"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
said yesterday that the state budget is '$20 billion out of whack,' a startling figure that doubles some previous estimates," writes the U-T's Ed Mendel.
"A shortfall of that size in a projected general fund of $101 billion would create more pressure for deep cuts and tax increases to balance a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
"But aides said the governor, who made the remark in Orange County, is basing his estimate on the likelihood that a weakening economy will continue to produce less tax revenue.
"'
It's important to note that he is only speaking rhetorically,' said
Aaron McLear, the governor's press secretary.
"A spokesman for Schwarzenegger's finance department,
H.D. Palmer, said the action in February cut the shortfall in half, to about $7.4 billion, not counting the governor's proposed reserve of $2 billion to $3 billion.
"Palmer said the governor now believes that the sagging economy could add about $10 billion to the shortfall, leaving budget writers faced with a total gap of about $20 billion if a reserve is included."
Meanwhile, the doomsday press conferences continue. "In a rare show of unity, California's top higher education officials on Monday warned that inadequate state funding is bleeding the quality from one of the world's most celebrated college and university systems," reports the AP's Lisa Leff.
"The leaders of the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges predicted that a new round of spending cuts would have dire consequences for their 142 campuses, from losing top-notch faculty to making a college degree too expensive for some students.
"'I really believe California is at a crossroads – a political, educational, cultural, economic crossroads,' CSU Chancellor
Charles Reed said. '
Is the state going to dedicate its resources to invest in young people's futures, invest in California's wherewithal, or disinvest?'
"Along with most other state agencies, the three systems stand to lose 10 percent of their proposed annual budgets, or nearly $1.3 billion between them, under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1."
"A
handful of Republican senators on Monday helped Democrats pass mortgage crisis legislation that gives more time and notice to troubled homeowners," reports Judy Lin in the Bee.
"Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata's urgency legislation passed on a 28-10 vote. It now moves to the Assembly.
"Senate Bill 1137 received four critical Republican votes, including one from an unlikely supporter – Sen.
Jeff Denham, R-Atwater. He is facing a Perata-led recall in his district, which includes counties hit hard by the mortgage crisis – Merced, San Joaquin and Stanislaus.
"Perata's bill says lenders can't file a notice of default against a borrower until 30 days after notifying them that the foreclosure process has begun."
Meanwhile, Dan Walters writes that
falling home prices are hitting local governments.
"Overall, assessors have estimated that California's property tax rolls will grow by an anemic 4.5 percent in 2008-09. That's less than half the rate of the previous year and a third lower than the state's 2008-09 budget estimate, as the values of hundreds of thousands of homes are adjusted downward.
"The 2007-08 gain of 9.64 percent translated into a nearly $4 billion increase in property tax revenues. A 4.5 percent increase would cut that to less than $2 billion for 2008-09. That sounds like a lot of money, but it barely matches inflation and has contributed to big projected deficits in city and county budgets, as well as more headaches for the deficit-ridden state budget, which must make up any shortfalls to schools."
CW's Malcolm Maclachlan reports on
a dust-up between two labor lobbyists that has spilled into the Legislature.
"A high ranking official with the union representing government workers sent a letter to state legislators implying that a lobbyist for one union local had misrepresented himself, setting off a dust-up between the local union and its statewide parent.
"The letter, dated April 22, went to all 120 legislative offices, according to the staffer who provided it. In it,
Willie L. Pelote, assistant director of political action for the American Federation of State, Country and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) International, advised legislators that he and colleague
Michael Bolden represent AFSCME California and AFSCME International. He went on to say that
Carl London 'is only authorized to represent' AFSCME Local 2620, which represents about 4,700 health and social service professionals employed by the state.
"According to
Nancy Swindell, president of Council 57, of which Local 2620 is a part, London has never misrepresented himself. She said that she was "surprised by the letter" and found its tone "vile."
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
signed a deal Monday that will allow an American Indian tribe to build a casino in the Central Valley, in exchange for sending some of its proceeds to an impoverished Northern California tribe that has given up the right to build its own gaming facilities," reports the AP's Garance Burke.
"The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians plans to construct a $250 million casino on a plot of land along Highway 99, a heavily traveled corridor just north of the city of Madera.
"Because that parcel lies about 35 miles from the tribe's original reservation in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the tribe needs U.S. Interior Department approval of the land purchase before the hotel and casino can be built.
"The deal also requires final approval from the state Legislature to move forward.
