Gov. Schwarzenegger may not have a secret plan to end inflation, but he does apparently have one to reduce prison overcrowding.
Michael Rothfeld reports, "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger tonight will give federal judges a road map to reducing state prison overcrowding that involves waiving some state laws so sentencing regulations can be changed and new private prisons built.
But the governor also will disavow those solutions as illegal, said Oscar Hidalgo, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation."
I suppose on your planet that might make some sense, but I, for one, am stumped...
This week marks the, um triumphant? return of my podcast with John Myers , after a two-month hiatus. This week, a quick wrap on the water deal, a look at the budget, the lieutenant governor's sweepstakes, and so much more...
The gov continued his editorial board tour at the Sacramento Bee Thursday and defended the $11 billion water bond. "After reaching a deal last week with state lawmakers to bolster California's water infrastructure, Schwarzenegger is trying to build popular support for the plan, knowing voters will have the final say when they consider the $11.1 billion bond next year," writes Kevin Yamamura.
"Fiscal conservatives have assailed the bond for increasing the state's debt load and for paying for local projects such as $20 million for economic development in Siskiyou County, where Klamath River dams are being removed.
Schwarzenegger defended the bond Thursday, saying the state would stagger its borrowing to reduce impacts on its overall debt load. He said the money would help leverage an additional $25 billion to $30 billion in federal funds.
And he denied that local water projects in line for money were political pork, as critics have suggested.
"A lot of times people call something pork when in fact it is for something really important," Schwarzenegger said. "For instance, I asked for $1 billion to clean the water. … It is very important to take care of that and there are so many cities across California that have problems with water and need to clean their water."
Suu-iiiiiii...
Steve Harmon once again calls his shot, and says Susan Kennedy is skipping town and cashing in . The administration is knocking down rumors that Susan Kennedy, the all-powerful and influential chief of staff for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is preparing to leave the administration for a job with Mercury Public Affairs to shepherd the water bond campaign.
“No,” said Aaron McLear, spokesman for Schwarzenegger. “It’s not happening.”
“I was told by a good source – a very senior person from inside the horseshoe – six, seven weeks ago that once she got water done, she’d go to Mercury to make some money off the campaign,” one source said, asking not to be identified.
OK, Harmon. You're now on the record as picking Maldonado for Lt. Gov and Susan Kennedy leaving the horseshoe...
Lisa Vorderbrueggen reports on a new study that blames lawmakers for ballot-box budgeting.
"Legislators love to complain about how the ballot initiative process costs the state money and ties its hands on the budget.
But a new analysis from the nonprofit Center for Governmental Studies revealed today in Oakland shows that of the $12.85 billion worth of ballot measures voters approved between 1988 and 2009, 83 percent were placed on the ballot by the Legislature.
"Most of the ballot-box budgeting has come from you,” Institute of Governmental Studies President Bob Stern told members today of the Senate and Assembly Select Committees on Improving State Government co-chaired by state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord.
And finally, from our Lonely in Florida, AP reports, "Florida police say a man arrested for repeatedly calling 911 looking for sex claimed it was the only number he could dial after running out of cell phone minutes.
"Tampa police said 29-year-old Joshua Basso made sexual comments to the 911 dispatcher and asked if he could come to her house. Investigators say she hung up, but he called back four more times.
"He was arrested about 15 minutes later at his home late Wednesday and charged with making a false 911 call. Basso reportedly told officers that he didn't think he would get in trouble for calling 911."
Nice work, genius.