The LA Times takes a look at the governor's recent environmental appointees and finds Schwarzenegger "is
increasingly favoring industry officials for key jobs protecting California's forests, air and water."
"In a reversal from the beginning of his tenure, it is now environmentalists who are objecting that Schwarzenegger has bent too far to one side. The complaints mirror a larger one that has been leveled against the governor all year: that
he has become too closely aligned with the business interests that are underwriting his November special election."
The governor appears headed for a showdown when his appointee to chair the Air Resources Board,
Cindy Tuck appears before the Senate Rules Committee.
The Press-Enterprise takes a look at the
record of Inland Empire lawmakers when it comes to clean air bills."Despite representing a region with some of the worst air quality in the country, Republican lawmakers from the Inland area rarely support state legislation meant to clean California's air. From fees on locomotive pollution to tracking smog-related illnesses, GOP lawmakers representing Riverside and San Bernardino counties have voted "no" on dozens of pollution-related bills over the past five years, records show."
Who says Congress doesn't pay? Vic Pollard takes a look at some of
Bill Thomas's spending habits. "When Rep. Bill Thomas went to a conference at a posh Colorado resort in June, it cost the conference sponsors
almost $28,000, mostly for a chartered plane to get him there and back to Washington. It is the latest eye-opener in a recent wave of new scrutiny aimed at privately financed travel by House and Senate members."
"The Thomas trip was
the most expensive gift of travel reported for any junket within the United States by a member of Congress since the database began compiling records that go back to 2000.
George Skelton chats with
Rob Reiner about his new preschool initiative, and a
potential run for governor. "If I feel that by holding public office I can get a lot more done … and I [do] have some very big thoughts about things I want to do … then at some point it may be something I might do," Reiner says.
With the
cacophony of mixed reviews that came after the speaker's recent trip to Mexico, we missed this little nugget buried at the end of an LA Times story about the trip over the weekend.
"When asked whether he wants to replace Schwarzenegger as the next governor, Nuñez deferred to California's highest-profile Latino politician. '
Antonio Villaraigosa will be the next governor,' he said. 'I'll just carry his bags.'"
Do you know something we don't, Mr. Speaker?
Villaraigosa begins a two-day trip to Sacramento today.
From our
Is That All There Is? Files, AP's Steve Lawrence takes a look at what's on the Legislature's plate for
the last two weeks of session. Gay marriage, a minimum wage increase, and that old chestnut, drivers' licenses for undocumented workers, top the list.
The Bee covers Kevin Murray's
SB 4, which would allow the state's Infrastructure Bank to
issue tax exempt bonds to build sports arenas. "'I think local government currently has the authority to do this if they want to create a stadium,' said state Sen.
Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento, who abstained from voting on the bill when it passed the Senate in June. 'I'm not sure why the state should be making decisions and issuing bonds for these uses.'"
Meanwhile, Beth Fouhy takes a look at just
how close lawmakers and Gov. Schwarzenegger got to a deal last week. "Former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, a Democrat well-versed in the art of the deal, was brought in by Schwarzenegger to participate. The move was seen by many in the Capitol as
a slap at Pat Clarey, the governor's chief of staff. Until then, she and budget chief
Tom Campbell had been his lead negotiators."
In
a little bit of 1995 all over again, it was
CTA and Pete Wilson who derailed the deal, critics say. "Democrats say Schwarzenegger was constrained by his own staff and advisers, who never wanted a deal. They complain that a battalion of Republican heavyweights - including former Gov. Pete Wilson - were enlisted to steer Schwarzenegger away from any agreement.
Schatzi's gets Shutzis Schatzi's on Main, the restaurant formerly owned by Gov. Schwarzenegger, was
shut down for nearly a week for health violations. Schwarzenegger no longer owns the restaurant, but still owns the building on Main St., near the Santa Monica-Venice border. "The high priced steak, martini and cigar lounge, previously owned by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was
closed from August 11 to August 17 for “vermin” infestations of the rat and cockroach variety along with “more minor” cleanliness issues, County Health officials said.