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Business groups place conditions on backing Jerry Brown's special election -- Gov. Jerry Brown has racked up some victories in his effort to win business support for an election to extend tax hikes. But it's worth noting how lukewarm some of the support seems to be. Anthony York LA Times PolitiCal -- 2/28/11 Don Perata, Lance Armstrong team up on cigarette-tax initiative -- Recently retired cyclist Lance Armstrong and former state Sen. Don Perata have teamed up against a common enemy -- cancer. The item is in the Oakland Tribune -- 2/28/11 Jerry Brown: Politics isn't Sunday school -- Gov. Jerry Brown talked with The Bee on Friday about the budget, his agenda and his place in politics. Here are parts of that conversation not included in excerpts published in the print edition Sunday David Siders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/28/11 UC students, supporters flash mob state Capitol -- After a march in downtown Sacramento, University of California students and supporters took to the west steps of the Capitol, where they took part in a flash mob to the Bee Gees' '70s hit "Stayin' Alive." Hector Amezcua SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/28/11 Niello stands by his tax vote -- Former Assemblyman Roger Niello, R-Sacramento, says the 30 Republicans who signed on to the recently formed “Taxpayer Caucus” are taking themselves out of the picture by announcing their refusal to negotiate over taxes. Steven Harmon Political Blotter -- 2/28/11 Lance Corcoran -- A union activist for more than 20 years, Mr. Corcoran died at age 47 after a brief illness. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/28/11 Schrag: California’s Ballot Complex -- The longer Republicans in the legislature refuse to allow Californians to vote on Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget-balancing tax extensions, the more they’re going to look like the ideological cult they’re fast becoming. Peter Schrag Cal Progress Report -- 2/28/11 Meg -- Former GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has joined the board of directors for the car-sharing service Zipcar, according to a news release from the Cambridge, Mass.-based company. Jack Chang SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/28/11 California’s “Health in All Policies” Could Revolutionize Health Care -- Even as Republicans and Democrats fight over the future of health care reform in Washington, California is quietly laying the groundwork for what could be a revolutionary change in the way government policy keeps people from needing health care in the first place. Daniel Weintraub Fox & Hounds weblog -- 2/28/11 CalFresh Participation -- Here’s a fact that should command the attention of every policymaker in California: Nearly 5 billion dollars in federal funding is lost each year when California families eligible for food stamps aren’t enrolled in the program. Kate Karpilow HealthyCal.org -- 2/28/11
California budget deadline nears as GOP balks on taxes -- After weeks of political maneuvering in the Capitol, the coming month will go a long way toward determining how California's massive budget deficit will be resolved. DON THOMPSON AP -- 2/28/11 Budget Drama Marches Into March -- So many moving parts, so little time. That's the view from the cheap seats as to what's next in the 2011 budget saga, though it's admittedly not a very different prognosis than in years past. John Myers Capitol Notes weblog -- 2/28/11 Cheapskate governor sends a message -- To announce his recent ban on state purchases of knickknacks, Gov. Jerry Brown set out a pile of squeeze toys, sticky notes and pocket fans, continuing the parade of frugality that has defined his public relations effort since taking office. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/28/11 Schools yet to get business backing for tax extension -- Even as Republican lawmakers insist they won't vote to place the tax extension sought by Gov. Jerry Brown on a special election ballot this June, over 150 California school districts across the state have passed resolutions backing such a measure. Louis Freedberg California Watch -- 2/28/11 Skelton: Searching for brave Republicans -- In refusing to be part of the solution, the party could hurt itself as well as California. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/28/11 CalBuzz: Know Nothings and the Death of Political Compromise -- President Ronald Reagan often compared leaders of the Soviet Union to the movie producers against whom he once bargained as president of the Screen Actors Guild. That early experience, Reagan told serial biographer Lou Cannon, was where he “learned to negotiate.” Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 2/28/11 Wright's lawyers fight residency indictment -- Attorneys for state Sen. Roderick Wright will try to get the Inglewood Democrat's eight-count felony indictment thrown out by arguing that prosecutors misled grand jurors weighing whether he lived in his district, in part by not telling them about relevant case law and election codes. Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/28/11 Walters: Pension fund liabilities should be disclosed -- Transparency is a bedrock principle of effective governance and consumer protection; one cannot make rational political, personal or financial decisions unless one has information about their potential consequences. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/28/11 Lance Armstrong campaigns for tobacco tax initiative -- Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will launch a campaign in support of the California Cancer Research Act, which would add a $1 tax to tobacco products. Maeve Reston in the Los Angeles Times Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/28/11 What crisis? Nearly 200 agencies raise pensions -- After the stock market crash punched a big hole in their CalPERS investment funds, a new report says 26 local government agencies reduced pension benefits — but nearly 200 cities, counties and fire and water districts increased pension benefits. Ed Mendel Calpensions.com -- 2/28/11 Fresno County pensions costliest in state -- For every dollar Fresno County spends on pay, it will spend another 53 cents on pensions in the next budget year, making the retirement system here the most expensive among 20 county-run systems in the state, a new survey finds. Kurtis Alexander in the Fresno Bee -- 2/28/11 Sonoma County pension system hits tipping point -- For the first time in decades, and likely in its entire 65-year past, the fund’s retirees now outnumber its active workers. BRETT WILKISON in the Santa Rosa Press -- 2/28/11 Charter amendment would roll back some L.A. police and fire pension benefits -- With public employee pensions projected to consume a big chunk of Los Angeles' general fund by 2015, city officials take reforms of police and fire retirement benefits to the voters. But some say Charter Amendment G changes too little. