McCarthy: Small Business Tax Cut would aid the jobs producing economy and offset burdensome Obama regulations

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield and House MajorityWhip, weighs in from Capitol Hill with his weekly column. In his words:


 "This past week, as the deadline passed for families and small businesses in our community to file their taxes and send their hard-earned dollars to Washington, we continue to see the need for our government to be smaller and more effective. With March unemployment in California at 11% – and at 15.9% here in Kern County – we know that we still need more private sector jobs and more economic growth. How do we do that? We should look at a comparable time in recent history and look at who the job creators are.

  "From the end of the last recession in 2001 to the beginning of this recession, jobs increased and the economy was strong, as was the housing market. Seven million of those jobs were created by small businesses – big corporations actually cut a million people from their payrolls. In fact, small businesses make up 99.7% of total private sector employment in America, and are responsible for 65% of all new job creation. These are America’s job creators. Instead of increasing taxes and burdening them with new unnecessary regulations, they should be able to keep more of what they’ve earned to invest and grow their businesses.

  "Unfortunately, because of the President’s and Congressional Democrats’ misguided tax-and-regulate policies, small businesses and entrepreneurs have been sapped of the capital and investment that they need to be able to expand and hire more employees. As House Majority Whip, I am continuing to focus on bringing relief to small businesses and hard-working families, and I was pleased that the House passed the Small Business Tax Cut Act (H.R. 9) this past week. This bill would allow small businesses to deduct 20% of their annual earnings so that they can keep more of their own money to invest in expansion and continue to put people back to work locally and across the country.

  "The Small Business Tax Cut Act is a step in the right direction towards pro-growth tax policies that broadens the tax base, gives investors more certainty, and keeps taxes lower for all Americans.  Instead of the Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats continuing to threaten to raise taxes, cause more uncertainty in the economy, and hold our job creators back, I am working with my colleagues to support these tax reforms to simplify our tax system so that our economy can prosper.

  "Our economy was built on the belief that with a good idea and the willingness to take a risk and work hard, one can have the opportunity to succeed. All of the statistics, the facts and the history of America show us that our economy is the strongest when small business is strong. Small businesses create the jobs in this country, so we must ensure they can remain competitive. The Small Business Tax Cut Act is another step as we continue to work to ease regulations and reject tax increases on American families and entrepreneurs.

April ushers in the charity fund raising season and Karen Goh will appear on Californian Radio to talk about her campaign for supervisor

* ... FUND RAISER: If it's April it means the charity fund raising season must be in full swing. I stopped by one of the fund raisers for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Saturday evening, a French-themed roving party held at the homes of Ken and Teri Jones, Brent and Anna Dezember and Gary and Bettina Belter. These events are always spectacular and they raise a lot of money for good causes throughout our community. Among those I spotted at the CASA party were David and Catherine Gay, Gregg and Fran Gunner, Bob and Betty Stine, Jeanne and Michael Young, Pam Giumarra, Linda Sullenger, Colleen McGauley, Greg and Mary Bynum, Rick and Cindy Jones, Cindy and George Meek, Jim and Jeanne Filbrandt, Sue and Herb Benham, Jan and Joe Drew and Bill and Holly Lazzerini, among others.


* ... KUDOS: Hats off to the hundreds of people who fanned out across town on a chilly Saturday to participate in the Great American Cleanup Day. If you ever doubt the goodwill of our community, it will be dispelled when you see so many young people volunteering their time for a good cause.

* ... GOOD DEED: Lois Ernst wrote to share a random act of kindness. "My daughter and some friends were recently in the drive thru at our local Chick Fil A. They placed their order, which came to about $24, got up to the window to pay and were informed that the customer in line behind them had already paid for their order. They were amazed and delighted that a stranger would do that! Bakersfield is a nice play to live, contrary to all the 'bad lists' we seem to end up on." Amen to that Lois.

 * ... FIFTH DISTRICT: One of the more interesting local elections this year is in the Fifth District county supervisor race where appointed incumbent Karen Goh faces a stiff challenge from former public defender Leticia Perez. Join me at 9:30 a.m. Monday when Goh will be my guest on Californian Radio KERN 1180. I will also be talking about the controversy over Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen's dig at Ann Romney because she has never held a steady job. But isn't raising five boys a job enough? Haven't we moved pass this type of flagrant attacks on women who choose to stay at home and raise their children?

