Capitol Weekly's Malcolm Maclachlan reports the Department of Finance is already bracing for the May Revise, and has
begun adjusting their January revenue projections downward.
"The Department of Finance has lowered the estimate for the financial contribution to the state from the five amended Tribal Gaming Compacts from $506 million to $382 million for the current fiscal year.
The changes were detailed the revisions in a letter sent Thursday to two dozen legislators, consultants and budget officers. The letter cites California"testimony presented by the tribes" during hearings on the compacts in the Senate Governmental Organization (GO) Committee hearings held on April 10 and 11th . It also notes "two tribes will not be adding devices at the level originally thought, and it will take more time to receive and install the new devices than assumed."
Many budget analysts, including the non-partisan Legislative Analyst, have voiced skepticism about the administration's budget assumptions regarding the compacts.In his January proposal, Schwarzenegger estimated the state would receive more than half a billion dollars from the five pending new compacts."
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger can't be president, but that
hasn't stopped him from trying to act like one," reports Kevin Yamamura in the Bee.
"The Republican governor will visit Canada in May to pursue trading agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He wants to coordinate with New York, Florida and other populous states to establish a coast-to-coast agenda to reduce global warming and solve health care problems.
"And he will draw national attention when he attends Thursday's Republican presidential debate in Simi Valley after he and legislative leaders moved up California's 2008 primary to gain more national clout.
"'
I don't want to be just thinking about what can we do in California, but how we can reach out and utilize this power we have,' Schwarzenegger said in a telephone interview, still insisting he wants California to 'act kind of like a nation-state.'"
"
Donald Trump gave $10,000 to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California to help pay off campaign debts a little more than a month after Mr. Schwarzenegger appeared as a guest star on Mr. Trump’s television program 'The Apprentice: Los Angeles,' according to a campaign filing.
"In an episode broadcast on March 18, Mr. Schwarzenegger played host to five of the show’s contestants in his private conference room at the Capitol here.
"The governor denies any link between the donation and the television appearance, but some political watchdog groups are skeptical.
"'He’s clearly using his personal friendships and his celebrity to pay off his campaign debt, and that’s just wrong,' said
Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a group that tracks campaign donations.
"A Schwarzenegger spokeswoman,
Julie Soderlund, said the April 20 donation was not connected to the governor’s appearance on the program. The taping took place earlier in the year, but Ms. Soderlund was unsure of the date."
Democrats wrapped up their convention in San Diego yesterday with
speeches from John Edwards and Bill Richardson," reports the U-T's John Marelius.
"Former Sen. John Edwards made the case to Democratic Party activists in San Diego yesterday that his Southern roots give him the best chance to return Democrats to the White House in the 2008 election.
“We need a candidate for president who can campaign and compete hard in California and New York, but who can also campaign and compete hard in Iowa, in Missouri, in Georgia, in Kentucky, in Virginia, everywhere in America,” the former North Carolina senator and 2004 vice presidential nominee told the California Democratic Party convention.
Edwards pushed to add electability to his list of assets, contending that
his potential to make serious inroads in the South is especially important in 2008 because none of the Republican front-runners – Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney – hails from the South.The other candidate who addressed delegates yesterday, New Mexico Gov.
Bill Richardson, also played the electability card, contending that his extensive and varied résumé – governor, United Nations ambassador, secretary of energy, congressman – gives him the edge.
'
I am asking all of you to see who can be America's best president – that this not be judged on who is the biggest rock star or who has the most money,' Richardson said at the San Diego Convention Center."
George Skelton writes that, while imperfect,
the prison building and reform bill is a good start.
"Any time you have conservative Sen.
Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) and liberal Sen.
Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) lined up on the same side opposing a bill that requires a two-thirds majority vote for passage, a lot of give-and-take is going to be needed to attract enough support from the middle. That's particularly true in Sacramento, where there isn't much of a broad middle because of gerrymandered redistricting.
The prison expansion bill sailed through the Assembly in a breeze, 69 to 0. But in the Senate, it barely survived without a vote to spare, 27 to 10. The "no" and "abstain" votes came primarily from lefties and righties and were almost evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.
"Perata actually spoke for the opponents, questioning whether Schwarzenegger really can fix the troubled prison system with the bill: "I must say this tests any article of faith that I've ever been associated with. I do not, as I stand here, believe that this job can get done."
"But without the legislation, he said, "it can only get worse."
"The governor and legislators deserve credit for passing what was possible. It's a start.
"The bill isn't perfect, but it's perfectly fine. Hopefully, the federal judges will concur."
The LAT's Jenifer Warren
profiles two of the judges that will be deciding if the plan is enough. "Both are past 70, with creaky limbs, gray beards and an eye on retirement after long careers in the black robe.
But like it or not, federal judges
Thelton E. Henderson and
Lawrence K. Karlton hold the power to help California fix a catastrophic failure: its broken prison system. It is a task neither man covets.
"Karlton has had heart surgery and carries a full load of cases aside from his prison work. Henderson suffers an autoimmune disorder that is attacking his muscles. He says he'd be enjoying his golden years already if not for his desire to see inmate medical care improve.
"'I want to retire and go fishing and hang out with my grandson,' Henderson said in a recent interview. 'But Larry and I feel an obligation, a duty, here.'"
"It was
all political systems go for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom at this weekend's state Democratic convention as he hobnobbed with presidential hopefuls and party activists, and held a hasty news conference about plans for coping with disruption caused by a freeway tanker crash Sunday morning in Oakland," writes John Wildermuth in the Chron.
"The crowds at the convention Sunday were friendly, the mayor was relaxed and plenty of people wanted to shake his hand and say nice things about him. It was a far cry from just three months ago, when an embarrassing -- and highly public -- sex and drinking scandal was threatening Newsom's political future.
"There are still no guarantees his affair with the wife of his campaign manager and his announcement that he was seeking treatment for a growing drinking problem won't torpedo any plans the 39-year-old mayor may have for higher office. But those dark clouds didn't follow him into the San Diego Convention Center."
The aforementioned freeway crash prompted a
visit from Gov. Schwarzenegger, who has declared a state of emergency in three counties, and vowed to get the stretch of 580 open as soon as possible.
"San Francisco Bay area residents faced nightmarish commutes Monday after one of the region's most traveled sections of freeway melted and collapsed following a fiery crash. An elevated section of highway that carries motorists from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to a number of freeways was destroyed early Sunday after heat from an overturned gasoline truck caused part of one overpass to crumple onto another. "I've never seen anything like it," said Officer Trent Cross of the California Highway Patrol. "I'm looking at this thinking, 'Wow, no one died' — that's amazing."
"
Lou Papan, a one-man powerhouse in state and local politics,
passed away Saturday night of an apparent heart attack.
"Mr. Papan, 78, of Millbrae died sometime between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m, said Margie O'Clair, a spokeswoman for the Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame.
"'Mr. Papan had a long and distinguished career of public service in local government and the California state legislature,' according to a written statement issued by Mr. Papan's family, including his two daughters,
Gina and Diane.