Read Your Bank Statements

Posted on August 28, 2011 by mmunson

I usually never open my bank statements because I get scared about the lack of money in my accounts at the time. However Bank of America is charging a $5 replacement ATM or Debit Card fee each time you ask the bank to replace an ATM or debit card effective September 12th.

As a customer I do not ask for a new card over and over because I like the new card feeling. However when the signature panel is worn out from being used often, I might want to replace my card a year earlier than the three year period banks typically issue them.

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Dream Act Part Two, We Can Not Afford AB 131

Posted on August 25, 2011 by mmunson
Assemblyman Gill Cedillo’s sequel to the California Dream Act AB 131 is ready to be voted on. This bill will seize needed funds for higher education from legal residents. When students are fighting to enroll for any college section such as underwater basket weaving, while fees are rising to over 50 dollars a unit for community colleges and fifteen thousand for the UC system it sends a nasty message to the blue collar citizens of California and out of state students who play by the rules.
I could understand us being compassionate, but we are broke as a state with multi-billion dollar deficits where we can not afford to be charitable. Asking us to provide aid to the undocumented is like having a city throw a parade for the local bank robber. If private individuals want to donate money to the undocumented then they should be free to do so independently where I had no problems with the first reform Cedillo proposed.
However when you ask taxpayers to pay for a lawbreaking activity then I have a problem with this.
Due to the state legislature being dominated by illegal immigrant advocates, AB 131 will pass despite any outcry from the constituents.
If I do run for Assembly District 52, I will fight against future abuses of federal immigration laws. Even though it is a very unpopular idea in a district that is 70% Latino, we are merely throwing taxpayer money down the drain to give these individuals the skills if they can not legally be employed. Taxpayer money is a precious resource and does deserve to be treated with respect and conserved like a natural resource like water.
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Committee to Reform San Bernardino County Government

Posted on August 23, 2011 by mmunson

If you do not like how our county board of supervisors is abusing their responsibilities and power, read this press release and stay tuned for the downloadable forms you can turn in to get these reform measures on the ballot. – Matt

Initiatives To Address Ethics, Pension Reform, And Board Of Supervisor Salaries To Be Circulated

Date:  August 22, 2011 Contact:Sharon Gilbert

Committee to Reform San Bernardino County Government ReformSBCounty.com

Press Release

Initiatives to address ethics, pension reform, and Board of Supervisor salaries to be circulated

Amid ongoing corruption probes into San Bernardino County government, initiatives introduced to curb costs to taxpayers and promote ethics reform

[SAN BERNARDINO]: The Committee to Reform San Bernardino County Government is a grassroots group whose mission it is to bring about much-needed oversight of elected officials on behalf of the citizens of corruption-ridden San Bernardino County.  The county has been plagued with scandals since the 1990s, and numerous county officials have faced state and federal charges.  Three initiatives have been written that will allow voters to change the county’s charter so that elected officials cannot gain financial benefits without voter approval and will provide additional “transparency” county officials claim they desire.

The proposed reforms include making members of the Board of Supervisors part time and reducing their pay to reflect the hours of service they provide to the public; capping campaign contributions; and for all San Bernardino County new hires, changing the pension system to a 401(k)-style retirement benefit.  The reforms mirror many of those already in place or being made elsewhere in California’s 58 counties.

The “Elected Officials Pay Reduction Act” will reduce the members of the Board of Supervisors to part time, reduce their salaries that, in some cases, exceed $300,000 a year, and reduce the amount they are allowed to spend on staff and offices.  Currently, board secretaries, which are among the lowest paid employees, have salary and benefit packages that are close to or exceed $100,000 per year.  Board staffing and salaries have increased far more than the cost of living or the increase in county population during the same period.  The new cap will bring the Board of Supervisors more in line with the staffing and office budgets provided to members of the California Legislature.

