"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, legislative leaders and a coalition of business executives
presented a united front Thursday, calling for an overhaul of California's health care system," reports Aurelio Rojas in the Bee.
"But midway through the legislative session that ends Sept. 14, Democrats and Republicans remain divided on how to reduce costs and the ranks of the more than 6.5 million Californians without insurance.
"'Everyone is in sync that we need health care reform,' the governor said at a Capitol news conference to tout the formation of the Coalition to Advance Healthcare Reform, a business group.
"But on a sun-splashed day where comity reigned among competing interests, Assembly Republican leader
Mike Villines provided a reminder that storm clouds may be on the horizon.
"Plans by the governor and Democrats would require employers to contribute to workers' health care -- and Villines said Republicans remain opposed to employer mandates.
"'
We need to make sure somebody is looking (out) for small businesses,' said Villines, R-Clovis."
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to turn the state lottery over to a private firm has put the Democrats who dominate the Legislature in a bind: Despite their long-standing distaste for privatization schemes, the proposal offers an influx of cash that
could prove too tempting to turn down," reports the LAT's Evan Halper.
"In the plan, laid out in documents obtained by The Times this week, the state would lease the lottery to a private operator for up to 40 years in return for as much as $37 billion.
"'It's worth at least taking a look,' said Assembly Speaker
Fabian Nuņez (D-Los Angeles). 'Generally, we don't like contracting out. We see it as a way to short-shrift state employees. This is a little bit different....The question for us is whether we are maximizing our ability to generate significant revenues from lottery. Everything we are looking at preliminarily says that, right now, we are not....'
"'I'm circumspect, but this deserves an opportunity to at least be fleshed out.'
"Senate Leader
Don Perata (D-Oakland) took a similar view, saying he believes it is lawmakers' job to 'turn everything upside down and shake it and see what comes out.'"
"After a year of failed negotiations with one of California's most powerful public employee unions, state officials said Thursday they
will seek outside mediation to resolve a contract dispute for the state's 31,000 correctional officers," writes Peter Hecht in the Bee.
"The Schwarzenegger administration has offered the prison guards' union -- the California Correctional Peace Officers Association -- a four-year contract with average raises totaling 18 percent, plus extra pay for work preparation time.
"But the contract talks have bogged down over workplace issues and efforts by the state to eliminate contract provisions that have pegged pay increases for correctional officers to raises given officers for the California Highway Patrol.
"CCPOA President
Mike Jimenez charged that the state's effort to seek mediation is a veiled step toward declaring an impasse in the labor dispute. An impasse would allow the state to impose work and pay conditions on its own terms.
"'I think they do want to declare impasse. I believe that's been their objective from the very start,' Jimenez said. '
Unfortunately, mediation is a step toward impasse and, no, we're not prepared for mediation.'"
"The state board of education Thursday
unanimously approved Superintendent Jack O'Connell's recommendation to require students with disabilities to pass the California High School Exit Exam to receive a diploma.
"Their decision will make several changes to the process students in special education must go through if they pass the test using modifications, such as having the test read aloud or using a calculator.
"The board's recommendation now goes to the Legislature, which will make the final decision."
Dan Walters
looks at the debate over the HPV vaccine. "No small amount of money is involved. There are about a half-million sixth-graders in California, and if half of them are girls, that would mean a quarter-million vaccinations at $350 apiece each year, costing parents, private insurance or public health programs around $90 million. It might be worth it if the vaccine were effective at stopping large numbers of cervical cancer cases. But is it?
"A month ago, the Wall Street Journal published a front-page article, revealing that 'behind the scenes,' the vaccine, called Gardasil, "has been dogged by uncertainty about how effective it really is." Although the Food and Drug Administration agreed that Gardasil was effective against two strains of the human papillomavirus that are thought to cause 70 percent of cervical cancers, the FDA did not ask its reviewers to examine whether the vaccine prevents cancer itself. In fact, the Journal reported, 361 of the 8,817 women who received Gardasil shots went on to develop cancerous lesions, just 14 percent fewer than those administered placebos.
"Merck, of course, vigorously defended the efficacy and safety of Gardasil, but with the doubts expressed in the Journal article and elsewhere, one might think that California legislators would adopt a more cautious attitude about helping a big drug company ring up big profits. Not so."
From our
Doolittle Political Death Watch, the Bee's David Whitney reports, "Sacramento radio host
Tom Sullivan said Thursday that
he would 'seriously consider' running for Rep. John Doolittle's House seat if the beleaguered Roseville Republican were to resign or not run for re-election because of the ongoing federal investigation into the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
"'I've had a lot of calls,' Sullivan said in an interview. 'I don't know what to do. I will seriously consider it.'"
"Orange County Assemblyman
Todd Spitzer was moved out of his comfortable Capitol office Thursday and into a tiny one known as 'the doghouse,'" writes the Register's Brian Joseph.
"The move is widely seen as Assembly Speaker
Fabian Nuņez punishing Spitzer for constantly challenging Democrats on public safety and prison issues. For months, Spitzer, R-Orange, accused Democrats of intentionally sabotaging prison reform negotiations so federal courts would take over the dysfunctional system.
"Just a few weeks ago, Nunez, D-Los Angeles, blasted Spitzer on the Assembly floor for continuing to harp on prison reform and suggested he was doing it only to help him in a future run for district attorney. Spitzer also was taken off the Assembly Public Safety Committee earlier this year when he was in line to become vice chairman.
"Spitzer's office declined comment but
Morgan Crinklaw, communications director for the Assembly Republicans, said in an e-mail: '
This is what happens when you stand up for children and crime victims in the state Legislature; you get punished by the Democrat leadership. ... Assemblyman Spitzer should wear this as a badge of honor. This petty bullying by the Democrat leadership is not going to stop him...'
"Nunez's office said the move is not punishment. Deputy Chief of Staff
Steve Maviglio said Spitzer was being moved simply to accommodate the requests of other lawmakers.
'Some members want bigger offices, others want chairmanships, others want more staff,' he said in an e-mail."
Don't get down, Spitz, there ain't nothin' wrong with
the dogghouse.
And in the only story people really care about, CW's Malcolm Maclachlan
adds some context to the Paris Hilton saga. It appears that
Hilton and Assemblyman John Benoit have a history together..."Before he was a Republican Assemblyman representing Palm Desert, Benoit was the commander of the Indio-area California Highway Patrol. Almost exactly seven years ago, he was on driving an unmarked car on I-10 on his way to a meeting.
"A black BMW went by me like I was standing still," Benoit said. "It took me a while to catch up."
"
The driver of the car was Paris Hilton.
"He estimates Hilton was going 125 miles per hour, though he only clocked her at 110 when he reached her. While he didn't know specifically how much such a ticket would be, going that fast in 70 mph zone is "one step below reckless driving." He estimates it could have been $1,000 or more."