|
Policy
October 23, 2011
Embracing Sustainability Could Bring Benefits, Prosperity
Opinion
By Rishi Ghosh
San Diego Union-Tribune Community Editorial Board
With a recession and budget concerns plaguing our federal and state government partners, San Diego’s economic stability is threatened. In our uncertain economic climate, growing our green economy here in San Diego will secure our prosperity and keep us America’s finest city.
October 20, 2011
California Approves Carbon Trading System to Combat Global Warming
By Rick Daysog
Sacramento Bee
California has approved one of the broadest and most controversial components of its climate change law, pushing the state toward a low-carbon economy that relies less on imported foreign oil.
October 16, 2011
Jerry Brown's Prison Plan under Fire from Republicans, Democrats Alike
By Kevin Yamamura
Sacramento Bee
"Every citizen should be preoccupied with their personal safety and the safety of their family members," warns Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, advising people to lock their doors and keep a watchful eye around cars, garages, even barns.
September 29, 2011
Some Gov. Jerry Brown Appointees Get Pension and Paycheck
By Shane Goldmacher and Patrick McGreevy
Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Sacramento -- Every month, Ann Ravel gets a paycheck from her salary as chairwoman of California's ethics watchdog agency and a second, bigger check from her public pension as a retiree.
September 27, 2011
Brown Signs Two Measures to Streamline Environmental Reviews
By Ben Adler, California Capitol Network
KPBS
Getting a development project through California’s complex environmental review process just got a lot quicker – at least, for some large projects.
August 30, 2011
Jerry Brown: Sales and Income Taxes Could Pass in 2012
By David Siders
Sacramento Bee
LAS VEGAS -- Gov. Jerry Brown, who is considering what tax increases to propose to voters in November 2012, acknowledged this morning that polls are generally unfavorable but said voters might approve sales and income taxes.
June 10, 2011
Redistricting by Citizens Has Test in California
By Adam Nagourney
New York Times
LOS ANGELES — Republicans and Democrats are battling across the country for advantage this year in drawing new Congressional and legislative districts in every state, based on new census data. California set out to do it differently, with an independent citizens commission, approved by voter initiative, designed to be insulated from the push-and-pull of partisan politics, a development that unsettled many elected officials here.
June 8, 2011
Former Interior Secretary Calls Out Obama on the Environment
By Neela Banerjee
Los Angeles Times
Bruce Babbitt says Obama has failed to defend against Republican and industry attacks on environmental safeguards.
May 21, 2011
San Diego County Sues State Over First 5 Funding
By Tom Roebuck
Encinitas Patch
San Diego County filed a lawsuit against the state of California seeking to overturn AB 99, a bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in March that would take $1 billion from early childhood programs to fill the state’s budget gap, a county commission announced Saturday.
May 13, 2011
California Officials Announce Closure of 70 State Parks
By Torey Van Oot
Sacramento Bee
State parks officials today announced the closure of 70 parks because of the state budget deficit, including the governor's mansion and the Stanford mansion in Sacramento.
Got taxes? Let Communities Collect Revenue that California Won't
Editorial
By Hernán D. Vera
Los Angeles Times
It's time to let local California communities raise revenue to pay for the services they want.
Harris Kenny: Don't Close State Parks
Lease Them
Editorial
By Harris Kenny
Orange County Register
California's ongoing $15 billion budget deficit means the government should be looking to cut expenses almost everywhere. But one public service continuously draws the shortest stick in budget negotiations: state parks.
May 12, 2011
Assembly GOP Issues Budget Ahead of Governor's Plan
By Torey Van Oot
Sacramento Bee
The proposal includes: a roughly 10 percent reduction in state employee costs; health and welfare cuts rejected by legislative Democrats; taking money from redevelopment agencies; and emptying out special accounts for First 5 and mental-health programs.
Darrell Steinberg Throws a Tax Pitch
Editorial
By George Skelton
Los Angeles Times
Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) is hurling a few brushback pitches at Republicans and business interests, trying to get them thinking about the consequences of not extending the state tax increases that were passed two years ago.
May 11, 2011
Make State Government More Efficient, Less Expensive
Editorial
By Steven Hill
Los Angeles Times
Having four separate agencies controlling finance and taxes, and three separate entities covering education, seems like overkill. And do we really need a lieutenant governor?
Report Questions California Bullet-Train Plan's Management and Governing Structure
By Dan Weikel
Los Angeles Times
The state Legislative Analyst's Office also says funding uncertainties threaten the project as it moves into the first phase of construction in the Central Valley. The report urges the project be turned over to Caltrans.
April 27, 2011
Jerry Brown Bans Nonessential Travel by State Employees
By Shane Goldmacher
Los Angeles Times
Out-of-state trips must receive approval from the governor's office and
travel deemed essential now must be approved by agency and department heads
under Jerry Brown's executive order.
April 26, 2011
Budget Nut Remains Uncracked
By Dan Walters
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Jerry Brown's insider attempt to crack California's budget nut has been no
more successful than Arnold Schwarzenegger's outsider attack. Both relied on
unrealistic assumptions about Capitol reality - Schwarzenegger because he
was a newbie and Brown for reasons known only to him.
March 25, 2011
In Major Cuts, Gov. Jerry Brown Slashes Services for Poor,
Sick and Elderly
By Shane Goldmacher
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law billions of dollars in budget cuts Thursday
that will mean fewer government services, particularly for the old, the poor
and the sick.
March 19, 2011
California's redistricting panel can't escape partisan pressure
By Seema Mehta
Los Angeles Times
Frustrated by blatant gerrymandering and politicians protecting incumbents
above all else, voters took the redrawing of congressional and legislative
districts away from state lawmakers and handed it to a new independent body.
But as the new Citizens Redistricting Commission hires key staff, it is
becoming clear that partisans will not give up power without a fight.
March 17, 2011
Gov. Brown's Countdown, Day 67: Legislators Cut $7.4 billion, Stall on
redevelopment funds
By Kevin Yamamura and Jim Sanders
Sacramento Bee
Lawmakers took their first bite out of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget Wednesday,
cutting about $7.4 billion across state government and clearing a
significant share of the $26.6 billion deficit.
