Ron Largent

If you did not attend the Shasta VOICES "Public Pension Forum" held on September

24th, you missed a truly historical event. Our distinguished panelists, representing all

sides of the debate on California's public pension system, had an impressive and invaluable

discussion about potential reform of the existing system, paving the way for similar

debate throughout the State.

The highly productive session proves that when people on all sides of the isle are able to

come together and listen to each other, they can actually find a way to work through viable

solutions. And all agreed that reform at the State level will be needed to bring the

current system back to sustainability (including Steve Allen, who represented the public

sector union employees). An initiative is being prepared by the California Foundation

For Fiscal Responsibility (CFFR) for next year's ballot that would reduce pension formulas,

raise retirement ages, and put a stop to costly abuses of the system for newly hired

public workers.

A good deal of thought was given to the actual "format" for the Forum. Our goals, after

securing our dream panel of experts, were to do these four things:

1. Avoid the town hall meeting environment to eliminate any disrespect for our panelists

(or anybody else). Only two of our Shasta VOICES Board members, Dave Scott

and Maureen Gaynor, were authorized to ask any questions.

2. Solicit and produce appropriate questions in advance that would educate, inform,

and simplify the complex subject matter for all persons attending. Allow our panelists

to view the questions two weeks in advance so that they would be prepared to

have such a discussion.

3. Produce a power point presentation that showed each question on a large screen as it

was being asked of our panelists for the benefit of the audience (we did have 7 panelists-

it could've been easy to forget the question before each had answered).

4. Additional questions could be written down during the panel discussion by the audience,

and passed along to our two authorized questioners.

To say we reached our goals is an understatement. We managed to stay focused and finish

on time, even with some additional audience questions. The format that we created

can serve as a model for future discussions for this and other sensitive subject matter.

But perhaps most importantly, we were willing to take the lead in promoting discussion

of public pension reform when nobody else has been willing to do so. It is all too easy to

sit back and wait for "somebody else" to do it because one lacks the personal fortitude to

stand up for what they believe in. We could all take a lesson from union employees and

their representatives. They never back away from what they believe is in their best interests,

and have no fear of taking a position, even if it becomes negotiable.

If and when the taxpaying citizens in California decide to stand up for themselves, only

then will we see public pension reform become a reality.

Ron Largent announces his candidacy to run for Shasta County Assessor-Recorder in 2010. Mr. Largent will address the local press and media to outline his platform:

"Keep Our Assessments Fair, Timely and Equitable"

Please join us at this historic event. Our friends from The Cafe' at Turtle Bay will offer a Patriotic Lunch Special. In addition, we will honor our country with a Flag raising, music and of course the press conference

Thursday, Oct 15th at 12 noon at Sundial Bridge adjacent to Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, CA. Y'all come!

For additional details, please look at www.largent2010.com

OK...so who will win the "big game". I thought to prepare for the game and to get a feel from what the experts are saying, I would check out the various sports writers and what they are saying about the game. All of this is from the web....but is good for us Cal fans, as well as Trojans.

It was supposed to be a matchup of top-10 teams. It was supposed to determine Pac-10 supremacy. It was supposed to signal an end of a 50-year drought - or the continuation of domination.

So much was expected be at stake in Saturday's California-USC game that even the skinflints on Tightwad Hill would be inspired to buy a ticket.

Jahvid Best only rushed for 30 yards in last year's meeting.

So much for that.

Instead, the much-anticipated clash with championship implications has become a desperate duel of survival.

That's what a couple of trips to the Pacific Northwest wrought. Two weeks ago, USC was upset 16-13 by Washington in Seattle. Last week, California was annihilated 42-3 by Oregon in Eugene.

As a result, USC's streak of seven consecutive Pac-10 championships is in jeopardy. And California's aspirations of making its first Rose Bowl appearance since the 1958 season are fading.

"We still believe in each other and we still believe in our goals," Cal senior tackle Mike Tepper said. "We have long-term goals. We can still achieve everything we want to achieve and still have a great season."

Of course, so can USC.