* ... SMALL THINGS: Isn't it amazing how small things move us and change our lives? Yet another reader, Susan Peninger, wrote to say she too has a special plant that was given to her by a special friend. In this case the friend is Cecil Hall, the mother of Mayor Harvey Hall. "She is my aunt, Cecil Hall, who gave me an Aloe Vera plant she had in her College Height’s yard a few years before she passed away.  I love that plant that still lives on my La Cresta patio, not far from whence it came. More than likely thought she had moved that plant with each move before its stint on Baylor when she passed it along to me.  I understand the attachment to readers’ Camellia and rose bushes; I treasure the Aloe Vera plant because it reminds me of my fun-loving, always entertaining, Aunt Cecil.  I know for certain, she and Uncle Pete would be over the moon proud of their son, the mayor."

 * ... ZIPPY: For you old timers who remember Zippy the clown on local TV, Chuck Walker (formerly of Bakersfield and now of Doha, Qatar) says Zippy "was a real dwarf that appeared on the George Day Show, one of the afternoon shows on one of the local TV stations in the 1960s. The Uncle Woody show was a decade later on channel 29 and featured Woody Bryant who owned the Toy Circus, and his sidekick Chester the clown. Chester was played by Steve Hanson, among others.  Chester and his sometime sidekick,  22nd, (named for 22nd  Chester,  the location of the huge toy store in the old Three-Way Chevrolet showroom) would appear at parties and BBQs.  22nd was played by local attorney Bruce Blythe."

McCarthy: Overregulation and overspending are killing growth in California and is putting businesses in jeopardy

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield and House Majority Whip, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "Bakersfield is home to many family-owned businesses that have shaped our community.  Businesses like Smith’s Bakeries, Clerou Tire Company, and Dewar’s Ice Cream and Candy Shop are often mentioned.  But there are many others, like the story of Jona Feil and Marvin Bartel who saw potential here in Bakersfield. In 1965, Jona and Marvin founded a weed and insect control business with one spray rig and one worker. Soon, Abate-A-Weed expanded into selling chemicals and lawn and garden equipment, and today, the Feil family employs 36 people and remains a long-standing equipment and pesticide service supplier in our community.

"My fear is that today’s Jonas and Marvins won’t be able to get off the ground in California. And simply put, California is not the model Washington needs to follow.  I’ve lived in Bakersfield my whole life, and in almost 47 years, I’ve watched California’s business climate continue to worsen.   Overregulation, overlitigation and overspending have driven our state into debt, joblessness, and soaring fuel and food costs that are hurting families and local small businesses.  In fact, a recent survey released by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) indicated that high gas prices are seriously affecting small businesses and decreasing optimism about the economy.

"Many of our small business owners this past week shared with me the impact rising gas prices are having their small businesses. One local small business owner said that as a result of gas prices surpassing $4.00 per gallon, the amount he spends on fuel now exceeds his payroll costs.  These local experiences are the reasons I continue to push policies for more domestic energy production.  We need energy for America, from America.

The new pro-growth energy policy package that I released last week would help provide needed relief to families and small business owners by providing a true “all-of-the-above” strategy to stabilize rising gas prices. I urge the President and my Democratic colleagues to take up this legislation - as well as the six other energy bills that have been passed by the House and are currently stalled in Democratic-controlled Senate - to help lower the cost of energy, spur economic growth, and create new American jobs.

"The recent provision in the JOBS Act that I authored – and has been signed into law by the President - repeals an outdated Securities & Exchange Commission regulation limiting capital formation to help entrepreneurs access the capital they need to grow and hire new workers.

"I believe the right policies for our economy’s recovery start here with our local small business owners.  The economic success of our nation and California rests on the foundation built by innovators in our community. The success story of the Feil family is one that our nation, state, and community need to replicate.

Eureka Burger prepares to open in the Southwest and saying goodbye to Warren Haupt

 * .... NEW EATS: Looks like the new Eureka Burger restaurant in the Southwest is getting ready to open. Located next to the relatively new Chipotle off Stockdale Highway at the Park at Riverwalk, the Fresno-based burger chain has been training its employees and is looking at opening as early as next week. Knowing our town, you can expect a mad rush when it opens. Eureka Burger offers specialty beers and gourmet hamburgers.