March 14, 2011
Gov. Jerry Brown sets special election to replace Rep. Jane Harman -- but
nothing on tax extensions
By Jean Merl in Los Angeles and Anthony York in Sacramento
Los Angeles Times
In a move that has implications for the state's budget woes, Gov. Jerry
Brown on Monday called a special election to replace former Rep. Jane Harman
(D-Venice). The move signals the official start of an already crowded
contest that for all practical purposes has been underway for weeks.
February 15, 2011
Obama's budget would trim funds to California
By Richard Simon
Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Washington -
For struggling California, President Obama's proposed budget will provide
less money for a state government awash in its own red ink, less energy
assistance for tens of thousands of poor households and less funding for
projects such as those aimed at reducing beach pollution and neighborhood
blight.
Jerry Brown orders state hiring freeze
By Torey Van Oot
Sacramento Bee
Brown's executive order, the third of his term, applies to vacant, seasonal
and full and part-time positions across state government, but includes
exceptions for filling positions that are critical to public safety,
revenue collection and other core functions, in cases where these essential
duties cannot be carried out at current staffing levels," according to a
release.
February 9, 2011
Jerry Brown drops state building sale
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Jerry Brown will drop California's sale of 11 office properties that
state leaders previously pursued to raise $1.2 billion in immediate cash for
the state budget, he announced this morning at a Capitol press conference.
Several candidates consider running for Rep. Jane Harman's open seat
By Jean Merl and Richard Simon
Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington -
By the time Rep. Jane Harman made her departure official Tuesday, a robust
field of potential candidates to succeed the Venice Democrat had surfaced.
One already had hired a campaign staff, set up a website and begun raising
money.
February 7, 2011
Rep. Jane Harman of California to resign
By Kevin Freking
Associated Press
U.S. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice), a leading congressional voice on
anti-terrorism issues, plans to resign from Congress to head up the Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars, a senior congressional source
confirmed Monday, setting up a special election to choose her successor in a
coastal district that stretches from Venice into the South Bay.
February 5, 2011
Bill would return California's 2012 presidential primary to June
By Mark Z. Barabak
Los Angeles Times
For years, Sacramento lawmakers worked to give California voters a bigger
say in national politics by scheduling the state's presidential primary as
early as they could. The series of moves culminated in 2008 with a Feb. 5
vote, the earliest in state history. But now a legislative effort is
underway to move the California primary back where it started - to June, on
the last day of the 2012 nominating season - as a way to save tens of
millions of dollars.
February 1, 2011
Ban on earmark spending ends political battle
By Lisa Mascaro, Washington Bureau
Los Angeles Times
The long congressional battle over specially-directed earmark spending came
to a quiet close Tuesday as the Democratic chairman of the Senate
Appropriations Committee announced a two-year ban on the practice.
January 30, 2011
Gov. Jerry Brown is facing tricky environmental and energy issues in
California
By Margot Roosevelt
Los Angeles Times
As Gov. Jerry Brown lays out his first-term agenda Monday, he confronts a
thorny array of environmental and energy issues, many with a potential to
drive billions of dollars in state and private spending and have a major
effect on public health.
January 25, 2011
California to audit 18 redevelopment agencies
By Catherine Saillant and Jessica Garrison
Los Angeles Times
The state will dispatch auditors to towns and cities across California to
scour the books of 18 redevelopment agencies to see how officials have been
spending the billions of taxpayer dollars they take in each year to improve
blight, state Controller John Chiang announced Monday.
January 20, 2011
Gov. Jerry Brown asks cities to help fix California budget
By Evan Halper and Anthony York
Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Sacramento -
Gov. Jerry Brown implored a gathering of city officials Wednesday to work
with him on efforts to balance the state budget, even as his proposal to
shut down local redevelopment agencies, saving about $1.7 billion, appeared
to be in trouble in the Legislature.
Janaury 19, 2011
California cities race to shield funds from state
By Jessica Garrison
Los Angeles Times
A revolt by city officials against Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to abolish
municipal redevelopment agencies is rapidly spreading across the state.
December 17, 2010
California air regulators approve carbon-trading plan
By Margot Roosevelt
Los Angeles Times
California regulators Thursday voted to cap the greenhouse gas emissions of
the state's major industries and establish the nation's first broad-based
carbon trading program.
December 8, 2010
Schwarzenegger wants plastic bag ban proposal revived
By David Siders
Sacramento Bee
Giving new life to a defeated bid to ban plastic grocery store bags, Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger urged lawmakers Monday to reconsider the measure.
November 18, 2010
Holes in the bag ban
A fee would've been better than a ban, and it is part of a patchwork system
of laws that hurts chain stores. But the blame lies with the Legislature.
Editorial
Los Angeles Times
There are two things wrong with the plastic bag ban imposed this week by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. One is that charging a small fee
for carryout plastic bags is a better solution than a ban. Fees have hugely
reduced the use of the bags in countries that charge them while offering an
option to consumers. The other problem is that a patchwork of municipal laws is confusing to consumers and inefficient for large chain stores.
November 17, 2010
L.A. County passes sweeping ban on plastic bags
By Rong-Gong Lin II
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to ban plastic
grocery bags in areas of the county under its jurisdiction, endorsing a
broadly worded measure that proponents hope could become a model for California.
November 16, 2010
Los Angeles bag ban could be challenged
By Recycling Today staff
Recycling Today
The American Chemistry Council asks Los Angeles to consider implications of
proposed bag ordinance.
Citing the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors' potential violation of
voter approved Proposition 26, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) has
submitted a letter to the board requesting that it reconsider its actions to
ban the use of plastic bags at retail stores.
November 14, 2010
Lawyers, lobbyists, politicians scramble to determine impact of Prop. 26
By Margot Roosevelt
Los Angeles Times
The 'sleeper' initiative on November's ballot could make it nearly
impossible for state or local governments to pass oil severance fees,
cigarette and alcohol surcharges, toxic waste cleanup levies, and more.
November 11, 2010
California budget shortfall twice as large as predicted
By Kevin Yamamura
Sacramento Bee
In what has become a somber November tradition, the nonpartisan Legislative
Analyst's Office projected Wednesday that California must close a $25.4
billion shortfall next year, twice as large as legislative leaders
predicted.
November 9, 2010
Sweeping new rules would slash sulfur pollution in Southland
By Margot Roosevelt
Los Angeles
Eleven major oil refineries and industrial plants in the Los Angeles area will be forced to slash sulfur pollution by more than 2,000 tons a year under sweeping new regulations, but the move may not be enough to meet federal health standards for the region unless the state maintains strict curbs on truck pollution.
