Democrats Admit Scott Peters' Days In Congress Are Numbered
National Democrats include Peters on list of their most vulnerable members
SAN DIEGO, California (March 58, 2013) – Citing the Democrats’ national campaign committee’s decision to include freshman Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) on a list of their 19 most vulnerable members of Congress, the Republican Party of San Diego County today announced it will heavily target Peters in 2014.
“The Democrats today admitted that Scott Peters is one of their weakest incumbents in the entire House of Representatives,” said Chairman Tony Krvaric. “Targeting Peters’ district for a Republican comeback is an easy decision, particularly after the Democrats’ admission today.”
"Lightning will not strike twice for Mr. Peters."
Peters defeated incumbent Republican Brian Bilbray by just 2% in a heavily Democratic year when the top of the Democratic ticket carried the state by 23%.
“Peters’ high water mark was in 2012. In 2014 he doesn’t have Barack Obama at the top of the ticket, Democratic turnout will be much lower, and he’ll have a record as a member of the Nancy Pelosi team,” said Vice Chairman Ron Nehring, a former Chairman of the California Republican Party.
“I hope Mr. Peters chose to rent instead of buy.”
The San Diego political environment is also being impacted by the erratic behavior of San Diego’s new Democrat Mayor, Bob Filner, whose offensive comments and style continue to make the news daily.
Bob Filner is doing a great job building coalitions – for Republicans. Every time he opens his mouth, someone joins the Republican team," added Chairman Krvaric.
Republicans see history about to repeat itself. In 1992, Democrat Congresswoman Lynn Schenk was elected to the same district Peters now holds. Two years later, without Bill Clinton at the top of the ticket in the mid-term election, Schenk was defeated by Republican Bilbray.
Reference: Democrats Launching Plan for 2014 At-Risk Members
To arrange an interview, contact Ron Nehring at (619) 743-6402.
In case you missed it, earlier this week the La Jolla Light, the Del Mar Times, and the Carmel Valley News all endorsed my campaign for City Council. These local newspapers are a trusted voice in our community, and I am honored to have their support.
This is such a crucial time for our city, and the Councilmember we elect will help set the direction San Diego takes for years to come. I'll work hard for you to improve the quality of life in our community, to repair our streets, bring back park and library hours, and restore our public safety. We have the tools to succeed, like pension reform and managed competition, we just need a Councilmember who will look out for us.
I've included a quick excerpt from the La Jolla Light endorsement below; see why they believe I am the candidate with the experience, the vision, and the proven leadership skills to be the next Councilmember for District 1.
"Ellis has built partnerships and coalitions through his business dealings and public service. His negotiation skills and business acumen will lead to the type of representation we need on the city council at this pivotal time in San Diego history.
In debate after debate, Ellis points to his work on the Balboa Park Conservancy, the San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System board, and his involvement with the passage of Prop B, the initiative to switch new city hires to 401(k)-style plans, as examples of how he has already helped the city."
To read the full article in the La Jolla Light please click here.
San Diego Republicans Launch 1:40 Min "Official Voter Guide" Video
Video is designed to build on the Party's Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) effort by ensuring Republicans don't get fooled by slick mailers and ads
CONTACT: TONY KRVARIC SAN DIEGO -- With about four weeks until Election Day and just as absentee ballots start hitting mailboxes, San Diego Republicans today launched a 1:40 minute "Official Voter Guide" video targeted at Republican voters. Chairman Tony Krvaric issued the following statement:
"It's not enough just to get Republicans out to vote. To achieve real reform, Republican voters need to know who the official, endorsed Republican candidates are. The video will increase awareness of our Official Republican Voter Guide."
"Each election Republican voters are bombarded with slick mailers and ads designed to confuse - not to mention Democrats campaigning on Republican values only to vote like Democrats, beholden to big unions and big business, once they get elected."
While the majority of media focuses on the union dash for cash tax increase of prop 30, perhaps the biggest game-changing propositions is proposition 32. The Republican Party has strongly endorsed a YES vote for this proposition, as this seeks to make political contributions voluntary from employees' paychecks.
The San Diego Union Tribune has recognized the extraordinary opportunity of this proposition and is supporting it. See part of the text below, or click here to read the full article.
Of all the measures on the California ballot this fall, the most important is Proposition 32. It has the potential to change the balance of power in state and local governments in a hugely constructive way. How? By limiting the power of California’s unions, the 21st-century version of the railroad companies that were so perniciously powerful a century ago that Gov. Hiram Johnson established direct democracy so voters could overrule a state Capitol in thrall to one interest group.
Proposition 32 would ban unions and corporations from having automatic paycheck deductions for political purposes and from making direct political donations to candidates. This would strongly diminish union clout by eliminating the primary source of the funds they use to dominate Democratic primary voting and state politics in general. But union members could continue to donate on their own to political causes or candidates. It would be up to them, as it should be.
