An Open Letter to Diane Harkey
September 17, 2013
Assemblywoman Diane Harkey
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Assemblywoman Diane Harkey:
Yesterday, I, along with several other journalists, incorrectly reported that you filed a $5 million lawsuit against state Senator Mark Wyland, R-San Diego, for defamation, presenting in a false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress. I acknowledge now that “only a portion of my statement is true.” Continue reading
Former Assemblyman Van Tran
Photo: OC Register
Scott Lay’s Nooner tracks potential candidates for State-level elected offices. Today he speculates on former Assemblyman Van Tran’s interest in returning to Sacramento:
Loading ...With Michelle Steel termed out from her State Board of Equalization seat and running for Orange County Board of Supervisors, there are two major contenders running for Steel’s BOE seat: State Senator Mark Wyland (R-Escondido) and State Assemblywoman Diane Harkey (R-Dana Point). Wyland and Harkey represent overlapping districts, with Harkey representing South Orange County in the Assembly and Wyland representing both South Orange County and North San Diego County in the Senate, according to the OC Political blog. Continue reading
California’s career politicians are already scrambling for new jobs in the upcoming 2014 elections. One office that is often overlooked is the the State Board of Equalization (BOE), a public agency charged with tax administration and fee collection in the state of California in the United States.
The areas of authority of the Board fall into four broad areas: sales and use taxes, property taxes, special taxes, and acting as an appellate body for franchise and income tax appeals (which are collected by the Franchise Tax Board). The BOE is the only publicly elected tax commission in the United States.
The BOE Directors are elected by district. There are four districts. Here in Orange County we are represented in the Third District, by Michelle Steel, a Korean-American leader in the California Republican Party. She is going to term out and will be running for the seat currently held by Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach. Continue reading
Scott Lay’s Nooner from today writes on some Orange County pols and races:
Readers wrote passionately that Assemblymember Diane Harkey “is definitely” running for SD36, while others wrote that it was “certain” that she is running for the Board of Equalization seat being vacated by Michelle Park Steel. What we know is that she is holding a fundraiser in March at which donors can choose which committee to deposit their wares.
Editor’s note: Michelle Steel has announced she’ll be running for 2nd District County Supervisor in 2014. John Moorlach is termed out.
Termed-out state senator Mark Wyland is eyeing the BOE seat and has $167,000 on hand for the race (and nowhere else to go). Harkey has $10,090 on hand. There’s likely some ballroom dancing going on to see how everything shakes out. Also actively seeking the seat is former senator Tom Harman ($76,767 on hand). Former senator Dick Ackerman and former Assemblymember Van Tran also have BOE3 committees, but have $0.00 on hand and haven’t been actively raising money (and likely aren’t running).
Editor’s note: Ackerman has also applied for the OC Clerk-Recorder’s job per a recent OC Register story.