The crazy thing is that I agree with Buck McKeon. Federal spending can create good jobs which result in durable and healthy communities, like the one Buck McKeon is trying preserve in the AV. Just look at the people in that video, proof positive that the Keynsian “multiplier effect” is real (ie the auto shop owner in the video is benefiting because the federal government is creating demand in his area). Indeed one person says federal spending is the “lifeblood” of the Antelope Valley.

In the old guns vs butter debate, Buck McKeon wants to have it both ways. He’s firmly on the side of guns as a way to create jobs, but he, along with other Republicans, fight every other federal spending effort to create “butter” jobs. Indeed, they fight the very notion that deficit spending during a recession is what you’re supposed to do to get out of a recession.

On a side note, did you get a sense in the video of the SCV’s position on Buck McKeon’s Washington agenda? Somehow I feel the interests of the Antelope Valley are much higher on his list than his old hometown.

SCVTALK:Tell us about your background and why you are running for US Congress?

ACOSTA : I am the middle of five children and was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. My father died when I was 11 so my mother raised her five children alone.

When I was 8 years old, we moved from Studio City to Granada Hills which was a great place to grow up. We had very little money in those years but my mother worked hard holding three jobs to make ends meet and somehow we managed. She eventually started a bridal shop that became a successful family business. We often came to Santa Clarita to Hart Park and ate Moore’s Sub sandwiches and played in the park.

As a young man, I had a paper route, swept floors, emptied trash at an auto garage, delivered flowers, was an assistant manager for an auto parts store, worked in fast food restaurants and for a camera store chain. I went to work as a rookie new car salesman for a Chevrolet dealership in San Fernando eventually becoming the General Sales Manager, overseeing all aspect of new and used car sales and the Finance and Insurance departments managing over 50 people and about $50,000,000 in sales in today’s dollars.

For over 20 years I have worked as a financial advisor and I am currently a Senior Financial Advisor assisting individuals, small business and institutions with their investment, retirement and wealth planning needs.

I have been married to my wife Carolyn, who works in the medical field, for 26 years this May 31^st. We live in Canyon Country with our two surviving children, Allie, 16 and Doran, 11. Since day one we were very involved in their lives, volunteering at school, coaching little league, directing school plays and teaching Sunday school at church. Carolyn and I were even docents at the William S. Hart Museum. I have served on various boards, lectured on business and military issues and have hosted national business and political events.

I am running for office because I learned firsthand that this district is not being adequately represented. Congressman McKeon is out of touch with his constituents and is beholden to large defense contractors and other donors. After Rudy was killed, I started looking for answers and accountability through Mr. McKeon and his committee. Other than asking us to speak at Rudy’s prayer vigil and sending a few letters requesting an investigation that had already been ordered by the Army, Mr. McKeon was missing in action for nearly six months. As he stalled, more soldiers were killed at the hands of their “trusted” Afghan partners and protectors. Over the past year, I personally witnessed the nepotism, political control and ineffectiveness that is happening in the district and looked for a candidate that I could get behind to run against McKeon. No one came forward, so at the urging of many in the community I decided to run for office myself to provide better representation for the district.

SCVTALK: SCVTalk readers pay close attention to the news and were extremely saddened when they read of the death last year of your son Rudy, one of several SCV soldiers and Marines to die in Afghanistan in recent years. Many readers and residents went to Rudy’s funeral procession, and much has been written about your son’s life, the circumstances of his death, and your reaction to it. Tell us, if you will, something about Rudy that we’re not aware of.

ACOSTA : Rudy was an exceptional, heroic and dedicated young man. He was also a humorous and often silly “kid” who loved to make people laugh. He played varsity football and volleyball for Santa Clarita Christian School, acted in school plays and frankly, stole the show! He loved In-and-Out burgers and his favorite meal, in fact the first one he asked for when he came home on leave for the last time, was Siam Rice on Soledad Canyon and Sierra Highway. We have a special photo of Rudy with the owner taken that night.

Rudy also had a really big heart for people. His first date with his girlfriend was spent helping her feed her grandmother who was dying from cancer. He held the grandmother’s hand and talked with her as they fed her. What has not been reported widely but was told to us by soldiers that were there when Rudy was killed was that during the attack Rudy told a female medic to run and “covered her” as she escaped the gunfire saving her life.

SCVTALK: You list “Free Markets” as one of your campaign planks on your website. Where do you stand on the Dodd-Frank Financial Regulation bill and would you vote to bail out a bank or financial institution, as Buck McKeon did, if economic authorities said the bank’s failure could threaten the US and Global economies?

ACOSTA : America has not operated under a truly Free Market System for a long time. The 2008 Bank Bailout (TARP) is the best and most recent example of government playing two roles in the economy. Not only is it tasked with being/controlling the regulator of our financial system, in many cases it is also a market participant. TARP is the most recent and relevant example of this very poor policy. Congressman McKeon himself has agreed that in hindsight, he might not have voted for TARP. He blames this change of heart on the claim that the Bush administration and the Treasury Department pressured lawmakers to approve this deal with the country’s largest banks. So, even knowing at the time that TARP would give appointed bureaucrats the unprecedented power to pick winners and losers in the banking industry, he went against his better judgment and voted for TARP. I too now get the benefit of hindsight but my long career in banking and investments told me that TARP did not pass the smell test. Transferring huge sums of public dollars to the already richest banks in the nation, who along with other banks made bad investments, served only to force out small community banks and created mergers that cut competition and reduced customer sentiment towards the industry that I have loved being a part of.

This incident also draws another lesson about Congressman McKeon that I would like to share with voters. I know of several community members that reacted negatively to the news that Congressman McKeon helped President Bush ‘save the free market by abandoning free market principles’. Instead of reaching out to those constituents to explain his vote, he dealt very harshly with their perceived petulance. As your Congressman, I will not react harshly to criticism and will endeavor to have a dialogue, within reason, with those that have opposing points of view.