* ... HAUPT: The funeral for long-timer local businessman Warren Haupt, who died earlier this week at the age of 83, is being held today (Friday) at St. Francis Church. John Croson is one of the many people in town who considered Warren a friend, and he passed along this note to me. "I had the pleasure of meeting Warren during our Health for Life class at Glinn and Giordano Physical Therapy.  I always looked forward to the class because Warren was so much fun to spar with about all subjects of life. We solved a lot of USA and world problems if only someone else had listened!  He was just a lot of fun to be around and I am sure all who knew him will miss him greatly…  His family was always in his thoughts and he told me many stories of the adventures and times they spent together and the achievements his children and grand children had obtained.  He was so proud of his family and inspired by all they did. Warren, thanks for sharing a little of your life with me and may you rest in peace."

* ... BAKERSFIELD SOUND: One local resident who visited the Bakersfield Sound exhibit in Nashville is Dave Rangel, who recommends it highly. "Coming into  Nashville there were billboards with the pictures of Buck and Merle at the end of the famous Bakersfield arch. Even city buses had the arch on them. I am even more proud of Bakersfield after visiting the exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame. People in Nashville always ask where and why you are visiting Nashville, of course after they open the door for you. You tell them, 'from Bakersfield,' and they think you know Buck and Merle. What a great town to visit."

* ... SPCA: If it's spring, it's time to do a little house cleaning and take all those books and music to the local SPCA for its annual book sale. SPCA spokesman Chuck Nordstrom said the annual SPCA book sale will run from April 27 to May 26. "Now is the time to clean out your closets and make a donation that will not only rid you of clutter but make a difference in helping to save the lives of stray and abandoned pets," Nordstrom said. "All donations are tax deductible. To donate you can simply take your books up to our book sale location, 3501 Mall View Road near the old Michael's store. This is our largest fundraiser of the year!"

 * ... VOTE: Speaking of animals, the Kern County Animal Shelter needs our help to win $100,000 in the Rachel Ray challenge to help shelters across the country. All you have to do is go to www.votetosavelives.org and vote for the Kern County shelter. We are currently in 10th place but within a few hundred votes of jumping up in line. The voting ends Monday.

* ... BURBS LOSE APPEAL: Apparently our country's romance with living in the suburbs is coming to an end. At least that's what USA Today reported after reviewing Census data which shows more people living closer to the inner city than ever before. Why? More folks are renting (thanks to foreclosures), gas prices are making living in the suburbs more expensive and high unemployment is driving more folks to where the jobs are.

RIP Warren Haupt and more on Smithsonian magazine's spotlight on Bakersfield Basque tradition

 * ... BASQUE: Thanks to Mayor Harvey Hall for passing along a copy of the recent Smithsonian magazine that featured a nice spread on Bakersfield and our Basque restaurants. Written by travel writer Jonathan Gold and called "The Basque Revolution," it singles out places like Wool Growers, Benji's, the Pyrennes Cafe and the Noreiga Hotel, as well as several Basque eateries in Nevada. Said Gold: "I loved the Nevada restaurants. But still, I couldn't wait to get back to Bakersfield, which feels like home." He also visited Dewar's, which he described as "maybe the best unreconstructed ice cream parlor in the country, famous for its banana splits and its peanut butter chews." (photo courtesy of the Smithsonian magazine)

 * ... RIP WARREN HAUPT: Our community lost one of its great characters this week with the death of Warren Haupt at the age of 83. Warren and his wife, Catherine, had five boys, all of whom turned out to be productive citizens with families of their own. The Haupts are a large, Catholic family with strong ties to Our Lady of Perpetual Help school and Garces Memorial High School. Warren grew up in Bakersfield, attended Kern County Union High School and later managed Kern Rock Company for 30 years. Services will be held at St. Francis Catholic Church on Friday at 10 a.m. Keep his widow Catherine, and this special family in your thoughts.

* ... MORE MEMORIES: Reader Rod Kearns wrote in response to an earlier post about a Camillia bush that traveled with a family for many years. His note: "I read your blog each day it is in the paper and enjoy it immensely. The note about Camellia memories prompted memories of my own.  Our little rose bush's life is ten years short of the camellia's life, but this bush will certainly outlive us. Our family moved from Sanger to Fresno when I was ten years of age. To celebrate our new home I rode my bicycle a couple miles to a nursery and purchased a miniature rose bush. My parents planted the bush in our family garden where it thrived. When my wife and I moved to Bakersfield in late 1970, my parents transplanted the bush for us as a gift for our new home south of Bakersfield College. Seventeen years later we built our current home further east of BC and the rose bush went with us. It has adorned our entry flower bed for twenty-five years. We love the small pink blossoms and the memories are grand.  This little rose bush has been with us in three locations for 56 years."