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/28/11 California online poker supporters watching NJ decision -- Supporters of legalizing online poker in California hope to gain some momentum if New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has until Thursday to act, decides to make his state the first in the country to authorize the activity. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star -- 2/28/11 Data milestone for foster care -- Researchers have linked two California databases in a rare undertaking that holds promise for helping the state’s 62,000 foster youth. Kathryn Baron TopEd -- 2/28/11 Santa Clara County Court is first to focus on education of foster youth -- Collaboration will give children a better chance to graduate. Daniel Heimpel TopEd -- 2/28/11
Audit: State housing board lacks financial expertise -- The agency responsible for financing affordable housing in California is lacking board members with "critical areas of knowledge and expertise," according to a report by state auditors. Marie C. Baca California Watch -- 2/28/11 Enterprise Zones: Boon or burden? -- A program that is said to have brought millions of dollars and thousands of jobs to the Valley may be in jeopardy. Marc Benjamin in the Fresno Bee -- 2/28/11 Fees for business solar power units vary widely -- Businesses that want to install solar panels pay vastly different permit fees in Contra Costa County depending on their location, according to a survey by the Sierra Club. Mike Taugher in the Contra Costa Times -- 2/28/11 Are hirers biased against the jobless? -- An Equal Employment Opportunity Commission hearing on alleged hiring bias against unemployed job applicants has sparked sharp reaction from Sacramento employers. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/28/11
L.A. Unified set to renew charter contract despite evidence of cheating -- The director of Crescendo charters, which operates six campuses south of downtown L.A., directed principals and teachers to let students study the actual exam questions on important standardized tests. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/28/11 Where Did the Kids with Disabilities Go? -- Students with disabilities have dwindled in San Diego Unified. But nobody is exactly sure why. Emily Alpert Voiceofsandiego.org -- 2/28/11
Medicare surgery rates vary widely by region, study finds -- Men who live in San Luis Obispo are the most likely nationwide to have their prostates removed, according to a study looking at regional surgery rates. And Medicare patients in San Jose are among the least likely in the nation to get a certain type of artery cleaning meant to prevent strokes. Christina Jewett California Watch -- 2/28/11
Supreme Court to hear arguments in Stanford patent dispute -- The invention of an AIDS test is a big deal, and it takes a lot of time, smarts and money to develop a good one. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/28/11 SFO considers ban on panhandlers -- The Bay Area's biggest airport is barring religious groups, charities and all other organizations from panhandling passengers, saying travelers are tired of being "duped, conned and cheated" while trying to catch a flight. Mike Rosenberg in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/28/11 Synthetic marijuana widely used at Naval Academy, some midshipmen say -- A synthetic form of marijuana is widely used at the U.S. Naval Academy because it cannot be detected in routine drug tests, according to several former midshipmen who have been removed from campus for using or possessing the substance. Daniel de Vise in the Washington Post -- 2/28/11 San Jose police ground helicopter -- In the face of massive budget cuts and officer layoffs, San Jose police have mothballed the use of a helicopter they have flown for years to find fleeing criminals and missing people. Sean Webby in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/28/11 Chilean quake caused several California quakes -- Although they are nearly 10,000 miles apart, the magnitude 8.8 Chilean quake of 2010 triggered smaller microquakes here in California. Susanne Rust California Watch -- 2/28/11
Obama looking a lot less beatable -- Just four months after posting historic election gains, Republicans are experiencing a reality check about 2012: President Barack Obama is going to be a lot tougher to defeat than he looked late last year. JONATHAN MARTIN Politico -- 2/28/11
Inside Rep. Darrell Issa's Investigation Machine -- It's shortly after 9 a.m. on a Tuesday. The day's first signs of life emerge on Capitol Hill, as staffers trudge to work with newspapers tucked underarm and their eyes glued to smart phones. BEN GOAD in the Riverside Press -- 2/28/11 Issa team's ties draw scrutiny -- First as ranking minority member and now as chairman of one of the most powerful watchdog committees in Congress, Inland Rep. Darrell Issa has built a team that includes staff members with close connections to industries that could benefit from his investigations. BROOKE WILLIAMS and MATT PEARCE in the Riverside Press -- 2/28/11 Secret campaign ad financing in offing as FEC is deadlocked -- If an impasse at the Federal Election Commission remains, corporations, unions and wealthy individuals will be able to fund hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign advertisements for next year's presidential and congressional elections while keeping their names and roles secret. David G. Savage and Kim Geiger in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/28/11 GOP bets future on Wisconsin -- Not long ago, Wisconsin seemed to be one of the GOP’s basket cases: a Midwestern Massachusetts in which Democrats ran roughshod over a Republican Party that was shut out of nearly every high political office. KASIE HUNT Politico -- 2/28/11 Boehner signals reluctance about shutdown -- 'Americans want the government to stay open,' the House speaker says. Meanwhile, a Democratic senator indicates that a Republican spending plan could lead to a temporary agreement. Tom Hamburger in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/28/11 |
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