The Trojans are counting on a typically suffocating defense to contain explosive Cal running back Jahvid Best. USC also hopes its defense can compensate for the team's shortcomings on offense. Those shortcomings may be multiplied because of the loss of running back Stafon Johnson, who had to undergo seven hours of emergency surgery earlier this week when his larynx and windpipe were crushed in a freak weight-room accident.

USC ranks sixth in the country in total defense. The Trojans are especially stingy against the run, having allowed just 1.7 yards per carry. Last season, the Trojans held Best to 30 yards on 13 carries in a 17-3 victory.

"That's how we've played over the years," Trojans coach Pete Carroll said. "We have really fast guys that are playing smart and not giving up any easy things with mistakes and stuff like that. We have an experienced secondary and have the athleticism that makes for a good defense. We feel pretty good about it, and we're just getting going."

The Trojans can't feel as good about their offense. Although freshman quarterback Matt Barkley drew raves for directing a game-winning drive against Ohio State, he has been troubled by an injured shoulder. More troublesome for the Trojans is that they're converting just 25 percent of their third downs (11-of-44).

"We've always been a good third-down team, but we're not there right now," Carroll said. "Generally speaking, when you're playing a young quarterback, the red zone and third downs jump out at you. We have to clean things up and execute in those situations."

That may be more difficult without Johnson, the latest casualty in a rash of injuries for the Trojans. Johnson is USC's second-leading rusher and led the team with five touchdowns.

His injury, which was life-threatening, left his teammates stunned.

"He's one of the spiritual leaders of the group, and it hit everybody hard," Carroll said. "There's kind of a disbelief that something could happen like that in a controlled situation."

A feeling of disbelief also was permeating the atmosphere in Berkeley, but for dramatically different reasons. Cal posted three impressive victories to open the season and appeared every bit as good as the preseason hype suggested. Then came the blowout at Oregon, the Bears' worst loss in eight seasons under coach Jeff Tedford.

Tedford, making like a used-car salesman, claimed the lemon wasn't as bad as it looked.

"We were one step away from making a lot of plays, but we didn't get it done," Tedford said. "There were a lot of opportunities there. The first play of the game, we had a guy wide open running downfield but didn't get out of our stance and get a sack.

"It was a perfect example of 10 guys playing and one guy not getting it done. It's so important for all 11 players to do their jobs. We just took turns that day."

Cal had ranked 10th in the nation in run offense, but managed just 77 yards. Quarterback Kevin Riley was 12-of-31, the offensive line allowed five sacks and the defense gave up 524 yards.

"That's one game," Tedford said. "It's a game that's pretty significant and a game we didn't play well at all. Our team understands that is not who we are and we're capable of playing better."

Who gets the edge?

USC rush offense vs. California rush defense:
Elusive USC running back Joe McKnight has rushed for 354 yards and is averaging 7.5 yards per carry. But Stafon Johnson's absence is cause for concern. He provided a power element to the running game. USC is 16th in the country in rush offense, but more than a third of its rushing production (342 yards) was posted against San Jose State in the season-opener. Cal was gutted for 236 rushing yards by Oregon. Before that, the Bears had allowed just 187 yards in the first three games combined. Sophomore LB Mychal Kendricks leads in tackles with 40.
Edge: USC

USC pass offense vs. California pass defense:
Freshman QB Matt Barkley has had two solid games, but was inconsistent against Ohio State. He's thrown only one interception. WR Damian Williams is among the best in the nation. A big-play threat, he's averaging 16.1 yards on 16 catches. TE Anthony McCoy is averaging almost 23 yards on seven receptions. No other USC receiver has more than six catches. USC has allowed five sacks. Cal's secondary was considered among the nation's best entering the season, but the Bears allowed three touchdown passes last week and have allowed seven on the season. Cal is third in the nation with 17 sacks. DE Tyson Alualu leads with 3.5.
Edge: California

