balance sheet for 2021, because of the delay in the outside audit, was not completed and submitted to the auditor (because they complete and submit to the auditor), until the end of June, early July, of 2022. So we can clearly see that from the financial statement now. But that wasn't what was reported. And again, the team reported twice, publicly, a $1.1 (million deficit). Nothing was brought forward to clarify those statements. So is this misdoing on anyone's part, or is this part of a transition? We had our Auditor-Controller retire. Our Treasurer-Tax Collector retired. We have a new person stepping into a dual role that had never been filled here before. I'm stepping into my new role as well. So I think everybody needs to continue to work together, and come together as a tem, and make sure that there is transparency and communication to the Board, and to the public.” The county is currently in negotiations with its labor unions, which also want more budget information. Last month, SEIU Local 1021 filed a complaint with the Public Employees Relations Board (PERB) about lengthy delays in fulfilling requests for detailed information, which Deputy CEO Cherie Johnson said she's working to supply. The county has until August 18 to respond to PERB about the complaint, and is likely to face a number of deadlines to produce the rest of the information to the union negotiators. The union is asking for a 5% Cost Of Living Adjustment, or COLA, and Antle said she is asking for a one-year pause on that part of the negotiation. “We really want to assess the financial stability of the county at this time,” she said. “Coming out of COVID, not receiving all our reimbursement from FEMA, going into a possible economic downturn. We really just want to understand the fiscal position. We are just asking for a one-year pause on the COLA…over the last three years, all bargaining units have received a 3% COLA each year…in that three-year period, they were also receiving classification study surveys to bring most if not all positions into market. So there were additional increases during that time.” She hopes next year's budget process will involve more collaboration, and more regular reports. “I would like to see the Auditor-Controller's office, the Executive Office fiscal team, come together with the budget ad hoc on a regular basis,” she reflected. “Again, communication is both ways, so we need everybody to come to the table.”

Scott and Guy Marzorati discuss the House vote to recognize same-sex marriage on the federal level and local criticism to the federal response to the monkeypox outbreak. Then, Board of Equalization chair Malia Cohen joins to discuss her childhood in San Francisco, the meeting with then-mayor Dianne Feinstein that changed her life, her experience at Lowell High School and her run for state Controller.

Malia Cohen serves on the California State Board of Equalization, the first African American woman to serve on the Board. She represents 10 million people living in 23 counties throughout the state. Prior to being elected to the Board of Equalization, Malia served as President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She currently serves as President of the San Francisco Police Commission where she is a strong voice for police accountability. As Chair of the San Francisco Employee Retirement System (SFERS), Malia led the effort to divest from fossil fuels and thermal coal investments and moved $100 million into a fossil fuel-free index fund.

Hugh Hewitt invites Dr. Lanhee Chen to discuss his running for California State Controller and the impact a Controller can have on the state. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve welcomes Katy Grimes, Editor of The California Globe to talk about the waste of money that has been the high speed rail, the attacks on Lanhee Chen, candidate for State Controller, and how George Gascon keeps letting criminals get away with (attempted) murder. Then, in our final CA GOP convention interview, Steve sits with Charles Moran, President of the Log Cabin Republicans.

Steve invites Susan Shelley, Columnist for the Orange County Register, to talk about the unprecedented leak from the SCOTUS. They chat about Gavin Newsom's reaction to the possible Roe vs. Wade decision, the reaction from the general public, and the unintended consequences that this could possibly bring. Then we bring you more interviews from the CAGOP convention! This time, Steve talks to Lanhee Chen, candidate for State Controller and Corrin Rankin, CAGOP Central Valley Vice Chair.

News Too Real April 14, 2022: In episode 14 of season 4, producer host Julia Dudley Najieb reviews the top 2022 secretary of state and state controller candidates; The ONME Podcast Network sifted through the most probable candidates by evaluating their campaign support and grass-root effort support. State-office candidates who were able to raise 30K or more made it to the initial list of candidates for ONME's viewing audience, (see lists at the below.)

We featured guest Laura Wells discussing the new California Left Unity Slate, a merger of the Green Party and the Peace and Freedom Party to support seven candidates in 2022. Laura is included in that slate in her run for State Controller. She describes this Office. She also talks about Public Banking to fund services needed by state residents with low interest that is paid to the state treasury rather than to banks outside of the state. Check out the show's web archive page for bio of the guest, description of the show segments, this week in Herstory, Announcements, links referenced, and the playlist at https://www.womensspaces.com/ArchiveWSA22/WSA220404.html

Scott and Guy Marzorati analyze Governor Gavin Newsom's big water policy moves, along with legislation on evictions and vaccines. Then, Republican policy advisor Lanhee Chen joins to discuss his childhood in the San Gabriel Valley, early forays into political work, why he's running for state Controller and where he stands on issues including pension divestment and allowing the state to accept cryptocurrency.

