Could there be signs of life in budgetland? KCRA reports a deal may be on the way.
"The budget crisis could be closer to a resolution, KCRA 3 has learned.
"Sources from the state Senate told KCRA 3 that a new deal brought to the table includes budgetary reforms, including a a "rainy-day" fund that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been seeking, as well a rollback of tax credits and some temporary tax increases. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, spent an hour in the governor's corner office Monday going over details of the new plan."
We'll hold our breath...
Meanwhile, "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sued state Controller John Chiang on Monday after he refused to follow the governor's order to slash pay for thousands of state workers
to federal minimum wage as a cash-saving measure during the budget impasse," reports Matthew Yi in the Chron.
"The governor's suit asks a judge to force the controller to impose
the pay cuts until a budget is enacted, because Schwarzenegger's administration cannot wait for Chiang to comply with
the governor's recent order, Lynelle Jolley, a spokeswoman for the
Department of Personnel Administration, said.
"But Chiang on Monday criticized Schwarzenegger's lawsuit as a misguided attempt to make the controller
do something that is not feasible in such a short amount
of time.
"'Rather than focus on building consensus for a budget
that addresses California's long-term fiscal problems, the governor seems adamant on
picking a fight over whether state employees are entitled
to the wages they have worked for and earned,' Chiang said in a written statement."
"Schwarzenegger also met resistance Monday from a bipartisan group
of 17 state senators who demanded that he rescind 1,645 layoffs from the California Department of Corrections
and Rehabilitation and salary cuts for the department's 66,000 permanent employees, calling it a 'glaring, hazardous threat to public safety,'" writes the Bee's Kevin Yamamura.
"In a letter, they threatened to hold public hearings
Wednesday if he does not reverse his corrections moves.
They questioned why he exempted other departments for
public safety reasons, but not CDCR. Among the signatories
were Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, and Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto.
"'We believe your order fails to ensure the safety at
these prisons, the officers and staff, the 170,000 inmates incarcerated, and anyone who lives within
a 50 mile radius,' they wrote. 'In sum, you have unnecessarily and unarguably placed
law abiding, tax paying citizens in proximate physical
danger.'
"The governor's Cabinet secretary, Dan Dunmoyer, said last week that corrections Secretary Matthew
Cate would exempt individual units on a case-by-case basis because the department is too large to give
a blanket exemption.
"'We have and will continue to review exemption requests
for public safety and we are also reviewing exemption
requests in corrections,' said Schwarzenegger press secretary Aaron McLear."
"With a veto threat looming, lawmakers on Monday missed a deadline to replace November's $9.9 billion high-speed rail bond ballot measure with an updated version," reports the Bee's E.J. Schultz.
"The current bond, Proposition 1, was first drafted in 2002 and is widely considered to have flaws. The language
lacks fiscal controls and makes it tough to spend bond
money on routes that aren't part of the first phase, planned to run from San
Francisco to Los Angeles through the southern San Joaquin
Valley.
"Secretary of State Debra Bowen gave lawmakers until 5 p.m. Monday to remove and replace Prop. 1. Time appeared to run out when the Assembly canceled
its session and never voted on a bill to replace Prop.
1 with Prop. 1a, which includes more oversight and spending flexibility."
And we all know how strict deadlines are in Sacramento...
"The legislation, Assembly Bill 3034, faces an uncertain future anyway because Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger, who supports it, has vowed to veto
all legislation until lawmakers pass a state budget,
now 43 days late.
"But there might be wiggle room.
"Lawmakers still have until Saturday to add a measure
to the ballot, in this case Prop. 1a. The question is whether they could still remove
Prop. 1, which will be included on guides mailed to voters
that are scheduled to go to print soon."
Meanwhile, Democrats are going after the governor where
it hurts.
"State legislators on Monday approved an advisory resolution encouraging the Federal
Aviation Administration to honor Santa Monica's ban on the fastest jets that use the city's airport," reports Dan Weikel in the Times.
"The resolution, which passed the Assembly in July and
the Senate by a narrow margin Monday, also called on
the FAA to review the safety of flight operations at
the airport, which is within 300 feet of residential neighborhoods.
"'The California Legislature has recognized the need
to correct a dangerous situation at Santa Monica Municipal
Airport,' said Assemblyman Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who sponsored the measure. 'This sends a strong message to the FAA.'"
And to the governor, who flies in and out of Santa Monica Airport...
