Lawmakers worked through the weekend and failed to come up with a budget agreement (that has a familiar ring), and Gov. Brown says in a video that he's perplexed. What now?
From Anthony York at the LA Times: "He did not outline what those policy changes would entail, but said he was "really perplexed at why a package of this magnitude and this permanence ... cannot be allowed for you the people to decide on."
"Brown posted the video to his YouTube channel Sunday, just three days before lawmakers are constitutionally required to pass a budget, to give his budget status report to voters.
This year, for the first time, lawmakers' pay will be docked if no spending plan is in place by Wednesday's deadline."
"Brown plans to hold a Capitol press conference Monday with representatives from many of the various groups that have backed his budget, and the idea of placing higher vehicle, sales and income tax rates before voters, along with changes to state pensions and a limit of future state spending."
California has the most highly educated Legislature in the country, a fact that may surprise those who look to lawmakers for policy leadership.
From the Bee's Laurel Rosenhall: "With 90 percent of lawmakers holding at least a bachelor's degree, California has the most highly educated Legislature in the country, according to a study being published today by the Chronicle of Higher Education."
"The study compared education levels of all 50 state legislatures and found that Arkansas has the least-educated statehouse – 25 percent of its members did not attend college at all…"
"The relatively high level of education among California legislators is likely explained by the fact that the state has large districts, a full-time Legislature and high salaries for lawmakers, said Scott Smallwood, managing editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education."
"It's a more professional job and they're more likely to be highly educated," he said.
One way for cities to cut costs -- including pension costs -- is to outsource their jobs, just like the private sector. CalPensions' Ed Mendel takes a look at Half Moon Bay, which has done just that.
"The Half Moon Bay city council unanimously voted for cost-cutting contracts that replace the police department with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s office and the recreation department with similar services from the city of San Carlos."
"The scenic city of about 12,000 residents, located near the famous Maverick’s big-wave surfing site, previously had contracted out public works, engineering, attorneys and building inspection and code enforcement."
"The $10 million general fund budget for the new fiscal year has the full-time equivalent of 14.6 jobs, down from 31.8 in the current year and a 75 percent reduction from five years ago."
"Laura Snideman, the city manager, told the council that Half Moon Bay is now a “contract city,” outsourcing more than half the personnel and half the budget. All police department employees are expected to transfer to the sheriff‘s office, some at lower pay."
Heavy snows remain in the mountains throughout California and the West, and water mnanagers are waiting to see whether warm temperatures bning flooding. The LA Tinmes' Bettina Boxall tells the tale.
"From the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades to the
northern Rockies, much of the West's high country remains buried under a thick
snowpack that is filling reservoirs and engaging dam operators in a
nerve-racking balancing act as they watch for jumps in temperature that could
turn all those scenic piles of white into raging floodwaters."
"It's luck, but it's also quite a bit of skill being applied," state
hydrologist Maury Roos said."
"We have staff trying to go through the records every day, asking, 'What
is this similar to?' and it's been extremely hard to draw a parallel to any
other year," said Jon Ericson, chief of hydrology for the California
Department of Water Resources."
Sacramento and lobbyists are almost synonomous, but how 'bout San Francisco? It turns out that fundraising lobbyists are playing an increasingly important role in San Francisco politics, reports the Bay Citizen's Gerry Shih.
"The fundraiser does not appear to violate San Francisco’s intricate but erratically enforced lobbying laws, and political operatives say such events are common. Still, the breakfast and its timing offer a glimpse into the confusing intersection of politics and government in San Francisco, a system dominated by a few powerful lobbying firms that provide elected officials with the cash and connections they need to survive politically."
"In an interview, Mirkarimi rejected the notion that the fundraiser influenced his decision to push legislation proposed by Platinum Advisors."
"“I haven’t received any contributions from Zynga or them,” he said, referring to Platinum. “I don’t see a problem.”
The case of the federal judge, who is gay, who struck down California's ban on gay marriage goes to court this week, as backers of Proposition 8 seek to overturn his ruling.
From Howard Mintz in the Mercury News "n a hearing Monday morning, new Chief Judge James Ware will consider a bid by Proposition 8's sponsors to set aside Walker's August 2010 ruling striking down the state's gay marriage ban. The measure's lawyers argue that Walker was presumed biased at the time he invalidated the law because of his long-term same-sex relationship, and that he should have stepped aside when he was randomly assigned the case."
"The argument is widely considered a long shot by legal experts, but it has injected more venom into the debate over Proposition 8's legality."
"Denying that they are simply targeting Walker because he is gay, Proposition 8 backers insist the judge had a strong interest in the outcome of the case because invalidating the law could someday allow him to marry his partner. "Such a personal interest in his own marriage would place Chief Judge."