Illinois Farm Bureau's Mark Gebhards talks with Rita Frazer about the good news from the Illinois Senate on the Biodiesel Bill, hope for a wrap up in the General Assembly next Friday and thoughts about President Biden's Budget proposal, along with the US Supreme Court hearing California's Prop 12P. rofit Watch Energy with Steve Kubsch and Joe Kilgus GROWMARK getting ready for Spring. Steve Bridge report on Illinois being current for all bills according to the State Controller. DeLoss Jahnke provides a recap of prospective Plantings numbers. Jim Taylor has the early morning markets and weather.

In this new episode, get to know the Candidate for California State Controller, Lanhee Chen.

On this episode of WTF California Podcast, we highlight how people want to be told the truth when it comes to their local city.  For example, people should be aware of how City of Antioch has been “Thorpedoed” and the City Manager should change his weekly newsletter to the “Con Job” especially now that they highlight there work on blight and cleaning up the city—false!!!! We get into Governor Gavin Newsom and his “big” news today. Senator Bill Dodd throws out a couple of dub bills, however, we highlight how people are underinsured. Plus more. Articles From the Show With Indoor Mask Mandate Ended, Newsom to Discuss California's Future COVID Plans LAUSD to keep outdoor mask mandate in place through this week, but changes may be coming California high school students stage walkout over district's mask mandate Estimated 73% of US now immune to omicron: Is that enough? Florida Woman Used Pandemic-Relief Loan to Pay a Hit Man, Police Say Glazer considers run for State Controller, asks supporters what they think of the idea Democratic Leaders Reluctant to Halt California Gas Tax Hike New Senate Bill Would Allow Businesses, Non-Profits Ability to Conduct Wine Auctions Sen. Dodd Introduces Auto Liability Insurance Reform Bill 3 Bay Area cities make top 10 list for most expensive 1 and 2 bedroom rentals Bill To Give Tax Credits To Businesses That Sponsor Blood Drives Introduced in Senate You'll need a Yosemite reservation to visit this summer. Here's how to get one

Milltown Mel, a groundhog who has for years offered his weather predictions on Groundhog Day, has died. Rest in Peace, Mel. Groundhog Gavin: Talking about groundhog day, Gavin Newsom gets caught again not wearing his mask as he continues to defend his mandates. When confronted by reporters, Gavin responded that he was “very judicious” and took off his mask out of respect to Magic Johnson. I doubt those excuses would fly for our students or people in the workplace. California State Government Takeover of Franchises: Under approved legislation, the Governor of California and two Democrat leaders would be empowered to appoint a commission to set minimum wages, working hours, work conditions, and other items. What about the $15 minimum wage? And how do you give that much power to the State of California? They can't pay unemployment benefits on time. They are spending billions on a train for the past decade that still hasn't laid down a single track or the State Controller computer system that is now on its 18th year and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget. Mike Talks about Tom Brady and what is next for him. Ground Hog Dies: https://www.npr.org/2022/02/01/1077352159/groundhog-day-milltown-mel-dies Maskless Gavin: https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/31/politics/gavin-newsom-eric-garcetti-london-breed-maskless-rams-game/index.html Government Takeover of CA Franchises: https://calmatters.org/commentary/2022/01/fast-food-bill-will-discourage-small-business-owners/ https://www.governing.com/work/empower-workers-or-government-overreach-californias-fast-food-bill-tests-labor-laws --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hectorandmikeexperience/support