The “San Bernardino County Elected Officials Ethics Reform Act” will place caps on the amounts that the county’s elected officials can receive from individual donors.  It will also eliminate contributions from corporations and unions.  Recent corruption cases suggest that some county officials have participated in a “pay-to-play” scheme where those making large campaign contributions have a higher degree of access to those elected officials.  This initiative will level the playing field.

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DMV Shafts Customers in California

Posted on August 20, 2011 by mmunson

From Senator Dutton’s email alert:

I would like to remind constituents that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be handling vehicle registration renewals differently this year. Because of legislation passed in May, DMV will extend a 30-day grace period for vehicle renewals occurring between July 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011.
It is important to know that billing notices issued by DMV have not been adjusted to reflect the 30-day grace period. Instead, a special insert a has been included with the billing notice that indicates penalties will not be imposed until the 31st day after the expiration date.
Normally, there is NO grace period for vehicle registration renewals, but notices are sent 60 days prior to the renewal date. Penalties under the standard system are calculated based on the number of days the registration is overdue, increasing from a 10% penalty when a payment is one to ten days late to a 60% penalty is the fee is 31 days late.
Some vehicle owners have reported that they have been assessed a 60% penalty on their VLF fee on the first day after the fee was due. In other words, vehicle owners paying their fees online after the due date have not received graduated penalties based on the amount of time the fee is overdue–just the maximum penalty from the first day the fee is overdue.
Although DMV officials say they are working to correct the problem, vehicle owners need to pay attention to when their registration renewal payments are due since those that were due in early July have already begun to pass the 30-day grace period.
DMV is encouraging vehicle owners to use renewal by mail or its internet renewal program to renew vehicle registrations. These alternative renewal methods automatically waive late fees for 30-day grace period, but will assess a penalty of 60% of the VLF fee on the 31st day. DMV will refund any over-payments to vehicle owners who were unaware of the 30-day grace period if they included penalty fees in their mailed payments. However, it may take 3-4 weeks for the refund to be processed.
DMV officials also say law enforcement is aware of the registration renewal grace period and will not cite vehicles until the first day of the second month after the vehicle registration expires. For example: A vehicle with a registration expiration date of July 10th would not be cited for delinquent registration prior to September 1, 2011.

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No Shot No School

Posted on August 12, 2011 by mmunson

From our local state senator:

Dear Neighbor:

There is a new rule for school! With the beginning of this new school year, many parents and guardians are unaware of important changes in state immunization requirements. All California students entering 7th through 12th grades this year must be immunized with a pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine booster called Tdap. The new state law, which became effective July 1, 2011, applies to all students – current, new, and transfers – in public and private schools. The law has two phases:

  • For the 2011-2012 school year, all students entering into 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grades will need proof of a Tdap vaccine booster shot for school.
  • For 2012-2013 and future school years, all students entering into 7th grade will need proof of a Tdap vaccine booster shot for school.

It is estimated that more than one million students in California have not complied with the Tdap vaccine booster shot requirement. Because school districts are concerned that they would be forced to turn students away for noncompliance, the Legislature passed emergency legislation to allow for a 30-day extension beyond the first day of the school year to verify that a student has been vaccinated. This option for conditional attendance will assist schools that need additional time to gather records on their students, or for student to receive their Tdap vaccination.

To exercise this option, the county office of education or school district must work with the pupil’s parent or guardian so that the pupil receives the Tdap booster vaccination. Students will face exclusion from classes if they do not meet the vaccine requirement by their school’s deadline. Check with your child’s school to find out more information.

Children should visit their regular doctor or health care provider to get their Tdap vaccine booster shot and other immunizations as soon as possible to avoid the back-to-school rush. If you do not have a regular doctor or health insurance, the Tdap booster vaccine and other immunizations are available at all county public health clinics throughout California for approximately $10. For more information, please contact your local health department or check out the Tdap Vaccine Availability by County list.

In San Bernardino County: Call the County Public Health Department to make an appointment at one of the 7 sites in the county by calling (800) 722-4777.

