By Pat Orr
Apple Valley Review
With just a few days left until the filing closes on local elective offices, it will be fun to see who steps up to run for what.
We know that only one challenger for Town Council, Rick Roelle has qualified for the ballot along with the three incumbents, Barb Stanton, Curt Emick and Scott Nassif. It seems when everyone is happy with the job being done, fewer challengers appear. Or it could be with the issues facing local elected officials today, few are driven to take on a job where critics are many and supporters (and tax revenue) is hard to find.
When the dust settles next week on all the local filings, I will let you know who is running for what. It seems there will be at least one incumbent on a local board who won’t re-run, so filing deadlines will be extended a week for that race. It will sort it out soon.
Your second November Proposition scam alert
You will hear that Proposition 46 is a measure to protect you from out-of-control drugged up doctors. The proposition sets new drug and alcohol testing requirements for physicians.
Sounds like a good idea doesn’t it?
The real point of the proposition is to raise the cap on medical malpractice awards from the $250,000 established by law a few years back to more than $1 million. How do I know this is just another chapter in the “personal injury lawyers full employment act?” Because campaign reports show that 97 percent of all the “Yes on 46” money has been donated by large and medium sized law firms that specialize in — wait for it — personal injury claims.
These firms are desperate for a shot at a bigger pay day from doctors, clinics and hospitals as if Obamacare isn’t already making them an endangered species.
Once again, it is up to we who vote and read to inform our friends who seldom do either. No on 46 is a good plan if you want to keep your doctor for a while longer and help your local hospital stay open.
There are no partisan pocketbooks
If every Californian would just vote for the candidates who want to help them keep more money in their pocket in November, we would have a sweeping conservative victory. What most folks will not wake up to until New Year’s Day 2015 is how the new cap and trade program is going to devastate the working class, particularly in places like the Victor Valley where we have so many commuters.
Moderate estimates put the price tag between 14 and 40 cents that will be added to a gallon of gasoline by the oil companies for the billions they will have to shell out in new carbon tax credits and fines.
Even Democrats have realized this cap and trade program could be a career killer. Several legislators on both sides of the aisle are asking Governor Sunspot to put off implementation of the program until the California economy improves.
The pull of the wacko environmentalist lobby and their cash may just be too strong to resist for the governor. Does he care about the working poor and blue collar commuters?
Watch what he does, not what he says.
Pat Orr is a local business owner, community volunteer and political junkie.