Grocery bag bill drew heavy out-of-state lobbying
By Susan Ferriss
Sacramento Bee
Out-of-state interests working to defeat a bill to ban plastic bags were
among the top spenders on lobbying to influence California legislators'
votes this summer.
November 5, 2010
Assembly GOP's new leader is fourth in 18 months
By Torey Van Oot
Sacramento Bee
Two days after losing control of a Republican-held seat, Assembly
Republicans on Thursday replaced their leader of less than a year. The
caucus's 28 members, including 11 freshman members elected Tuesday,
unanimously selected Tulare Assemblywoman Connie Conway as leader on
Thursday.
California Republicans heading into House leadership roles
By John Grennan
Capitol Weekly
California remains very much a Democratic state, but anyone looking to
accomplish something in the House on California's behalf next year will
likely be speaking to a Republican.
October 26, 2010
EPA rules target truck emissions, fuel efficiency
By Neela Banerjee
Los Angeles Times
The Obama administration announced new rules Monday to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and other pollutants by requiring greater fuel efficiency for big
trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles starting with 2014 models.
October 10,
2010
An ugly, temporary answer to California's intractable budget problems
By Evan Halper
Los Angeles Times
The most optimistic projections show that the spending plan Schwarzenegger signed Friday will produce a shortfall of at least $10 billion - more than
11% of state spending - in the next fiscal year. Many experts predict it
will be billions more. The leaders mostly papered over this year's gap,
punting many tough decisions forward.
September 21,
2010
Three peas in a pod
LOS ANGELES TIMES EDITORIAL
Although Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown have some differing views on the causes
and cures for California's problems, most of their proposed fixes already
have been suggested or tried by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
September 20,
2010
Less could be more for Jerry Brown
By George Skelton
Capitol Journal
Brown should pledge to serve only one term as governor if voters choose him
over political novice Meg Whitman on Nov. 2.
September 16,
2010
Local agencies can't limit train emissions, court rules
By Carol J. Williams
Los Angeles Times
Air quality watchdogs in Southern California can't impose limits on
emissions from idling trains because they could interfere with interstate
commerce that the federal government regulates, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.
September 15,
2010
Oil companies split on bid to suspend global warming law
By Margot Roosevelt
Los Angeles Times
Is Big Oil really backing Proposition 23? Maybe not. Among California's
major oil refiners, Shell Oil opposes the November ballot initiative to
suspend the state's global warming law. Chevron Corp. is officially neutral. ExxonMobil and BP have decided not to get involved. ConocoPhillips has yet
to contribute.
August 9,
2010
Judge says Schwarzenegger can't impose new furloughs
By Jim Sanders
Sacramento Bee
An Alameda County Superior Court judge Monday temporarily barred Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger from imposing new furloughs on state workers beginning
Friday. Judge Steven A. Brick ruled after hearing more than two hours of
arguments over the governor's demand that about 144,000 state employees take
unpaid time off.
Who's to blame for Schwarzenegger's mess? Schwarzenegger
By Former State Senator Sheila James Kuehl
Los Angeles Times
He's choked California of revenue while giving corporations tax breaks and
making a submissive Legislature his scapegoat.
August 8,
2010
Schwarzenegger to depart in frustration
By Dan Walters
Sacramento Bee
Arnold Schwarzenegger came into the governorship seven years ago believing
that he could succeed where his predecessors had failed in dealing with
California's thorniest issues. He'll leave office in a few months, having
learned the hard way that California is difficult, and perhaps impossible,
to govern.
July 16,
2010
Judge rejects Schwarzenegger minimum wage request
By Judy Lin
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A judge on Friday declined to make the state controller comply with an order by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to pay state workers
minimum wage while the state remains without a budget.
July 3,
2010
Court sides with Schwarzenegger on wage law, but Chiang, unions will fight on
By Jon Ortiz and Kevin Yamamura
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento's 3rd District Court of Appeal on Friday upheld a 17-month-old ruling allowing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to order state workers' pay reduced to minimum wage in the absence of a budget, but the ultimate impact of the court decision is far from clear. On Friday, the administration connected the court decision and stalled budget talks. In what is becoming an annual face-off, Republicans and Democrats are at odds over how to close the state's $19 billion deficit.
July 2,
2010
New life for Laird gives him hope in runoff
By Steven Harmon
Contra Costa Times
SACRAMENTO — Democratic Senate aspirant John Laird believes the reprieve he
got in last month's special election is an opening that he can exploit.
Next time around, Laird says he won't have to worry about a primary bounce
that he says favored Blakeslee, an Assemblyman from San Luis Obispo.
Republicans, he argues, were more motivated than Democrats after
participating in hotly contested GOP primaries just two weeks earlier as
Democrats essentially sat out their primary.
July 1,
2010
John Laird, Sam Blakeslee agree to debate in 15th Senate race
By Donna Jones
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee has accepted rival John Laird's challenge to
debate, but no dates have been set for a face-to-face confrontation in the
race for the 15th District state Senate seat. After brief but fierce and
costly campaigns for the seat vacated by Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonaldo, Blakeslee
bested Laird in a special June 22 primary. But he missed winning a majority
by a nose, forcing an Aug. 17 runoff.
June 28,
2010
Vargas maintains 6-vote lead over Salas
By Michele Clock
San Diego Union-Tribune
State Senate candidate Juan Vargas maintained a six-vote lead Monday over
rival Mary Salas in a South Bay Democratic race, but while the vote count is
almost over, the dispute may go on for some time. Three weeks ago, Salas, an
assemblywoman from Chula Vista, had appeared to win the Democratic primary
after securing a slim but solid margin over Vargas, a former assemblyman
from San Diego. The district includes parts of San Diego, Imperial and
Riverside counties.
June 23,
2010
Former San Jose Councilman Forrest Williams to face off for District 1
supervisor's seat with Los Gatos rival Mike Wasserman
By Karen de Sá
San Jose Mercury News
Former San Jose Councilman Forrest Williams has narrowly defeated nonprofit
executive Teresa Alvarado, earning the second-place spot in the race for Santa Clara County's largest supervisorial district. The all-but-final vote
tallies released Wednesday ended weeks of limbo for the two Democrats, who
had hovered just dozens of votes apart since the June 8 primary. The
all-but-final vote tallies released Wednesday ended weeks of limbo for the
two Democrats, who had hovered just dozens of votes apart since the June 8
primary.