* ... GOH: Four-time Pro Bowl football player Joey Porter and wife Christy are hosting a fund raiser for county supervisor Karen Goh in her bid to win a full term. The Porters will be opening their home on April 27 with food and entertainment. Call (661) 322-2225 if you are interested in tickets. Goh is running against former public defender Leticia Perez for the 5th District seat.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Kurt Seeger says you may be a Bakersfield old-timer "if you remember Uncle Woody and his Toy Circus toy shop on Chester Avenue. He also would perform, with his sidekick, Zippy, at private birthday parties."

A near perfect Easter weekend and Urner's debuts the new Sous Vide cooking appliance

* ... EASTER WEEKEND: Hard to beat the weather over the long Easter weekend. On Sunday, all the parks were crowded and families were enjoying the spring-like weather. And shame on you if you missed First Friday when the streets and sidewalks of the downtown arts district were brimming with revelers. Among those I spotted in the crowd were Karen DeWalt, Linda Sullenger, Greg and Mary Bynum, Rob and Amanda Meszaros, Molly and Matt Clark, Karen Goh, Lisa Verdugo, Katy and John Glentzer, Joe and Mimi Audello, Nicole St. John and Bob Grewdson, Pat and Robin Paggi and Vicki Cruz.

* .... CAMILLIA MEMORIES: Zelma Lopez dropped me a wonderful note to share the story of a camellia plant that has been in her family since 1945. In 1942, she married into a Tulare family that had five sons, all of whom served in World War II. After the war, the boys bought their mother a small, white camellia bush for Mother's Day. "When the last of the family left Tulare by 1956 we moved the plant to our southwest Bakersfield home." The plant survived and to this day she enjoys "the beautiful flowers from a plant that is taller than the house. Precious memories!"


* ... KUDOS: Hats off to Joseph Schoorl who is graduated from George Washington University Law School in May. Schoorl graduated from St. Francis and went on to Garces Memorial High School where he was a valedictorian. He did his undergraduate work at UC Berkeley and has accepted a job with the law firm of Baker and McKenzie in Washington, D.C., His parents are Cindy and Andy Schoorl.

 * ... SOUS VIDE: I have one of the smaller kitchens in town so when my friend Steve Illingworth, manager of Urner's Appliance Center, tipped me off to a new cooking appliance my first thought was: 'and where am I going to store it?' But Steve appreciates my love of cooking, has excellent taste  and I came home with the new Sous Vide vacuum sealer and water oven that - when all was said and done - made one of the best pork tenderloins I've ever tasted. Sous vide is a slow cooking method that low-temperature water poaching with food packaged in vacuum sealed bags. The idea is that the food is cooked for a long time at the exact right temperature. Thanks Steve, for making my Easter weekend special.

* ... TAX FRIENDLY: If you are thinking about retiring, you might want to consider moving to a more tax friendly state. Marketwatch recently listed the most "tax friendly" states for retires, defining tax friendly as "states that don’t tax income, including Social Security and pension income. And then we added some commentary from the Tax Foundation about other taxes, such as property and sales, and the overall tax burden, in those income-tax friendly states." The winners were Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming, Texas, Florida and Washington.

McCarthy: Obama puts special interests and politics above the American people

 "Rep.  Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) submits his weekly view from Capitol Hill.

 "California has always been a leader in energy development, production and technology. The oil we produce right here in Kern County accounts for over 80% of California’s total - one tenth of all U.S. oil production – and we are leaders in wind, solar, and geothermal technologies. But under the Obama Administration’s failed energy policies, we’ve fallen behind. As gas prices soar past $4.00 per gallon locally, we can see that we desperately need an energy agenda focused here in America.

The day President Obama was inaugurated in January 2009, the average price of gas was $1.84 per gallon. Today - after this Administration’s three-year-long war on domestic energy - the national average for a gallon of gas has more than doubled to $3.90 per gallon, with no signs of letting up.

Hardworking American families can’t afford more economic hardship coming from an Administration that seemingly prioritizes the interests of political allies and special interests over taxpayers. From canceling important offshore leases to gambling billions of taxpayer dollars on politically-connected companies like Solyndra to vetoing the Keystone Pipeline, this Administration claims to support all-of-the-above energy strategy but pushes none-from-below policies that have placed a tremendous financial burden on American families and small businesses, impeding our economic recovery.