SCVTALK: If you were elected to Congress as a Republican, how would you work to secure Santa Clarita from the negative consequences of a CEMEX mine in Soledad Canyon? Would you partner with a Democrat to advance such an agenda? Would you push for a CEMEX fix even if it meant violating a supposed Earmark ban in the House?

ACOSTA : I am running as a Republican and will caucus with the Republican Party. However, I will work tirelessly to insure that the Cemex mine is stopped! As far as working with the Democrats, it is vital for both parties to work together on important issues or nothing gets done. In fact, I will be reaching out to several of my personal contacts in the Democratic Party to begin the process of stopping Cemex. Yes, I would push for a fix no matter what it takes as long as it is ethical, doesn’t violate the constitution and is in the best interests of the district.

SCVTALK: On your website, you say you are a “pro-military advocate.” What are your views on the Afghanistan conflict? Do you agree with the President’s strategy and if so, why? If not, why not?

ACOSTA : By pro-military, I am referring to being committed to our servicemen and women first. As most of your readers are aware, on March 19, 2011, we lost our son, Army SPC Rudy Acosta, to an Afghan terrorist masquerading as a base guard while Rudy was on base serving as a Combat Medic in Afghanistan. As a Gold Star father I support 100% the mission that our men and women in uniform are committed to by the Commander-In-Chief and the military officers that serve at the President’s pleasure. It serves no legitimate purpose to denigrate our war-fighting capabilities or the mission our soldiers are fighting for. However, in looking at the future, we will need to honestly assess the sentiment of the American people, our probable financial commitment and the state of readiness of our military forces before committing them to another foreign war. Undoubtedly the bar has been raised as to the type of justification that will be required in order for me to approve the commitment of troops to new foreign theatres. And all foreign intervention should come through the Congress for a vote.

SCVTALK: As Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Buck McKeon is perhaps the most vocal voice in Washington on the need to protect the Defense budget from cuts. Is he going about his role the right way, and would you do anything different than him?

ACOSTA : The Congressman must thread a needle in his role as the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. On one hand, he must keep America able to sustain its current commitments in Afghanistan and elsewhere and I give him and his committee high marks in this area. On the other hand they must continually be preparing the military for the challenges of the future. Whether it is in humanitarian work or, God forbid, another foreign war, today’s military equipment and the way our troops are organized is not going to get the job done. Without going into detail, we are spending too much money to keep aged equipment running and are supporting troop deployments that harkens to the Soviet era. The type of missions that our servicemen and women engage in today cries out for better force protection protocols and tactics. Why are Afghans being hired as guards to protect our soldiers through a $4,000,000 DOD contract with a Canadian firm? I have been told by virtually every Soldier and Marine I have met with here and on our bases in Germany that they can do the job themselves. Should I be asked to serve on the House Armed Services Committee or otherwise asked my opinion, I will work to help our national defense forces realign and prepare for the future and the type of combat they will be engaged in.

SCVTALK: Dr. Lee Rogers, one of your opponents, said in an interview with SCVTalk that he thinks the wealthy in America should pay more in taxes, at least equal to what many middle class families pay in order to help balance our budget and restore fiscal responsibility. Do you agree with him?

ACOSTA : You won’t be surprised to learn that I have a difference of opinion with Dr. Rogers on this subject. The fact of the matter is that President Obama and his ultra-rich supporters like Warren Buffet are selling a lie about how some wealthy people are taxed. The fact is that the total tax paid on the money Mr. Buffett receives is actually higher than the capital gains rate at which Warren Buffet is taxed. Mr. Buffet is allowed to choose this rate because he takes his income out as capital gains, not as dividends, which are taxed as regular income and at a higher rate. However, as with all gains and dividend income, the money is essentially taxed twice. Corporate profits are taxed first at the corporate tax rate, 35%, and then taxed again when it is received as profits by the recipient at the 15% capital gains rate as in Buffet’s case. Where the confusion lies is in the fact that our tax code has literally hundreds of thousands of deductions written into it that allow those with the means to understand it the ability to write off significant amounts of income, protecting it from taxation.

The President’s own National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (The Simpson-Bowles Commission) that he assembled after taking office proposed a complete overhaul of the tax code to both increase revenue to the federal government and lighten the tax burden on the middle class. Though I don’t agree with every suggestion the Commission came up with, I bet that if you and I Jeff went through the Simpson-Bowles work product we’d find a lot we agree on. But the President did not. So far, he has not implemented a single provision outlined in the Simpson Bowles Commission Findings. I am inclined to believe that a simplified tax structure is the only way that we can bring parity to taxation and grow the economy simultaneously.

SCVTALK: 18% of voters in this Congressional district are decline-to-state. Why should these voters select you over Buck McKeon or Lee Rogers?

ACOSTA : They should vote for me because I am actively engaged in the community and I understand what is happening on the ground today and the issues that face the average person. As someone who experienced layoffs due to the global financial crisis I have had the same difficulties as many of them have. Also, I have helped start and run small businesses and for the past 20 years have worked as a financial advisor so I believe I am the best candidate to provide solutions that can help make things better for people of the district.

Voters are tired of 20-year incumbents like Buck McKeon who has proven himself to be ineffective at representing this district and who is beholden to special interests. Conservative leaning voters have never had a credible option before and simply had to vote for McKeon as there was no other option. In me they have that option.

SCVTALK: Illegal immigration is a divisive topic in this District. Do you like Arizona’s AB 1070 law? Should the states be able to devise their own immigration laws as Arizona has done, or is immigration a uniquely Federal responsibility?

ACOSTA :I’m sure many are concerned with illegal immigration as I am; however, our campaign has held many meeting, forums and “Meet & Greets” and this issue has only been raised one time other than your question during this campaign. Based on the questions voters have asked, it seems they are more concerned with jobs and the economy, housing prices, Cemex, corruption and nepotism with our elected officials and gas prices. As far as “liking” AB 1070, I don’t like that the citizens of Arizona felt it necessary to enact it. It shows the failure of the federal government in securing the southern border.