Williams, the victor with 62 more votes than Alvarado, will now face Los
Gatos Councilman Mike Wasserman in the November runoff. Whoever ultimately
wins the District 1 seat will face the unsavory task in January of folding state budget cuts into an already hobbled county budget. Earlier this month,
supervisors closed a $223 million deficit by scaling back services to the
region's poorest residents.
June 2,
2010
Schwarzenegger taps veteran GOP strategist to head FPPC
By Torey Van Oot
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed Dan Schnur as chairman of the Fair
Political Practices Commission, California's political watchdog agency.
Schnur, the director of University of Southern California's Jesse M. Unruh
Institute of Politics, is a veteran Republican strategist who served as
communications director for former Gov. Pete Wilson and for Sen. John
McCain's 2000 presidential bid.
May 6,
2010
GOP majority marks new lineup on State Lands Commission
By Michael Gardner
Capitol Weekly
For the first time in more than 30 years, the State Lands Commission has a majority of Republicans or members representing Republicans. The three-member panel has jurisdiction over offshore oil drilling, the state's waterways and its shoreline.
May 4,
2010
State given OK to take local funds for schools
By John Howard
Union-Tribune
SACRAMENTO — Siding with education in a $2 billion funding battle, a Sacramento County judge Tuesday cleared the way for the state to dip into redevelopment agency coffers to pay for schools.
Plunge in state revenue dashes hopes of an easy budget fix
By Shane Goldmacher
Los Angeles Times
Legislators were hoping revenue would continue to exceed projections, forestalling deeper cuts and further tax hikes. But April's total was 30% below what was expected, leaving them with few options.
May 3,
2010
State's beach smoking ban snuffed out
By Mike Lee
Union-Tribune
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday vetoed a bill that would have made California the first state to generally ban smoking across its park system.
February 28,
2010
California Assembly Speaker-elect Pérez has ties to deep pockets
By Patrick McGreevy and Jack Dolan
Los Angeles Times
The legislator, who has cultivated an image as a crusader for the marginalized and powerless, has also advocated for the powerful.
OPINION
California wants and needs fixing
Dan Walters
Sacramento Bee
Nearly 90 percent of California voters believe that state government needs an overhaul to make it more effective, a new statewide poll found, with virtually identical numbers among Democrats, Republicans and independents.
February 27, 2010
Q and A: California furloughs and back pay
By Jon Ortiz
Sacramento Bee
An Alameda Superior Court judge on Thursday ordered the state to immediately end furloughs for tens of thousands of state workers and pay them for wages they've lost since the controversial policy started 13 months ago. And as promised, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration on Friday filed its appeal.
November 13,
2009
Schwarzenegger quietly quashed effort to improve commuter rails
By Dan Weikel and Eric Bailey
Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Sacramento and Los Angeles - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
quietly spiked an effort last month to win $1.1 billion in federal high-speed rail stimulus funds for 29 projects to improve the safety, speed
and capacity of heavily traveled commuter corridors through Southern
California.
September 20,
2009
Going Broke: State's a wreck - can it be fixed?
By Steve Wiegand and Phillip Reese
Sacramento Bee
While there's not much the state's elected leaders can do about the
worldwide economic woes, they have tried for decades - mostly unsuccessfully
- to wrestle with the triple threat of taxes, spending and ballot-box
budgeting.
Los Angeles Times Editorial
THE CALIFORNIA FIX
Taming the California beast
So many problems, so many competing interests -- only rewriting the Constitution
will do.
September 16,
2009
California's elected state officials absorb Schwarzenegger cuts
By Jon Ortiz
Sacramento Bee
State agencies run by independently elected officials so far have weathered budget cuts Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger imposed on them this year without furloughs or significant staff cuts.
September 14,
2009
Commission struggles to overhaul tax system
By John Marelius
Union-Tribune
LOS ANGELES – A twice-delayed plan to overhaul California's volatile tax structure is due later this month, but consensus on how to smooth out the state's boom-or-bust tax cycles is proving elusive.
September 13,
2009
Unfinished business likely to bring California Legislature back to Capitol
By Steve Wiegand and Jim Sanders
Sacramento Bee
California legislators ended their 2009 regular session early Saturday
morning and, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, never have so many labored so
late for so little.
August 2,
2009
State workers union gives leaders permission to strike
By Jon Ortiz
Sacramento Bee
California's biggest state worker union, angry at being furloughed three days per month after a tentative contract agreement stalled in the legislature, has given its leaders permission to call a strike.
July 29,
2009
State tax collectors denied exemption from furloughs
Governor's office says Franchise Tax Board workers must also take three days
off a month. Agency says the state will lose $550 million in revenue over
the next three years because of the furloughs.
By Marc Lifsher
Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Sacramento -- The state treasury is expected to lose at least
$550 million in revenue over the next three years due to furloughs of the
state workers who collect and audit tax collections.
July 26,
2009
Send the legislators home at night
George Skelton:
Capitol Journal
Los Angeles Times
From Sacramento -- Here's another Sacramento reform for the long "to do" list -- one that wouldn't require a vote of the people or even the governor's signature. Prohibit the Legislature from voting on any bill after sunset. No exceptions -- and especially not a budget bill.
Opinion
Putting California back together
By Tom Karako
Claremont Institute
Los Angeles Times
The state's Constitution needs a rewrite -- and the federal Constitution should be the model.
July 14,
2009
Cries for reform of California government come from all sides
If legislative leaders and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger don't take steps to overhaul their operations, it might be done for them.
July 11,
2009
State green power plan will cost consumers billions
In a report issued last month, the California Public Utilities Commission examined in detail the costs associated with moving to a grid filled with sun, wind, geothermal and other clean, renewable power. And the regulatory agency concluded that the price tag for the accelerated green venture will approach $115 billion for new power plants and lines, and other utility infrastructure.
July 8,
2009
Karen Bass is a target atop the California Assembly
The Assembly speaker, a Democrat from Los Angeles, still has critics despite
new assertiveness in the state budget wars with Republicans.
June 18,
2009
Schwarzenegger says he'll veto Democrats' plan for balancing budget
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told the leaders of the Assembly and Senate on
Wednesday to scrap their plan to raise taxes to help close the state's budget deficit, but the two Democrats insisted they would move ahead next
week with a vote of the full Legislature.
