On her way out the door, former Assembly Speaker Karen Bass gave some staffers a parting gift.
Jim Sanders reports, "Targeted staff members received different job titles, reflecting a change in duties, said Jon Waldie, Assembly administrator. Only two of the promotions went to employees earning more than $75,000 per year – 17 of the 20 Democratic caucus aides had annual salaries below $50,000, records show.
"But the increases come at a thorny time for lawmakers, with the state facing massive debt and most state workers dealing with pay cuts through furloughs. The largest single increase was $729 per month to Pamela Haynes, whose job title changed from senior assistant to principal assistant. Her pay rose from $87,456 per year to $96,204".
Meanwhile, Steve Poizner is repenting for his past support of making it easier to raise taxes for education.
Jack Chang reports, "The insurance commissioner said he had given nearly $200,000 to the successful campaign to pass the initiative because it had required charter schools be given access to facilities equal to other public schools.But Poizner, in an interview with The Bee Capitol Bureau, said he no longer supported the most controversial part of the proposition – which made it easier for voters to raise property taxes for school bonds. A Bee calculation found that $23.2 billion in school bonds had been passed since 2000 because of Proposition 39.
"Rival Meg Whitman has made Poizner's support for the proposition a fixture of her negative ads against him. Earlier Thursday, Poizner's backing of the measure also came under fire from Jon Coupal, president of the anti-tax group the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, during a conference call organized by the Whitman campaign. Poizner said his views about the initiative have changed.
"I don't support those provisions in Prop. 39 that make it easier to pass more debt and, at the time, just like Gov. (Pete) Wilson, I decided to bite my lip and support Prop. 39 because of the charter school provisions," Poizner said."
For the record, years later when Poizner was running for Assembly in a Democratic district, he bragged about supporting a new effort to lower the tax threshold with Assemblyman Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto.
John Myers shuns his trusty co-podcaster for a little face time with the attorney general. Shame on you, Mr. Myers. Shame on you. That said, the interview is worth a listen.
Roy Ashburn's arrest on suspicion of drunk driving has led to another conversation in the Capitol, and around his home district. "Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, did not return calls again Thursday seeking an explanation of the events leading up to his arrest and the Sacramento television report that launched nationwide speculation that the veteran lawmaker is gay and therefore a hypocrite for voting against gay-rights bills.
"Ashburn has taken a personal leave from the Senate for an unknown length of time, his spokesman said.
"The Californian has asked Ashburn about his sexual orientation in the past. He has either questioned the relevance of the issue or dodged it altogether. The newspaper did not report the comments at the time, also deciding it was not relevant."
Michael Rothfeld reports the first couple has received more than $235,000 in payments for promoting California.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who often speaks of his
love for
California, has promoted the state with his wife Maria
Shriver in
television commercials over the last five years. And
as they invited
viewers to visit, California's first couple got paid.
"Schwarzenegger and Shriver have received more than
$235,000 since 2005
for appearing in commercials for the California Travel
and Tourism
Commission. The governor's aides said Schwarzenegger
and his wife did
not know about the income until The Times inquired
about it this week,
and they mailed the tourism commission a check to repay
it on Thursday.
"The ads feature California's wine country, parks and
ski resorts and show Schwarzenegger and Shriver at
a seaside dining table.
"Aaron McLear, Schwarzenegger's spokesman, said the governor and
Shriver
told the tourism commission they wanted to film the
commercials for
free, but they did not know that under a union contract
for the Screen
Actors Guild they were required to be paid a minimum
fee."
And finally, from our Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka-Dot Snowman Bikini Files, "A snow sculpture created after "Venus de Milo" by Elisa Gonzalez at her home in Rahway, New Jersey. Gonzalez and her two children created the snow sculpture, and were later visited by the local police who told them that a neighbour had complained about the statue and that they needed to cover it up or knock it down. They didn't want any problem with the police so they covered it up with clothing."
Aren't you glad you live in California?