If the federal government finds enforcement of our immigration laws too difficult, it is up to the states to assist them. I am confident that when the Supreme Court of the United States comes back with its decision on the Arizona Immigration law later this summer, it will announce that it agrees with that premise.

SCVTALK: What do you think the Federal role is, if any, in health care?

ACOSTA : For good or bad, the federal government already plays a very large role in healthcare via Medicare, Medicaid and the Veteran’s Administration system. I believe that government has the obligation to reform Medicare and Medicaid to serve the coming generations of citizens that were promised it would be there for them. Eliminating fraud and waste could go a long way toward saving the feds money so it can keep those promises. Beyond that, we must knock down the barriers to competition that stand in the way of better care and better prices. Competition is the only way to drive down prices and drive up quality. Opening up the health insurance market to companies from out of state like the auto insurance market is one way that could happen – giving consumers the choice.

There are other cost savings that could be gained perhaps, by having fewer mandates. I have a friend that is forced, because of mandates, to purchase a policy with substance abuse, infertility, pregnancies and other provisions that it extremely unlikely he will ever use. He is a non-smoking, non-drinking, unmarried man in his late 50’s that is not likely to use those services. In a free market shouldn’t he be able to purchase a policy that fits his needs and actual risks?

SCVTALK: Tell us about your background in the SCV (why you moved here and stayed) and how you got involved in politics? What is your educational background?

Wilk: I was born and raised in the Antelope Valley and I’ve always had a fondness for the Santa Clarita Valley. As a child when my family traveled Sierra Highway to the San Fernando Valley to shop my favorite part of the trip was having dinner at Sir George’s smorgasbord in Friendly Valley.

Vanessa and I tried to buy our first home here, but as a young couple with a child and a single income we couldn’t quite afford it so we bought in Palmdale. We benefitted from a spike in housing prices and 2 ½ years later we sold our house for about 40% more than we paid. We moved into our Valencia home on August 2, 1990 and I remember it well because Sadam Hussein invaded Kuwait on that day. The housing market literally collapsed weeks after we bought our home – but I didn’t care because I was living where I had always wanted to live!

When Scott, Jr. and Alison were young we were heavily involved in their lives. At Santa Clarita Elementary I was known as “Mister Vanessa Wilk” as Vanessa served three years as PTA president. I also served on the school’s site council. We also taught Sunday school, and were involved in Girl Scouts and youth sports.

Over the years we transitioned to being active in Santa Clarita Valley non-profits including the Henry Mayo Hospital Foundation, SCV Chamber of Commerce, the COC Foundation and the Greater SCV Soroptimists.

My political engagement started in 1972 when I would ride my bike to Republican headquarters to stuff envelopes for the Nixon campaign. And the rest is history…

SCVTALK: You’re running for a seat occupied since 2006 by Cameron Smyth, who, in the last few years, has made several attempts to reach across the aisle and work with the Majority and Governor Brown. Some think this has increased his power and relevance as a member of a minority party. Would you continue Assemblyman Smyth’s efforts?

Wilk: Assemblyman Smyth has done a phenomenal job in a very tough environment. When he first was elected the GOP had 32 out of 80 seats in the State Assembly. Currently the GOP is down to 27 seats. His ability to make an impact is a tribute to his leadership.

However, because of the redistricting process the Republicans should gain as many as 7 seats in the State Assembly making them very relevant. Like Cameron, I will always try to get to “yes,” fully conceding it won’t happen often. When I go to Sacramento and advocate for community colleges, I am bothered when the first question the legislator asks is, “What is the caucus position?” Like my mentor Congressman Tom McClintock I intend to read every bill, and like Cameron Smyth I will vote my district, not my caucus.

SCVTALK: Is the ⅔ requirement before a tax can be raised in Sacramento a good thing or a bad thing? Why?

Wilk: Californians already pay the second highest income tax rate and highest sales tax in the country. If Governor Brown has his way in November with his tax initiative we will be number-one in both. Unfortunately, there is a mentality in Sacramento that, “We can do whatever we want because people aren’t going to leave this weather.” The business exodus from California is well-documented and high taxes are one of the leading drivers. The 2/3 requirement is the firewall to stop the implosion of the California business community.

I will also advocate for targeted tax incentives for manufacturing and the film industry. Over the last decade California has lost 33% of its industrial base which equates to over 600,000 jobs. According to the California Manufacturers Association manufacturing costs are 24% higher in California than the national average. California is one of only four states to charge sales taxes on manufacturing equipment. Exempting sales tax for the purchase of machinery would encourage manufacturers to expand facilities thus creating more jobs.

I support a five-year extension and an increase of the funding into the film tax credit. I have reviewed various economic studies and it shows that for every dollar the state invests there is a rate-of-return of at least $1.13. I don’t anyone who wouldn’t kill for a 13% return-on-investment!

Our campaign has held dozens of Meet & Greets and it is far too common for a spouse to attend alone because their significant other is out of state on a film project. Santa Clarita is in the TMZ and we have thousands of residents who are in the film industry and I will be their advocate. Hollywood belongs in California, not Louisiana, Michigan or New Mexico. These states are beginning to build the infrastructure to permanently lure Hollywood. Sacramento needs to be smart and make the proper investment so we retain this economically and culturally important industry.

SCVTALK: Many Santa Clarita education officials insist that the cuts to California schools have gone far enough, with one even remarking that “Five years of cuts to education funding have whittled local school districts to the budgetary bone.” Yet you have signed the Americans for Tax Reform “No Tax Pledge.” How do you plan on improving education in California without raising taxes or voting for even more cuts to our local schools?

Wilk: I support the full funding of Prop 98 and am committed to funding education by transitioning Sacramento from base-line budgeting to performance-based budgeting so Sacramento sets proper spending priorities.

I’ll also fight to change the school funding formula that was created in the 1970’s to address the Serrano vs. Priest legal decision. Our schools are unfunded vis-à-vis other districts and I believe this is a violation of the 14th Amendment.

However, the best way to improve school funding is to grow the economy and get our 2.3 million unemployed Californians back to work.

