• Tony Strickland

    California Senator Tony Strickland Adds Second Job – Pro Basketball Player

    March 25, 2009 /
    strickland and basketball

    California State Senator Tony Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks) in his Los Angeles Lightening uniform

    Well, Senator Strickland won’t be joining the Los Angeles Lakers but he will be joining the professional Los Angeles Lightening professional basketball team.

    State Sen. Tony Strickland will join the Los Angeles Lightning for its season debut, May 2, against the Edmonton Energy in the Gilbert Sports Arena at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks.

    “I’m excited about it,” said the Moorpark Republican, who stands 6-feet-5 and played hoops at Whittier College nearly two decades ago. “I’m as serious about my basketball as I am about my politics.”

    Strickland said he knows the Lightning’s owner, Mark Harwell, who was aware of the legislator’s love for basketball and invited him to join the team for one game, perhaps more.

    “It didn’t take me long to say yes,” Strickland said.

    The Los Angeles Lightning is a member of the professional International Basketball League, which began play in 2005.

    Flap supposes this is a healthy hobby for the near 40 year old Strickland and certainly will relieve the stress of State Capitol machinations. And, since the home games are here in Thousand Oaks, Ventura county voters will know where their Senator is on the weekends – on the Cal Lutheran court.

    The Lightning will play 14 of their 18 games at Cal Lutheran, starting on May 2-3 against the Edmonton Energy of Alberta, Canada. Games will start at 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 5:30 p.m. on Sundays. In the next two weeks, tickets will be available online at Ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets or to charge tickets by phone, call 800-745-3000.

    The Los Angeles Lightening schedule is here.

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    California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lightening Owner Mark Harwell and California Senator Tony Strickland

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  • Tony Strickland

    California Senator Tony Strickland Reports – March 17, 2009 Edition

    March 18, 2009 /
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    The website and full report is here.

    New Legislation introduced:

    • SB 37 Public Employees: Compensation
      Requires state agencies provide a secure, electronic means of viewing earning statements if the employee is enrolled in the direct deposit system. Provides that no paper copies will be distributed.
      Status: Referred to S. PERSS
    • SB 174 Public Safety Omnibus
      Makes technical and non-substantive changes to various code sections relating to public safety.
      Status: Introduced, eligible for committee on 3/17
    • SB 263 Local Government: Community Service Districts
      Provides the Santa Rita Hills Community Service District is authorized to limit access to roads it owns to landowners and residents.
      Status: Introduced, eligible for committee on 3/27
    • SB 326 Land Use: Housing Element
      Requires the housing element to include within the analysis of existing and projected housing needs a quantification of foreclosures and projected foreclosures and their impact on the housing needs and inventory.
      Status: Introduced, eligible for committee on 3/28
    • SB 344 Crimes Against Elder & Dependent Adults
      Criminalizes the theft by exploitation and theft by undue influence against an elder or dependent adult and increases the penalties for offenders with prior convictions of financial elder abuse.
      Status: Introduced, eligible for committee on 3/28
    • SB 685 State Boards & Commissions: Salaries: Suspension
      Prohibits members of a board or commission from receiving a salary if, in 2010 the salary is $100,000 or more and the board meets two or less times a month.
      Status: Eligible on 3/30
    • SB 739 Political Reform Act of 1974: Fundraising
      Prohibits the spouse or domestic partner of an elected official or candidate from receiving compensation for services in connection with fundraising for the benefit of the elected official or candidate.
      Status: Introduced, eligible for committee on 3/30
    • SB 744 Clinical Laboratories: Public Health Laboratories
      This bill would adjust the rate schedule for clinical laboratories.
      Status: Introduced, eligible for committee on 3/30.

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  • Tony Strickland

    California Senator Tony Strickland Opens Santa Barbara Office

    February 28, 2009 /
    Tony Strickland and Dennis Carpenter

    Senator Strickland talking with Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, Chief Deputy Dennis Carpenter who is the Chief of Police for the City of Thousand Oaks at the Camarillo, California  Marie Callenders, February 27, 2009

    In addition to the constituent outreach event in Camarillo earlier in the day, California state Senator Tony Strickland opened a new satellite constituent office in Santa Barbara.

    Read about it here.

    Located at 610 Anacapa St., Suite B-4, above the Melting Pot Restaurant, the modest office space will be the Thousand Oaks Republican’s base of operations when he travels to the Santa Barbara area.

    “To be a good representative you actually have to meet the people in your district that you represent,” said Strickland, whose 19th District includes large portions of Santa Barbara and Ventura vounties, and a smaller section of Los Angeles County. “I think it’s important to have a presence here in Santa Barbara so people know I’m going to be very accessible.”

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  • Tony Strickland

    Photo Essay: California Senator Tony Strickland Hosts Camarillo Community Coffee

    February 27, 2009 /
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    California State Senator Tony Strickland, (R- Thousand Oaks) greets community memebers to his citizen outreach event this morning in Camarillo, California

    As a part of his community outeach effort, Senator Strickland hosted an informal coffee (at the Camarillo Marie Callender’s restaurant) with a brief speech followed by a question and answer session. The public was invited.