Hillary and Tina cover Operation Greylord and Nevada State Controller Kathy Augustine. Hillary's Story Like most state's, Illinois's Cook County's judicial system covered a myriad of cases from minor infractions to serious felony charges. BUT, when the FBI gets wind that judges and other court officials were on the take, they put forward a decade's long undercover operation to stop public corruption. Tina's Story Kathy Augustine served as Nevada State senator from 1995-1999 and then went on to be the first female state controller. BUT when she died suddenly in 2006, police suspected foul play. Sources Hillary's Story American Bar Operation Greylord: The True Story of an Untrained Undercover Agent and America's Biggest Corruption Bust (https://www.americanbar.org/products/inv/book/210948598/)--By Terrence Hake Associated Press Three Attorneys Convicted of Bribery in Operation Greylord Case (https://apnews.com/article/0cbb219006c642672063539fac2c7792) Chicago Tribune Operation Greylord: A federal probe of court corruption (https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/chi-chicagodays-greylord-story-story.html) FBI Operation Greylord (https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/operation-greylord) FBI Studies Operation Greylord (https://fbistudies.com/2017/04/19/operation-greylord/) The New York Times CHICAGO AREA JUDGE IS ACQUITTED IN 'OPERATION GREYLORD' TRIAL (https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/07/us/chicago-area-judge-is-acquitted-in-operation-greylord-trial.html) US Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Operation Greylord and Its Aftermath (https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/operation-greylord-and-its-aftermath) Wikipedia Operation Greylord (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Greylord) Photos Judge Wayne Olsen (https://www.decades.com/slideshow/operation-greylord-behind-the-scenes-of-the-1980s-investigation-that-shook-illinois)--via Decades (Operation Greylord) Terrence Hake (https://www.decades.com/slideshow/operation-greylord-behind-the-scenes-of-the-1980s-investigation-that-shook-illinois)--via Decades (Operation Greylord) Tina's Story 8 News Now Prosecutors Play 911 Tape in Chaz Higgs Murder Trial (https://www.8newsnow.com/news/prosecutors-play-911-tape-in-chaz-higgs-murder-trial/) CBS News Power, Passion, and Poison (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/power-passion-and-poison-17-12-2008/)--by Lisa Freed and Linda Martin Las Vegas Review Journal Daughter of lawmaker killed in 2006 found dead in apparent murder-suicide (https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/courts/daughter-of-lawmaker-killed-in-2006-found-dead-in-apparent-murder-suicide/)--by Antonio Planas and Mike Blasky Murder conviction in Augustine case upheld (https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/murder-conviction-in-augustine-case-upheld/) Las Vegas Sun Police: Woman had affair months before murder-suicide (https://lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jan/22/az-murder-suicide-phoenix/)--by Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press Las Vegas Weekly HE STRANGE DEATH OF KATHY AUGUSTINE (https://lasvegasweekly.com/news/archive/2006/aug/03/the-strange-death-of-kathy-augustine/)--by Joshua Longobardy Los Angeles Times Nevada official's widower guilty (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jun-30-na-augustine30-story.html)--BY SCOTT MARTELLE NBC News A shot in the dark--by Hoda Kotb (https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna20500903) Nevada Appeal Replacement named for Augustine (https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2006/jul/11/replacement-named-for-augustine/) Syringe, 911 call top trial in Augustine death (https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2007/jun/19/syringe-911-call-top-trial-in-augustine-death/) The New York Times Husband of Ex-Official Is Convicted of Killing Her (https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/30/us/30nevada.html)--by Associated Press The Record Courier Assembly votes to impeach Controller Kathy Augustine Reno Gazette (https://www.recordcourier.com/news/2004/nov/11/assembly-votes-to-impeach-controller-kathy-augusti/) Nevada GOP far more bipartisan in 2004 impeachment of Augustine (https://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/columnists/2021/02/18/nevada-gop-far-more-bipartisan-2004-impeachment-augustine-leslie/6789561002/)--by Sheila Leslie Reno News and Review Constitutional conundrum (https://www.newsreview.com/reno/content/constitutional-conundrum/23732/)--by Dennis Myers The Seattle Times Nevada politician's death turns into a saga (https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20061118&slug=augustine18)--by Scott Gold Man cleared in death of Nevada official, awaits trial in second case (https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/man-cleared-in-death-of-nevada-official-awaits-trial-in-second-case/)--by Ken Ritter Tahoe Daily Tribune Nurses fired after Augustine death (https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/nurses-fired-after-augustine-death/)--by Sandra Chereb Taipei Times Husband arrested for possible role in poisoning death of Nevada controller (https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2006/10/01/2003329965) Taiwan News Husband of late Nevada state controller arrested, charged with her murder (https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/236372)--by Associated Press Washington Post Candidate's Death Piques Interest Across Nevada Reno Police Await Autopsy Results on State Controller (https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2006/07/28/candidates-death-piques-interest-across-nevada-span-classbankheadreno-police-await-autopsy-results-on-state-controller-span/21ea6f97-4913-4880-a195-8c7734a1f612/)--By Sonya Geis Way Back Machine State Controller Kathy Augustine Press Release (http://controller.nv.gov/PDF_Files/PR00403.pdf) Photos Kathy Augustine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfKU5WvJPSM) via screenshot of Crime Investigation (YouTube) Kathy and Chazz (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfKU5WvJPSM) via screenshot of Crime Investigation (YouTube) Chazz Higgs' Mugshot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfKU5WvJPSM) via screenshot of Crime Investigation (YouTube) Kathy and Charles Augustine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfKU5WvJPSM) via screenshot of Crime Investigation (YouTube)