June 17,
2009
Legislative panel approves oil and tobacco taxes
Setting up a contentious partisan showdown, a legislative budget panel
approved plans Tuesday to boost oil and tobacco taxes, slash money for
schools, eliminate the high school exit exam and reduce the budget for state
prisons.
June 13, 2009
Governor backs off plan to raid local coffers
A proposal to borrow $1.9 billion from city and county governments to help
cut the state's deficit draws heavy fire from municipal leaders and
lawmakers from both sides of the aisle.
June 12, 2009
Schwarzenegger takes step toward carrying out budget threat
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday followed up on his threat to block a
high-interest loan that could be needed to keep California government
running if he and state lawmakers fail to balance the budget soon.
Assembly leader says new revenue sources are on the table
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass said Wednesday that her caucus is deciding among numerous revenue-raising options because the $24.3 billion shortfall is too
large to bridge without an infusion. She said some could be implemented by a simple majority vote of the Legislature, meaning that they rely on fees or
mechanisms other than taxes.
June 11,
2009
Budget fault lines emerge between legislative Dems
Democrats in the Senate are forging ahead with a budget plan. But they are
doing so without the blessing of Gov. Schwarzenegger - and more notably
without Assembly Democrats.
June 10, 2009
California Senate Democrats' budget plan relies on rainy-day fund
Senate Democrats unveiled a budget plan Tuesday that would stave off the
deepest proposed cuts to California's health, welfare and student-aid
programs by dipping heavily into the rainy-day fund that Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger wants set aside in case the economy continues to sour.
June 9,
2009
Sac State study claims state parks pay for themselves
A team of researchers at Sacramento State University have released new
research numbers on Monday they say shows that the state parks system more
than pays for itself by generating sales tax revenue.
December 20, 2008
Schwarzenegger orders mass layoffs, unpaid furloughs
Under his executive order, 238,000 employees will be forced to take off two
unpaid days per month through June 30, 2010. Managers will receive either
the furlough or an equivalent salary reduction during the same period.
December 18, 2008
Governor rejects Democratic budget plan
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he will not sign a package of bills
Democrats sent him today to increase taxes and make program cuts, an $18
billion effort passed without Republican votes.
December 10, 2008
Schwarzenegger warns of financial 'Armageddon'
Saying California is "headed toward a financial Armageddon," Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger blistered the Legislature today for failing to come to grips
with the state's deteriorating budget situation.
December 9, 2008
California fiscal officials try 'Scared Straight' approach with Legislature
In a rare joint session of the Assembly and Senate, officials depict the
dismal consequences if Democrats and Republicans fail to address the state's
projected $28-billion budget gap - and soon.
November 29, 2008
Five newcomers to watch in California Assembly
State lawmakers, facing a two-year, $28 billion budget hole, convene at the
Capitol on Monday to take their oaths of office and begin a new two-year
legislative session.
November 23, 2008
EDITORIAL
Budget dead ends and delays
California's money problems get worse, but lawmakers seem unwilling to solve
them.
November 21, 2008
State council proposes ban on polystyrene food containers
The California Ocean Protection Council approved plans Thursday to reduce
the trash that reaches beaches and other marine areas. One approved option
is a statewide ban on polystyrene take-out food containers. While the ban is
intended to reduce pollution, it could also cost thousands of jobs.
October 29,
2008
Governor warns of possible $10 billion deficit
California could face a $10 billion budget shortfall this year, far worse
than the deficit projected only three weeks ago, officials from Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger's office warned education leaders on Tuesday, according to
several schools representatives.
October 28,
2008
Budget redux, with lame ducks
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced yesterday that he will call a
legislative session to address the state's rapidly deteriorating fiscal
situation on Nov. 5, the day after the election. The problem is so bad -
some estimates put the state's current-year shortfall at $10 billion - the
governor can't wait until new lawmakers are sworn in
Dec. 1.
October 22,
2008
California's next budget battle could get easier
California Democrats appear poised to expand their control of the Legislature, which could alter the dynamics of the next budget battle,
already predicted for next year.
Schwarzenegger to call special legislative session to deal with
fiscal
crisis
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision Tuesday to call state lawmakers back
for a special session next month comes with several strategic advantages.
The governor is planning to summon sitting lawmakers -- not the new class
that will be elected in two weeks -- for the emergency session. They already
are well-versed in the intricacies of the current state spending plan. They
will no longer be waging reelection campaigns. And some will be leaving the Legislature when their terms expire Nov. 30.
September 24,
2008
Budget signed, Schwarzenegger sets sights on redistricting, other changes
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger preferred to sign the state's $103.4 billion
budget Tuesday in his office with officials from Placerville and other
cities - and not one legislator.
Western states pitch plan to reduce greenhouse emissions
Seven Western states and four Canadian provinces proposed a sweeping
regional crackdown on global warming emissions Tuesday in the face of
continuing reluctance by the Bush administration and Congress to pass
comprehensive climate legislation.
September 22,
2008
UNION-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL
Where from here?
More than nine months after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger first introduced his
2008-09 budget, negotiations on the spending plan wrapped up last week after
the governor won two concessions from Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
Those concessions are worth a closer look because they're illustrative of
just how big the state's fiscal mess is and how reluctant state leaders are
to address it.
Q&A: Mediators brainstorm on how to fix the state budget process
As California's longest budget stalemate in state history ground to a close,
six professional mediators met with The Bee's Capitol Bureau last week to
offer their thoughts on building a more functional state budget process.
September 21,
2008
DAN WALTERS
Governor's fate sealed on day one
Having conquered bodybuilding and the movies by magnetic presence, Arnold
Schwarzenegger thought that governing California would be a breeze.
September 1,
2008
California enters uncharted territory with no budget
Some say the stalemate could last into next year, leaving the incoming
Legislature to solve the problem. That will leave those dependent on state
funds without the money to operate.
August 30,
2008
Bid to break state budget impasse falls short
Democrats push the first State Senate floor vote on a budget in 60 days, but
it falls three votes short of the two-thirds majority needed. Schwarzenegger
had backed the plan.
August 12,
2008
Schwarzenegger sues state controller over pay-cut order
SACRAMENTO -- The Schwarzenegger administration Monday sued state Controller
John Chiang in an effort to force him to comply with the governor's order
that the pay of most state workers be dropped to the federal minimum wage
until a state budget is enacted.