SCVTALK: You’ve spoken a lot about the need to reduce regulation and increase incentives so that businesses stay in California. But how do you keep and attract solid businesses in California without engaging in a “race to the bottom” competition with other states?

Wilk: While other states roll out the red carpet, Sacramento continues to roll out the red tape. For the 8th straight year CEO Magazine declared California the worst state in the nation to do business.

I believe holding the line on taxes and regulatory reform will provide predictability to encourage entrepreneurs to start new businesses or invest more in their existing business which creates jobs.

When I meet with small business owners I solicit their input on which individual regulations need to be eliminated or streamlined. My plan is to shop those ideas to legislators to see what we can accomplish.

However, I think we need a whole new framework on how the state adopts and implements regulations. Reform would include: True independent review of regulations; five-year automatic sunsets to force agencies’ to fix the problems that spawned the regulations in the first place; requiring the Legislature to approve the regulations mandated by the laws they passed rather than some administrative agency; and assessing how a proposed regulation fits into the existing regulatory network of local, state and federal governments.

SCVTALK: On your website, you say that California should improve its crumbling infrastructure, yet you oppose the High Speed Rail initiative. What kind of infrastructure investments would you like to see happen and how would we pay for them?

Wilk: The High Speed Rail Project, or “Train to Nowhere” is a boondoggle of historic propositions. Recently, the Legislative Analyst Office stated it will cost the state $2 billion annually to subsidize the train once it comes on-line.

Frankly, our transportation infrastructure is based on freeways and we need to be committed to building, widening and maintaining our present system. To finance these ventures we can do a couple of things: first, more private-public partnerships such as the Golden State Gateway Coalition. The Newhall Pass I-5 project environmental and design phase timeframe was cut in half and at a significantly lower cost thanks to the coalition. Second, while most other states out-source about 50-60% of their work, Cal Trans only out-sources about 10%. Government bureaucracy is slower to produce as well as more expensive to the taxpayer.

I also have real concerns about water infrastructure and would support bond financing to achieve the results our state needs. However, the current $11.2 billion pork-laden proposal slated for the November ballot is a non-starter. Water is our most precious resource and the Legislature needs to get serious about capturing, storing and preserving this life-giving asset.

SCVTALK: Where do you stand on Proposition 28 and 29, which would reform term limits and increase tobacco taxes respectively?

Wilk: I support Prop 28 which will reduce the number of years a legislator can serve from 14 to 12 years, but allow the person to remain in the same legislative body for the duration of their time served. This will help create better legislative institutional memory which is so sorely lacking today and it will force legislators to live with the consequences of their votes. An example is the Legislature passed AB 32 in 2006 to reduce Greenhouse gasses and the state is just now implementing the “cap & trade” program and is violating the intent of the bill as drafted. The projected $3 billion in new and probably illegal taxes the California Air Resources Board is imposing with their cap & trade auction program will cause our energy prices to soar.

Hopefully, legislators will take a longer-term view of issue knowing they will be in the Legislature for a dozen years, rather than a mere six.

I oppose Prop 29 as it will create a new government agency for cancer research at a projected cost of $500 million drawing its revenue from an increase in tobacco taxes which consumer trends show is declining in usage. Historically cancer research has been conducted at the federal level. Furthermore, the funds do not go to the General Fund, but to a special account that circumvents Proposition 98 and will rob our schools of approximately $300 million annually. The state should remain focused on its core responsibilities.

SCVTALK: You live in a Republican district with a 36/39 spread between Democrats and Republicans, respectively. Why should a Democrat vote for you in this “top two” primary system?

Wilk: First, the spread is more like 41-34 *. Second, the 19.1 Decline-To-State voters are heavily conservative. So in November we will have a Republican State Assembly Representative (sorry Ed!). Stylistically, I have a long history of being open and willing to engage with all parties. My commitment to collaboration such as the Open Space campaign is an example of my leadership style.

Additionally, my business background coupled with my senior staff legislative experience I am best positioned of the three Republican candidates to make a difference on Day One. To my Democrat friends I encourage them to be strategic, responsible and principled by casting their vote for me on June 5th and then, if they must, return to the Democrat fold in November.

ON THE WEB:

SCOTT WILK

WILK ON FACEBOOK

*Indeed Wilk is right. I was using numbers from the SacBee’s website and mistakenly pulled the previous 38th District’s spread. The new District is more Republican than the last one. 

McKeon/West BBQ and a protest sign that will appear at tomorrow's BBQ

A libertarian group, seemingly affiliated with the Ron Paul movement, plans to protest at Buck McKeon & Allen West’s barbecue in Agua Dulce tomorrow.

The group, Victor Valley Libertarian Alliance, is organizing the protest on Facebook, where at least 26 people say they are going to attend, including McKeon’s opponent in the June 5 Lee Rogers and local conservative radio talk jock Joe Messina.

The group calls Rep. McKeon a “traitor”  for sponsoring and working to pass the National Defence Authorization Act of 2012, which the group says amounts to a violation of the US Constitution:

“Buck” McKeon has voted with the majority in
congress more than 95% of the time. Among his
legislative “gifts” is the National Defense Authorization Act
of 2012 which he sponsored in the House. The NDAA has
been called by some constitutionalists, “the most onerous
piece of legislation since the Alien and Sedition Acts of
1798 or the Espionage Act of 1917.”
While our representative, Buck McKeon has claimed
that with passage of NDAA 2012 “we have ensured that as
we fight terrorists around the world, we also protect the
civil liberties of Americans at home”, his understanding of
what constitutes “civil liberties” is questionable.

The appearance of the group at McKeon’s BBQ can’t be welcome news. I imagine our Congressman was hoping an appearance with Rep. Allen West, a certified Tea Party firebrand who recently discovered that 78-81 House Democrats are communists, would burnish his conserva-cred with local Tea Party types. To Tea Partiers, Allen West is the real deal; my sense is that Team McKeon’s hope was that locals would be so overcome with excitement at the site of West that they’d forgive/forget McKeon for the six months of solid & unprecedented bad press he’s had in these parts.