Thanks to Lanhee Chen (ChenForCalifornia.com) for pointing out the State Controller's Financial Information System for California (FI$Cal) accounting system that has been in the works for 18 years, at the cost of $1 billion, and it is still not completed. 18 years and more delays. As @Lanheechen pointed out: “It took 7 years to land on the moon after JFK's moon speech and 4 yrs to build the Golden Gate Bridge. It shouldn't be this hard.” We agree! How many other delayed computer projects are there in the state? From the Sacramento Bee: "California's $1 billion accounting program delayed again, could affect state's credit" https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article257054247.html --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hectorandmikeexperience/support

In this episode, California State Controller Betty Yee talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about her career in public office. About Betty Yee: State Controller Betty T. Yee was elected in November 2014, following two terms of service on the California Board of Equalization. As Controller, she continues to serve the Board as its fifth voting member. Reelected for a second term as Controller in 2018, Ms. Yee is only the tenth woman in California history to be elected to statewide office. Learn more about Betty Yee via https://www.sco.ca.gov/eo_about_bio.html Podcast Highlights: “The other frustrating part, I have to say, is being a woman. We are still not taken seriously. I know I had an opponent who specifically ran against me because he thought that he could beat a woman.” - Betty Yee on the disadvantages of running as a woman. “I'm convinced today, that this is the case, (and the government has to do a better job making the connection) that any challenge being faced anywhere in California can be solved in California.” - Betty Yee on the challenges of public office. “Do it in an informed way and the most informed way is to know yourself first.” - Betty Yee's advice to students interested in running for office. Guest: Betty Yee (California State Controller) Interviewers: Kevin Karami (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean's Chief Ambassador) Johanna Arias (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean's Ambassador) Music by: C Codaine https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase Upbeat Emotive by Fretbound https://www.fretbound.com/ Video Link: https://youtu.be/F_8EMeRnd40 Commercial Links: https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp Commercial Credits: Eboni Odior, Johanna Arias, Raiyan Kalam This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/ Subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.

In 1998, Kathy Augustine was elected as Nevada's first female State Controller, but her tenure was not without problems. In the early morning hours of July 8, 2006, Kathy was found unconscious in her Reno, Nevada home and died three days later. Was it natural causes or had she been sleeping with the enemy?

On this episode of Reaganism, Institute Director Roger Zakheim is joined by Dr. Lanhee Chen, a David and Diane Steffy Fellow in American Public Policy Studies at the Hoover Institution and Director of Domestic Policy Studies and Lecturer in the Public Policy Program at Stanford University. Lanhee discusses his background as a policy advisor, his candidacy for California state controller, and current policy issues such as healthcare and infrastructure.

On this episode of Reaganism, Institute Director Roger Zakheim is joined by Dr. Lanhee Chen, a David and Diane Steffy Fellow in American Public Policy Studies at the Hoover Institution and Director of Domestic Policy Studies and Lecturer in the Public Policy Program at Stanford University. Lanhee discusses his background as a policy advisor, his […]

Jason Regan has been hunting down answers on the Victoria-SA border arrangements for local community members and sporting teams amid confusion and uncertainty during recent COVID-19 restrictions. Commissioner Stevens sets the record straight

On this episode of WTF California Podcast, we talk about how a Fairfield Homeowner shot and killed an intruder while City of Oakley residents are dealing with a registered sex offender in a neighborhood. Meanwhile, Assemblyman Kevin Kiley jumps into race as candidate in Gavin Newsom recall. Lanhee Chen announces run for State Controller run. We go over Contra Costa County fireworks numbers while Sacramento nets $200k in firework fines. Meanwhile, District Attorneys across the State coming out against early release of inmates. Plus much more. Articles Referenced in the Show CON FIRE'S FIRE INVESTIGATION UNIT FIREWORKS ENFORCEMENT RESULTS THROUGH JULY: Sacramento fire officials issue $200K in fines for illegal fireworks Fairfield home invasion suspect killed by homeowner Republican lawmaker Kevin Kiley jumps into California recall race Longtime Republican Policy Advisor Lanhee Chen Announces 2022 State Controller Run Fresno County DA continues fight against potential early release of 76,000 state inmates Shasta County DA to seek data of inmates released from prison California Delays Considering Supervised Sites For Drug Use California to pay victims of forced, coerced sterilizations Tax dollars paying law enforcement to guard empty houses amid homelessness crisis 'I made a mistake': Kingsburg councilmember Jewel Hurtado apologizes after DUI arrest ‘I Love My Home': Mountain View To Begin Enforcing Ban On RV Street Parking Parents Of Man Arrested For Creepy Comments To Child In Dixon Comes Forward To Share Battle With Mental Illness Sen. Eggman's Legislation Removing Safeguards in California Assisted Suicide Law Arrival of registered sex offender in Oakley has neighborhood in an uproar Disneyland offering California residents discounted tickets, as low as $83 per day

