The Bee checks up on
states that have approved measures requiring labor unions to get members' approval before using funds for political purposes. "With California voters poised to consider an employee-consent law for government workers on November's special election ballot,
only Utah is seeing its effort to check union political spending change the public policy world."
"'It sets up bureaucratic red tape and costs unions money figuring out how to deal with the law and the legal challenges,' said
Ken Jacobs, deputy chairman of the Center for Labor Research and Education at the University of California, Berkeley. '
At least in the beginning, it does have a chilling effect as people determine how to respond.'"
If that chilling effect lasts past November 2006, mission accomplished.
Meanwhile, since the governor has come out swinging against efforts to weaken Prop. 13, the LA Daily News follows suit,
previewing the so-called "split-roll" initiative which may be headed to the June 2006 ballot.
"The Tax Fairness Act would allow commercial properties to be assessed at significantly higher rates more in line with their current value.
Revenue generated would be reserved for education, transportation-improvement projects, public safety and a property tax relief program for senior citizens. The bill would funnel 50 percent of the new revenue to K-12 education. About $2.1 million of the money raised to circulate the measure has come from the California Teachers Association."
In "Then You'd Really Like My Sister" News, the Bee's Dan Smith
profiles "Anti-Arnold consultant" Gale Kaufman in Sunday's paper. One of Kaufman's clients, Speaker
Fabian Nuņez says he always looks forward to their midday phone calls. "She'll call me in the middle of the day and cuss me out," he says. "I really like that about her."
Republican leaders were doing
more spinning than barbecuing this weekend at a fundraiser at Santa Margarita Community Park along the Central Coast. "[Assembly Republican Leader
Kevin] McCarthy said voters are responding to the proposals -- especially those that promote the party's 'live within your means' slogan. 'We have not seen this type of excitement since the recall,' he said. '
The Republicans are in a very good position.'"
Speaking of wild ambition, the San Bernardino Sun sends a dispatch from the
BacaBacaBaca desk, noting there will be
three Bacas on next year's ballot. "Assemblyman
Joe Baca Jr., D-Rialto, will try to move up to a state Senate seat.
Jeremy Baca, who works for a utility company, will run to replace his big brother" while their congressman father runs for reelection. It's almost as exciting as a budget spending cap, but not quite.
From our
Lucy and the Football files, the North County Times reports on Sen. Gil Cedillo's
latest efforts to give undocumented immigrants the right to drive. Now that Cedillo has agreed to the "mark" on the drivers license that the governor called for in last year's bill, a request Cedillo refused to accept, the governor is getting ready to veto the bill again.
"Schwarzenegger's press secretary,
Margita Thompson, said the bill is premature because the Department of Homeland Security hasn't issued regulations spelling out the details of federal requirements," on undocumented drivers.
From the Desk of George Orwell, the San Jose Mercury News reports on a new, cute little program set up by the state national guard known as the
"Information Synchronization, Knowledge Management and Intelligence Fusion" program. Some people have called it
a domestic spying program. "Although Guard officials said the new unit would not collect information on American citizens, top National Guard officials have already been involved in tracking at least one recent Mother's Day anti-war rally organized by families of slain American soldiers, according to e-mails obtained by the Mercury News."
All in the name of domestic security.
The Bee reports
Steve Westly's staff
claims that he writes his own blog. "'I think a lot of people think blogs by political officials are formal or canned or heavily edited,' said Westly spokesman
Nick Velasquez. 'But this is the real thing; this is Steve Westly, right on the Web site.'"
The article further notes that, as of Friday, Westly had posted one entry, and done so by dictating it to staff over the phone.
Read it for yourself.In memoriam: "Assemblyman
Mike Gordon, a Democrat from El Segundo who was diagnosed with a brain tumor after his election in November,
died Saturday morning at his home after four months of treatment."
"Funeral plans are pending. Gordon's legislative director,
Janelle Beland, said they would most likely occur the week of July 3."
In the final days of his life, Gordon filed a lawsuit against business partner
Kristen Schwenkmeyer and her husband
Jim Wisely, among others,
seeking an involuntary dissolution of Gordon & Schwenkmeyer, Inc.According to the Daily Breeze, The suit alleges "Events prior to (Gordon's) illness have led (Gordon) to the conclusion that, during his time in the state Assembly -- and even now at a time when he is suffering a serious illness -- Schwenkmeyer has deliberately structured the operations and affairs of the two corporations with the intention of unjustly enriching herself at (Gordon's) expense and to ultimately completely control both entities..."
With
Antonio Villaraigosa prepared to take the reins at Los Angeles City Hall this week, he LA Times takes a look at the
"coming of age" of Latino elected officials in Los Angeles. "When Villaraigosa takes office Friday, Latinos will hold the positions of mayor of Los Angeles, president of its City Council, Los Angeles city attorney, president of the Los Angeles school board, chairwoman of the county Board of Supervisors, county sheriff and chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Meanwhile, the Bee catches up with the former Speaker and reports "with the hype surrounding his historic inauguration and the ambitious agenda he's set, Villaraigosa is already
steeling himself for the inevitable "fall on my face."Stay tuned to the Roundup for further details...