California lawmakers, the group that everyone loves to hate, just scored its lowest marks ever, according to the latest Field Poll. Gov. Schwarzenegger didn't do too well, either, as the budget impasse takes its toll.
"A mere 10 percent of registered voters approve of how the 120 members of the Legislature are doing their jobs, and 80 percent disapprove. That's the lowest approval rating in the history of the poll, going back to 1983, and is six percentage points lower than in July," notes the Chronicle's Wyatt Buchanan.
"His execution time is now 9 p.m. Thursday. The 45-hour reprieve pushes the execution to within hours of the Friday expiration date on the state's supply of sodium thiopental, one of the drugs used in the lethal injection process. A new supply is not expected until January."
As if the budget mess was not bad enough, it turns out the state is owed some $1.4 billion in sales tax revenue that was paid by consumers but never passed on to the state by businesses and retailers.
"The tab is up about 25 percent from a year ago and has almost doubled since 2007, state records show," the LAT reports.
"That money could make a significant dent in the state's
$19-billion budget gap. Watchdog groups say the state's
failure to collect it is particularly galling because
much of the tax money has already been paid by consumers
— it just hasn't been turned over by merchants to the
state Board of Equalization."
Speaking of money, California doesn't have any -- and is going to Wall Street to borrow some cash, reports the Times' Tom Petruno.
"The bank deal could allow the state to begin making payments to the long list of creditors that have been stiffed as the budget stalemate has continued since the new fiscal year began July 1."
"Treasurer Bill Lockyer’s office said Monday that the state was negotiating with JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and other big banks for the loan. The total could be upwards of $5 billion, depending on what the state finance department estimates its near-term cash needs will be, said Joe DeAnda, a spokesman for Lockyer.
“It could be less or it could be more” than $5 billion, he said."
And still more on money, U.S. Senate contender the LAT reports that Carly Fiorina wants to lower government spending.
"Reining in the growth of federal spending has been a top issue for Fiorina, who is running against Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer. But she has avoided naming specific programs that she would cut or scale back — instead calling for a top-to-bottom review of each federal department to determine where cuts should be made."
"Monday was no exception. During a meeting with roughly 50 students and other supporters at the University of San Diego, Fiorina said she would cap federal spending at 20 percent of gross domestic product, a target the campaign said was based on the average of federal spending as a proportion of GDP over the last 50 years."
The Sacramento Bee's Dave Siders reports that the stakes are high in tonight's debate between Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman, who will have their mano-a-mano showdown at UC Davis.
"Ready your TV and your stomach for an hour of smears, self-aggrandizement and, with any luck, an airing of the issues facing California: Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown meet tonight in Davis for the first of three televised debates."
"With the gubernatorial race dead even and only five weeks until Election Day, the stakes are unusually high. Nearly a fifth of likely voters remain undecided, and Tom Hollihan, a professor of communications at University of Southern California, said the debate is "probably the most significant event leading up to the election."
GOP controller candidate Tony Strickland has a problem -- he won't be on the statewide voter information guide because of his late entry into the race, notes Timm Herdt of the Ventura County Star.
"His attempt to get a statement in the ballot pamphlet was foiled by his late entry into the GOP primary this spring, confusion about the deadlines for the general election campaign, and a judge’s ruling that upheld Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s decision that he missed a June 22 deadline to submit the proper paperwork."