"As California faces a looming cash crunch, state lawmakers are making sure one treasury won't run dry – their campaign accounts," writes the Bee's Shane Goldmacher.
"With a state budget agreement now 43 days late, lawmakers have scheduled more than 80 fundraisers this month. Add in check-collecting soirees sponsored by legislative candidates,
political action committees and the governor, and the
total swells past 100.
"The August fundraising push – an annual dance among legislators, lobbyists and deep-pocketed special interests – coincides with the final stretch of the legislative
calendar.
"It is a time when lawmakers cast decisive votes on
hundreds of bills that affect the very interests handing
over the checks.
"This year, lawmakers also are grappling with the state
budget – for the fiscal year that began July 1 – which has a $15.2 billion deficit.
"Watchdog groups say the pairing of intense lawmaking
and fundraising makes for "particularly egregious" timing.
"'It's not the only reason people distrust the Legislature,
but its one of the reasons,' said Derek Cressman, a spokesman for California Common Cause, which advocates
for taxpayer-funded campaigns. 'It deepens this cycle of cynicism.'"
LA Observed looks at the Laura Chick vs. Rocky Delgadillo war in Los Angeles.
"Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo today filed a civil court challenge to block Controller Laura Chick from asserting the power to audit his office, and she called in the media to hear her blast her elected compadre and frequent rival."
At one point, Chick told reporters, "'I'm a tigress! I'm a lioness!' We're not sure of the context of that one, but we're wondering if anyone out there has photos...
And from our Perata Legal Affairs Desk, the Chron's Henry Lee reports, "An Alameda County grand jury has indicted an Oakland man on charges that he carjacked state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata and, 12 days later, fired the shots that paralyzed a 10-year-old boy practicing the piano, authorities said Monday."
"On Dec. 29, carjackers stole Perata's state-issued red 2006 Dodge Charger as he waited at a light at 51st Street and Shattuck Avenue. Police said the carjackers probably didn't recognize Perata and targeted his Charger because of its 22-inch rims.
Dan Walters looks at the Feinstein for governor possibility. "There's little doubt that Feinstein would like to be governor, given a simple choice between becoming the first woman to fill the office and remaining a senator. But running to win is something else.
Maybe someone can just appoint her governor, then.
"Not only is Feinstein getting a little old for such
an effort (she'll be 77 in 2010), but her age could be a problem even with fellow Democrats,
who are making an issue this year about 71-year-old John McCain's presidential candidacy.
"Also, Feinstein has become something of a pariah to
left-wing activists in her party because of her centrism
on hot-button issues. It would be impossible to find any significant
ideological fissure between her and Schwarzenegger,
who's become her pal.
"The two, for instance, are co-sponsoring a water plan that environmentalists love
to hate.
"Finally, beating a Republican nominee is not a sure
thing, with the GOP almost certain to choose a wealthy
moderate such as Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Feinstein would have to throw millions from her personal
fortune into the campaign, and the extensive business
interests of her husband, Richard Blum, would once again face scrutiny.
"The Feinstein gambit is entertaining to political junkies,
but they've learned to be leery."
Finally, from our Good Vibrations Files, we bring you the case of the homemade vibrator.
"Deputy Timothy Nix drove to the home of Charlie Wilkes Jr. on Hudson River Church Road Monday to investigate
a report that someone’s windshield had been broken by a large object that
reportedly fell off a work truck.
"According to the incident report, as Nix got out of
his patrol car, he noticed that Wilkes had a “large lump in the front of his blue jeans, with wires
running from inside his pants and hanging down dragging
the ground” as he walked toward him. There was also a syringe
hanging out of Wilkes’ pants pocket.
"As Nix talked with Wilkes, he removed the syringe from
his pocket and asked him if he had any other illegal
substances. Wilkes told him the object inside his pants
was a 'homemade vibrator' and he then removed it by pulling on the wires. He
told the deputy that the wires were hooked to a small
battery in order for the vibrator to work. 'Further examination of the item revealed that a small
motor had been removed from an item and placed inside
a pill bottle, and then wrapped in a piece of pipe
insulation before being placed inside his pants for
a pleasurable sensation,' the report stated.
Don't try this at home, kids...
"The syringe tested positive for methamphetamine and
a further search of the residence and outbuildings
yielded a quantity of methamphetamine, additional syringes
and other paraphernalia.
"Wilkes was transported to the Madison County Jail."