In Los Angeles County: visit www.ph.lacounty.gov/ip/IZclinics/clinics.htm or dial 2-1-1 (the Los Angeles County Information Line) for a list of no cost and low cost providers near you.

The Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) offers free or low cost vaccines for eligible patients 18 years and younger. If your child/student is eligible for Medi-Cal, you can find a VFC provider near you by visiting http://shotsforschool.org/parentinfo.html#vfc_locations or calling 1-877-243-8832.

For the uninsured or underinsured, parents can find a list of federally qualified health centers in their area at http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/RHPC/Clinics/FQHCS.html. Some local health departments and pharmacies may also offer the Tdap booster vaccine and other immunizations.

Resources and Information about Immunizations and the Whooping Cough Vaccine

California School Immunization Information: http://www.shotsforschool.org/

California Immunization Registry: http://cairweb.org/

California Department of Public Health: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/immunize/

San Bernardino County Department of Public Health: http://www.sbcounty.gov/pubhlth/whooping_cough.htm

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/Diseases/Pertussis.htm

For more information please contact the office of Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod at (909) 621-2783.

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I Still Oppose the National Popular Vote

Posted on August 10, 2011 by mmunson

I feel like its easy to stuff ballots to get a president elected with this system like what happened in Washington State. The electoral college system stinks, but the NPV system stinks too. Maybe we could still use the electoral college, but have the votes allocated proportionally. So if the Republican in 2012 has 35 percent in California, and 65 percent for Obama we would allocate it as, 19 electoral votes for the Republican, 36 for Obama. Maybe have it where the electoral college matter even for third parties could destroy the NPV movement.

Shawn Steel writes more at the Flash Report on this.

Last Friday, the finale of the Republican National Committee Summer Meeting in humid Tampa was the utter repudiation of the National Popular Vote [NPV].  A resolution opposing the National Popular Vote Compact won support of every voting RNC member but one who voted “present” instead of “yes.” No one can recall when nearly all 168 members of the RNC agreed on anything. Critics warn that a national popular vote would be a backdoor way of amending the Constitution, while shifting the center of gravity in presidential elections from the Founding Fathers’ vision of an urban-rural, large-small states balance to one with a much more urban.

The NPV was given new life with renegade billionaire Tom Golisano took over the fledgling campaign, after the initial post Bush/Gore election drive faltered. Golisano is a seven figure donor to the Democrat Party and ran as an ‘independent’ not once, or twice but three times against moderate Republican governor George Pataki. Golisano then moved to Florida and adopted NPV.

National Popular Vote [see their web site here] seeks to sidestep the Electoral College by having states agree in a mutual compact that no matter how their individual state would vote, that their state’s electors would be required to cast that state’s electoral votes to the “national” vote winner.

Of course, this runs contrary to the Founder’s multiple safety valves in the Constitution to prevent an outright centralized national authority to select our Presidents. Moreover, NPV destroys our de-centralized federalist union. As the Delaware Senator Anthony J. DeLuca, President Pro Tempore, former business manager of the IBEW, stated, once the NPV passes Republicans will never again elect a President. Why would he say that?

Simple. If states no longer control who gets elected, then it’s a simple matter of massing votes from corrupt urban areas. No longer would 50 states matter, but only huge urban regions would control. New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago would push the vote. Chicago notorious fraudulent cemetery voters would no longer be confided to Illinois. Instead Chicago alone would bury the med-west. Fly over would have a whole new meaning. There are many other reasons for opposing NPV, which extend to moral, ideological, constitutional or practical. See Save our States for more information.

More here

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Memorial Run To Benefit Childhood Cancer Patients and Families

Posted on August 9, 2011 by mmunson

Thanks to being connected to a group of alumni from my high school, I get to find out about events that might be relevant for the community. In Upland next month there is a memorial run to commemorate the life of a 9 year old girl who died from cancer seven years ago.