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But the worst examples of all can be found in our public schools, which have been transformed by the clout of the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers into institutions where the no. 1 priority is the preservation of adult employees’ jobs and benefits. This is why 90 percent or more of operating budgets go to employee compensation in many school districts; why students are pressed to pay for basic educational materials in violation of the California Constitution; and why borrowed money is routinely used for short-lived electronics and basic repairs.
Desperate to maintain this status quo, the CTA has funded a barrage of dishonest ads misrepresenting Proposition 32 and grossly distorting its likely effect. Instead of buying CTA myths, voters should look around California and contemplate the ills of the union-beholden Golden State. If you want to force change, Proposition 32 is the best opportunity you’ll ever get.
Union Tribune Endorses George Plescia For State Senate
Of the 100 California legislative races this election, George Plescia's race for 39th Senate seat is probably one of the top 3 priorities for both Democrat and Republicans. George's race is critical in preventing Democrats from gaining 2/3rds control of the Senate where they will push their agenda of excessive taxes and regulations.
Fiscal sanity should be a bipartisan issue, but the Democrats top priority is serving the interests of their Labor Union contributors. Their candidate, Marty Block, encompasses everything wrong with the current democratic party, with a voting record to prove it.
The San Diego Union Tribune recognizes this, and has endorsed Plescia. See the link to the article here.
Sanders Applauds Ellis’ Tireless Work for the Community
Mayor Jerry Sanders today endorsed Ray Ellis to be the next Councilmember for San Diego City Council District 1.
"I've known Ray Ellis for twenty years and I think what impresses me most about Ray is his ability to focus like a laser on both neighborhood issues as well as those that are more regional in nature," said Mayor Sanders.
"Ray is as much about potholes and neighborhood parks as he is about the Plaza de Panama project and the Convention Center Expansion," added Sanders
“I am honored to have the support of Mayor Sanders, who has worked tirelessly to reform City government after years of mismanagement," said Ellis. "I look forward to continuing the work Mayor Sanders has done for our citizens and our City."
With just over a month until Election Day, Ray Ellis continues to build momentum from his first place finish in the June Primary. Mayor Sanders joins Governor Pete Wilson, Councilman Carl DeMaio, Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, civic and community leaders, and a host of business organizations in supporting Ray Ellis for City Council.
Ray Ellis is running for San Diego City Council in District 1 so that he can restore the trust and confidence of citizens in their City Council. Ellis is a philanthropist, businessman, husband and father of three. He and his wife, Gina, live in Carmel Valley with their 10-year-old son, Jake. He also has a 27-year-old son, Matt, and a 22-year-old daughter, Jessica. Ray received his MBA from Pepperdine University. To learn more about Ray and his campaign for City Council please visit www.RayEllisForCouncil.com.
Analysis by Pension Reform Coalition Shows Risky Borrowing Plan is a Bad Deal for Taxpayers
SAN DIEGO – October 8, 2012: Bob Filner has placed a heavy emphasis on pension obligation bonds as a way to address San Diego’s skyrocketing pension costs. However, the large coalition of pension reform advocates who successfully passed the Proposition B Comprehensive Pension Reform initiative in June are calling attention to a risky and costly plan proposed by Filner, who is running formayor against Carl DeMaio.
The coalition’s analysis shows Filner’s pension obligation bonds would cost San Diego taxpayers up to $335 million over the next 30 years, meaning future generations would be left to pay for the city’s existing pension costs.
How can Filner claim savings while actually increasing costs for taxpayers? To explain:
Filner’s plan would take the City’s existing unfunded pension debt (which currently stands at $2.2 billion) and issue $750 million in bonds to cover part of it over 30 years. While this lowers the payments required each individual year, thereby creating Filner’s claimed “savings,” it actually stretches payments out by decades and runs up more interest costs, eventually costing taxpayers up to $335 million more than just paying down the pension debt on schedule.
Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio, who has been one of the driving forces behind San Diego’s pension reform movement since the crisis was exposed nearly a decade ago, explained the risk behind Filner’s plan: “Taking out another credit card to stretch out payments on the City’s pension debt and racking up hundreds of millions in additional interest is exactly the kind of risky move that got City Hall into the pension mess to begin with.”
Councilmember Kevin Faulconer said: “San Diegans expect results from City Hall that fix problems and improve neighborhoods, not schemes that could squander hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.”
Other pension reform advocates spoke out against the Filner proposal which would undermine years of work to restore fiscal responsibility at City Hall: “These kinds of shell games may be business-as-usual in Washington, but schemes like this have no place San Diego where we’re committed to reform,” said T.J. Zane, President of The Lincoln Club of San Diego County.
“Bob Filner’s pension proposal will cost San Diegans hundreds of millions of dollars; taking away tax dollars for libraries, police officers and fire stations in the future,” said Lani Lutar, President & CEO of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association. “The taxpayers deserve to know the true impact of Mr. Filner’s plan. Our analysis shows that his risky plan would move the city backwards.”