I believe the way to address our current energy challenges is by producing energy here in America.  That is why this week, I introduced a new set of pro-growth energy initiatives that will help grow our economy, create American jobs, and lead us to energy independence. My House Republican colleagues are fighting for these critical legislative steps that will address rising gas prices, unshackle our domestic energy resources for environmentally sound oil production, and create a friendlier regulatory environment for innovative renewable and alternative energy technologies.

This energy policy package includes measures to freeze job-killing regulations the Obama Administration has slapped on refineries, expedite responsible oil and natural gas production permitting on federal land, and remove the bureaucratic red tape that hampers domestic production. A true all-of-the-above energy strategy, this plan will help increase production and supply to bring fuel costs down, spur economic growth and create jobs here at home.

Vice President Biden recently said that Democrats’ energy policy is “the best it’s ever been.” I disagree, and I invite the Vice President and Congressional Democrats to consider these new House Republican energy initiatives, and also the six bills currently lying dormant in the Democratic-controlled Senate that would help stabilize the price of energy and put Americans back to work.

"We have the opportunity to be the world’s energy leader. Kern County has always played a central role in energy production in our state and in our nation. I will continue fighting to secure America’s energy future and Kern’s leading role in traditional and alternative energy development and production.  By choosing to maximize the abundant natural resources that are available to us in a responsible, effective way, we can put America on a path to energy security and lasting economic growth.

Get ready for the Amgen Tour of California and who was the woman stealing the snap dragon from the gas station?

 * ... AMGEN: I stopped by Rabobank Arena earlier this week for the kick off reception of the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race coming in May. Kerry Ryan, owner of Action Sports and one of the key drivers in getting this prestigious race back to Bakersfield, predicted 30,000 people will line the Panorama bluffs to watch the May 17, State 5 time trial showcasing some of the world's best cyclists. Spotted in the crowd were Rabobank's Andy Peterson, local attorney and cycling booster Jay Rosenlieb, City Manager Alan Tandy and wife Kate, City Councilman and supervisor candidate David Couch, Memorial Hospital's (and city councilwoman) Sue Benham, City Councilman Harold Hanson, KBAK TV sales manager Scott Meeks, Action Sports' Sam Ames and wife Andrea, City Councilman and State Senate candidate Rudy Salas, KBAK reporter Keisha Courtney, and David Lyman of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

* ... SPOTTED: Gail Oblinger submitted this eyewitness account of some really bad form about town. "The gas station at the corner of Mt. Vernon and University has flowerbeds filled with a lovely selection of spring blooms. While passing in my car Sunday, I noticed a woman bent over with her hands in the flowers and I thought. 'What a shame, she looks like she is picking some.' After I had finished my errand and drove back down the same way, there she was walking along the street. It was worse than I had thought. She had not picked some flowers, she had completely dug up a good sized, yellow snapdragon plant, and was carrying it upside down by the root ball!"

 * ... OVERHEARD: At Trader Joe's recently an impatient woman is heard complaining to her boyfriend about the customer in front of her: "The woman is writing a check and it's taking forever! Nobody writes checks anymore!"


  * ... LAST WISH: This may be highest compliment if you own a restaurant. The Home Depot Rosedale taco stand, owned by Yvonne Torres for the past three years, is well known for its chile verde. But not even owner Yvonne Torres could dream it might be a dying man's last wish to dine on your chile verde. Torres said she was approached at her taco stand by a strange woman recently. "She had been crying and said her father was dying... in the morning her father had Pappy's for breakfast, for lunch he wanted Cafe Med, for a snack he wanted Dewar's ice cream and for dinner he wanted chili verde from Home Depot. Now I feel honored my chili verde was chosen for a man's dying wish... I am truly honored."

 * ... DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that members of the Kern County Union High School class of 1938 meets regularly at Woolgrowers?  That's a lot of memories to share.

* ... BABY ON BOARD: Congratulations to Melissa (Lissa) Dignan, the former KERO TV weather forecaster who recently learned she is pregnant with her first child. Dignan is married to Brian Dignan, who is a coach with the Bakersfield Jam. Lissa said the baby is due in November. Always the animal lover, Lissa said the baby will have a "big sister" in her beloved weather dog Shelby.