    Here is the event in photos. (A reminder to all: these photos were all taken by Flap, are copyrighted, all rights reserved. The Creative Commons License for use is here.)

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    Senator Strickland “working the room” – going to every table and meeting every community member

    Tony Strickland and Dennis Carpenter

    Senator Strickland talking with Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, Chief Deputy Dennis Carpenter who is the Chief of Police for the City of Thousand Oaks

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    Senator Strickland discussing an issue with a constituent while his Chief of Staff, Chris Wangsaporn checks his Blackberry

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    Senator Tony Strickland makes a point during his brief speech

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    Camarillo community members listen to Senator Strickland including @Flap Twitter Follower and Friend @erickbrockway

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    The question and answer session: John Zaruka, President of Wedgewood Wedding & Banquet Center makes the point as to how increasing California taxes is hurting his business.

    During the event, Flap sat with Mike Osborn who is the Chairman of the Ventura County Republican Party. We discussed the ongoing technology rebuilding of the county party structure and outreach programs. Flap will have more on this at a later time.

    After 90 minutes, the event wrapped up and Senator Strickland was off to his opening of his new California State Senate district office in Santa Barbara later in the day.

    Strickland said he will be doing these community events every two weeks or so when the California Legislature is in session.

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  • Dennis Hollingsworth,  Tony Strickland

    Senator Tony Strickland Named New California State Senate Assistant Minority Leader

    February 26, 2009 /
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    State Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, foreground, shrugs his shoulders as he leaves a conversation with state Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, left, Jeff Denham, R-Merced, behind Ashburn, Tony Strickland, R-Thousand Oaks, and Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Temecula, right, at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Feb. 16, 2008

    In the GOP Coup that replaced Senator Dave Cogdill as California State Senate Minority Leader, it was little noticed that Flap’s own State Senator, Tony Strickland, ran for and lost the postion to Senator Dennis Hollingsworth. However, Strickland received the runner-up position: Assistant Senate Minority Leader.

    So, what does the job entail?

    As many as four races are on the target list for 2010 — the seats currently held by Republican Jeff Denham, and the ones being vacated by Democrats Dean Florez, Denise Ducheny. Republicans will also target Orange County Democrat Lou Correa.

    The job of raising money and focusing caucus attention on those races will fall largely to the new Assistant Majority Leader, Tony Strickland, who ran against Hollingsworth in the race to replace Cogdill.

    Strickland has his job cut out for him. But, watch Strickland’s integration of new media strategies, demographics and technology to bring these four seats into viable GOP contests.

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  • California Budget,  Tony Strickland

    Senator Tony Strickland’s Statement on the Passage of the California State Budget – Will Turn San Francisco and Los Angeles into the Detroit of the West

    February 19, 2009 /
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    State Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, foreground, shrugs his shoulders as he leaves a conversation with state Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, left, Jeff Denham, R-Merced, behind Ashburn, Tony Strickland, R-Thousand Oaks, and Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Temecula, right, at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Feb. 16, 2008

    From Flap’s California State Senator Tony Strickland:

    Today, the California State Legislature passed a budget that included a $70 billion dollar tax increase on California families and small businesses over the next five years. State Senator Tony Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks) voted against the budget and issued the following statement:

    “Today is a sad day for California’s hardworking families. Sacramento politicians have been overspending for years, treating the taxpayers of California as a personal ATM—and the funds are overdrawn.”

    “Tax increases do not, have not, and will not solve our budget crisis. After lawmakers raised taxes in 1991, revenues dropped. Higher taxes cost jobs.”

    “Tax increases will not bring small businesses back to our state. Tax increases will continue to chase vital jobs out of California at a time when we are critically in need of reversing our state’s high unemployment. With California already fourth in the nation in unemployment, I fear this budget will turn San Francisco and Los Angeles into the Detroit of the West.”

    The current budget now places California as the highest taxed state in the nation by increasing personal income tax by 0.25 percent, by doubling the car tax, by increasing sales tax by 1 percent, and by reducing the dependent credit from $299 to $99.

    Well, Tony, at least your conscience is clear in voting against this massive tax increase for California taxpayers.

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  • Tony Strickland

    Stop Treating the Taxpayers of California as a Personal ATM Says California GOP State Senator Tony Strickland

    February 18, 2009 /
    tony strickland feb 18

    State Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Temecula, right, talks with reporters after he was elected as the new Senate Minority Leader at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009. Hollingsworth replaced Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto as the Minority Leader. Also seen are state GOP Senators George Runner, of Lancaster, left, and Tony Strickland, of Thousand Oaks

    Quote of the Day from Flap’s California State Senator Tony Stickland:

    Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Thousand Oaks (Ventura County), said there should be more cuts in spending to show that Democrats are truly compromising, including targeting boards and commissions whose members make more than $100,000 a year and meet only once a month.

    “It’s time we stop treating the taxpayers of California as a personal ATM,” he said.

    Well said, Tony.

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