Acknowledging that he is not finding much of an audience in Washington, the governor
has increased his proposed levee and water bond from $1 billion to $6 billion, reports Shane Goldmacher in Capitol Weekly.
"The new $6 billion bond for levees and flood protection is a sign that
the administration may be pessimistic about the prospects of federal funding. The governor's original proposal included $1 billion in state bonds this year, an additional $1.5 billion in 2010, $3 billion in federal funds and $500 million in local money."
"The governor's office confirmed the changes to the bond and referred questions to Sen. [
Sam] Aanestad, R-Grass Valley, who sits on the Senate Natural Resources and Water committee and is carrying the governor's bond."
"'
The governor and Sen. Aanestad are going to move forward with the assumption that the federal money is not going to be there,' said Aanestad spokesman William Bird. 'If the federal money comes in great, but if it doesn't it is not going to shut the project down.'"
The governor did find at least one ear in Washington, reports Richard Simon in the Times. "Sen.
Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), the influential chairman of the Senate subcommittee that writes spending bills for flood-control projects, said after meeting with Schwarzenegger that he would
support the governor's request for about $23.5 million to strengthen the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta levees."
"Domenici said he would try to include the money in a multibillion-dollar bill to fund expenses for the war and hurricane relief that is expected to come before Congress this month."
A Republican Party voter registration effort in Orange County's 34th senate district is
alleged to have switch the registrations of voters to Republican without their consent, report Kimberly Kindy and Peggy Lowe in the Register. "So far, the Democratic Voter Education and Registration Fund has given the Orange County Registrar of Voters Office 37 signed complaints in which Orange County voters said they were switched to Republican registration without their consent."
"According to the committee, 40 other voters requested that complaint forms be sent to them with forms to re-register as Democrats. An additional 200 did not want to fill out complaint forms, but asked the committee to help them switch back to the Democratic Party. The committee also found more than 300 forms listing invalid addresses and phone numbers."
"'People came to us complaining about this,' said
Paul Hefner, the Democratic committee spokesman. 'They were getting cards in the mail that said, 'Welcome to the Republican Party.' They said they had been tricked and they were angry.'"
"
Scott Baugh, chairman of the Republican Central Committee of Orange County, said he believed the problems were confined to a few individuals who were fired over the past two months for "inaccuracies" in registration cards or because they were the subject of voter complaints."
"'We've received six complaints out of the 15,000 letters we sent out to welcome people to the party when they register,' Baugh said. He did not identify the workers who were fired, one on Jan. 18 and two more on Feb. 2."
Speaking of the 34th, the Register's Martin Wisckol looks into
why Van Tran dropped his bid. "But Tran has said the decision was not based on the June primary against Daucher, whom he was confident he would beat."
"'The primary would just be the appetizer,' said Tran, 41. 'The battle would be in the general, and the Dems will outspend the Republicans by 2-1.'" Not exactly a vote of confidence for party prospects in the fall.
"He said a supporter, Rep.
Ed Royce, told him, 'I should keep my powder dry for another day.'"
Meanwhile,
Jim Righeimer and
Janet Nguyen yesterday decided to keep their powder dry, dropping out of the race for the Tran's AD68, clearing the way for his reelection.
Could Tran be up to something more? His name was one of several floating around the Capitol yesterday as possible candidates to succeed
Kevin McCarthy as Assembly Republican Leader, who may be running for Congress.
Speculation about a McCarthy Congressional bid has swirled because Rep. Bill Thomas, McCarthy's political mentor, has yet to pull papers for his reelection.
Also possibly in the hunt for Republican leadership are
Rick Keene,
George Plescia,
Sharon Runner and
Mimi Walters. Or, at least that's what our
tipsters and the staffers that blog all day on
hack n flak tell us.
Meanwhile, the pre-filing day shakeout continues as
Rod Wright dropped out of the race for
SD26, clearing the way for
Mark Ridley-Thomas.
Don Perata withdrew his support for Rob Reiner's Prop. 82 yesterday, Kevin Yamamura and Jim Sanders report in the Bee. "Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, one of the state's leading Democrats, on Tuesday withdrew his support for a universal preschool ballot proposal in another blow to actor Rob Reiner's initiative."
"Perata, at a breakfast meeting with The Bee Capitol Bureau, said his reversal on Proposition 82 was unrelated to mounting criticism of Reiner's dual leadership roles with the First 5 California Commission and the political campaign to pass the $2.4 billion initiative."
Perata called the measure "yet another obstacle impending prudent governance of this state."
Sort of makes you wonder why he endorsed it in the first place.
Here is
Perata's letter to Reiner.
Meanwhile "Assembly Republican leaders proposed legislation Tuesday to redirect the commission's annual statewide advertising funds and a portion of administrative funds - $42 million in all - for use in extending a Kern County preschool program statewide."
"Assembly Republican leader
Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield denied that the new proposal,
Assembly Bill 2150, is motivated by opposition to Proposition 82 or by partisan politics. He said he had been looking for a funding source to extend the Kern County program before the Reiner controversy arose."
And now,
Dave Cox wants the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to investigate allegations that Reiner and others at the First 5 commission used state funds to promote Reiner's new preschool initiative.
"The timing of these ads, as well as the less than scrupulous relationship between Mr. Reiner and his consultants, violates the spirit if not the letter of the law which clearly prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars for any political campaign activities."
"You will recall that just one year ago, former Secretary of State
Kevin Shelly [sic] resigned in the face of numerous reports and investigations into his misuse of federal funds for what were confirmed to be overtly political purposes. Six years ago, former Insurance Commissioner
Charles Quackenbush also resigned following similar misappropriation of taxpayer funds for what were also confirmed to be overtly political purposes."
"
Mr. Reiner’s activities, as reported in the media, meet a similar threshold of troubling behavior."
"The University of California's administration, under fire for paying employees more than it disclosed to the public,
neglected to provide its governing body with required reports on legal settlements, senior managers' corporate board service and executive compensation, The Chronicle has learned."
Todd Wallack and Tanya Schevitz report "UC officials are required to provide the reports to the Board of Regents annually under policies approved by the regents and the university's president. But regents have never received a list of legal settlements, and they haven't received the other reports in years."
"'It's embarrassing,' said Republican Sen.
Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County), a member of the Senate Education Committee, which held hearings this month into UC's pay practices after The Chronicle published a series of
meet him in a debate. (Either that, or in the alley when the bell rings at 3:00).
Our special
Roundup Losers Playbook finds challenging opponents to debate came in at No. 4, right after "championing the strengh of your grass-roots campaign."
But that didn't stop Westly. "I understand that my staff has attempted, unsuccessfully so far, to open discussions with your staff about the details of debates," wrote Westly in the letter [to Phil Angelides]. "I am concerned that if we do not begin negotiations on the debates in the near future we may miss a valuable opportunity, particularly for debate invitations in March or early April."
Hey, we promise to watch if you invite
Arianna Huffington back.