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Schwarzenegger stops by Steinberg’s office -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a rare trip upstairs in the Capitol on Monday afternoon, meeting with Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) three days before the new fiscal year begins. Shane Goldmacher in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 Teachers union: Tell Steinberg to support Assembly budget plan -- The California Teachers Association is ramping up the budget pressure again on Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg. Susan Ferriss SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/28/10 CalBuzz: Brown Accepts Blogosphere Debate, Nine Others -- Democrat Jerry Brown today accepted the invitation for the proposed Sept. 13 Blogosphere Debate with Republican Meg Whitman, featuring questioning by Calbuzz, FlashReport and Calitics. Brown also accepted nine other debate offers and called on Whitman to join him. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/28/10 In Search of the Hispanic vote -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman is determined to have a share of the latino vote, a complicated matter for republicans in California since the mid 1990´s. But it won´t be easy. Pilar Marrero La Opinión Please use Google Translate (good, but not perfect) to read more. Schwarzenegger jabs at Whitman -- He didn't mention her name, but in brief remarks at the Los Angeles Press Club's annual awards gala on Sunday night, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger swiped at Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, calling her proposal to eliminate 40,000 state worker positions "bogus talk" and praising journalists for asking where those cuts would be made. David Siders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/28/10 Democratic group runs third anti-Meg Whitman ad -- The independent expenditure committee California Working Families for Jerry Brown for Governor 2010 is running a third ad attacking GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman. Jack Chang SacBee Capitol Alert Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times Lisa Vorderbrueggen Political Blotter weblog -- 6/28/10 Schrag: Whitman’s Attack on Brown: Baloney and Blather -- Meg Whitman’s overnight conversion from immigrant-basher to Latino-lover shows that she’s just as adept at self re-invention as Jerry Brown, who became a born-again tax-cutter the night Proposition 13 passed in 1978. Peter Schrag Cal Progress Report -- 6/28/10 Fox: The Whitman-Nurses' Union Debate: Who's Afraid? -- The nurses' union asks what Meg Whitman is afraid of in not agreeing to meet union members in a conference set up and controlled by the union. The question can be turned around and the union leaders can be asked why they are afraid of their own members. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds weblog -- 6/28/10 Educator learning to be political -- (translated by Google) When the outcome of the primary election June 8 placed him as the favorite of voters for the post of superintendent of California , Larry Aceves was the most surprised even he hoped would happen in the second round, and less as the leader in the race. Araceli Martínez La Opinión -- 6/28/10 Please use Google Translate (good, but not perfect) to read more. Teachers union takes aim at Steinberg in new mailer to his constituents -- The California Teachers Assn. has sent another mailer to constituents of Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), urging Steinberg's constituents to back the budget blueprint laid out by Speaker John Pérez (D-Los Angeles). Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 Gov. Schwarzenegger convinces two more unions to agree to pension concessions, pay cutbacks -- Two more public employee unions -- representing doctors, dentists and engineers -- have agreed to tentative contracts with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, expanding to six the number of labor unions the governor has persuaded to accept pay cuts and pension rollbacks. Shane Goldmacher in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 Villariagosa withholds support for local government ballot measure -- Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Monday that he is not inclined to support a measure on the November ballot aimed at protecting funds for local government. Villaraigosa made his remarks at a Capitol news conference alongside his cousin, Speaker John Pérez (D-Los Angeles) and Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 Blagojevich considered Schwarzenegger, Oprah Winfrey for Obama's vacant Senate seat -- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, on trial for corruption, considered tapping a celebrity to fill Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat in the fall of 2008, according to recordings played at his trial on Monday. Shane Goldmacher in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 SCOTUS ruling and California’s ‘open carry’ law --- For California, it confirms the already-strong likelihood that AB 1934 – the pending bill that would outlaw “open carry” of unloaded, unconcealed