On this episode, RCRC Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, Paul Smith, speaks to State Controller, Betty Yee. Paul and Controller Yee discuss the importance of the relationship between the State and Counties of California and how the two intersect in managing and deploying state resources. With over 35 years in the public sector, learn about how Ms. Yee’s foray into public service began at a very young age. Hear about the role of the Controller’s Office, the audits, and role of the office in financial policy. Hear insights about the financial health of rural California counties and the factors that have influenced the evolving landscape of rural county finances. Listen as Controller Yee speaks of the myriad of pressures on the finances of counties including pension obligations, health and human services, state mandates, and more.

Dear Readers and Listeners: Who knew that California's State Controller's Office, Division of Audits, would acknowledge that there may be a range of issues surrounding illegal land use of the Tehachapi Airport by city officials? Who knew that the integrity of Airport Property was violated by dumping sewer water on it in violation of a U.S. government federal agency - the Federal Aviation Administration? Who knew that during this historic period concerning the development of the United States Space Force in reaction to China's and Russia's militarization of space, that city officials would take taxpayer money provided for aeronautical use at an airport, in the hub of the aerospace industry in Kern County, and just give it away and to whom?! Learn so much more as you listen to this interview with former Marine Corps officer and businessman, Scott Baker! See: https://www.facebook.com/TheDeniceGaryShow/videos/3217788754941951

Who knew that California's State Controller's Office, Division of Audits, would acknowledge that there was a range of issues surrounding illegal land use of the Tehachapi Airport by city officials? Who knew that the integrity of Airport Property was violated by dumping sewer water on it in violation of a U.S. government federal agency - the Federal Aviation Administration? Who knew that during this historic period concerning the development of the United States Space Force in reaction to China's and Russia's militarization of space, that city officials would take taxpayer money provided for aeronautical use at an airport, in the hub of the aerospace industry in Kern County, and just give it away and to whom?! Learn so much more as you listen to this interview with former Marine Corps officer and businessman, Scott Baker! https://www.facebook.com/TheDeniceGaryShow/videos/3217788754941951

Hello Capital Region! This is the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, broadcasting on WOOC-LP 105.3 FM Troy and WOOS-LP 98.9 FM Schenectady, from the Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY. On today’s show, we hear from activists who are urging the Governor, State Controller and state lawmakers to take action on climate change by divesting the state pension plan from fossil fuels. With Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Radio Network. Then, HMM correspondent, Elizabeth Press, speaks to Casey Seiler about the case of now-retired Cohoes police officer, Sean McKown and this week's trial of former Rensselaer County District Attorney, Joel Abelove. After that, Hudson Mohawk Magazine producer Melissa Bromley speaks with Deacon Mack Henderson about the recent death of 11-year-old Ayshawn Davis and the need to encourage intentional relationships with youth in the community. Then, HMM Producer Katherine speaks with Carries Kuehl, the co-director of Capital District Border Watch about her Times Union letter to the editor addressing Immigrants and the need for their inclusion in COVID-19 relief bills. Finally, HMM Correspondent Corrine Carey speaks with Geoffrey Miller and Grace Giancola from Russell Sage College about the Student 2020 voting programs, and Shelly Calabrese talks about the Sage’s Sept 17 event on Contemporary Struggles in Voting Rights. And now some headlines...

