"About half of Californians support the concept of a part-time Legislature, and are similarly divided about changing state elections to make them less partisan, according to a new Capitol Weekly/Probolsky Research Poll.
"The survey also found that more than half of those
polled – 53 percent - believe that at least some environmental regulations
should be eased in order to expedite infrastructure
construction projects and take advantage of a looming
federal economic stimulus package. Estimates of California’s potential share of that federal funding range from
$37 billion to $42 billion, or more.
"The economy in general was cited as the single most
important issue facing California, with 21 percent of those surveyed ranking it as their top
concern, followed by jobs/unemployment at 13 percent.
You can download the entire poll here.
Among the poll's other findings: "More than two-thirds of those surveyed – 68 percent – said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was doing a fair or poor job, while fewer than 4 percent said he was doing an excellent job."
Capitol Weekly does a little compare and contrast on the findings of the new CW/Probolsky poll and a recent Fairbank, Maslin poll on the environment.
"Two recent statewide surveys took Californians’ pulse on issues about the state’s environment. And while, at first blush, the two seem to indicate very different results, they actually provide a vivid illustration about the art of political polling, and how differently constructed surveys can yield very different results.
"The first result is from the new Capitol Weekly/Probolsky Research
poll. In its survey of 750 voters, the poll found that 53 percent of
California voters support “relaxing environmental rules and regulations
for infrastructure
in California in order to take full advantage of federal
stimulus funds.”
"The second survey, conducted by a bipartisan research
team that includes the firms of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin
and Public Opinion Strategies, showed strong support
for the environment.
"But the results are not necessarily contradictory says pollster John Zogby, President and CEO of the research firm Zogby International.
“They really are asking different things. The federal
stimulus doesn’t appear in the second question,” says Zogby. “There are a lot of different variables in those two
questions. You’ve got jobs, the environment, the budget deficit, and
you’ve got the federal stimulus package. And even though
technically, it’s about the environment vs. jobs, different variables
get brought into each question or statement.”
"Zogby said he was not surprised to learn the two surveys
yielded very different results, but he was hesitant
to draw any conclusions from either result.
“I don’t think they’re badly worded,” Zogby said. “But if I want to be able to draw fuller conculsuions, I’d offer more options, and have people rank a bunch of different options,” he said.
And the budget bickering continues. First, the Bee's Kevin Yamamura reports labor groups wants the attorney general to investigate possible vote trading and bribery against legislative Republicans.
"Labor and environmental leaders accused Republicans of illegally trading votes in budget negotiations and asked state Attorney General Jerry Brown for an immediate investigation, according to a letter they sent Wednesday.
"The Democratic allies made the allegation despite the fact that lawmakers have yet to vote on a new budget package with rollbacks in labor and environmental regulations sought by GOP leaders and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The groups said the state penal code only requires that a trade be offered, not fulfilled.
"Environmentalists and labor unions have grown concerned that Democrats may agree to relax restrictions on business to obtain Republican votes for tax increases. Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders are trying to bridge a $40 billion budget deficit with a package of cuts, taxes and regulation changes.
"The letter was signed by leaders from the California Labor Federation, State Building and Construction Trades Council, Sierra Club California and Planning and Conservation League.
"The changes in environmental and labor law they're talking about don't have anything to do with the budget and are just part of the long-standing agenda of the minority party," said Sierra Club California Director Bill Magavern.
And then Wyatt Buchanan's got the latest as Abel Maldonado and John Chiang continue to bicker over the furniture like an old married couple.
"State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County) blasted state Controller John Chiang on Wednesday for spending nearly $2 million since July on new furniture for his staff as the state teeters on insolvency.
"It's waste because we don't need new furniture today," said Maldonado. "It's fraud to not send the people of California their tax refunds, and it's abuse of power ... to buy furniture when we don't have the resources and we don't have the cash flow."
"A spokeswoman for Chiang, who is moving staff from the Capitol Mall to offices on a nearby street, said the project began before he took office and he cut the cost in half."
But the real meat is the ongoing fight between the state and the counties.
"Counties in California say they've had enough – and they aren't going to take it anymore.
"In what amounts to a Boston Tea Party-style revolt against the state Capitol, they're threatening to withhold money.
Los Angeles is considering such an option. And Colusa County supervisors said they authorized payment delays for February. "We didn't vote on it, because I don't think anybody wants to go to jail," Colusa County Supervisor Kim Vann said.
Closer to home, Sacramento County is planning to file a lawsuit this week against the state and Controller John Chiang for withholding millions of dollars – much of it for social service programs.
"The Legislature authorized those expenditures, and (the controller) has decided to withhold it," said Susan Peters, chairwoman of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. "I believe it's possible other counties will be joining in the action."
Meanwhile, Malcolm Maclachlan compares Jerry Brown's activity as AG to his predecessor.
"Attorney General Jerry Brown has issued only 28 formal opinions in his first two years on the job. His predecessor, Bill Lockyer, averaged nearly 39 such opinions a year.
The decline is a result of “short staffing and a tight budget,” according to Brown’s press secretary, Christine Gasparac.
Formal opinions represent part of the routine work
of the AG’s office. They often have to do with matters like whether
someone is eligible to run for a particular office,
whether a municipality can acquire land, or if a local
government have interpreted the law correctly. These
requests can come in from city or county governments,
state agencies, the legislature or other such bodies.
While they do not carry the full weight of law, they
are seen as important because courts consider them,
and they are often backed by an implied defense from
the AG’s office."
Well, Lockyer didn't have a governor's race to run, either...
And finally, it looks like some of the parties are on hold in the
state Senate.
"On Tuesday, Senators received at memo from the Legislative Women’s Caucus announcing the cancelation of the annual “Woman of the Year” festivities, citing “financial hardships.”
"Meanwhile, several high level Senate staffers say that
Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, has requested the floor ceremonies and
other celebrations be kept to a minimum during the
budget crisis. The informal policy apparently led to
an unusual exchange last week between Steinberg and
Sen. Rod Wright, D-Los Angeles, over how the Senate should honor a groundbreaking
African-American football player.
The Woman of the Year tradition was started by the
Legislative Women’s Caucus in 1987 “as a celebration of remarkable
women throughout California,” according to the memo from the office of
Caucus vice-chair Senator Lois Wolk, D-Vacaville. It went on to note
that Capitol ceremonies
for the event were also suspended during in 2003 and 2004 during
another fiscal crisis."