Three of the seven Democrats running for State Senate District 26 (which includes the Beach Cities, Palos Verdes Peninsula, and greater parts of Torrance) are calling themselves fiscally responsible or fiscally conservative. At least two of them are openly critical of the billion dollar bullet train boondoggle which Democrats in Sacramento have slowly turned against.
"Fiscally responsible" Dr. Vito Imbasciani has issued numerous fliers touting his desire to protect the middle class and protect college students from high tuition and diminished access to higher education. However, Imbasciani is also getting union endorsements and independent mailers on his behalf. Not just imprudent, but corrupting and corrosive describes such halted influence.
Richard Riordan has endorsed two other Democrats because he claims that they will cut the spending in Sacramento. He specifically calls Santa Monica school board member Ben Allen a fiscal watchdog. A the same time, Allen is advertising his tight friendship with liberal profligate spender retiring Congressman Henry Waxman, the same representative who declared "We're not broke!" despite trillions in national debt.
Manhattan Beach mayor Amy Howorth is showcasing her local experience on the Manhattan Beach School Board and the City council, where she fought against fraud and waste. Local leaders have to spend prudently, especially in Beach Cities, where the voters are always watching.
Still, does anyone really believe, that any one these Democratic candidates will enter the partisan fray of Sacramento and keep their word?
Unions are spending lavish sums to put candidates in place who will protect their interests, which often run counter to the fiscal necessities of running a state government within budget and cutting waste, fraud, and regulatory burdens.
Frankly, for Democrats to call themselves "fiscally responsible" makes about as much sense as Bush's "We have to suspend the rules of the free market to save it", or "If you like your health care plan, you can keep it" or Hillary Clinton's tone-deaf, insensitive "What difference does it make?" in responses to serious queries from US Senators regarding Benghazi.
There is one Independent, Seth Stodder, running for the state senate seat, who has not only Riordan's backing, but has taken no union money, and is the only candidate willing to talk about economic reforms. He deserves your vote on June 3rd and November 4th.