Chaffey High School teacher Dave Savage and his family started an organization to help other children and their families in the Inland Valley of California deal with childhood cancer. And the people of our area have an opportunity to help the worthy cause.

7th Annual Megan Savage Memorial 5K
September 24th, 2011 McCarthy Park, Upland, CA

Visit their website for information on how to sign up.

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The Case Against Rick Perry

Posted on August 8, 2011 by mmunson

One of my friends on my Facebook page wrote a letter to Glenn Beck about how Rick Perry is a risk to America.

Glenn:

I grew up in Ohio. The state and my home city of Dayton are economic disasters. And that is a nice way of putting it. I moved to Texas a year ago, after having been unemployed for nearly two years. Best decision ever. I now have two jobs. Its a great state. But I’m watching you right now and having said that I have some thoughts.

I want you to NOT paint Rick Perry as this great conservative and prop him up to run for president. He can’t beat Obama, and not to mention, is NOT a conservative.

I don’t want to say this because Perry is a friend of a friend, but I will not risk four more years of Obama for him. Here are reasons why Perry should not be considered a conservative.

  • He has more than doubled the state debt of Texas     
  • He knowingly allows illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition. Not only that, but the legislation–which has the same loophole for them they get in California, merely attending a Texas high school–was drafted on his watch! He knowingly turns a blind eye to this despite having his party in control of the state legislature and thus the ability to undo this in probably a week. As an out-of-state student and the son of a legal immigrant I am immeasurably insulted by Rick Perry for this. But when it comes to universities, he and his legislature managed to find the time to draft HB-1, requiring a “traditional values” center at every college that has a GLBT center. He obviously doesn’t have his priorities straight. He cares more about his funding from the American Family Association than actually walking the walk while talking tough on immigration.
  • He is a borderline theocrat on social issues. In 2003 when the supreme court struck down “sodomy” law, Rick Perry threw a fit and said the law was appropriate. The Obama media camp will play this over and over again. And the independent voters, which are overwhelmingly not social conservatives, will be very turned off.
  • He has been pushing aggressively for the Trans-Texas corridor, which will become part of a proposed “NAFTA superhighway”. After reading your book An Inconvenient Book, which I own by the way, I’m sure you think this is a bad idea. What’s next, the Amero?
  • He used an executive order to mandate HPV vaccines for teenaged girls, that were produced by a big pharmaceutical company which he is supposedly tied to. The government has no right forcing you to put something in your body any more than they do forcing you to buy health insurance.

You should support a true constitutionalist, like Ron Paul. Or at least Gary Johnson or Herman Cain, champions of states’ rights and the FairTax. Rick Perry is bad news. I believe his staunch social conservatism will turn off the indies, causing Obama to be reelected. He’s too anti-gay. And lets remember, a certain former Texas governor turned president is fresh in the minds of voters. Its not a good idea. Perry 2012 = four more years!!!

Texas is great not because of Perry. Texas is great because of individual Texans! And it was like that long before he showed up. I don’t want four more years of Keynesian economics, especially not with Obama in charge of it. Don’t hype up Perry! Please!

Thanks,

Aaron Alghawi

Ohioan turned Texas resident

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It is Getting Worse to be Red in Inland California

Posted on August 5, 2011 by mmunson

Republicans thought it was going to get better in Election 2012 with Proposition 11 that changed redistricting, but since redistricting went for the worse the Democratic Party is trying to make sure that there is a party that is there for the people in the new legislative districts particularly in our growing areas of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

New legislative districts in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties will be the toughest fight for the Republican party of California.

Rancho Cucamonga and Upland will likely be represented by Joe Baca, Riverside will likely be represented by an openly gay school board member Mark Takano, Upland will likely be represented by Democrats for State Assembly and State Senate, Bob Dutton will have a toss-up in his chance to serve his last term in the State Assembly, downtown Riverside will also be represented by a Democratic Party legislator too.