The only thing worse than having a bunch of Ron Paulistas show up at your family-friendly BBQ would be to have a bunch of Lyndon LaRouchites show up. Maybe we’ll get them too. Such are the hazards of having a nationally-known and powerful Congressman (alas we’re not even getting the benefits of Congressional pork!)

PS: This might just be the hottest ticket in town on Saturday night. Free wine, questionable BBQ & political entertainment? It’s like it was taylor-made for me! Maybe I’ll show up too. 

PS #2: A reader tells me she received a robocall last night for Patricia McKeon for Assembly. Who made the robocall? Supervisor Mike Antonovich. 

SCVTalk: We know you are an accomplished physician in the Simi Valley, but what made you decide to get in the race, and what specific issues make you excited, angry, and motivate you? What is your background and why the move into politics and policy when you have a successful practice at your hospital?

Rogers: I was recruited to Valley Presbyterian Hospital to start the Amputation Prevention Center, which is in Van Nuys. We live in Simi Valley for many of the same reasons others live there or in Santa Clarita – better living at a more reasonable price and good public schools. Our center treats people from all over Southern California who have diabetes and gangrene, infections, or wounds of their feet. Our center has been very successful, preventing over 1000 amputations and we have received proclamations from Governor Schwarzenegger, The California State Assembly, and the Los Angeles City Council.

I’m running for Congress because we’re not being represented in Washington. It angers me to see how partisan and dysfunctional Congress is. Last year, only 66 bills were passed, one of the least productive years in history. Virtually nothing was accomplished and Congress even played chicken over the typical appropriations bills that fund the basic services of our government.

SCVTalk: Republicans say the key to lowering health care costs is to encourage competition by allowing people to buy insurance across state lines and malpractice tort reform. Democrats, including President Obama, have embraced what was once a Republican idea, the individual mandate and insurance markets, yet there is a popular move to repeal even that. How do we best lower costs and extend coverage to uninsured, or to put it another way, what is the role of the federal government in the delivery of health care?

Rogers:  Health insurance companies only make a profit by charging you more money or denying more services. There are 6 large health insurance companies across the country that insure about 200 million people. Most of them are already operating in all states. Competition is not going to lower costs, because healthcare is not a true “free market”. It’s not like getting an oil change for your car. Prices are confusing and not published. No one calls multiple hospitals or doctors to ask how much their gall bladder removal will cost. In many cases, urgent or emergency care prevents one from performing research, price or otherwise, on their treatment.

- Dr. Lee Rogers

You correctly point out that the individual mandate was a Republican idea. I do think it seems somewhat un-American to force someone to purchase something they can’t afford and then tax them if they don’t buy it. In 1950 Americans spent on average 3% of their income on healthcare or insurance. Now that number is 17% and growing. It is already unaffordable for some, but soon it could become unaffordable for many.

I believe that health care is a right. When I walk by the Intensive Care Unit and see a crying family, they might be Caucasian, Latino, African-American, or their loved one might be insured, uninsured, or underinsured. It doesn’t matter what their race is or their ability to pay, they deserve the best possible care. We’re talking about people’s lives – their mothers and fathers, their grandparents, sometimes their children. And at that time, the patient and family are vulnerable. They’re in a confusing system and agree to the care, without any idea what it costs. In fact, even the doctors have no idea what the care costs. No one knows until three months later when a non-itemized bill comes, for sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars. Health costs are the #1 reason for bankruptcies in the US. We have to stop that.

SCVTalk: Was Obamacare too large of a step? Would Americans have been more accepting of an incremental increase in the role of the federal government in the delivery of health care? What went wrong?

Rogers:  As a doctor, I am not a supporter of Obamacare. Certainly, there are some good parts of it, like banning insurers from denying you coverage for a pre-existing condition, allowing adult children to stay on their parents insurance until age 26, and preventing insurance companies from denying children. But the risks of this 2700 page bill outweigh the benefits. The single biggest benefactor of the bill was the health insurance industry. They have 46 million new customers and no caps on premiums.

Regarding the federal government’s role in health care, it already plays a very large role. The government is the largest insurer, by Medicare, VA medical benefits, active duty military benefits, and Medicaid block grants. Through Medicare, it sets the price index for all insurances. It provides safety regulations for hospitals and clinics by linking it to funding. It controls the supply and safety of medications. It funds a majority of medical research. So I don’t think people oppose the government’s large role when it comes to keeping us safe and preventing fraud.

The federal government can make great strides in reducing costs by concentrating resources on preventable diseases. Makes sense, right? Spend a little money now to prevent something costly later. But we’re not doing it. Three diseases – diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease – will cost us $2.5 trillion over the next 10 years. And all three diseases are caused by the same two things, poor diet and lack of activity. We need to get serious about preventable diseases and Americans have to believe that being healthy is a goal of personal and national importance. I’ve proposed some measures directed at disease prevention, which I firmly believe would be offset by cost savings.

SCVTalk: The newly-shaped and shrunken California 25th District now includes much of the Simi Valley, all of the Santa Clarita Valley, and much of the Antelope Valley. How are these areas similar & different and how would you represent the different interests in each community?

Rogers: I find Simi Valley and Santa Clarita fairly similar. People move to these parts because of more affordable housing and good public schools. Many residents are professionals – teachers, nurses, police officers, firefighters, who commute into LA or surrounding areas. There is a growing population of people involved in the entertainment industry. There are also a lot of retirees and veterans. In the Antelope Valley, there are manufacturing industries, engineers, higher education, military, and service-related jobs.

- Dr. Lee Rogers

Many people in the 25th district commute to work, mostly by car. This makes fuel prices and road congestion important topics. I’ve proposed preventing investment bankers from speculating on oil, which even the CEO of Exxon-Mobil says is responsible for up to 40% of the price of crude oil. Speculators control of the market rose from 30% a decade ago to 80% now. The price of fuel affects the price of everything else, from groceries, to airline tickets, to shipping. Last year, as a result of my commute, I spent $4300 on gasoline. That caused me to purchase a more fuel-efficient car and change my driving behavior this year. Oil is too important of a commodity to allow profiteers to control the price. Reducing speculation will help commuters and consumers.