Betty Yee uses her role as California’s state controller to uplift underserved communities, encourage women participation in politics and public office and remind others that a state is only as strong as its individuals. Betty Yee grew up keeping track of the finances of her family’s laundry and dry-cleaning business and now she keeps track of the finances for the fifth largest economy in the world. As California State Controller, she sits on 70 different boards and commissions and is now helping to maneuver the devastating financial impacts that the coronavirus pandemic has had on the state’s budget. Her scope of duties as state controller is immense, working on everything from taxes and retirement funds to pollution control and wildlife financing. But she does not just use her financial expertise to make her impact. Betty Yee grew up in a San Francisco, Calif., household that did not speak English, and yet she received a sociology degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She arrived in Sacramento to work in the state Senate and noticed a gender disparity in the financial arena, and yet she now holds one of the top financial positions in the state. Even in the face of unprecedented financial crisis, Betty Yee finds opportunities for growth and betterment. She hopes that as California rebuilds its economy, it uses this opportunity to attend to communities that have been ignored in the past. “Our economy is only as strong as the financial health of each and every Californian.” Listen to her episode to hear more about her journey to becoming State Controller, coronavirus’ impact on California’s economy and, despite it all, serving with compassion.   Learn more and subscribe for free to In The Arena at www.governing.com/ITA  

Adam Andrzejewski of openthebooks.com has been exposing corruption around the country for years. Recently he requested a copy of California’s main checkbook and was greeted by a denial from the State Controller that the records of some 49 million bills didn’t exist. Therefore she was unable to comply. Adam isn’t taking it and has initiated a legal action to force the disclosure. Adam wants the state to join the transparency revolution. 

Adam Andrzejewski of openthebooks.com has been exposing corruption around the country for years. Recently he requested a copy of California’s main checkbook and was greeted by a denial from the State Controller that the records of some 49 million bills didn’t exist. Therefore she was unable to comply. Adam isn’t taking it and has initiated a legal action to force the disclosure. Adam wants the state to join the transparency revolution. 

Kathy Augustine was a mom and a rising star in Nevada State politics.She was elected to State Assembly, State Senate and became the first woman to be elected as State Controller.In 2002, her 17 year marriage to her third husband Charles Augustine was rocky. Kathy's political career was taking a toll on their marriage and the couple was separated.Kathy was looking to get a divorce and was purchasing a house in Reno Nevada, closer to the state capital, her husband Charles was living in their large Las Vegas home.In 2003, Charles suffered a stroke and was rushed to nearby Sunrise Medical Center in Las Vegas.While Charles was receiving care, Kathy sparked a friendship with one of her husbands critical care nurses Chaz Higgs.Three weeks after meeting Chaz, Kathy's husband had died and Kathy inherited the homes, and was the beneficiary of a $1 Million life insurance policy.After her husbands funeral, Kathy and Chaz went to Hawaii and got married. In 2004 as Kathy was being considered a finalist for the office of U.S. Treasurer by the George W. Bush administration, she became under investigation for campaign ethics violations in Nevada.This led to Kathy's removal from consideration and her impeachment in Nevada.As Kathy was launching a come-back election campaign for role as State Treasurer, she died suddenly, under suspicious circumstances.An F.B.I. toxicology report would lead to a murder investigation.Who killed Kathy Augustine?FOLLOW THE PODCAST:WEBSITE:(Case Photos & podcast behind the scenes + newsletter (coming soon)) http://www.truecrimedeadline.com/SOCIAL MEDIA:(social media) https://www.facebook.com/TrueCrimeDEADLINE/https://www.instagram.com/truecrimedeadline/https://twitter.com/CrimeDeadlineSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/posts/true-crime-lets-26942079?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=postshare)

California’s chief financial officer recently addressed a packed house of politically engaged women in Santa Barbara. KCSB’s Harry Lawton has the story.

Newsom officially pulled the plug on high speed rail from SF to LA, but incredibly announced he still plans to complete a line from Bakersfield to Merced! He even told us why: So he does not have to return $3.5B to Donald Trump! We talk to Konstantinos Roditis, the man who ran for State Controller and promised to defund the train if he won. He lost.Become a patron here: www.patreon.com/hiddentruthshowWebsite: www.hiddentruthshow.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/hiddentruthshowInstagram: www.instagram/hiddentruthshow.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC6LplGp0FMkS42uY5NVTOXg

