The budget conference committee continued its work Thursday. But before we get to all that, Capitol Weekly takes a look at the legislative bill deadline that just passed. And they're looking in particular at one empty chair in the state Senate this week.
Assemblyman Curren Price, D-Inglewood, was elected to the Senate on May
19. But despite pleas from Senate leader Darrell Steinberg,
D-Sacramento, Price held on to his Assembly seat during
this week's key legislative deadline rather than take his new
seat in the Senate.
"Price's election was certified on June 1, and Steinberg was eager to have Price join the Senate
Democrats as soon as possible. But he will not be sworn
in to his Senate seat
on June 8. Price explained his reasons for delaying his swearing-in Thursday to Capitol Weekly.
"I wanted to make sure some legislation I was working on got shepherded through the Assembly, especially since I won't be able to introduce any legislation in the Senate," he said. Price added that the later induction date would also allow him to include some relatives in the swearing-in celebration who would not otherwise be able to attend.
"Steinberg wanted Price to move over to the Senate in
advance of
this week’s deadline for bills to pass out of the house in which
they were introduced. Price’s vote would have helped ease passage of a number of
Democratic bills that faced tough floor fights, or
even died during this week’s Senate floor sessions."
Cap Weekly also has some bad news for Capitol staffers.
"Legislative leaders are considering forced furloughs for more than 2,000 Capitol staffers, a move similar to that already imposed on state government workers by the Schwarzenegger administration. Each furlough day per month would amount to a 4.5 percent pay cut.
"The action, although relatively small in the context of the state's budget shortfall, is part of a series of cuts that lawmakers are considering to fill a $24 billion budget hole."
But as we mentioned before, conference committee reconvened to take an axe to the state budget. Or a scalpel. Or maybe some kiddie scissors?
The Bee's Kevin Yamamura reports the smallest pieces of the budget solution are getting the most attention.
"Targeting waste, fraud and abuse has become the feel-good pursuit of California's budget crisis.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger framed the budget situation last month by proposing drastic multibillion-dollar cuts in education and safety-net programs. Yet he told lawmakers this week they shouldn't pursue those spending cuts until they eliminate the Integrated Waste Management Board and other such panels.
"That oft-maligned board is a symbol of excess if only because it houses ex-legislators who earn $132,178 each year. But none of that money comes from the state's general fund – and killing the board would not shrink the state's $24.3 billion deficit. Taking the governor's cue, a legislative budget committee on Wednesday focused its first vote on dismantling state agencies – which would save at most $25 million, about one-tenth of 1 percent of the budget problem.
"The moves seem directed more toward saving face than saving dollars. Lawmakers and Schwarzenegger, with their public image in tatters, can gain political mileage by cutting boards and commissions before axing programs that people see firsthand."
Meanwhile, says Greg Lucas, big things are going unnoticed, or unaddressed.
"The awful economy that has contributed to the state’s record budget gap of $42 billion and, now $24 billion, has also driven the state’s unemployment insurance fund deeper into insolvency.
"A new report by the state Employment Development Department estimates that the fund will end 2009 $6.2 billion in the hole and $17.8 billion in the hole if no action is taken to change the way its financed.
Previously, the department estimated the fund would be $2.4 billion in the read by the end of 2009 and $4.9 billion in the red by the end of 2010.
And the state's revenue situation looks like it's getting worse.
The Bee reports, "Taxable sales in California dropped $3.3 billion, a 2.3 percent decline between the second quarter of 2007 and the same period in 2008, according to the State Board of Equalization.
"The board, which released the sales figures on Wednesday, requires about a year to compile final and accurate sales figures from each city and county.
"This marks the fourth straight quarter that taxable sales declined, the first time that's happened since 2002."
And if you're keeping score at home, it's Salmon: 1, People 0. The Chron's Kelly Zito reports, "Federal regulators prescribed sweeping changes Thursday to the dams, reservoirs and pumps that supply water to two-thirds of California in an effort to restore a salmon population whose steep decline has sounded an environmental alarm and led to the cancellation of two consecutive commercial fishing seasons.
"While the measures could save the chinook salmon and other species from extinction, critics argue the plans reduce the water supply to people and farms at a time when the water system is strained by earlier environmental rules, drought, population growth and crumbling infrastructure."
But at least there will be salmon to eat!
The LA Times has a breakdown of the clash of two titanic forces: Wikipedia vs. Scientology.
Kate Linthicum reports, "The Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia has blocked all
contributions from
computers at the Church of Scientology's Los Angeles headquarters to
stop users there from revising articles to reflect
a pro-Scientology
viewpoint.
The site has also banned some critics of the
controversial religion from editing Scientology articles
to tamp down a
long-standing battle between the two groups, a Wikipedia
spokesman said.
Finally, you can't ask for a better combination than guns, God and the Red, White and Blue, can you? The New Betel Church sure doesn't think so.
"A Kentucky pastor is inviting his flock to bring guns to church to celebrate the Fourth of July and the Second Amendment.
"New Bethel Church is welcoming "responsible handgun owners" to wear their firearms inside the church June 27, a Saturday. An ad says there will be a handgun raffle, patriotic music and information on gun safety.
"We're just going to celebrate the upcoming theme of the birth of our nation," said pastor Ken Pagano. "And we're not ashamed to say that there was a strong belief in God and firearms — without that this country wouldn't be here."
"The guns must be unloaded and private security will check visitors at the door, Pagano said."