"The California Supreme Court struck a historic but possibly short-lived blow for gay rights Thursday, overturning a state law that allowed only opposite-sex couples to marry ," writes Bob Egelko in the Chron.
"In a 4-3 ruling that elicited passionate responses on both sides of the debate and touched off celebrations at San Francisco City Hall - the scene of nearly 4,000 same-sex weddings four years ago that were invalidated months later - the court said the right to marry in California extends equally to all, gay and straight alike.
"The state Constitution's guarantees of personal privacy and autonomy protect 'the right of an individual to establish a legally recognized family with the person of one's choice,' said Chief Justice Ronald George, who wrote the 121-page majority opinion. He said the Constitution 'properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples.'
"The conflict over same-sex marriage, in which public opinion and tradition
are aligned against a minority group, is similar to
the controversy the court confronted 60 years ago when it became the first in the nation to
overturn a state ban on interracial marriage, George
said.
"Dissenters said the court had interfered with the democratic
process and overstepped its bounds.
"Anticipating the possibility of Thursday's ruling, conservative religious groups have submitted
more than 1.1 million signatures on petitions for an initiative
that would enshrine the ban on same-sex marriage as a state constitutional amendment. That
ban was first put in place as a law by the Legislature
in 1977 and was reaffirmed by voters in 2000 as a ballot initiative.
"The constitutional amendment will qualify for the November
ballot if officials determine that at least 694,354 of the signatures are valid, a decision due by mid-June."
The Chron's Cecilia Vega writes that the ruling is a victory for Gavin Newsom and city attorney Dennis Herrera.
"For both men, gay marriage has been a political success.
It is the issue that continues to define Newsom, who
has enjoyed high public approval ratings ever since
his 2004 decision. In his successful bid for a second term
last year, he ran virtually unopposed. He's now considering a run for governor in 2010. And Herrera's name is regularly mentioned as a possible mayoral
candidate.
"But the issue has also become deeply personal for each
of them.
"In the privacy of the mayor's wing of City Hall, as the pair and their entourages
walked together to a news conference after the ruling
announcement, Newsom confessed he was having a hard
time holding it together.
"'Did you cry?' he asked a city staffer standing in his office. 'I'm a little bit worried about that, because that's not mayoral.'
"Herrera said the emotion hit him on Friday when he
sat down with the head lawyer on the case and reminisced
about the long battle the city had waged.
"'Oftentimes you as a lawyer try not to get emotionally
involved in what you do,' he said. 'You try to be very objective about it. But when you
see the impact of what this means to people, it's impossible to not get a little bit emotional.'"
Can't help but wonder what Barack Obama thinks about this whole thing...
While Newsom may be all verklempt, Antonio Villairagosa announced that he will officiate at same-sex marriages.
The Bee's Peter Hecht looks at the initiative that might be on November's ballot that would negate the court's decision. "'The vote itself on the constitutional amendment will be wide open," said Field Poll Director Mark DiCamillo. 'It's all age-related. One generation is replacing another. And the generation that is coming in now is much more supportive of gay marriage than the one that was here eight years ago.'
Remind me, again, which generation is the one that
votes?
"In a 2006 state Field Poll, voters opposed gay marriage 51 percent to 43 percent. But support was much stronger among newer
voters.
"Fifty-eight percent of voters born in the 1980s and 51 percent born in the 1970s said they supported same-sex marriage. That compared with 41 percent for voters born in the 1960s and 25 percent for those born before 1940.
"DiCamillo said a surge of younger voters – drawn by likely Democratic presidential nominee Barack
Obama – could negate a ballot backlash by older voters and
social conservatives over the state court decision.
"The court decision overturning Proposition 22 is also stirring political wagering over its impact
on the presidential contest and other races in California.
"Sacramento Republican political consultant Dave Gilliard predicted the decision could inspire voters 'in a very bleak, low-turnout year for Republicans' to turn out for GOP candidates and a new ballot initiative
seeking to amend the California Constitution to ban
gay marriage.
"'The court's Prop. 22 ruling may just have saved the Republican Party and
our candidates from a disaster in November,' he said.
"Democratic consultant Bill Carrick conceded the issue is sure to be a political attention-grabber. 'It is going to be a big deal. Every politician in this
state is going to be confronted on what their position
is on this issue,' he said."
But, before November's election, we have a budget deal to put together.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger brushed aside criticism
of his latest budget plan Thursday and said lawmakers now bear responsibility for resolving
the state's $15.2 billion budget deficit.
That's what we call punting on third down...
"The Republican governor, speaking with The Bee's editorial board, lamented he had "negotiated with myself" for the last five months because legislative leaders
did not meet with him to discuss the budget.
"'The reality of it is that the ball is in their court,' Schwarzenegger said. 'The more they scream, the deeper they bury themselves.
Because in the end, they have to meet somewhere in
the middle to get this budget done.'
"The Republican governor's budget plan proposes cuts in social service programs
and borrowing against future California Lottery revenue
to bridge the $15.2 billion gap in the state's $101.8 billion general fund budget for the next fiscal year.
If voters do not approve borrowing against the lottery,
the state would impose a temporary one-cent sales tax to raise money.
"Lawmakers in both parties rebuked Schwarzenegger's plan for different reasons.
"Democrats oppose the governor's spending cuts and said that his plan banks on unreasonable
assumptions about the lottery. They also attacked the
governor's plan to establish a new reserve fund and establish
executive powers to cut spending automatically in bad
years.
Hey, but at least they agree on something, right?
"Republicans said Schwarzenegger's sales-tax proposal, even as a contingency, is dead on arrival."
Dan Walters writes that the governor has wimped out.
