"The FBI is investigating state Sen. Don Perata's role in the hiring of a Washington lobbyist to push for a road project sought by a major Perata contributor, documents show," write Susan Sward and Lance Williams in the Chron.
"At the urging of the powerful Oakland Democrat, local
agencies in 2000 hired former Georgia Rep. Dawson Mathis to lobby the Federal Aviation Administration regarding
a multimillion-dollar expressway that today links Oakland International
Airport with the Harbor Bay Business Park in Alameda.
"The park's developer, Ron Cowan, has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Perata
and other politicians, and for years he had sought
this access road.
"Mathis' hiring to the $135,000 lobbying job has emerged as a significant area of
inquiry in the FBI's long-running probe of Perata, the state Senate's president pro tem.
"As The Chronicle has reported, for more than four years
agents have investigated Perata, his business associates,
his favored political consultants and lobbyists, and
even his son, attempting to learn whether the lawmaker
improperly obtained money in exchange for official
actions."
Meanwhile, the Times issues a Public Records Act request for FPPC warning letters, which have replaced fines for small violations of campaign reporting laws.
Patrick McGreevy writes:
"Warnings were sent to campaign committees for Senate
Minority Leader
Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto) and Senate President Pro Tem-elect Darrell
Steinberg (D-Sacramento), as well as a group with ties to Senate
President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland).
"The attorney
general's campaign committee received a warning letter for
failing to
disclose details of payments to subcontractors.
"Cogdill
received a warning letter for seven violations, including
failing to
disclose late contributions, neglecting to electronically
report some
fundraising and accepting contributions that exceeded
state limits. Yet
the FPPC considered his case appropriate for a warning
under the new
policy, and Chief Investigator Sue Straine notified Cogdill that he
would not be penalized.
"'Neither you nor your committee has a history of violating
the Political Reform Act,' she wrote.
"By
contrast, under the old policy, Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco)
was fined $3,000 in 2006 for four violations, including failing to
report late contributions and accepting a donation
that exceeded state
limits.
"The Voter Registration and Education Fund, a campaign
committee supporting Perata's causes, failed to file one of the
campaign finance disclosure statements required just
before an
election. Steinberg's committee failed to disclose payments to some who
worked on a radio campaign.
"In each case, the letters said the violations 'likely did not result in significant public harm.'"
"'By giving elected officials warning letters without
the public
knowing, it tends to undermine the deterrent effect
you have when you
tell the public who is violating the law," [Center for Governmental Studies CEO Tracy] Westen said.
Ross "Johnson,
the FPPC chairman, said that Westen raised "a legitimate point" and
that he would be open to providing a public-notification mechanism for
the warnings."
The Bee's Aurelio Rojas looks at why the state has been slow to sell surplus property.
"Since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered state agencies in 2004 to expedite the sale of an estimated $5 billion in surplus property to help lower the state's budget deficit – currently $15.2 billion – less than $60 million in property has been sold, according to the state Department of Finance.
"Administration officials blame several political and
legal impediments for the state's failure to unload property identified in the governor's California Performance Review, an audit he ordered
shortly after he was elected."
Does this mean the state still owns that massage parlor in San Rafael?
"The biggest obstacle has been the California Environmental
Quality Act, which requires a review of the potential
environmental impact of the sale of state land.
"Democrats who control the Legislature have declined
to waive the requirement, arguing that to do so would
threaten the environment.
"The Republican governor, meanwhile, has vetoed property
sales that do not include CEQA exemptions. He argues
the land has to undergo environmental review at the
local level anyway.
"Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Atwater, the most vocal advocate in the Legislature
for selling state property, said the governor bears
some blame for the standstill.
"Schwarzenegger has vetoed individual property sales
even when environmental review is not required, Denham
said, because he wants a CEQA-exempt bill that would sell a long list of properties."
The LAT's Jessica Garrison looks at how the reversal of position of San Diego's Mayor fueled opponents of same-sex marriage.
"The campaign against same-sex marriage in California was treading water until
it got help from an unexpected corner: a Republican mayor choking up and announcing he would
not betray his gay daughter.
"San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders had promised to oppose same-sex marriage. Then, last fall, hours before he was
supposed to veto a City Council motion supporting gay
marriage, he called a news conference at which he broke
into tears.