My 2018 Primary BallotI.IntroA.Announce we are on iHeartRadioII.Open PrimaryA.AKA “Jungle Primary”B.Explain top two, regardless of partyC.Hurts third partiesD.Gives Dems. StrongholdIII.City (of Westminster) Measure E – NO A.Changes mayoral term from 2 years to 4B.Shorter Terms produce better results and better accountabilityIV.State LevelA.Prop. 68 – NO1.Funds parks, natural resource protection2.Too costly to CaliforniaB.Prop. 69 – NO1.New Transportation Revenue2.More money to collectC.Prop. 70 – NO1.Supermajority Vote for use of Cap-and-Trade Fund2.New TaxD.Prop. 71 – NO1.Changes effects of ballot measures from the day after to five days after2.Will of the peopleE.Superintendent of Public Instruction – Steven Ireland1.Give a voice to parents2.Almost for Tony Thurmond only because he wants to bring trade programs back to public schools.F.State Assembly, 72nd District – ME1.Want to see if I make Wikipedia as a “Write in” but not qualifiedG.State Senator, 34th District – Janet Nguyen (R)1.A rating from GOAH.US House of Representatives, 47th District – David Clifford (R)1.Republican who understands conservation2.Tax credit to small businesses who pay over minimum wageI.US Senator – Derrick Reid1.Only LibertarianJ.State Board of Equalization, 4th District – Joel Anderson (R)1.Tax payer advocate endorsed by taxpayer associationsK.Insurance Commissioner – Steve Poizner (I) 1.Experience2.Turned department aroundL.Attorney General – Eric Early (R)1.Equal protection under the law2.ConstitutionalM.Treasurer – Jack Guerrero (R)1.Understands Taxes, Econ2.Not afraid to audit3.Worked with State Controller and found wasteful and unlawful spendingN.Controller – Konstantinos Rodtis (R)1.Wants to audit High-Speed Rail System2.Repeal Gas TaxO.Secretary of State – Gail Lightfoot (L)1.Follow on Facebook2.Fights for liberty3.Been an active member of the LP for a long timeP.Lieutenant Governor – Tim Ferreira (L)1.Only LibertarianQ.Governor – Nickolas Wildstar (L)1.Should be no surprise to you all, been pushing for him for a long time.2.He was a guest on Random Babbling, please listen to interview3.Can tell he fights for liberty by my interactions with him4.Common man5.He’s not Zoltan Istvana.Transhumanismb.Universal Base Income advocate6.Endorsed by:a.LP of California (was supposed to be co-endorsed)b.Multiple County-level LPsc.“Mimi” Robson running for State Assembly 70th Districtd.Young Americans for Liberty Recruitment Director, Tyler Kuskiee.New York Governor Candidate, and prominent Libertarian Larry Sharpe7.Wants to work for the people

My 2018 Primary BallotI.IntroA.Announce we are on iHeartRadioII.Open PrimaryA.AKA “Jungle Primary”B.Explain top two, regardless of partyC.Hurts third partiesD.Gives Dems. StrongholdIII.City (of Westminster) Measure E – NO A.Changes mayoral term from 2 years to 4B.Shorter Terms produce better results and better accountabilityIV.State LevelA.Prop. 68 – NO1.Funds parks, natural resource protection2.Too costly to CaliforniaB.Prop. 69 – NO1.New Transportation Revenue2.More money to collectC.Prop. 70 – NO1.Supermajority Vote for use of Cap-and-Trade Fund2.New TaxD.Prop. 71 – NO1.Changes effects of ballot measures from the day after to five days after2.Will of the peopleE.Superintendent of Public Instruction – Steven Ireland1.Give a voice to parents2.Almost for Tony Thurmond only because he wants to bring trade programs back to public schools.F.State Assembly, 72nd District – ME1.Want to see if I make Wikipedia as a “Write in” but not qualifiedG.State Senator, 34th District – Janet Nguyen (R)1.A rating from GOAH.US House of Representatives, 47th District – David Clifford (R)1.Republican who understands conservation2.Tax credit to small businesses who pay over minimum wageI.US Senator – Derrick Reid1.Only LibertarianJ.State Board of Equalization, 4th District – Joel Anderson (R)1.Tax payer advocate endorsed by taxpayer associationsK.Insurance Commissioner – Steve Poizner (I) 1.Experience2.Turned department aroundL.Attorney General – Eric Early (R)1.Equal protection under the law2.ConstitutionalM.Treasurer – Jack Guerrero (R)1.Understands Taxes, Econ2.Not afraid to audit3.Worked with State Controller and found wasteful and unlawful spendingN.Controller – Konstantinos Rodtis (R)1.Wants to audit High-Speed Rail System2.Repeal Gas TaxO.Secretary of State – Gail Lightfoot (L)1.Follow on Facebook2.Fights for liberty3.Been an active member of the LP for a long timeP.Lieutenant Governor – Tim Ferreira (L)1.Only LibertarianQ.Governor – Nickolas Wildstar (L)1.Should be no surprise to you all, been pushing for him for a long time.2.He was a guest on Random Babbling, please listen to interview3.Can tell he fights for liberty by my interactions with him4.Common man5.He’s not Zoltan Istvana.Transhumanismb.Universal Base Income advocate6.Endorsed by:a.LP of California (was supposed to be co-endorsed)b.Multiple County-level LPsc.“Mimi” Robson running for State Assembly 70th Districtd.Young Americans for Liberty Recruitment Director, Tyler Kuskiee.New York Governor Candidate, and prominent Libertarian Larry Sharpe7.Wants to work for the people