California rush offense vs. USC rush defense:
Cal's Jahvid Best is the most explosive running back in the nation, but he was held to 55 yards and no touchdowns in last week's loss to Oregon. He's the key to Cal's success; it's hard to see the Bears winning if the running game is stymied. In the Bears' three victories, Best rushed for 412 yards and eight touchdowns. Best was held to 30 yards in last year's 17-3 loss to USC. Shane Vereen has 148 yards as Best's backup. USC is allowing opponents an average of just 1.7 yards per rushing attempt. No opposing back has gotten close to 100 yards. LB Chris Galippo leads USC with 27 tackles.
Edge: USC

California pass offense vs. USC pass defense:
Questions persist about Cal QB Kevin Riley, who completed just 38.7 percent of his passes against Oregon. Riley has thrown five touchdown passes and no interceptions. WR Marvin Jones has star potential, but getting him the ball isn't easy. Cal has allowed 10 sacks. That doesn't bode well for facing the USC pass rush, which has posted 18 sacks - more than any team in the nation. But DE Nick Perry, who leads the Trojans with six, has a bruised knee and his status is uncertain. All-America FS Taylor Mays leads a secondary that has not allowed a touchdown pass.
Edge: USC

USC special teams vs. California special teams
Both teams have good return units but also shaky kicking situations. USC has done a nice job covering punts but a poor job covering kickoffs; Cal is the opposite. USC running back C.J. Gable averages 25 yards on kickoff returns and Williams averages 12 yards on punts. K Jordan Congdon has converted three of his five field-goal attempts. P Billy O'Malley averages 37.3 yards. Cal CB Syd'Quan Thompson has been a big-play threat on punt returns in the past, but hasn't broken free this season. Vereen averages more than 28 yards on kickoff returns, but don't be surprised if Best shows up on returns this week. K Vince D'Amato has hit only three of his six field-goal attempts, but he has made a 47-yarder. P Bryan Anger is among the best in the country. He averages 40 yards and has killed seven inside the 20.
Edge: California

Coaching staffs
USC's Pete Carroll is 7-1 against California. USC is 91-16 in nine seasons under Carroll and has won or shared the Pac-10 championship seven years in a row. He has new coordinators this season, and play-caller Jeremy Bates - who is not the offensive coordinator - has come under some criticism. Under Tedford, California has been transformed from a perennial also-ran to a Pac-10 contender. The Bears are 62-31in eight seasons under Tedford. Bob Gregory is a solid defensive coordinator, and the new offensive coordinator is Andy Ludwig, who was at Utah last season.
Edge: USC

X-factor:
How will the injury to Stafon Johnson affect the Trojans? He played a key role in the running game, but that's a secondary issue. Johnson is extremely popular among his teammates and his near-fatal weightlifting accident could inspire or distract them. G Jeff Byers said it would have a positive effect. "It anything, it's something we can use," he said. "Guys have every reason now to come out and refocus on why you love the game because you never when it can be taken from you." Perhaps, but such a traumatic incident also could prevent the Trojans from fully focusing on a football game, even an important one.

USC will win if:
The Trojans must contain Best, as they did a year ago. Protecting Barkley from the Cal pass rush also is a top priority. Watch their third-down conversions; the Trojans were 0-for-11 on third down in their loss to Washington.

California will win if:
Was last week's debacle as much an aberration as the Bears claim it is? Giving Best room to run is essential. Cal has to have a strong running game to keep Riley out of obvious passing situations. Meanwhile, the Bears must prevent big plays. An edge in turnovers also is a key. During Tedford's tenure, Cal is 37-4 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent.

This was on www.redding.com today, and it is important that this word gets out.....

Everett and Delores Dale knew something wasn't right when two men pulled up to their Enterprise-area home one day unannounced and told them they needed to get out.

Though the couple had lost their home to foreclosure on Sept. 2, the bank had not given the Dales a move-out date.

But the men in the pickup were persistent. They advised the Dales they were representing Bank of America and would return in two days to change the locks, 80-year-old Delores Dale recalled.

The Dales would later learn they nearly became victims of a scam popular in Southern California.

Posing as bank employees, the scammers go to a foreclosed home and give the occupant an ultimatum. Often, the victim will get scared and move out, leaving the house vacant. The scammers either move in or rent out the house until the bank catches on.

