The Brown administration is wooing state business leaders to get behind the governor's slash-and-burn budget, while anti-tax activists and their Republican allies are denouncing the budget and not so subtly threatening any Reeps who vote for taxes. All in all, just another day in Sacramento.
Steve Harmon at the Contra Costa Times has the story: "Ana Matosantos, Brown's finance chief, laid down for California Chamber of Commerce members the now-familiar case of austerity that Brown hopes will draw business leaders to his side as he begins an uphill climb to resolve a $25.4 billion budget deficit..."
"But a group of about 85 anti-tax advocates gathered earlier near the Capitol promising to whip up a grass-roots campaign to keep the tax plan from making it onto the June ballot, or to defeat it if it does."
The right and left both took shots at the budget, and in the Senate, the Democratic leadership removed a GOP committee leader for spouting partisan sentiments.
From the LAT's Anthony York and Shane Goldmacher: "Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday had a taste of the forces he is up against as he tries to sell his budget plan."
"Dozens of anti-tax activists gathered near the Capitol to mobilize
against him. Legislators staked out partisan ground,
as the state Senate leader punished his only Republican
committee chairman for calling California's deficit
a Democratic problem. And some Democrats complained
that the taxes Brown has proposed are not enough."
The budget fight also faces a ticking clock: Brown wants the Legislature to approve his plan by the first of March, in order to meet deadlines for a June special election on taxes. The Bee's Dan Walters takes a look.
"California's legislative process is not known for its speed. Brown wants action in about six weeks, but the Legislature" is accustomed to taking at least six months – and lately eight or nine months – to work through a budget."
"In theory, it should be easier now because Proposition 25, approved by voters in November, reduces the legislative vote for a budget from two-thirds, which gave Republicans a big say, to a simple majority, which means Democrats could do it by themselves. However, Brown's budget is, as Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor says, "very ambitious and very complex," and the way Brown is framing it puts Republicans back in the equation."
The state-local relationship under Brown's budget plan has drawn much scrutiny. But while realignment has captured the most attention, the budget also gets into state-funded mandates, reports California Watch's Chase Davis.
"Brown's budget calls for suspending most mandates not related to public safety or property taxes for at least one year – a move that has been used to save hundreds of millions in other budget cycles. But it also goes one step further, calling for a sweeping review of existing mandates by the Legislature in preparation for next year's budget."
"It does look to be more comprehensive review," said Patrick Whitnell, general counsel for the League of California Cities. "But it's hard to say exactly what that will mean until they get some proposals on the table."
There's a lot of dough for the state in online poker, according to a study commissioned by tribal backers. The Riverside Press-Enterprise's Jim Miller tells the tale.
"A new study commissioned by one of the groups promoting a bill to legalize online poker in California estimates that legalization would earn the state more than $1 billion over the next decade."
"Thursday's report was commissioned by the California Online Poker Association, a group of tribes with casinos and card clubs that are backing SB 40. The association's dominant members are a pair of Inland Southern California gaming tribes: the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Banning and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians near San Bernardino."
And now we open our "I'm Moving to Spain" file to learn about a subject that we already thought we had down cold -- drinking beer.
"Moderate drinking of beer can cut the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure and even help people lose weight, Spanish doctors say."
"Spanish researchers say combining ale or lager with exercise and a healthy Mediterranean diet high in fish, fruit and vegetables and olive oil can provide health benefits, Britain's Daily Telegraph reported Thursday."
"Beer contains folic acid, vitamins, iron and calcium and offers the same health benefits already credited to moderate wine drinking, the researchers found. "Moderate beer consumption is associated with nutritional and health benefits," Dr. Ramon Estruch, the lead researcher, said.
Ta-da!