firearms in public places – quickly will be met with a lawsuit if it’s signed into law. Josh Richman Political Blotter weblog -- 6/28/10 Sacramento ordinances likely safe from court's gun ruling, local expert says -- Two Sacramento gun-control ordinances probably won't be affected by today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that strikes down a Chicago gun ban, one local constitutional law expert said. Bill Lindelof in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/28/10 NAACP signs onto marijuana legalization measure -- The framing of this November’s marijuana legalization ballot measure as a civil rights issue continues: The California State Conference of the NAACP will hold a news conference tomorrow morning in Sacramento to announce its “unconditional support” for the Control and Tax Cannabis Initiative 2010. Josh Richman Political Blotter weblog -- 6/28/10 November’s ballot measures get prop numbers -- Secretary of State Debra Bowen just rolled ‘em out, and here they are – Josh Richman Political Blotter weblog -- 6/28/10 Despite budget deadlock, lawmakers eye monthlong recess -- With no budget agreement in sight, California is set to begin a new fiscal year Thursday with a looming $19.1 billion deficit -- and with lawmakers set to leave Sacramento the following day for a monthlong summer recess. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/28/10 New charges filed against ex-Sanchez challenger -- A second felony obstruction of justice charge has been filed against Tan Nguyen, the 2006 GOP challenger of Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Santa Ana, increasing the doubling the maximum possible sentence against him to 40 years. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 6/28/10 San Diego scores another pension-related victory -- The latest ruling by Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Barton targets one of the city’s most controversial benefits: the Deferred Retirement Option Plan, commonly known as DROP. The program, which began in 1997, allows employees to collect pension payments in a special account while still employed. Craig Gustafson in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 6/28/10 Schwarzenegger rejects parole for Manson follower who is at California Men's Colony -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has rejected a recommendation to parole a member of Charles Manson's cult who was convicted of taking part in killings more than four decades ago. DON THOMPSON AP -- 6/28/10 Asbestos Risks Drive Bid To Dump California’s State Rock -- Normally, lawmakers carry legislation to add something to California’s list of “official state” symbols. But in an unusual twist, a Los Angeles state senator wants to remove an item. Greg Lucas California's capitol weblog -- 6/28/10 Dave Cox, battling cancer, gets flowers in state Senate -- Sen. Dave Cox, R-Fair Oaks, was back in the state Senate on Monday after an absence due to his ongoing battle with prostate cancer. Colleagues on both sides of the aisle gave Cox a standing ovation and flowers. Susan Ferriss SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/28/10 State commission cancels approval of plastic pipe -- It isn’t over till it’s over. For at least three decades, labor and business interests have been engaged in a seesaw battle over the use of plastic pipe in residential construction. John Howard in Capitol Weekly -- 6/28/10
Whitman, Brown offer contrasting campaign styles -- One gubernatorial campaign employs nearly 70 people and contracts with dozens of others as it spares no expense finding new ways to craft and broadcast its messages. Jack Chang in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/28/10 Arnold Schwarzenegger on the outs in California's Republican Party -- When Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina, the Dream Team of the California GOP, joined hands at a rally celebrating their primary victories this month, there was one broad-shouldered Republican conspicuously missing from the scene: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sandhya Somashekhar in the Washington Post -- 6/28/10 CalBuzz: The Poizner Effect: Is Jerry Brown Blowing It? -- Four months before the November election, the Jerry Brown-Meg Whitman race looks like a small band of desperadoes toting six shooters facing off against a fully staffed division equipped with tanks, stinger missiles and .50 caliber machine guns. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 6/28/10 Parties weigh longshot challenges to Prop. 14 -- California's voter-approved overhaul of its primary elections, replacing party contests with free-for-alls to winnow the field to two November candidates, will be tested in the courts before it's due to show up at the ballot box in 2012. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/28/10 State budget: Three plans, no deal -- With the 2010-11 fiscal year set to begin Thursday, state lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger remain far from a budget deal that would eliminate an estimated $19.1 billion deficit. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/28/10 Democrats hope to use anger over BP disaster to pass tax on oil production -- Budget plans in the Legislature contain a levy on petroleum pumped in the state. Democrats hope the governor supports such a proposal as oil firms seek to dismantle his environmental achievements. Shane Goldmacher in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 From weed to water, California's fall ballot loaded with measures -- Attention California voters: Are you looking to buy and smoke weed without running afoul of the law? Wild about water infrastructure? Think it's a good idea to lower the threshold for passing a budget, but still want to raise the bar for approving fees? Torey Van Oot in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/28/10 Dems see better odds facing Donnelly -- Tim Donnelly wants to cut government spending. He doesn't believe global warming is real. He wants to bring Arizona's latest immigration law - known as S.B. 1070 - to California. In short, he is conservative. James Rufus Koren in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 6/28/10 Feinstein: Afghanistan withdrawal date flexible -- In a sign of Congress’ increasing willingness to disregard President Obama’s July 2011 deadline to start withdrawing troops, Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Sunday that the draw-down timeline should depend on requests by the military. The item is in the Orange County Register -- 6/28/10 Walters: Capitol sees yet another medical turf battle -- The Capitol has seen dozens of medical turf battles over the years, most notably a years-long duel between orthopedic surgeons and podiatrists over the legal right to operate on ankles, and no legislative session would be complete without at least one medical shootout. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/28/10 Palin's Stanislaus visit shows political power -- After months of buildup, including investigations, outrage and celebration, the former Alaska governor's trip to California's farm belt over the weekend proved beyond a doubt that she delivers - for Republicans and Democrats. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/28/10
Pension spiking bill doesn’t change one-year rule -- A one-year rule that some say allows public pensions to be “spiked,” boosted through the manipulation of final pay, is not being changed by a reform bill because a powerful union wants the issue to be “bargainable” during contract talks. Ed Mendel Calpensions.com -- 6/28/10 Foreclosure crisis prompts legislative efforts to help -- As California bears the burden of almost a quarter of the nation's foreclosure activity, legislators are scrambling to hammer out laws that would ward off avoidable foreclosures and keep more homeowners in their houses. Mediha Fejzagic DiMartino in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 6/28/10 Electric car maker Tesla Motors to begin offering stock -- The sale's success depends on how much investors are willing to bet on a car company that has never made a profit, sells a single vehicle and expects to lose money until at least 2012. Dan Strump AP -- 6/28/10 Silicon Valley becoming driving force for electric vehicles -- Companies in the California region are developing not only electric vehicles but also the infrastructure needed to keep them on the road. Dana Hull in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 Out of Work in a World That's Changed in 20 Years -- While joblessness isn't palatable for any economic bracket, it hits these former managers, bosses and mentors especially hard. They used to hire people. Now some can't get past the security guard at a company headquarters, or catch any online attention from posting their resumés. KELLY BENNETT Voiceofsandiego.org -- 6/28/10 Needy, poor, jobless to feel budget cuts -- More than 337,000 recession-battered people applied for San Diego County social services in the past year, often overwhelming workers at a dozen beleaguered Family Resource Centers. MARK WALKER in the North County Times -- 6/28/10 Some sheriffs, supervisors now regret 2002 pension deal -- In 2002, Contra Costa County supervisors granted public safety workers a sweeter pension deal: They could retire at 50 and receive 3 percent of their final salaries for every year they worked, up to a maximum of 30 years. In many instances that meant retiring with pensions nearly equal to their annual pay. Rick Radin in the Contra Costa Times -- 6/28/10
Fensterwald: Smart report on teacher evaluations -- An insightful report by an independent group of experienced teachers can provide needed middle ground on the polarized issue of how to evaluate — and ultimately pay — teachers. John Fensterwald educatedguess.org -- 6/28/10 FUSD mandate ups summer school attendance -- Summer school numbers are up dramatically in Fresno Unified, which now requires students earning D's and F's to attend. Tracy Correa in the Fresno Bee -- 6/28/10 Students face closure of alternative schools because of L.A. County budget cuts -- Students, teachers and some county leaders are mounting a last-ditch effort to keep the schools open, at least temporarily. 'I don't think I have a place to go,' one student says. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10
