"Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday
declared 'absolutely irresponsible' a pledge by Democratic challenger
Phil Angelides to fight to bring home the state's National Guard troops from war-torn Iraq."
"Angelides responded in kind while addressing an anti-war lunch crowd at Sacramento City College in his hometown."
"'Well, I've got this to say to you, Arnold Schwarzenegger,' Angelides said. 'It's irresponsible to continue to defend George W. Bush's failed policies in Iraq. You disserve our nation and you disserve our troops.'"
"A tax-exempt group set up to create jobs is being used by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to
bankroll a pair of splashy bill-signing events designed to attract publicity as he runs for reelection," report Peter Nicholas and Dan Morain in the Times.
The events were in Malibu and San Francisco, at which the governor signed
AB 32.
"Unlike contributions to Schwarzenegger's campaign account, donations to the nonprofit are not subject to caps or disclosure requirements."
"Part of the cost is being picked up by the Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth, a nonprofit panel that Schwarzenegger launched in 2004 to lure business to California. The commission is planning to raise about $25,000 to help pay for the events, according to executive director
Mark Mosher."
"Among the commission's donors are major California companies with business before the state, including PG&E and Southern California Edison."
"Watchdog groups said that when the governor takes official actions, taxpayers should foot the bill — not companies with business in Sacramento."
Until, of course, watchdogs say he's using public funds to pump up his approval ratings.
Kevin Yamamura and Clea Benson
report in the Bee: "Gov.
Gray Davis did not use campaign funds for bill-signing ceremonies, said
Steve Maviglio, Davis' former press secretary."
"We built a wall between official state events and campaign events," said Maviglio, now working for Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles. '
It would be inconceivable to have the governor hold out a tin cup to make them more elaborate, but this administration apparently has no shame if that makes for a better picture on TV.'"
"Thompson said Schwarzenegger's events are costly because he attracts more media than a typical governor. Wednesday's events were extraordinary because there was a need to inform the public about the limits on greenhouse emissions, she said."
'
"'The governor believes we need to minimize the cost to taxpayers,' Thompson said. 'At the same time, we need to celebrate that we've created this fabulous policy that's going to benefit not just California, not just the country, but the world.'"
The governor did not use a fancy ceremony to veto the driver's license bill for undocumented immigrants, although he did issue a rare
Spanish-language veto message.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation Thursday to allow illegal immigrants to obtain California driver's licenses, marking the eighth consecutive year such proposals have died," report Jim Sanders and Judy Lin in the Bee.
"
Senate Bill 1162 was a far weaker proposal than had been pushed in years past, recognizing the string of defeats and bitter political friction over the issue in an election year."
Also signed Thursday, "
SB1655 authored by Sen.
Jack Scott, D-Altadena, will give school principals the flexibility to reject a voluntary transfer of a teacher and change hiring deadlines so that promising new teachers can be hired earlier," write Lynda Gledhill and Matthew Yi in the Chron.
"Currently, principals must give teachers seeking a transfer first priority for any open positions, even if they are not performing well."
"'Right now we have what we call the dance of the lemons,' Schwarzenegger said at a bill signing ceremony at a Pasadena high school. 'Teachers who are failing our students, or getting into trouble in one school, can voluntarily move to another school, and there the school principal has to accept them, even knowing that they're not good teachers.'"
"The bill gives principals power to 'say no to those teachers and only hire the best candidates,' the Republican governor said."
And, today, the Field Poll
shares the numbers for the infrastructure bond package. "With 40 days until the Nov. 7 election, poll Director
Mark DiCamillo said the survey suggests potentially razor-thin outcomes for the infrastructure measures that generated bipartisan euphoria in the spring when the Democratic Legislature and Republican Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger teamed up to place them on the ballot," reports Andy Furillo in the Bee.
"'They're getting just about the bare minimum for passage,' DiCamillo said of the measures. '
I guess I'm expecting a close election on just about all of these.'"
To
the numbers...
Prop. 1B (Transportation-$19.9b)Yes: 52%
No: 36%
Prop. 1C (Housing-$2.8b)Yes: 58%
No: 28%
Prop. 1D (Education-$10.4b)Yes: 52%
No: 33%
Prop. 1E (Levees/Flood-$4.09b)Yes: 51%
No: 36%
Prop. 84 (Water/Parks-$5.4b)Yes: 50%
No: 30%
After Saturday's deadline to act on legislation, will the governor shift his focus to drumming up support for the infrastructure package?
Dan Walters
writes: "Previous polling had indicated that Schwarzenegger is reaping the political benefit of having championed infrastructure, so whether the bond issues pass or fail probably means nothing to his re-election prospects, which have continued to brighten."
"Nevertheless, he wants them to pass as part of his bid to go into the history books as a successful governor, and will very soon launch a statewide campaign for them -- with Democratic legislative leaders at his side, thereby bolstering the image of bipartisanship that he's cultivating in seeking a new term."
"For Schwarzenegger, it's a no-lose situation."
The Merc News's Brandon Bailey looks at the
race for insurance commish. "The next state insurance commissioner will be facing industry pressure to back away from some controversial regulations, including new rules that require insurers to base automobile rates primarily on driving records instead of ZIP codes."
"Consumer advocates support the new regulations. And both groups are closely watching the contest between Lt. Gov.
Cruz Bustamante, a veteran Democratic politician who says the job of insurance commissioner may be his last elective office, and Silicon Valley businessman
Steve Poizner, a wealthy Republican who is hoping to make it his first."
"Both candidates promise to uphold the regulations, although insurers say they are costly and unfair. The rules were introduced by incumbent
John Garamendi, who has aggressively clashed with the industry and is now running for another position."
Finally, from our
When Animals Attack files, "Mountain View Community Services Director David Muela said that as many as six people have been
bitten or scratched by squirrels since May, and that the attacks have become more ferocious in the last month.
In response to attacks, the city of Mountain View has announced it plans to start
trapping and killing the aggressive tree squirrels.
Over the next three weeks, park workers will set tube-like traps in the trees of Cuesta Park and euthanize captured squirrels "in a humane way," said Muela, Mountain View's community services director.