July 26,
2008
Governor, controller clash on pay-cut plan
SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he must temporarily cut the pay
of 200,000 state workers to prevent a state cash crisis, but some believe it
is a political move to pressure the Legislature to enact an overdue budget.
May 23,
2008
Schwarzenegger's budget gamble
The governor's plan to borrow against future lottery earnings relies on Californians acting recklessly with their money.
May 5,
2008
New
twist to old issue of 'taking' of property
SACRAMENTO - Dueling initiatives on
the statewide ballot June 3 are being framed as a showdown
over government's power to seize private property, but the
outcome could turn on the underlying issue of rent control.
March 23, 2008
California
budget cutters look at tax breaks
State leaders are battling over how
to solve the budget, with Democrats pushing to increase
revenue and GOP lawmakers advocating only cuts. The governor
and lawmakers have yet to embrace a specific tax break, but
both sides are analyzing the possibilities.
March 22, 2008
High-speed
rail backers hope adding private investors to bond measure
will avoid delays
Democratic lawmakers have agreed to
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's request to include public-private
partnerships for a high-speed train that could travel from
either San Francisco or Sacramento to Los Angeles in 2 1/2
hours.
California
seeks new ways to recover unpaid taxes
As California struggles to bridge
an estimated $8 billion budget deficit, it just so happens
that's about the same amount the Legislative Analyst's Office
estimates the state loses annually in uncollected taxes.
February
26, 2008
OPINION
"Even Reagan raised taxes"
Past governors boosted rates drastically during recessions; Schwarzenegger should do the
same
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has joined the anti-tax Republicans in the Legislature -- that is, all of them -- in declaring, "You can't tax your way" out of the state's budget deficit problem. But, in fact, you can. California governors have been doing that for the last 40 years, and the most spectacularly successful were Republicans -- Ronald Reagan and Pete Wilson.
February
25, 2008
LOS ANGELES TIMES EDITORIAL
"Channeling Mulholland"
The Times launches an editorial series on water and water policy in
California and around the world
Our state's breathtaking natural beauty, envied easygoing lifestyle and
booming economy -- the California dream chronicled and immortalized by our
resident historian, Kevin Starr -- depend on an ambitiously conceived
network of aqueducts, pumps, dams and pipes that will literally run dry if
we don't invest heavily to change the way we use, capture, store and
distribute water.
Speaker race is a Capitol brawl
With Fabian Nunez termed out, 10 Democrats are politicking for the
Assembly's biggest prize.
DAN WALTERS
"Shake-up looming in Capitol"
Voter rejection of Proposition 93, a measure that would have eased
legislative term limits, touched off an immediate scramble for power in the
Capitol.
February
24, 2008
Ready for the Capitol's big stage
SACRAMENTO - Sacramento hasn't seen a leader like Modesto's Dave Cogdill in
a quite some time: Cogdill, who became the Senate minority leader this week,
is neither a glad-hander nor a political acrobat intoxicated by the art of
the deal.
DANIEL WEINTRAUB
"Budget crisis puts the governor at a turning point"
Schwarzenegger might be proud of his leadership in the fight against global
warming and pleased with his program to rebuild California's infrastructure.
But unless he attacks the state's fiscal mess with the same gusto he applied
to those issues, he will leave his successor with the same kind of problem
he inherited. History will judge him to be, for the most part, a failure.
February
23, 2008
Villaraigosa's cousin vies for Assembly seat
The labor organizer and relative of the Los Angeles mayor is up against
other candidates with political ties for the seat being vacated by Speaker
Fabian Nunez.
February
22, 2008
SAC BEE EDITORIAL
"Analyst offers a sensible alternative on budget"
Targeted cuts, elimination of tax breaks offer a better way to deal with
state deficit
February
21, 2008
Cogdill
to lead Senate GOP
State Senate Republicans on
Wednesday elected Modesto's Dave Cogdill as their next leader,
giving the San Joaquin Valley a monopoly on GOP power in the
Legislature.
February 20, 2008
GOP
sails to rescue of yachts
SACRAMENTO -- Yacht buyers will
continue to benefit from a loophole that allows them to avoid
sales tax on their boats, after Republicans in the Assembly
blocked an effort to close it Tuesday.
California's
budget gap jumps to $16 billion
SACRAMENTO -- California's
budget shortfall has swollen from $14.5 billion to $16 billion, according to the
state's chief budget analyst, who calls on lawmakers to reject the governor's
approach for closing the deficit through spending cuts alone and consider
raising taxes.
February 19, 2008
In
closing state budget gap, vast sums are off limits
SACRAMENTO -- -- The state is
about to pump half a billion dollars into teaching children to roll sushi,
juggle pins and master new dance forms, even as spending cuts threaten to erode
instruction in reading, math and other fundamentals.
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE EDITORIAL
Out
to sea
The no-new-tax pledge by
Sacramento Republicans is getting crazier by the minute. The
latest example: The GOP's refusal to close a tax loophole
enjoyed by yacht owners.
DAN WALTERS
Democrats scramble for speaker
Although Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco, and Assemblyman Alberto
Torrico, D-Newark, are candidates, the assumption in the Capitol is that
with the Senate leadership post going to Steinberg, the next speaker must
come from Southern California, because of the unwritten rule of regional
bifurcation.
Wall Street says Schwarzenegger is overselling lottery idea
SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is dramatically overestimating the
jackpot the state could collect if it sold the rights to operate the lottery
to an outside company, according to confidential Wall Street analyses.
Brown
to launch anti-warming effort
SACRAMENTO - Monday, Brown's
aides told MediaNews he will announce he is convening
voluntary regional schools for California's more than 500
county supervisors and mayors to advocate tough actions such
new transportation impact fees and costly energy-efficiency.
February 18, 2008
SAC BEE EDITORIAL
Budget
deal is nothing to be proud of
California's Legislature has
done such a fine job of creating diminished expectations that
the emergency budget cuts it approved Friday actually
resembled responsible governance.
UNION-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL
One cheer, one jeer
Steinberg's rise welcome, but not budget bills.
GEORGE SKELTON
Poor won't have the luxury of a tax loophole
SACRAMENTO - When you've got
Republicans who won't even close a tax loophole for yacht
buyers, there isn't much hope of honestly solving California's
budget mess.