Road congestion needs to be addressed at the North San Fernando Valley interchanges into the Santa Clarita Valley. I support Ventura County’s efforts for a federal TIGER Grant to improve the Hwy 23 – US 101 interchange. But even more importantly, I will oppose the Cemex mine with every last breath to prevent 1200 trucks per day along Hwy 14, the only route to Los Angeles for many in the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita Valley.

SCVTalk: You’ve criticized the Paul Ryan budget proposal, but on your website you don’t offer specifics for arresting $1 trillion + yearly deficits and the national debt. So what long term budget plan do you support? Do you think Americans should pay more in federal taxes?

Rogers:  The Ryan Budget, which McKeon wholeheartedly supports, is wrong for our country. It reverses the Budget Control Act of 2011 and avoids all the reductions in defense by cutting Medicare, Medicaid, and other domestic spending. In essence, the Ryan Budget chooses grenades over grandmas.

The simple truth is that we don’t have enough money for all the programs, so either you cut programs or raise revenue. People like the current programs. So I often rhetorically ask what are you going to cut; Medicare, Social Security, education, national security, veterans benefits? It’s unrealistic to say you’re going to cut programs but then when you try to isolate one there is public backlash.

Personally, I support a balanced approach with spending cuts and revenue increases as a solution to our debt. I don’t support tax increases on the middle class, but the millionaires and billionaires in our country should pay their fare share. The extremely wealthy should not pay lower tax rates than average working people who spend a larger percentage of their income on living expenses. We need to end corporate subsidies to very profitable companies. We can’t allow big companies to pay no corporate taxes and take billions in taxpayer subsidies.

SCVTalk: Illegal immigration is a potent issue in California’s 25th district. What is your position on it and what would you do about it if elected to Congress?

Rogers:  Both parties deserve the blame for inaction on immigration. Congress is paralyzed by inability and unwillingness to act. The first thing we need to do is secure the border by whatever means necessary. We should help to stabilize Mexico, because many are fleeing a corrupt government controlled by drug cartels.

After this, we have to be compassionate to those who have settled here because of our lax enforcement of laws and porous borders. We should create a reasonable path to citizenship for them.

SCVTalk: Democratic challengers to Buck McKeon in California 25 have long run weak, half-hearted campaigns against the Congressmen with little official support. But in 2006, an energetic Democratic candidate emerged, raising $250,000 and campaigning in all parts of the district. He lost by 25 points. 2008 was a missed opportunity as this District voted for Obama and Buck McKeon. Should you emerge as one of our candidates from this primary, are you expecting national & state support and funds from the Democrats? Why will your campaign be different in 2012 than the previous Democratic campaigns?

Rogers:  I’m running a serious campaign with top-notch consultants who currently advise 15 sitting Members of Congress. We’ve also got a great fundraising team with a very wide net, we’ve raised money from inside the district and from 49 states. I travel been back and forth to DC and the race is getting a lot of attention. I think we’ve met the criteria for the national organization to give us support.

SCVTalk: Most observers expect that Republicans will retain control of the House of Representatives following the 2012 election. If you are elected as part of a minority party, how will you go beyond just introducing legislation (As your website’s First 100 days section promises) to ensuring legislation important to CA-25 passes the House?

Rogers:  One has to learn to accomplish goals for the district when their party is in the majority or the minority. I’m not going to Washington to represent my party, but to get things done for the district. I think many of the things I proposed in My First 100 Days document (www.LeeRogers2012.com/first-100-days/) would have bipartisan support.

SCVTalk: Was the President’s Stimumuls Act in 2009 a success or a failure given that California still has more than 10% unemployment?

Rogers:  I don’t think the unemployment rate is a good metric for the full effect of the Stimulus. It did a lot more for than just try to boost employment, it directly helped the unemployed by extending unemployment benefits and subsidizing COBRA insurance. It created a tax credit of $400 per worker or $800 per couple for 2009 and 2010. It modified the AMT and the child tax credit. It also gave a $250 supplement to those receiving SSI, SSD, and veterans benefits. In addition to that, it funded projects to improve our infrastructure, gave tax credits to money losing small businesses, and funded bonds for construction of schools and economic development.

SCVTalk: You are running for office in a District with 40% of registered voters identifying as Republicans and 35% identifying as Democrats. Why should a Republican voter in CA-25 vote for you over Buck McKeon?

Rogers:  Again, I don’t believe in going to Congress to be a rubber stamp for one’s party. I would approach each issue as looking through the lens of what’s best for the district. Sure, my party affiliation is Democrat, but I’m fairly moderate. I’m pro-Second Amendment.

Dr. Lee Rogers

I believe in being fiscally responsible. You can’t spend more money that you bring it – I support a clean balanced budget amendment. Congressman McKeon has been one of the largest deficit spenders since going to Washington. Six Congressional actions are the major causes of our $15 trillion debt – Bush Tax cuts, Medicare Part D, Iraq War, Afghan War, the Bailout, and the Stimulus. I’m not arguing the merits of any one of the items, but rather that not a single one was paid for. Buck McKeon voted for 5 of the 6 (not the Stimulus). Basically he voted to take out our nation’s credit card, swipe it, and leave the bill for our children.

Buck McKeon is ethically challenged. His involvement in the Countrywide Mortgage scandal was referred to the Ethics Committee. He engages in nepotism in his campaign. His wife is the highest campaign paid congressional spouse in the country. She received over $550,000 from his campaign in the past 8-9 years. He pays other family members for services. He’s been accused of insider trading, with Corinthian Colleges stock and his mutual funds. He has a large sense of entitlement, like feeling entitled to tell you who to choose for city council, and of course, for the assembly race.

So, if you are a Republican and you care about being fiscally responsible and having a congressman who behaves ethically, I’d appreciate your vote.