"One of his daughters is gay, he said, and he just couldn't tell her she did not have the right to get married.
"The about-face stunned political observers and energized opponents
of same-sex marriage who felt Sanders had betrayed them. It
was only one of the twists on the path to the November
ballot for Proposition 8, which, if passed, would amend the state constitution
to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.
Other milestones included a significant boost from
ministers and an assist from an out-of-state conservative group that sent an operative to
San Diego to raise money.
"'It's not how things typically get on the ballot,' Democratic political strategist Darry Sragow said."
"California lawmakers are considering legislation to expand unemployment
benefits for workers who have lost their jobs due to
the state's drought," reports Daniel Zarchy in the Bee.
"Assembly Bill 1107 would let those workers earn up to $200 per week before their benefits are cut. Unemployment
recipients in the drought areas now face a far lower
earnings cap – $25 per week – before their benefits drop.
"'If you're a farmworker out on the west side (of the Central Valley), there may be some work, but it's not like you're working the full week,' said Assemblyman Juan Arambula, D-Fresno, author of the bill.
"Funded by a tax on employers, unemployment benefits
are based on the displaced worker's previous wages and are paid for up to 26 weeks. The maximum benefit is $450 a week, and the average payout is $307, according to Employment Development Department statistics.
Undocumented immigrants are ineligible.
"Arambula said he modeled AB 1107 after similar bills from 1999 and 2007 that expanded unemployment benefits for workers who
lost their jobs after a freeze. The change would remain
in effect until the end of this year. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
signed the 2007 bill but has no position on the drought-related measure, according to a spokeswoman."
"Child-welfare advocates fear last-minute funding concerns will cause Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
to veto legislation that would permit foster children
a greater role in dependency court hearings," reports Edwin Garcia in the Merc News.
"Their worries stem from the administration's finance department analysis that put the cost of
the measure at about $500,000 next year, and $900,000 the following year - costs that the legislation's author and child advocates consider grossly exaggerated.
"Schwarzenegger has until Monday to act on the bill,
which is designed to ensure that children generally
have the chance to appear in court for their dependency
cases.
"The governor's office said Friday that Schwarzenegger has not decided
on the bill, and could not comment on the pending legislation.
But his office has offered the author, Assembly Judiciary
Committee Chairman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, the chance to take it back to an appropriate
fiscal committee for further review, which could potentially
delay implementation another year."
"Senate Bill 1709 would authorize and encourage school districts to provide
nonmonetary incentives to middle and high school students
for achievement or improvement on standardized tests," reports Jim Sanders in the Bee.
"Critics wonder if the concept feeds a selfish, me-first attitude.
"'At some point, students need to be taught that every
good deed does not require reward,' said Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
"Coupal, whose group has taken no formal position on
SB 1709, said he is leery of rewarding children simply for
doing their duty.
"'It reminds me of providing incentive pay for police
officers to stay in physical shape – I mean, that should be part of the package, shouldn't it?' Coupal said.
Bill author Senator Elaine "Alquist characterized the incentives as recognition, not compensation.
"'It's a way to help kids do better in school,' she said. 'Isn't that what we all want?'"
Steve Wiegand reports on Darrell Steinberg's fully-clothed adventures in a swimming pool.
"The Sacto Democrat was at a dinner party recently at the Curtis Park home of education consultant Jay Schenirer when 4-year-old Ryan Miller became entangled in a pool sweeper while swimming, and panicked.
"In a flash, the Stein-man was in the pool – fully clothed – and extricated the kid. The senator was prescient enough to toss his wallet in a hedge before his leap, but not his beloved (and much-used) BlackBerry. It drowned, despite massive CPR efforts."
RIP, faithful Blackberry...
Too bad Steinberg didn't have time for a fish pedicure.
"Fish pedicures are creating something of a splash in the D.C. area, where a northern Virginia spa has been offering them for the past four months. John Ho, who runs the Yvonne Hair and Nails salon with his wife, Yvonne Le, said 5,000 people have taken the plunge so far.
"'This is a good treatment for everyone who likes to have nice feet,' Ho said.
"In addition to offering pedicures, Ho hopes to establish a network of Doctor Fish Massage franchises and is evaluating a full-body fish treatment that, among other things, could treat psoriasis and other skin ailments.
We'll be waiting...