"Democratic San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom jumped into the race for governor Tuesday, taking the first steps toward succeeding Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010," reports Carla Marinucci and John Wildermuth in the Chron.
"Newsom opened a gubernatorial campaign committee so that he can start gathering campaign contributions for a race that is more than two years away. Supporters can give him up to $24,100 each for the 2010 Democratic primary and general election. The next race for governor is expected to be a highly competitive contest that could cost each major party candidate upward of $30 million."
Highly competitive? Really?
"Newsom 'needs to take this initial and technical step to begin
to organize a campaign,' Eric Jaye, his political adviser, said Tuesday. 'The key to his boldness is preparation. And he's made a determination he will explore the race seriously
and make the ultimate decision from a position of knowledge
and strength.'
"The action by the mayor of the liberal Democratic bastion
of San Francisco - who has made national news with his support of same-sex marriage, universal health care and strong environmental
programs locally - puts him a step ahead of a potentially crowded field
of opponents.
"Other Democrats who are widely considered to be preparing
a run are California Attorney General Jerry Brown, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former state controller and 2006 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, state Treasurer Bill Lockyer and state schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell.
"On the Republican side, state Insurance Commissioner
Steve Poizner, a former Silicon Valley executive, is seen as a leading
candidate, while former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman, a supporter of Republican presidential candidate
John McCain, is also reportedly exploring a run."
The Bee's Aurelio Rojas writes that no budget means no vacations for lawmakers.
"Thursday was supposed to be getaway day in the Capitol – the start of the monthlong summer recess. But with no budget agreement is sight, lawmakers are putting vacation plans on ice."
It's just another way Sacramento is like Baghdad.
"On Tuesday, Day 1 of the late budget of 2008, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, ordered their houses to return to Sacramento
next week.
"Typically, the Legislature would be on vacation until
Aug. 6. But with a $15.2 billion deficit to bridge – and Democrats and Republicans far apart – there's a lot of work to be done.
"Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for Bass, said 'the speaker wants everyone in town' in case there's a budget to vote on.
"'Nobody is going to Disneyland,' Maviglio said. 'They're going to be talking about the budget, whether they're here or in their districts.'"
What about if Disneyland is in their district?
The Merc News's Edwin Garcia writes: "In an interview with the
Mercury News, Senate Democratic leader Don Perata of Oakland insisted
that Democrats won't tolerate the kind of spending cuts and borrowing
that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative Republicans
are calling
for - even if it means budget talks drag into August or
beyond.
"'They should have no doubt about my resolve,' Perata said, adding that he hopes to cinch a deal
by Aug. 1."
From our If You've Got It, Flaunt It Files Steven Harman reports that eyebrows were raised after the governor
flashed his money clip in an answer to a question of whether the state was
running out of money soon.
"The gesture drew chuckles from those around him at
the news conference — including Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles — but as the image got around, his communications staff
tried to head off the moment by pointing out that he
had already answered the question with a serious response.
"Even Bass apparently found her role — laughing, while saying, 'You have a little bit for us?' — awkward, because she is refusing to comment on the
episode.
"The image of a wealthy governor — whose assets are estimated to be at least $100 million — flashing his own money, political observers said,
is hardly one that will endear himself to a public
increasingly struggling through financial difficulties.
"'One problem in society is the growing inequality in
the U.S. economy,' said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll, whose most recent poll
had Schwarzenegger holding a 41 percent approval rating. 'This aligns him with the view of the haves. I don't think you want to exacerbate it because many on the
have-not side of the ledger are the most critical of the
governor. It's not a good image for the governor or Republicans
as we look at this election cycle.'"
The LAT's Maura Dolan reports on the legal challenge to Proposition 8, the same-sex marriage ban.
"When voters were asked to sign petitions for a November
initiative to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, they were told the measure would not change
state law, which at the time banned same-sex marriage.
"But then, after the signatures were gathered, the California
Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples were entitled to wed.
"Now supporters of gay marriage are asking the state
high court to take the initiative off the ballot, partly
on grounds that voters who signed petitions were misled
about the measure's potential effect.
"'The need for accurate disclosure is particularly acute
when the proposed measure will have a profound effect
on fundamental rights,' gay rights lawyers argue in their lawsuit, which was
filed June 20.
"The suit, which also contends that the measure would
be an illegal constitutional revision, is considered
a long shot by some legal analysts. According to the
California-based nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies,
the state high court has booted measures off the ballot
only eight times -- four since 1983.
"Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, whose office approved the summary accompanying the
petition, urged the court Tuesday to reject the argument
that signers were misled. In preparing a petition's title and summary, he argued in court papers, the
attorney general 'should not be required to speculate about how the law
might be affected by pending litigation.'"
"The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, owners of
the new Red Hawk Casino in El Dorado County, has agreed to pay the state the largest share of slot
machine winnings of any tribe in California ," reports the Bee's Walter Yost.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Tuesday the signing
of an amended compact with the tribe that will run
through 2029 and allow a maximum of 5,000 slot machines, though the casino will open later this
year with about 2,000.
"Under terms of the compact, the tribe will share revenues
with the state based on a sliding percentage of net
winnings from slot machine operations, ranging from
20 percent to 25 percent.
"Those percentages exceed any other Indian compact in
the state, according to Aaron McLear, a spokesman for
the governor.
"In addition, the tribe agreed to pay $4.6 million annually to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund.
Each of the 71 California tribes that has no casinos or very small
casinos gets $1.1 million a year from the fund fed by the large casino-owning tribes."
And finally, from our Drinking and Driving Files, "A convenience store became an unwilling drive-in when a 74-year-old woman plowed her car through the front window and then tried to buy a six-pack of Budweiser, police and the owner said.
"Lynne Rice of Norwalk drove her 1988 Cadillac into Joe's Food Mart and Video on Sunday evening, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Jenny Ha said.
"The car plowed about halfway through the store but nobody was injured. Rice got out of the car, walked over to the cooler and pulled out a six-pack of Budweiser beer, said the store owner, who gave only his last name, Awada, to the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
"'I don't know how she managed to walk,' Awada said, adding a cashier declined the sale and instead called police."
Was she on her cell phone?