Taxes may stay static, but fees will see a bump
SACRAMENTO - By substituting fees in lieu of taxes, Schwarzenegger proposes
to reach into the pockets of motorists, disabled Medi-Cal recipients and
homeowners for at least $761.5 million.
DAN WALTERS
Recall bid looks like power play
The year's oddest story of
intrigue in California politics may be the recall drive
mounted by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata against
Republican Sen. Jeff Denham - a campaign that appears to be
proceeding even though Perata is being forced out of the
Legislature.
February 17, 2008
'Nice
guy' says he's a fighter
Fellow Democrats on Feb. 7
designated Sen. Darrell Steinberg to be the next leader of the
California Senate. Steinberg, 48, will take over in November
under a timeline established by Senate President Pro Tem Don
Perata.
Downturn
takes a toll on Golden State fortunes
If recent economic history is
any guide, California is in for a nasty tumble. The world's
eighth-largest economy is prone to severe peaks and valleys.
It soars higher when the financial climate is good - and falls
more spectacularly when the nation struggles.
Governor
signs budget bills
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
signed six budget-trimming bills Saturday and urged lawmakers
not to wait until summer to act on the next round of cuts
because state revenue could slip by another $1 billion.
February 16, 2008
California
defers budget deficit
The governor is due to sign off
on the plan today, cutting school and healthcare funding. But
most of the red ink would be pushed forward with accounting
maneuvers and borrowing.
February 9, 2008
Proposal
would bill major Bay polluters
After years of voluntary
measures, the fees, proposed this week by the Bay Area Air Quality Management
District, set a precedent as the first time that businesses and government
agencies would face financial consequences for contributing to global warming.
If successful, the fees could be copied all over the state and country, perhaps
ultimately at much higher prices.
February 3, 2008
OPINION
Budget will test post-partisan governing in California
The question is whether the
governor and the Legislature can seize the moment and take a fresh look at the
long-term, structural budget issues that have been ignored for the sake of
political expediency.
February 1, 2008
PUC eases rules of energy-efficiency program
California regulators Thursday
lowered the bar for an energy-efficiency program to allow utilities to earn
about $89 million in customer-funded incentives for achieving as little as 65%
of the power savings goals laid out for them.
Parra
says she won't run again
Being around her family,
especially her brother's two boys, has changed Parra's life view so much that
she's decided to end her political career and focus on getting married and
having children.
January 31, 2008
Recycling
fund may be tapped to help enforce greenhouse laws
The Schwarzenegger administration wants to take $32 million in the form
of a loan from the state's recycling fund and use it to hire dozens of air
quality specialists at the state Air Resources Board, the enforcement arm of the
carbon emissions law. The plan, which needs legislative approval, would take
effect with the new budget year on July 1.
Governor's
Fire Tax Plan is Unfair, Unnecessary
Governor Schwarzenegger recently proposed that every California home
owner and business owner pay a new 1.25 percent tax on their property insurance
- a $125 million tax increase - to pay for what he says will be improved
firefighting efforts statewide, but many of us believe that it will largely go
to backfill cuts the administration has proposed at CALFIRE.
January 29, 2008
Los Angles Times Editorial "The disastrous Foothill South tollway"
Maybe Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was trying to make up for planned cuts to
state parks. Otherwise, it's hard to imagine what could have led to his
recent support for the Foothill South toll road.
January 28, 2008
Rejection of fire levy plan urged
SACRAMENTO -- -- State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner on Friday urged
lawmakers not to approve a fee proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to
raise $125 million for fire protection, calling the surcharge
unconstitutional, unfair to many property owners and bad public policy.
January 27, 2008
Proposition 93: Capitol leaders at crossroads
With the economy souring and massive problems looming, California could find
itself with a lame duck governor negotiating with novice leaders in both the
Assembly and Senate by year's end.
January 25, 2008
Little energy behind state solar plant efforts
SACRAMENTO -- -- Despite state goals to encourage alternative energy, no
application to build a large solar power plant in California has been
approved in 18 years, and new projects could face significant delays in the
bureaucracy, the state auditor said Thursday.
Stricter rules on political gifts considered
California's political watchdog agency is drafting tougher disclosure rules
for gifts accepted by elected officials and could ban many of them
altogether for statewide office-holders. Stricter rules on political gifts
considered
January 24, 2008
More firefighters, gear, panel asks
Three months after massive brush fires burned hundreds of homes across
Southern California, a blue-ribbon task force on Friday made dozens of
recommendations aimed at improving the response to large-scale blazes.
January 22, 2008
Schwarzenegger backs O.C. tollway
Backing away from his neutral stance, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday
urged the California Coastal Commission to approve a controversial tollway
in Orange County that would pass through San Onofre State Beach, one of
California's most popular parks.
January 21, 2008
GEORGE SKELTON
"Gov. has power to cut spending if he wants to do it"
SACRAMENTO - Listening to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, you'd think the role
of California's governor was strictly ceremonial, like being the British
queen. Pageantry but no power, especially over the purse.
January 20, 2008
Schwarzenegger stays neutral in presidential race
Governor says he won't endorse a candidate and denies that he's waiting for
his 'soul mate,' Michael Bloomberg, to enter the race.
Yes on Proposition 93
The term-limits measure would reward a few lawmakers now, but it's right for
the state's future.
DAN WALTERS
"Tax breaks are costly, but popular"
Democrats such as Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez sidestep questions about
raising personal or corporate income taxes or sales taxes. Instead they say
such things as this statement from Nunez: "Revenue sources from closing tax
loopholes and credits must be on the table." But Nunez et al. are very vague
when it comes to specifics.
January 15, 2008
Governor supports term limits measure
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks California voters "went too far" in
enacting legislative term limits and will support the Feb. 5 ballot measure
to alter the law, his office announced Monday.
January 13, 2008
DAN WALTERS "Walking on eggshells about taxes"
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez performed a neat verbal trick the other day in
response to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's vow to make deep spending cuts to
close a massive deficit in the state budget.
Can't blame economy for deficit, critics argue
SACRAMENTO -- While the state's latest fiscal crisis can be blamed partly on
an economic downturn, political experts say there is a far more complex
history of policy failures and political mistakes by state leaders that is
partly to blame.
DANIEL WEINTRAUB" Budget plan is a strategy to get attention"
It's difficult to believe that Schwarzenegger is serious about the proposal
he put on the table last week. He knows that the Democrats who control the
Legislature will not vote for the cuts he is proposing. What, then, is his
strategy? Schwarzenegger appears to be trying to get the attention of the
public and to his Republican colleagues in the Legislature.
partly to blame.