ON THE WEB

Lee Rogers campaign site

Lee Rogers Facebook site

The latest in this sordid family dramady comes not from Patricia McKeon herself, but her campaign manager, who, really, even out here in the sticks, should know better than this:

Assembly candidate Patricia McKeon is not likely to speak at any more public forums in the Santa Clarita Valley, her campaign spokesman said Tuesday.

“I think we’re done with public forums,” Joe Justin said before a forum scheduled Tuesday evening by the League of Women Voters and the 34th District Parent-Teacher Association.

Her campaign strategy hinges now on meeting voters directly, he said.

“There are no undecided voters in this area,” Justin said, referring to the Santa Clarita Valley. “We’re now going to be talking to real voters.”

“We may do a forum in Simi Valley,” Justin said.

Foot. Meet mouth.

Already people are outraged on Facebook and have taken to calling Patricia McKeon “No Show Patty.” Just minutes ago, my Gmail inbox (a treasure trove of local political intrigue and angst), lit up with an ALERT from the local Tea Party Patriots group in reaction to Mr. Justin’s statement that SCVers aren’t real voters:

Alert – Patricia McKeon Thinks YOU are NOT a “REAL VOTER”

Patriots,

As we continue in our efforts to promote candidate forums and encourage voters educate themselves so they cast informed votes, one local candidate has released a statement to the Signal that they will not attend any further SCV forums because they will be talking to “real voters”  Given the unprecedented level of arrogance, we felt it appropriate to bring the story to your attention.

We have responded with a statement to her camp, which says “Although you feel the SCV voters are not REAL voters, we assure you we will do receive REAL ballots and they start arriving in the mail very soon.”

Ouch! One of either two things will happen: 1) Look for Justin to walk this statement back or 2)perhaps they really are abandoning the SCV and are going to focus solely on Simi Valley.

The problem with the latter is that I’ve heard voters in Simi Valley are taking that whole “Name recognition” thing that the McKeons are banking on to a whole other level not anticipated by Team McKeon: rumor is Simi voters are confusing Paul Strickland with Tony Strickland, and he may be ahead in polling there. If true, what delicious irony; Patricia McKeon jumps into the Assembly race with a massive name recognition advantage except in Simi, where their low-information voters evidently think the Strickland they know (Tony, who’s running for Congress in a new Simi-less Ventura district) is running for State Assembly. I’ve heard our Strickland (Paul, elected board member Hart District) is leading Patricia McKeon in the polls there! (Sidenote: Anyone care to speculate what Simi voters think of the news that Strickland has endorsed McKeon?!?!)

That lovely German word Schadenfreude applies here.

Speaking of Tony Strickland endorsing Patricia McKeon: with all the McKeon and City Council drama lately, it’s easy to  forget how the 6’4″ giant betrayed his friend, mentor and colleague Scott Wilk last week. I’ve come up with the perfect metaphor:

In case you don’t get the parallels, mentor Wilk is the wise, learned Obi Wan and young padawan Tony Strickland is the petulant, whiny Anakin. Just look at them, they used to battle Democrats and the Dark Side together!

On the one hand, Patricia McKeon’s answer to a voter’s question last night about budgeting & initiatives shows remarkable honesty. It wasn’t just “I don’t know,” or even a Palin-esque, “I’ll check on that for you Katie and bring an answer right back to ya.” Rather it was, “I have no idea.” Utter, complete bewilderment. Like that’s what I would have said if someone asked me for my opinion on 17th century French literature.

On the other hand, it was not a question about 17th Century French Literature. This was a soft-ball question, a gimmee. The voter wanted to know how Sacramento leaders will deal with the constant tug-of-war between what Californians want and what they are willing to pay for. This is a rich and juicy question, you can make of it whatever you want, really. Every two years, several propositions go on the ballot. Some are expensive. Many tie the legislator’s hands. And some we end up regretting. So how would Patricia McKeon, Assembly Member 38th District, handle such challenges in a state fallen from its former glory and scraping around for resources?

“I have no idea.”

Really? No idea? You couldn’t even toss in a “illegals are bankrupting us” or something about global warming being a fraud and AB32 or the bullet train initiative. Grocery bags, anyone? I mean come on, be creative!

Ouch.

But consider it could have been worse. As I saw Patricia’s confused look, I winced because I thought she might drift into Miss South Carolina 2007 territory, the pageant queen who should have said “I have no idea” rather than actually try to answer a question:

Maybe her advisers, worried that Patricia might say something silly like that, just advised her to be honest. And so I find that somewhat refreshing.

What’s not refreshing at all, however, is the allegations fresh on Facebook last night that Patricia McKeon or her staff may have copied nearly verbatim from a State Senator’s website on the topic of pension reform. Check it out:

What is it with plagiarism in this town? Do we self-select for lazy half-wits, or what is it?

But this is an even-numbered year and thus, we must hold an April election. Which means it is time for the 15% of us who actually vote to pass judgment on the City Council’s management and operation of the City of Santa Clarita over the last two years.

On the plus side of the column, there are reasons to be pleased with the City. Biggest among them, I think, is the city’s fiscal health after nearly four straight years of an anemic and contracting local economy. Think about it: our town has double-digit vacancy rates in many offices, industrial and retail properties, and scores if not hundreds of foreclosures, short-sales and other ‘distressed’ residential properties on the market. The Creekside dealers are a shadow of what they were five or six years ago, and despite some recovery in the last year, there are still several empty showrooms. People aren’t moving to the SCV like they once were; in fact we’re starting to see signs that school districts may have overestimated growth.

And yet through all this mess, the City of Santa Clarita has remained in the black. Staff at the City anticipated this years ago, ordered department heads to cut budgets and implemented a hiring freeze. Other cities limping from one financial disaster to the next, but here in the SCV? We’re building new libraries, new bike paths, and more. That’s not a small achievement. At the same time, it’s not an achievement I’m willing to credit entirely to Laurie Ender and Bob Kellar.