"Schwarzenegger estimates the casino will add an annual $25 million during the first seven years it's open to the state's general fund in shared "net win" profits from slots and "house-banked" card games that are off-limits by law to card clubs.
"Under the terms of the compact, the Mono tribe will send as much as $5 million each year from revenue generated by its 2,500 slot machines to the Wiyot Tribe, whose ancestral lands are in Humboldt County."
"In the first detailed analysis of potential immigrant voters and their children in California legislative districts, a study to be released today shows they
could constitute nearly one-third of state voters by 2012," writes Teresa Watanabe in the Times.
"The analysis, commissioned by a Bay Area immigrant support group, is seen as a political road map to maximize the state's pro-immigrant vote. It also undergirds efforts to intensify political and civic action to help immigrants better integrate into society and win comprehensive legislative reforms, long stalled in Congress.
"'We hope policymakers will look at this data to see who is in their district and how to best serve their interests,' said
Daranee Petsod, executive director of Grantmakers Concerned With Immigrants and Refugees, a Sebastopol, Calif.-based organization.
"'With these numbers, immigrants can invigorate our democracy.'
"Los Angeles County dwarfed all others with about 2.7 million potential pro-immigrant voters -- naturalized U.S. citizens, legal immigrants eligible for citizenship and their children ages 12 to 17 -- followed by Orange, Santa Clara and San Diego counties. Statewide, the total was nearly 7.7 million."
Despite the Supreme Court's
ruling upholding Indiana's voter ID law,
don't expect a similar law to pass California's Legislature anytime soon.
The Bee's Kevin Yamamura reports: "The Assembly Committee on Elections and Redistricting killed a proposal in January by Assemblyman
Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, requiring California voters to show one of six forms of ID at a polling place. Under Assembly Bill 9, a voter without identification could use a provisional ballot but would be required to show a valid ID card to the county registrar within five days. The bill failed on a party-line vote and is dead for the year.
"Opponents included the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as public employee unions such as the California Teachers Association. Critics said the bill raised constitutional problems similar to those in the Supreme Court case and expressed concerns that an ID requirement would impose new costs on some voters and deter others by creating long waits at polling places.
"Huff said he will propose a similar measure next year if he is elected to the state Senate. He applauded the Supreme Court decision and said "we must do everything we can to make sure integrity is upheld in elections.""
Speaking of Indiana... As the presidential race moves into the unlikely battleground, native Hoosier
Jason Kinney is right at home. And nothing says home like
spending Ron Burkle's money for Hillary.
AP's Jim Kuhnheen reports, "A political advocacy group consisting of backers of Sen.
Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign was to begin spending at least $700,000 Tuesday in an Indiana advertising blitz calling on Sen. Barack Obama to address the economic plight of Americans."
It's easy to see how Hillary can get desperate and bitter, and cling to 527s to help her campaign...
"The Indiana ad campaign would be the biggest single expenditure in a state for the mostly union financed group, called the American Leadership Project. The group spent more than $1 million running ads in Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania."
"Indiana has been ground zero for economic anxiety since 2001," said Jason Kinney, an Indiana native and one of the organizers of the American Leadership Project.
Get the blue hair dye out. LADN's Dana Bartholomew reports that
Los Angeles is the new Florida.
"With the highest concentration of senior citizens in the nation, Los Angeles County is bracing for a surge in needed services as the elderly population is expected to double to nearly 3 million over the next two decades."
"As 9,000 baby boomers turn 60 every day in the county and the economy sours, officials said there is an urgent need to better coordinate services among senior services, welfare, health, mental health, consumer affairs, military and veterans affairs and other departments.
"In a bid to get ahead of the expected increase in demand, officials on Monday announced a countywide initiative with nearly every department aimed at improving services to seniors and making it easier for them to find and qualify for benefits."
And, finally, we bring you the story of one Oregon school that is
cracking down on teenage eyebrow preening.
Some students at Centennial High School have shaved
vertical lines into their eyebrows in a trend recently made popular by hip-hop star Soulja Boy. School officials say the mark looks like a gang symbol."
You know, that gang eyebrow thing. You know..
"Centennial administrators are telling students with the lines that they can't return to school until they shave their eyebrows off. Assistant Principal Mark Porterfield said the students are not suspended, but they are not allowed in school until they cooperate.
"
Four students have been sent home. One returned with a bandage covering the shaved brow."