January 13, 2008
State's budget crisis curtails legislators' agendas
California's lopsided budget has squashed legislative ambitions this year
and made it unlikely that lawmakers will be able to do much more than drag
spending and revenue back into balance.
January 9, 2008
DAN WALTERS
- Governor's new stab at reform
Were politics a rational process, the virtue of setting aside extra tax
revenue during prosperous years to cushion the impact of income dips would
be self-evident.
Gov. urges insurance assessment to fund firefighting
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will propose hiking the cost of
insurance for millions of California homes and businesses in the budget he
unveils Thursday, with the money to be used for firefighting efforts.
January 4, 2008
Global
warming goes to courts
The Environmental Protection Agency
can't say it wasn't warned. By denying California - and another 16 states - a
chance to set tailpipe limits on greenhouse gas emissions, the fumbling
feds are lining up for a painful ordeal in the courtroom and on Capitol Hill.
December 23, 2007
Cal Fire drawing heated criticism over policies
Experts cite agency's rigid approach to job
Benedict Arnold?
The next few months should determine whether Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger can,
in any reasonable sense, continue to be considered a Republican. Until now,
the socially liberal governor has shared the GOP's anti-tax mania, which was
essentially the lone bond he maintained with his party.
December 21, 2007
EPA chief is said to have ignored staff
The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ignored his staff's
written findings in denying California's request for a waiver to implement
its landmark law to slash greenhouse gases from vehicles, sources inside and
outside the agency told The Times on Thursday.
December 17, 2007
UNION-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL
"Seeing red" State budget crisis even worse than reported
So now we are told the state faces a budget deficit of $14 billion. Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is moving to declare a fiscal emergency and has
ordered all agencies to prepare for cuts of 10 percent. The news could
hardly get much worse, right? For three reasons, that's wrong.
December 14, 2007
Budget battle heats up
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to seek across-the-board budget
cuts to solve an estimated $14 billion deficit, but Democratic Assembly
Speaker Fabian Nunez said Thursday the state should now consider tax hikes.
DAN WALTERS
Odd allies, confusion bend vote
As voters begin to focus on the Feb. 5 presidential primary - and especially
on the array of non-presidential ballot measures - they'll need a scorecard
to follow the players. While all campaigns on ballot measures tend to be
misleading, those lining up for and against the Feb. 5 measures are an
especially odd collection of bedfellows.
December 13, 2007
Speaker on FPPC list of lawmakers, lobbyists to get random audit
Assembly Speaker Fabian NunezÕs campaign finance activities have been in the
news in recent months. But the No-ez camp said that by early next year the
Fair Political Practices Commission will show that the Los Angeles Democrat
has done nothing illegal.
December 12, 2007
State's budget shortfall widens
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told social service advocates
Tuesday that the state's anticipated budget shortfall -- already feared to
be the worst since he took office -- has widened to $14 billion, according
to people at the meetings.
November
28, 2007
Schwarzenegger calls for new tack on infrastructure
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday signaled a controversial
push to engage private companies in the building and management of state and
local public works projects, proposing a strategy widely employed in Canada,
Europe and elsewhere.
November
24, 2007
Transit
Gov. finds himself in a bigger budget bind
SACRAMENTO - As he prepares the budget blueprint that he will release in
January, the governor is in a bind. There isn't as much red ink this time,
or an emergency cash shortage -- at least not yet. But deals he made to keep
the state afloat earlier in his tenure now hamper his ability to take on a
rapidly swelling deficit that early projections show will hit at least $10
billion.
November
19, 2007
Transit
Schwarzenegger sets California campaign fundraising record
SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has become the most prolific
campaign fundraiser in California history, taking in more than $125 million
for his various political committees, according to an Associated Press
review of fundraising records.
November
15, 2007
Transit
Lawmakers told to fix budget now
SACRAMENTO -- Saying spending is poised to grow more than 50% faster than
revenues, the state's chief budget analyst called on lawmakers Wednesday to
immediately begin cutting government programs or raising taxes to address a
budget shortfall that has ballooned to $10 billion.
November
14, 2007
Transit
projects hitting speed bumps
SACRAMENTO - A record $19.9
billion transportation bond pitched to voters last fall as a
way to "fast track" projects is hitting slowdowns in
some areas.
November
9, 2007
State
sues EPA on emissions
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and
state Attorney General Jerry Brown on Thursday morning
announced that California is suing the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency to force the agency to decide whether
California can enforce a 2002 state law that would slash
tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases from new cars starting
next year.
DAN WALTERS
Governor's desertion haunts him
Schwarzenegger's own bean
counters, the Legislature's budget office, a few curmudgeonly
legislators and some in the media repeatedly warned
Schwarzenegger that failing to balance the budget during the
first three years of his governorship, when the economy and
revenues were soaring, would result in a fiscal cataclysm when
the economy cooled.
November
7, 2007
Governor
teeters on edge of deficit abyss
He talked about the state
living within its means, but nothing changed. Now a crisis
threatens.
November
6, 2007
Schwarzenegger
orders plan for 10% budget cuts
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger on Monday ordered all state departments to
draft plans for deep spending cuts after receiving word that
California's budget is plunging further into the red --
largely because of the troubled housing market.
November 2, 2007
Nuñez
used a charity to funnel donations
SACRAMENTO - Assembly Speaker
Fabian Nuñez used a small charity as a conduit to funnel
almost $300,000 from companies and organizations with business
in the Capitol to events that helped him politically.
October
13, 2007
Water
bond, health care unlikely to make February ballot
But Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez,
D-Los Angeles, insisted that negotiations will continue at
least for the next few weeks in hopes of hammering out a
compromise on both issues that might go on the ballot either
in June or November 2008.
Dems
reject new offer in dam debate
Gov. Schwarzenegger offered a
proposal aimed to get water bonds on the ballot in February.
Nuñez
defends his lavish travel expenses
SACRAMENTO -- Assembly Speaker
Fabian Nuñez offered some explanation Friday for a few
campaign fund expenditures in Europe, but refused to elaborate
on how tens of thousands of dollars of other purchases were
related to governmental or political business.
UNION-TRIBUNE
EDITORIAL
Fabian's
folly
Speaker facing a hugely
deserved backlash.
|
