Highly paid Nuñez aide gets $100,000 more for 'campaign consulting' -- Former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez gave his chief of staff, who is already the highest-paid employee in the Legislature, an additional $100,000 this year for "campaign consulting." The Los Angeles Democrat in April transferred the money from a ballot-measure committee he controls to Daniel Eaton, according to records filed this week with the secretary of state. Nancy Vogel in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Perata aid angers some Dems -- The California Democratic Party's decision to spend another $250,000 on Senate leader Don Perata's legal bills has angered some party activists, who say the money would be better spent electing Democrats this year. The Oakland Democrat has racked up nearly $2 million in fees fending off an ongoing FBI corruption investigation in the last four years. With the latest donation, made July 1, the party has now given a total of $450,000 to help cover Perata's legal bills. Shane Goldmacher in the Sacramento Bee -- 7/9/08

Dems Lay Tax Cards On The Table -- After several weeks of calling for billions of dollars in new tax revenues.. but not actually providing details… legislative Democrats unveiled their proposal late tonight as the joint budget conference committee wrapped up its work on a new spending plan. John Myers Capitol Notes weblog Judy Lin and Dan Smith in the Sacramento Bee -- 7/9/08

Former state budget director Tom Campbell plans GOP run for governor -- Former congressman and state budget director Tom Campbell is planning to seek the governorship in 2010, but potentially faces a pair of well-heeled opponents in the Republican primary. The moderate former lawmaker from Silicon Valley this week became the first Republican to file papers to succeed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Shane Goldmacher in the Sacramento Bee -- 7/9/08

Walters: Labor law abridged free speech -- California politicians often take pride in enacting policies that, as they would say, point the way for others to follow. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in fact, has been beating that drum steadily on the anti-global warming legislation he and Democratic lawmakers enacted, claiming that it will be a trendsetter for the planet. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 7/9/08

Click and (register to) vote -- Soon, it could be as easy as a click of the mouse to register to vote. A bill making its way through the Legislature would allow anyone with a valid driver's license or state ID card to register online to vote. Mike Dorsey in the Contra Costa Times -- 7/9/08

Fire destroys 40 homes in Northern California -- Blaze jumps fire line in Butte County. But firefighter gain ground on Big Sur and Goleta blazes. Steve Chawkins and Maria L. LaGanga in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Property tax funds rise as housing market falls -- Proposition 13 is credited with stabilizing California counties' tax bases even though valuations are lowered on thousands of homes. Cara Mia DiMassa in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Federal regulators prepare to tighten mortgage rules -- In California, Gov. Schwarzenegger signs a bill requiring an early warning on problem loans. Maura Reynolds in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

AFTRA, in blow to SAG leaders, approves contract -- A three-year pact is passed by 62.4% of the union's membership. The larger guild, seeking a better deal, could still take the risky step of a strike authorization vote. Richard Verrier and Claudia Eller in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Witnesses tell of S.F. fundraiser's backdated documents -- A San Francisco engineer testified Tuesday in Sacramento federal court that political fundraiser Julie Lee asked him to adopt fraudulent documents to satisfy auditors looking into Lee's use of state grant money. Denny Walsh in the Sacramento Bee -- 7/9/08

Obama shows signs of being trail-weary -- He hasn't had a vacation for months. He sees his family little more than once a week. And now as the presumed Democratic nominee for president, he can't go anywhere without being trailed by a full crew of journalists. Reaching his limit, Barack Obama wriggled free of the campaign's fetters on July 4. Caught in Montana on his daughter Malia's 10th birthday, he improvised a party. Peter Nicholas in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

McCain shifts his message toward Latino immigrants -- He says their needs matter as much as border security and helping businesses. Peter Wallsten and Maeve Reston in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Talks to Latinos contrast candidates' styles -- Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain has called on his Democratic rival Barack Obama to meet him face to face in informal town hall-style debates across the country. It was easy to see why Tuesday after the two gave competing, formal speeches to a crowd of prominent Latinos. Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/9/08

Schwarzenegger wants mandatory algebra test for eighth-graders -- An algebra war has broken out in the top levels of government that could cause shock waves in middle schools across the state. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday urged the California State Board of Education to require that all eighth-graders be tested in Algebra 1. If the board agrees during a meeting today, it would mark a huge shift for California middle schools. Deb Kollars in the Sacramento Bee -- 7/9/08

Who is on UCI's law school team lineup? -- UC Irvine's fledgling law school will have a strong lineup of founding faculty, including the president-elect of the Association of American Law Schools, according to a list set to be released Thursday. The new law school, which has seen its share of growing pains already, includes an unusually diverse faculty, reflecting its new dean's lifelong interest in civil rights. MARLA JO FISHER in the Orange County Register -- 7/9/08

Congestion pricing plan may switch routes -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa met with San Gabriel Valley leaders last month to discuss changing toll lanes from the 210 Freeway to the 110 Freeway south of downtown. Steve Hymon in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

T. Boone Pickens could gain from his energy plan, but so might we -- When a guy heavily invested in natural gas and wind power says the answer to our energy woes is natural gas and wind power, it's hard not to smirk at his Texas-size gumption. But let's not be hasty. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Cheney's office tried to alter greenhouse gas testimony, former official says -- The new charges of political interference could boost efforts by California and other states to implement their own vehicle emission standards over White House opposition. Richard Simon in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Mt. Shasta glaciers expand in spite of global warming -- Global warming is shrinking glaciers all over the world, but the seven tongues of ice creeping down Mount Shasta's flanks are a rare exception: They are the only long-established glaciers in the lower 48 states that are growing. Samantha Young AP -- 7/9/08

Los Angeles County failed to track problem King-Harbor workers -- L.A. County health officials say a database to check on employees who were transferred was found to be dormant. Garrett Therolf and Jack Leonard in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Carona doled out Orange County reserve badges to 'friends' who donated $1,000, court document says -- Former Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona gave reserve deputy badges to 86 people on a roster known as the "friends list" in exchange for donations of $1,000 to his first campaign, a key witness in the corruption case against him told federal investigators. Christine Hanley and Stuart Pfeifer in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Officers in melee to face censure -- Los Angeles police officials announced Tuesday that 17 officers and two sergeants from the department's elite Metropolitan Division should be punished for their roles in last year's May Day melee in MacArthur Park, which left scores of people injured. Richard Winton, Anna Gorman and Scott Glover in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Conflict between bicyclists, motorists boils over in Brentwood -- Bicyclists who crave a steady uphill climb flock to Mandeville Canyon Road and its 5-mile, straight-shot ascent with no traffic lights. But the route's rising popularity has turned the narrow road into a zone of conflict for Brentwood residents and the hundreds of cyclists who, every weekend, brave its twists, turns and tree-root bumps. Martha Groves and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Judge favors an LAPD rule requiring some officers to disclose finances, but postpones final decision -- Police union leaders opposed to a new rule that would require some police officers to disclose details of their personal finances were dealt a setback in a federal courtroom Tuesday. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times -- 7/9/08

Judging the bridge's 5 suicide barrier designs -- Changing the design of a landmark such as the Golden Gate Bridge is sure to provoke controversy - even if the goal is to save lives. The idea of installing a suicide barrier has been debated and researched for decades, but a study released Tuesday is the most comprehensive to date, analyzing five designs (shown here) to prevent people from leaping to their deaths. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/9/08

Oakland panel OKs whistle-blower law -- Oakland officials introduced a whistle-blower ordinance Tuesday to protect city employees who report government fraud, waste or mismanagement of assets from facing retaliation. Christopher Heredia in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/9/08