Bored with the election talk?  Here's a discussion you won't hear on pop news media outlets or NPR. Laura Wells Edie Hallberg from the Peace and Freedom Party and Laura Wells from the Green Party join us to talk about disability election issues. Given the extreme absence of discussion of these issues in the Republican and Democratic election bru-ha-ha, should people with disabilities vote a third party ticket? Pushing Limits host, Eddie Ytuarte, asks this question and leads us into a thought- provoking discussion. The program includes Josh Elwood, who lives with a developmental disability, talking about why he votes and how he sees the election. Laura Wells is a blogger, and a former Green Party candidate for California Governor and State Controller, advocating for a State Bank, reforming Prop 13, and taxing the rich.  She is an organizer with the No corporate Money Campaign, and resides in Oakland. Edie Hallberg is a disabled senior who is active in the Peace and Freedom Party and the Grey Panthers. The post Elections and Disability from a Third Party Point of View appeared first on KPFA.

Guests this hour include - Kate Obenshain (author: Divider In Chief), Bob Tyler (Advocates For Faith and Freedom), and Ashley Swearengen (GOP candidate for State Controller). -MORE with the latest on the heated race with Carl DeMaio and Scott Peters. -What exactly is the importance of this election? -Mark talks with Kate Obenshain to talk about DEMS. saying the GOP are the haters, working the polls this election day, the races, and response to comments from Josh Earnest. -Bob Tyler will try and help us out on the trickiest part of the election ballot - the judges section. LIVE, LOCAL election - news and comment on The Mark Larson Show!

Is it appropriate for a sitting president to appear on a comedy show? Mark has some thoughts on the issue. Plus The World Series in underway and looks like it is going to be quite a series. Plus in this hour Tony Strickland, State Controller candidate joins Mark. Listen now!

Will Jerry Brown protects our schools? Plus the latest on tea party rallies. And Tony Strickland's on his campaign for State Controller. Listen now!

The Possibility of Creating a State Bank in California with Ellen Brown, author of The Web of Debt- The Shocking Truth About Our Monetary System and How We Can Break Free, and Laura Wells, running for the nomination of the Green Party for Governor of California. Ellen wrote an article entitled 'CALIFORNIA DREAMIN': HOW THE STATE CAN BEAT ITS BUDGET WOES citing the successful example of North Dakota's State Bank to help California steer a new path through its economic crisis. Her article has inspired others to begin drafting legislation to create a state bank for California. Laura Wells, with her background in finance, management and political innovation, has garnered more votes than any other Green Party candidate for state office, when she ran for State Controller on a "Follow the Money" platform. She embraces the idea of a state bank and reshifting taxes from people to corporations.DownloadEllen Brown's website is: http://www.webofdebt.comSource: Progressive Radio NetworkAired: 3/18/10 12:00 AMThis podcast is an aggregate of audio files freely available online. Please visit the original source and subscribe to the host website.

Laura Wells is running on the Green Party ticket for State Controller of California. She has run for this office before and says intends to continue to run because it's important even if she doesn't win. She has been noticing that, like her, more and people are concerned about the disappearance of the "democracy" the US has been known for and she gives some examples of what we can do and are already doing. For example, Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), which is sometimes called, "rank voting" where the voters rank their choices is more democratic. IRV has gone well in San Francisco, CA. Wells visited Canada where the Canada Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation formed citizen committees to deliberate what to do with nuclear waste. In Ottawa citizen committees deliberated about what would improve their electoral system and their suggestions for ranked choice and proportional representation were implemented. "Dialogue and deliberation" can be done at any time and place. As for the US-- clean money in elections is crucial as otherwise, as now, it is money that determines who and what wins.Wells speaks very highly of what's happening in Venezuela where she has been several times since President Hugo Chavez was brought to power by a big movement of people in 1998. After that the two parties, which were really similar to one party trading political power back and forth for over 40 years, dissolved. She thinks Venezuela is the best kept secret of real democracy where grassroots citizens make the decisions regarding their neighborhoods and have real control over their elected officials. She gives many examples including one where neighborhoods control the funds of the services-- e.g. health services.