(From the nytimes.com) Senator Barbara Boxer of California and her Republican opponent, the businesswoman Carly Fiorina, sparred in their first – and perhaps only – debate on Wednesday night, with jobs taking a front seat in a state rife with economic problems. (more…)

(From the latimes.com) A federal judge in San Francisco decided today that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry, striking down Proposition 8, the voter approved ballot measure that banned same-sex unions. U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker said Proposition 8, passed by voters in November 2008, violated the federal constitutional rights of gays and lesbians to marry the partners of their choice. His ruling is expected to be appealed to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and then up to the U.S. Supreme Court. (more…)

With unemployment skyrocketing and the country recovering slowly from a painful recession, job creation is the catch phrase of the 2010 election. Every candidate, it seems, has a program to put people back to work. California’s gubernatorial candidates, Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown, each have plans they say will help create jobs. Here’s a look at what each proposes to do. Most proposals would require approval by the Legislature. (more…)

The following is the latest video from Nota FerryFan and are highlights and commentary from SCV’s July 13, 2010 City Council Public Hearing. This is a must see video of local residents speaking out against the 4 City Council members, or the 4 horseman of the Apocalypse, that voted to approve the raising of campaign contribution limits. You can view the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-5V6AM1edg

(From the Signal) The Santa Clarita City Council raised campaign contribution limits to $1,000 this week, despite explosive public commentary from dozens of residents who opposed the move. Some of the speakers stormed out as four out of five council members gave their “yes” votes. Councilman Bob Kellar voted against the move. (more…)

(From the nytimes.com) At first blush, the 19 pages of financial disclosures that Meg Whitman filed earlier this year for her run for governor of California are a humdrum blur of ordinary, if sizable, investments — until one for more than $1 million in an “entertainment/production” company called “Tools Down! Productions.” (more…)

(From the sacbee.com) Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer’s job performance rating has fallen to a near record low, though she maintains a narrow, three-point lead over Republican rival Carly Fiorina in the U.S. Senate race, according to a Field Poll released today. (more…)

(From the nytimes.com) A former Justice Department lawyer hired during the Bush administration alleged on Tuesday that the department scaled down a voter-intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party last year because his former colleagues do not want to protect white people’s civil rights. (more…)

Since the City Council election is long over and there is still controversy continuing we decided to run this column again to showcase the incestuous relationships the local “newspaper” has with the City of Santa Clarita. There was a great response to it the first time around and we hope that local residents will contemplate the substance of this commentary. Especially in light of the information published here on The Beacon regarding Marsha McLean being chauffeured around by City staffers and other issues surrounding the City Council incumbents. None of those allegations have ever been investigated by The Signal and you can count on that paper to endorse and defend the City of Santa Clarita and the current Council regardless! (more…)

(From the sacbee.com) One gubernatorial campaign employs nearly 70 people and contracts with dozens of others as it spares no expense finding new ways to craft and broadcast its messages. Another relies largely on the spontaneity of its candidate with minimal infrastructure and almost nothing in the way of marketing dazzle. (more…)

A measure to ban the state from dipping into local government coffers to balance the budget has secured a spot on the November ballot. The Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Protection Act of 2010 would prohibit the state from borrowing or redirecting cash from local government property taxes, gasoline taxes, local transit and redevelopment funds and other locally issued taxes to close a state budget gap. (more…)

At the Tuesday, June 22, 2010, Santa Clarita Clity Council meeting Frank Ferry’s proposal to to reform the city’s campaign finance laws passed with a 4 to 1 Council vote. Councilman Bob Kellar was the only council member to truly represent the city voters by casting the only no vote against this misguided change. What’s funny is that this change will now come back to haunt them in next council electuion because they didn’t tyhink it all the way through! Councilman Ferry is trying to set the stage for the next Santa Clarita City Council election by attempting to reform the current city campaign-finance laws. You can bet that this has nothing to do with creating an even playing field or making future campaigns fair for all. No, Ferry is up to his old dirty tricks again and the City Council needs to reject this proposed change to the campaign-finance laws or be viewed as complicit in election trickery. (more…)

Those watching our local politics during the last few elections have witnessed the big money and outside interests that are increasingly buying our City Council elections.  At last, Santa Clarita is succumbing to the dubious campaign financing schemes that ruined countless L.A.-area cities before us. Up until now, the Political Action Committee (PAC) called Citizens for Integrity in Government has been the method of choice for these massive expenditures, allowing companies like G&L Realty to buy Laurie Ender’s deciding vote for $30,000 in 2008, and then provide tens of thousands of dollars more as a “Thank You” for the three incumbents in 2010.  And things are about to get worse. (more…)

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean Logan reported an initial estimate of outstanding ballots to be processed during the election canvass period.  The RR/CC estimates that 149,174 ballots remain to be processed, after the semi-final Election night tally.  The initial estimate includes outstanding Vote by Mail ballots and Provisional ballots.  Outstanding Vote by Mail ballots will be processed, qualified, and tallied during the Canvass period. (more…)

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean Logan announced semi-final election results for the June 8, 2010 Primary Election with 100% of the precincts reporting, 19.57% of eligible registered voters cast ballots in Los Angeles County. A total of 852,153 ballots were processed and counted on Election Night. This included 239,769 Vote by Mail ballots and 612,384 polling place ballots cast at the 4,822 voting precincts throughout the county. (more…)

(From the latimes.com) California Republicans reached for history in Tuesday’s primary elections, as Meg Whitman claimed the party’s nomination for governor and Carly Fiorina won the GOP race for the U.S. Senate, results that gave women the Republican nominations for the two most powerful statewide political offices for the first time. (more…)

(From the AP) Property owners who renovate their buildings to withstand earthquakes won’t have to pay property taxes on the improvements. California voters on Tuesday approved Proposition 13 by a margin of 85 percent to 15 percent with 9 percent of precincts reporting. (more…)

(From the nytimes.com) Hoping to fix a system many Californians view as fundamentally broken, voters Tuesday moved to radically alter the way they pick their candidates for state and Congressional offices by eliminating traditional primaries in favor of a new, and largely untested, system. (more…)