Even though the 2011 redistricting was not safe for the Republican Party, it shows the problem the party has in its efforts to maintain its relevancy. I read a post by former State Assemblyman Chuck DeVore on how regulation cripples business out of California, but even if the party is right on that issue. There are still skeletons in the closet that lead towards the voters of Californians telling the Republicans  “thanks, but no thanks”.

Inland California is going to turn more blue than performers at the Blue Man Group, and I am here as your canary in the coal mine to help prevent this from happening. As what I stated previously, pro-life views and flogging the queers on a stake are not going to drive Latino voters to the party. I even told Randy Thomasson on his private voice mail line, you need socialists that dance to the beat of your fundamentalist beat like Democratic Party State Senator  Rev. Ruben Diaz of New York State if you want to reign in theocracy in California. Cutting education and social welfare funding will be a major turnoff to the Latino voter. It has been proven from a 2011 poll by Republican pollsters Moore and Wilson that only 22 percent of Latinos want to see hard core conservatism and stick to core values of the party.

The scoop is the Democratic Party is going to have a massive voting drive targeting the Latinos of San Bernardino and Riverside County and the Republican Party of California and those respective county parties will need to think fast in how to keep them in the fold. Its not about social conservatism that many Latinos have in common with the party, its not about tax cuts. It is going to be a difficult message, even in a Latino dominated assembly district a gay moderate Latino and a gay social conservative Latino both had problems against Democrats in our district.

And since many of our cities in San Bernardino and Riverside County are Latino dominated, we might have a future lawsuit on our hands with the voter rights act. So Republicans will likely need to consider the best diverse bunch they have to avoid any problems in the future.

The big wedge needs to be retired, white voters are no longer the majority in our state. People are becoming more accepting of LGBT people in our communities. We need to fight for how to make the state work for all of us. It should not matter what ethnicity, religion or romantic inclination you have. The older voter that votes Republican also will become history in California and the United States. We need to recognize the youth of our nation and treat them as equals and not as disposable pawns like what President Obama did in 2008 since they will be a major voting bloc in 2016.

We need to stop scapegoating populations for the problems in society and work as a team. Inclusion wins. If we throw away a community they will be happy to jump forces to the other side. Black people used to be decent Republican voters in the early 20th century, then today they are only less than a tenth to support the Republicans. A welcoming party leads to Republican success and if we further upset the Latino voter we will likely have an irreversible problem.

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I am on the Road to Progress

Posted on August 3, 2011 by mmunson

After graduating from UC Riverside I was on the road to nowhere, but now I am moving slightly to my goal now. I passed 2/3 of the CSET subject exams for Social Science educators and I have the world civilizations exam to finish up while I need to finish up three more classes for my pending admission to Western Governor’s University.

After finding out I passed my US History exam in January, I was looking at schools to apply to. Cal Poly Pomona was wanting prior experience, but most of the places I was looking for prior experience with youth wanted prior experience. While Western Governor’s University wanted me to take more classes so their students would be fully experienced in the content that they would teach in the classroom. I decided to consider WGU as my school of choice for my goal to enter the education field.

My first class I took after 9 years away from Chaffey College was Sociology, a survey class in the fields of Sociology. I ended up getting an A in the class. After being removed from the formal classroom setting even though I took some online classes to see if I should be an accountant or office assistant in 2007 I realized that was not for me.

Sociology was fun and informative, but I had to take the meat and potatoes of my reinstruction. World History prior to 1500 was a good class to take, it was with one of the regular history professors at Chaffey College and it was a summer class where I had to go Monday thru Thursday 2 hours a day. Professor Cruz did a decent job in trying to jam pack several thousand years into 23 plus sessions of class. I was pleasantly shocked that I earned an A- in the class. I did not test well on the midterm earning a 77 percent, but on the final exam I went with a vengeance and earned around 96 percent to help get my grade to a nice finish.

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