"Schwarzenegger should take what's left of his credibility, which has been declining
sharply in recent months, and tell Californians the
truth about the fiscal mess he inherited five years
ago but that he has been unable – and in fact, largely unwilling – to clean up. For all his macho talk the governor has wimped out
time after time on the budget, from restoring a multibillion-dollar car tax cut that the state could not afford
to bowing to influential pro-spending pressure groups.
"If simple duty is not motivation enough, he should
remember that no matter how many self-congratulatory speeches he delivers, how many tributes
to "postpartisanship" he utters, or how many news magazine covers he adorns,
his governorship will be an utter failure if he cannot
deliver on that 2003 promise to end "crazy deficit spending" and bring order to the state's finances. And given his unique opportunity to govern, history
will be a harsh judge of that failure."
"From imposing parking fees at Carlsbad State Beach
to promoting a bed and breakfast hotel in Old Town
San Diego, California parks officials are moving aggressively to raise revenues
and avoid the threat of closures and lifeguard layoffs," reports Michael Gardner in the U-T.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has backed away from his
budget-slashing plan to shutter 48 parks and eliminate dozens of lifeguards, turning
instead to small fee increases and new revenue opportunities.
"In the San Diego area, that strategy already is playing
out.
"It will cost $8 a day to park at Carlsbad State Beach, where the first
automated payment machines will be installed, probably
by August.
"The state is working with Delaware North, the Old Town
concessionaire, to add a bed and breakfast on the second
story as part of the renovation of the Cosmopolitan
restaurant.
"In another approach, officials will push a row of 10 rental cabins at parking lot 3 at Silver Strand Beach, which still needs Coastal
Commission approval. Coronado officials and nearby
residents have opposed the plan.
"However, with lawmakers sharply critical of the governor's broader plan to close a staggering deficit, there
is no guarantee that the parks budget will escape further
cuts this summer. The new proposal also does not address
the maintenance backlog.
"No income figures have been estimated, but state Parks
Director Ruth Coleman said new programs should reach the governor's statewide goal of $1.5 million in additional income."
"Declaring that California state government is moving 'full steam ahead' in improving its technology infrastructure, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday called for the creation of a task force to help agencies and departments employ the use of geographic information systems to improve public safety ," writes Edwin Garcia in the Merc News.
"The GIS technology - 'kind of like Google Earth, but better,' Schwarzenegger told a large tech conference - will allow firefighters to view clearer, aerial images
of firestorms, among other uses.
"California Chief Information Officer Teri Takai will oversee the effort.
"'Geographic information systems are extremely important
in that they provide a statewide look at the physicals,
if you will, in the state,' Takai said in an interview after the announcement.
"The digital mapping technology, she said, can help
produce a single database created by cities, counties
and the state to aid in emergency planning. GIS technology
also can map state parks and the locations of high-speed Internet capability, and even match foster homes
with foster families, she added.
"Takai, who became the state's first Cabinet-level chief information officer in January, is charged
with overseeing the government's technology infrastructure policy. Schwarzenegger
acknowledged that the infrastructure, built decades
ago with little coordination across departments and
agencies, was 'embarrassing' and 'back in the Stone Age.'"
What about using Google Street View to catch people coming out of adult establishments to ensure they pay their porn tax? Call it a red light district camera.
"EdFund's board of directors on Thursday deferred action on a proposed severance package that would grant executive staff at least $3 million if their jobs are affected by the sale of
the Rancho Cordova-based nonprofit corporation," reports the Bee's Judy Lin.
"Instead, the board opted to study whether anything
should be done to retain key employees who answer to
the board.
"Republican senators urged EdFund board members to call
off the proposed severance package, which they said
could diminish the amount of money the state could
receive as the state tries to sell EdFund to potential
private investors. On Wednesday, the governor announced
that the sale would be deferred to 2009-10.
"'It is entirely inappropriate for state employees to
stand in the way of revenues that are meant to aid
in the balancing of California's budget,' Senate Republican leader Dave Cogdill said in a statement."
"Christopher Cabaldon, a candidate for Assembly, is handing out 500 River Cats tickets to people he hopes to represent .
"Cabaldon said he is not buying votes, he's investing in good will, giving each family two game
tickets worth a combined $22 in hopes they'll remember him on election day.
"'There's not going to be any speeches,' he said. 'We just want folks to enjoy the game.'
"Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies
in Los Angeles, said there is no way to measure whether
the giveaway is cost-effective.
"'It's the first time I've heard of this being used,' Stern said.
"To comply with laws banning bribery of voters, Cabaldon's offer doesn't require recipients to support him, make donations
or even cast ballots in the June 3 election.
"But recipients had to apply online, give their name,
address, phone number and e-mail address – information that helps in a get-out-the-vote drive."
Today, ElectionTrack brings us the top 10 independent expenditures of this cycle.
Another interesting tidbit from ElectionTrack. While Don Perata pledged last week to drop the recall effort against Jeff Denham, Perata's leadership committee kicked another $110,000 into the effort on Wednesday. It may simply be to pay off accrued expenses, or...
And finally, from our Would You Like Fries With That Rocket Launcher Files,
a rocket launcher was found at a Turlock Jack in the
Box .
"Ready to go at any time, the Stanislaus County Bomb
Squad is trained to defuse the toughest situations.
But this week, they got a call they would never forget.
They were called to handle the bazooka which was found
with a few rounds.
"A rocket launcher was found in a Turlock Jack in the Box. While Turlock Police warned people inside the Jack in the Box, Sergeant Ralph with the Sheriff's department geared up. With his robot by his side, the veteran cop discovered that the rocket launcher did not work, and the missiles were no threat.
The Jumbo Jack threat, however, is very, very real.
"Cops say an employee found the weapon while taking out the trash near the dumpster behind the establishment."