On the other hand, no one can deny that in the last two years, the City Council has become less receptive to the public’s voice and even antagonistic when big, controversial items appear on its agenda. The ink was barely dry on the exciting 2010 election when the Council voted to, in effect, make committee appointments permanent rather than term-limited. They followed up that unpopular move with something even more controversial: increasing to $1,000 the amount individuals could donate to City Council candidate campaigns, a move that blatantly favors incumbents and their powerful patrons.

Finally, of course, the library take over. Conceived of in early 2010, announced in June and passed by late August, the City’s library takeover against overwhelming opposition has to be one of the most controversial decisions in the City’s 25 year history. The City may have made the correct decision to seize the libraries and outsource their operation to a private, for-profit corporation, but they bulldozed through public opposition and ignored local protests and calls to slow down on their way to that decision.

They took an ends justifies the means approach, and in democracy,  the means are as important as the ends.

So, on balance, while I appreciate the remarkable way the City has weathered the recession, I believe the City Council and senior staff deserve a rebuke for the way in which they handled these high-impact, controversial items over the last two years.

And the best guy to deliver that rebuke is TimBen Boydston, alone. Loathed by some, loved by others, I believe Boydston will, if nothing else, at least bring some rigor, transparency & legitimacy to the management and decision-making process of the City. He’ll be the same guy he was in 2006 & 2007, when he became notorious for pestering staff with questions and digging deep into budgets and documents and meeting minutes. This is a man who will spend many hours each week working on behalf of us; TimBen will not be a part-time pushover as some on the City Council are.

A City Councilmember Boydston might even lend more legitimacy to the City Council when it makes big, important and controversial decisions. After all, if a new controversial ordinance passed muster with the nerdish, devils-in-the-details Boydston, for instance, what could City critics say in response?

And if Boydston throws a grenade in the middle of a vote on a what was an easy consent calendar item, so much the better. We the people benefit when there’s a bit of friction in our elected bodies to match the friction in our body politic. A City council isn’t supposed to be a smooth, friction-less rubber stamp for whatever the staff wishes; it’s supposed to be a place where the community hashes out disagreements, solves problems, and compromises.

I think TimBen is that guy and what’s more, I recommend you bullet vote for him. As we cover every time there’s an election, bullet voting is the best choice you can make if you want to help a challenger defeat an incumbent in an at-large race. Voting for Bob Kellar & Boydston only ensures that Bob Kellar finishes second and TimBen finishes third.  So tomorrow, bullet vote Boydston and let’s bring back some rigor and accountability to City Hall.

BOYDSTON CAMPAIGN SITE

FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE

By the way, does anyone else feel that the timing of the story (8 months after the fact, but the Sunday before the ballots are mailed) and the location of the story (front page, above the fold) seems to validate the “incumbency machine” premise of Mr. Myers.

A few years ago, I was skeptical of the conspiracy theorists who made note of the biennial flowering of good news in the spring concerning the City of Santa Clarita.

But the 2010 election season, plus a deeper understanding of what really goes on at City Hall, changed my mind. Step back in time with me, two years ago this month, when the non-stop happy good news fun train was tooting its horn at full speed.

• March 31, 2010: Santa Clarita among the top 20 fastest growing retail markets in all of California from 2003 to 2008 (yes the report covered pre-recession years but was reported on in 2010)
• March 9, 2010: Pandering to reactionary right wingers in the wake of Kellar-gate, City Council embraces the most restrictive and mean anti-immigration measures in the new, Tea Party fueled Congress. This just as the vote by mail ballots were hitting mailboxes (Sidebar: only Laurie Ender had the courage to vote against them)
• February 28, 2010 : The Signal cites a decrease in crime and misinterprets a whole bunch of other crime data in its editorial embracing and congratulating the City Council incumbents on their positive tenure. I HEART had a field day with that one
• March 5, 2010 : New Sheriff’s Station captain is a local SCVer. Two weeks later, he’s promising to crack down on massage parlors after a whisper campaign against the depraved and permissive incumbents begins
• February 2010: New renderings of the Newhall Library are released. It’s the first time we’ve seen them and I pounced on the critics and congratulated the City. hook line and sinker. Earlier in January City Manager Pulskamp talks up the “tremendous amenity” in Old Town.
• And of course who can forget the opening of the Cross Valley Connector within a week or two of the vote by mail ballots going out? The SCV’s Yellow Brick Road, our Silk Route to a bright, prosperous future, opened with giant novelty scissors, pomp, circumstance, the KHTS fire truck, and every City official you think of, in March 2010.
• March 3, 2010 : City releases public opinion poll of 500+ residents which finds “high levels of resident satisfaction on big picture issues handled by the City.” Alas, not all is well in the SCV for the survey reveals that we pine for a Cheesecake Factory above all else, and yet, don’t have one. The Signal lede on the survey? “A Slice Short of Heaven.” Who would vote against heaven?
• Johnny Pride: framed or not, railroaded or not, you be the judge. DA had to drop charges. Happened in March 2010

SCVTalkers will recall how Dr. Lee Rogers, a Democratic candidate in the 25th District open primary, was the SOLE bidder on a lunch with the Congressman at the COC Silver Spur Ball during the live auction fundraiser.  Dr. Lee hoped to use his plus 2 or 3 on the lunch to invite members of the press along with him for a sit down with Mr. McKeon.

Well, according to Dante Acosta and web postings from Dr. Lee, the Democratic hopeful could not schedule the lunch with the Congressman after numerous attempts, so candidate Acosta agreed to “take” the Congressman’s seat at the (lunch) table.

Here is the money quote:

“I know from firsthand experience the difficulty in obtaining a meeting with Congressman McKeon and the how frustrating it can be dealing with his office, so I decided to offer to have lunch with Dr. Rogers myself and he has agreed,” Acosta said. “I also told Dr. Rogers to invite any members of the media he wishes, I’m not afraid to speak in front of the press.”

The lunch summit is scheduled for March 27 and the press will be invited.  No word on if the Congressman will attempt to crash the party.