Pig and pony show

Jan 7, 2010

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's final State of the State address included a strange allegory about a pig and a pony, one more propsal of go back to the voters, a promise to protect public education funding and a full-frontal assault on the federal healthcare legislation.

 

George Skelton, for one, was impressed. "Over the years, Schwarzenegger's addresses have been mixed -- some stiff, one belligerent (2005) and another repentant (2006).

"Wednesday's seemed just right: moderate in tone and substance, skillfully delivered and limited to a few priorities.

"The governor's priorities: Selling voters on an $11-billion water bond slated for the November ballot. Making California more business-friendly and creating jobs. Restructuring the tax system. Reforming the budget process. Renewing California's commitment to higher education. Reining in prison spending. Lobbying Washington for "federal fairness." Scaling back state pensions.

"Two Schwarzenegger proposals are especially intriguing. One is a constitutional amendment to prohibit the state from spending more on prisons than it does on higher education ... The second intriguing Schwarzenegger move is his stab, one final time, at scaling back state employee pensions. The governor said that state pension costs have risen 2,000% in the last decade while revenue has increased only 24%."

 

Dianne Feinstein, on the other hand, not so much... "Just hours after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made an impassioned argument for more federal funds -- noting that the state gets back just 78 cents for every dollar it sends to Washington, D.C. -- Senator Dianne Feinstein fired back. And she didn't mince words," Marisa Lagos reports.

 

"It sounds like the Governor is looking for someone else to blame for California's budget. California's budget crisis was created in Sacramento, not Washington. These problems are not going away until there is wholesale reform of the state's budget process," she said in a statement.

So, that means you're not running for governor, then, Madame Senator?
Schwarenegger not only criticized Congress generally, but hauled off on the current version of the federal health care bill.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger spent a full year of his term fighting for health care reform. But on Wednesday, with Congress on the verge of remaking the nation's health care system in much the same way Schwarzenegger tried to do for the state in 2007, the governor turned into a full-throated reform critic," repots the Merc's Mike Zapler.

 

"Schwarzenegger attacked a "sweetheart deal" in the reform measure that was added late last month to cinch the crucial final vote of Nebraska Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson. And he challenged California's congressional members to oppose health care reform unless the Golden State gets the same treatment.

 

"California's congressional delegation should either vote against this bill that is a disaster for California or get in there and fight for the same sweetheart deal that Senator Nelson of Nebraska got for the Cornhusker State," the Republican governor said to applause during his State of the State address. "Because that senator got for the Cornhusker State the corn and we got the husk."

The real drama begins tomorrow when Schwarzenegger unveils his spending plan. Capitol Weekly reports it's time for another emergency session, another calling card of the Schwarzenegger years.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger intends to call the Legislature into emergency session to confront a nearly $6.6 billion budget gap in the current fiscal year. The governor is expected to outline his proposed solutions by Friday – when he will unveil his new budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year that begins July 1.


"The emergency declaration, authorized under voter-approved Proposition 58, requires lawmakers to act within 45 days on his proposals or pass their own combination of cuts and revenue increases. There is no penalty if the Legislature fails to perform, although lawmakers are barred from adjourning or considering other issues until they act on the governor’s plan."

 

CW reports state workers are likely to take another hit in this year's spending plan. "


Details of the governor’s proposed spending plan will be unveiled Friday, but Capitol sources said this week state workers were likely to continue to take part of the budget blow. They said the current system of forced furloughs, in which state employees are required to take three Fridays off per month without pay, reportedly would be abandoned, but it was unclear what would be in their place. Layoffs and a 5 percent pay cut had both been mentioned as an alternative to furloughs.


Pay cuts would also affect contributions to workers’ retirement plans."

 

Brian Joseph reports "cruel cuts" are on the way.
"As bitter as the words are in my mouth, we face additional cuts," he said. "What can we say at this point except the truth? That we have no choice." Schwarzenegger promised, however, that he will protect education funding and added that the state "can no longer afford to cut higher education either." To that end, Schwarzenegger said he will introduce a constitutional amendment to require that the state spend more on higher education than on the prison system.

John Perez is expected to be elected Speaker today on the Assembly floor, and Capitol Weekly chats with the incoming leader.

 

"John Perez prides himself on defying labels. His rise to the speakership followed a break with a cluster of political allies that helped him rise to power and who included his cousin, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.  Perez is openly gay in a community that has traditionally embraced traditional values. And he is drawn to Jewish scholarship, both intellectually and spiritually, even though his own ethnic roots have nothing to do with Judaism.


"Perhaps, it is the art on the wall of his office that paints the best portait of who John Perez is. There, you’ll find pop art portraits of Doloroes Del Rio and Rita Hayworth, alongside an impressionistic painting of the Breed Street Schul, Los Angeles’s oldest synagogue. There are also portraits of Los Angeles City Hall and in the corner, a vibrant rainbow flag flying in the shadow of the nation’s Capitol.


"Perez seems to enjoy defying labels and expectations, and as he prepares to take over as Speaker of the California Assembly, Perez will have a chance to show his colleagues and California that he is not easily defined."

 

Through all the madness, Malcolm Maclachlan reports, Senate Republicans have elected a new leader.

 

"Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, says he has secured the support of Senate Republicans to be their next leader.

 

"Yes, I do have the unanimous support of the caucus," Dutton said Wednesday. "We haven’t actually taken any formal action yet, because it wouldn’t be an immediate change in leadership.”

 

Dutton bested several other senators in the competition for the job.  Sens. Bob Huff, R-Walnut, Tony Strickland, R-Ventura, and Mimi Walters, R-Laguna Hills, all competed for the job. Current senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murieta, is expected to remain as leader through the current budget negotiations, Dutton said."

 

And finally, from our Walk Like A Man Files, "Knoxville police have arrested a man they said assaulted an officer and then changed into women's clothing in an attempt to disguise himself. The Knoxville News Sentinel reported a 19-year-old man was arrested Monday night on charges including DUI, assault on an officer, resisting arrest  and burglary. He also has four outstanding warrants.

 

"Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk said the suspect assaulted Officer Andrew Gyorfi after the teen was pulled over at about 8 p.m. for driving a car that had been reported stolen in Chattanooga. He then ran to a nearby public housing project and entered a woman's apartment, putting on her clothes and leaving his there."