Director Rob Reiner takes leave from early education commission (MeatHead!)

AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 2/25/06 | AP - Sacramento

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Hollywood director Rob Reiner has taken a leave as chairman of a state commission that spent $23 million on ads touting the value of early education programs while he is promoting a statewide preschool initiative.

In a letter Friday to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Reiner said the leave will take effect and will last until June 7, the day after voters cast ballots on Proposition 82. The proposition would establish a state constitutional right to preschool for all 4-year-olds and raise income taxes for wealthier households to fund preschool programs.

Reiner is stepping down from the state's First 5 California Children and Families Commission, a state agency that uses tobacco taxes for early childhood development programs. He has chaired the commission since its inception in 1999.

Reiner has said that he and the commission have done nothing wrong, but he is stepping aside for the good of the commission.

State Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, of Irvine, and Assemblyman Dario Frommer, D-Glendale, a candidate for state controller, urged Controller Steve Westly on Friday to audit the commission. They cited concerns that the panel used tax money to aid the preschool initiative. Tony Strickland, a Republican also running for controller, earlier this week also called for an audit.

Westly, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, declined the requests for an audit.

From November to January, the First 5 commission, which was created by a 1998 initiative that increased taxes on a pack of cigarettes by 50 cents, spent $23 million on television ads promoting preschool.

The ads aired as Reiner was launching the Proposition 82 initiative for the June ballot. If successful, it would raise taxes by $2.4 billion a year to pay for universal preschool.

State law prohibits the use of public funds for campaign activities.

[NormsRevenge]

They cited concerns that the panel used tax money to aid the preschool initiative. Tony Strickland, a Republican also running for controller, earlier this week also called for an audit.

Westly, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, declined the requests for an audit.

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More Meathead shenanigans. Caught!!! but Westly is covering for him.

[OldFriend]

And what was Reiner's salary as Chairman of the Commission?

[shelterguy]

They want every kid in school earlier. That way they have one more year of liberal indoctrination.

[Enterprise]

Just another liberal who found a way to scam millions from taxpayers in the guise of "helping us."

[Kirkwood]

"$23 million on ads touting the value of early education programs"

What a complete and utter waste of taxpayer money. Whenever I hear about public money being spent on something that is not needed and that has absolutely no intrinsic value, I figure some of that money must be getting kicked back to those doing the spending.

[Amerigomag]

Let the investigation begin.

May the investigation conclude that Reiner willfully circumvented California's Fair Political Practices Law and owes the state taxpayers $23M.

May the courts seize Reiner's property, dispose of it at auction and return any surplus to the Meathead.

[butternut_squash_bisque]

"...raise taxes by $2.4 billion a year..."

The lib-dem trash are salivating and drooling at this prospect.

[DustyMoment]

The proposition would establish a state constitutional right to preschool for all 4-year-olds and raise income taxes for wealthier households to fund preschool programs.

Slippery Slope Alert!!!! They got one of these passed in FloriDUH and have since discovered that the state can't afford it. And, FloriDUH is still a solvent state, CA is not.

For you CA FReepers out there (both of you), you have some work to do to prevent this latest method of wealth distribution and relieving parents of the obligation to raise their own children.

Meanwhile, in FloriDUH, work is underway to present another ballot initiative to pull the right to pre-school from the state constitution. It's a "lesson learned". However, if the ballot initiative fails, FloriDUH is likely to become the new Taxachussetts to pay for it.

[DoughtyOne]

The voters really screwed up when they approved of that 25 cent per pack cigarette tax, to fund Reiner's pipe-dreams. I hope his little fifedom is investigated.

[OldFriend]

Early childhood education at taxpayer expense.....nothing more than a teacher's full employment act.

[G Larry]

Congratulations to Hugh Hewitt for exposing this fraud!

[Enterprise]

To borrow the words of others:

Californians don't just tolerate fraud, they demand it!

[ridesthemiles]

The voters really screwed up when they approved of that 25 cent per pack cigarette tax, to fund Reiner's pipe-dreams. I hope his little fifedom is investigated.""

I thought it was 50 cents/pack.

I agree that ANYTHING Rob Reiner is involved with needs investigating. I wouldn't trust him to walk my dog.

[Crispus Attucks Patriot]

Like my man Archie said.....



"Meathead, dead from the neck up!"

[DoughtyOne]

I thought it was 25, but you may be right.

You remind me of an old joke.

How do you know if Rob Reiner has been in your back yard?

Your trash cans are turned inside out and your dog is pregnant.

LOL, I changed the names to protect the innocent.

[paul51]

The proposition would establish a state constitutional right to preschool for all 4-year-olds and raise income taxes for wealthier households to fund preschool programs.

Have to keep finding new ways to feed the unions and the educational system debacle

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Exactly. And if the collective is paying for all kids to be in a state-managed camps, that gives that much opportunity for another parent to return to work, to pay more taxes, to pay for the collective...

[IronJack]

Bailing cuz it's failing.

[RobbyS]

And of course they are going to insist that the 4-year olds be taught in English ;-)