Land trusts would lose responsibility for endowments under state proposal -- A long-simmering battle between the state and conservation land trusts is moving into a new phase as the California Department of Fish and Game seeks to shift responsibility for endowments worth millions of dollars away from the trusts. Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/28/10 Nunes slams president's oil panel -- Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, disdains a new presidential commission established to investigate the Gulf of Mexico oil catastrophe. Michael Doyle in the Fresno Bee -- 6/28/10 Beach is left in the lurch as state vetoes sea wall -- California State Parks won’t allow the city of Encinitas to use a sea wall to stabilize a shaky bluff that city officials fear could collapse and take with it a blufftop parking lot and trail leading down to Beacon’s Beach, a popular surfing spot. Tanya Mannes in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 6/28/10 Downtown football stadium proposal prompts call for environmental review -- Worried that a waiver was granted for a City of Industry stadium proposal, environmental groups are seeking to ensure a full review for a downtown plan. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 California Has Barely Burned So Far -- The wildfire season in the state is getting off to its quietest start in a decade, as a wet winter and a cool spring have kept much of the forest and brush lands from becoming dangerously dry. JIM CARLTON in the Wall Street Journal -- 6/28/10
Hundreds of nurses have been punished by other states while maintaining California licenses -- The discovery by the state's Board of Registered Nursing was prompted by a Times/ProPublica investigation last year that found instances in which California nurses had been sanctioned elsewhere. Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 State's whooping cough surge may be tied to lagging immunization rate -- California is one of only 11 states that don't require a booster shot for middle-schoolers. Efforts to require immunization for younger adolescents continue in the Legislature. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times JUSTIN SCHECK in the Wall Street Journal -- 6/28/10 Hepatitis B a silent epidemic among Hmong -- One of six Hmong in Fresno County could be infected with hepatitis, according to a new health survey that has shocked community leaders and added urgency to the fight against the liver disease. But it won't be easy: Most don't realize they're infected. Barbara Anderson in the Fresno Bee -- 6/28/10
City of Orange Isn't Keen on 'Beds for Feds' -- Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has been able to hold county supervisors at bay regarding layoffs or further budget cuts by promising that millions will come from the federal government as payment for housing immigration detainees at Theo Lacy jail in Orange. NORBERTO SANTANA VoiceofOC.org -- 6/28/10
Robert Byrd, senior senator, dies at 92 -- The onetime foe of the Civil Rights Act became a champion of liberal causes. He said his proudest legislative achievement was the defeat of a balanced budget amendment in the 1990s. Johanna Neuman in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/28/10 Move for veterans courts increasing -- Program bypasses a jail sentence in favor of mental health treatment. Lewis Griswold in the Modesto Bee -- 6/28/10 Big BART fare rollback gets whittled way down -- A funny thing happened to the highly publicized $4.5 million fare rollback promised to BART commuters. Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/28/10 Stealth borrowing spurs Fresno probe -- Fresno City Hall has borrowed millions of dollars intended for city services to repay debt on a huge downtown parking garage that is hardly ever used. George Hostetter in the Fresno Bee -- 6/28/10 Sierra College trustee remains in coma from Virginia crash -- Elaine Rowen Reynoso, the wife of former state Supreme Court justice Cruz Reynoso and an elected trustee of the Sierra Joint Community College District, remains in a coma in a Virginia hospital after a car crash but has shown some signs of responsiveness, Cruz Reynoso's son said Sunday. Hudson Sangree in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/28/10
Palin accuses Obama of selling out U.S. allies -- Sarah Palin on Sunday painted President Obama's administration as a cowering giant intent on surrendering the nation's mantle as a superpower and willing to sell out its allies. AP -- 6/28/10 Obama sees U.S. assisting Afghanistan 'for a long time to come' -- As Republican critics assail President Barack Obama's proposed date to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, Obama said Sunday that the U.S. intends "to be a partner for Afghanistan for the long term." Sam Youngman The Hill -- 6/28/10
GOP eager to press case in Elena Kagan hearing -- Republicans, who decided early on that they stood little chance of defeating Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan, settled instead on making her confirmation process a “teachable moment” to highlight the dangers of liberal judicial activism. JOSH GERSTEIN & MANU RAJU Politico -- 6/28/10 |