"In general, somebody who is being removed from the home - whether it's a squatter or a long-term tenant - there is a legal process the property owner must go through," said Redding attorney Tom Andrews, who specializes in elder and real estate law. "They (the owner) can't use self-help and they just can't show up on the doorstep and say, ‘You have to leave now.' "

Everett Dale, 81, said he became especially suspicious when the men couldn't give him a name of a bank official.

"I told them, ‘You're contracting with Bank of America and you don't have a name?' " said Everett Dale, a retired AT&T employee.

The Dales, who've lived in their house 12 years, called the bank and eventually spoke with an attorney in Southern California who told them about the scam. They were told the culprits hunt for victims by using foreclosure notices printed in newspapers.

The Dale's 44-year-old son, Veldon, said his parents had talked to so many people, in an attempt to save their house from foreclosure, that they were still seeking answers when the men showed up at their house.

"When you keep calling to try to get somebody and can't get an answer, it's real easy for a scam artist to step in and suddenly have the answer," Veldon Dale said.

The foreclosure process starts with a notice of default. That is followed 90 days later with a notice of sale, with the date the home will be sold at a public auction.

"After the sale date, the new owner can start eviction proceedings by sending a notice of quit," said Evan Westrup, a spokesman with the state Office of the Attorney General. "If somebody comes to the door claiming to be from the bank and telling the homeowner to leave, then the homeowner should demand proof that the bank now owns the home."

The proof certainly would have a contact number for the bank or the financial institution's attorney, Westrup noted.

Westrup explained that the scenario the Dales described is a scam that has appeared in a number of forms in areas affected by the foreclosure crisis throughout California.

"In that respect, local officials and the DA (district attorney) have often been the lead agencies," Westrup said.

An investigator with Shasta County's real estate fraud protection unit, created July 1, said Monday the office had not had any complaints about the scam that nearly victimized the Dales.

It seems like, with many of the folks that I talk with these days, the question comes up as to what is Proposition 13 and how does it apply to them. So, I looked up the Proposition, and here is what the best explanation that I could find says:

Proposition 13, officially titled the "People's Initiative to Limit Property Taxation," was a ballot initiative to amend the constitution of the state of California. The initiative was enacted by the voters of California on June 6, 1978. It was upheld as constitutional by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Nordlinger v. Hahn, 505 U.S. 1 (1992). Proposition 13 is embodied in Article 13A of the California Constitution.

The most significant portion of the act is the first paragraph, which capped real estate taxes:

Section 1. (a) The maximum amount of any ad valorem tax on real property shall not exceed One percent (1%) of the full cash value of such property. The one percent (1%) tax to be collected by the counties and apportioned according to law to the districts within the counties.

The proposition's passage resulted in a cap on property tax rates in the state, reducing them by an average of 57%. In addition to lowering property taxes, the initiative also contained language requiring a two-thirds majority in both legislative houses for future increases in all state tax rates or amounts of revenue collected, including income tax rates. It also requires two-thirds vote majority in local elections for local governments wishing to raise special taxes. Proposition 13 received an enormous amount of publicity, not only in California, but throughout the United States.

Passage of the initiative presaged a "taxpayer revolt" throughout the country that is sometimes thought to have contributed to the election of Ronald Reagan to the presidency in 1980. However, of 30 anti-tax ballot measures that year, only 13 of them passed.

A large contributor to Proposition 13 was the sentiment that older Californians should not be priced out of their homes through high taxes. The proposition has been called the "third rail" (meaning "untouchable subject") of California politics and it is not politically popular for Sacramento lawmakers to attempt to change it.

Should you have any questions on this subject, please contact me and we will spend time going over the details of Proposition 13. As with all issues, access to the Assessor-Recorder is critical to my Public Service and commitment to serve the public. This is another reason that I am running for Shasta County Assessor - Recorder in 2010. You, the taxpayer, deserve the right to know what our laws mean, in reality, to you and how they will impact you. Another reason to vote for Ron Largent for Assessor-Recorder in 2010. www.largent2010.com

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