The Legislature gave the governor one of his biggest legislative victories yesterday,
passing his correctional reorganization measure. "It takes courage to take on one of the largest prison systems in the world," [Senator
Gloria] Romero said. "Many have been afraid to do it. Others just couldn't even imagine where to begin. But
Governor Schwarzenegger, from Day One, responded to the challenge."
Expect to see that statement repeated endlessly on the airwaves during next year's election season.
That's if he runs for reelection, and Dan Walters writes that business leaders that have financed the governor's efforts are
starting to worry that he is getting cold feet. "I sincerely believe that the pullback on the pension reform initiative was the
beginning of the end of the revolution Arnold had so bravely taken on," one prominent business leader said in a recent e-mail in which he lamented that Schwarzenegger had not given his major backers advance warning on the pension retreat and worried that he will retreat on budget overhaul, too. "
Arnold will now appear like the schoolyard bully who can be beat ... and every punk will now come looking for a piece of him," he said.
Meanwhile, the governor
meets the masses tomorrow in a town hall meeting, although the town is a Fontana steel plant, and the audience is invitation-only.
He'll feel a bit lighter no doubt, as one of the balls was unchained yesterday. Faced with a
lengthy court battle against poor old people, the Schwarzenegger administration
dropped a plan to fast-track regulations that would allow the state to recover more of the assets of Medi-Cal recipients after they die. The Bee reports "The state will still press for changes, but will make them only after a public hearing and a public comment period, said
Ken August, a spokesman for the Department of Health Services."
However, with a group of business-friendly attendees, workers' compensation is certain to be brought up. The governor's workers' comp chief,
Andrea Hoch will have her confirmation hearing Wednesday and "
has become a lightning rod for critics who say she went too far in changing the formula for how much compensation workers should get for a permanent, partial disability. One study estimated that the new rating will
cut payments as much as 70 percent, depending on the injury." Leading the charge is commish
John Garamendi, who released data showing that insurers are
paying out 45 cents for every dollar in premiums collected.
Now that its clear that he won the election (of those that know how to check boxes), San Diego mayor
Dick Murphy abruptly resigned yesterday after being named one of the three worst big city mayors in the country by Time magazine. Apparently agreeing with councilwoman Donna Frye, who had the most number of votes, albeit incomplete, in last November's election, Murphy said
"A good leader knows when it is time to move on. It is clear the city needs a fresh start."Apparently, bad leaders know when it's time to move on as well.
The resignation is effective July 14 and sets up a special election, which will likely be in November. The Union Tribune reports on potential candidates: "County Supervisor
Ron Roberts said he has an interest, and Councilwoman
Donna Frye said she would be a candidate; they finished third and second, respectively, to Murphy in November. Councilman
Brian Maienschein said he also is considering a mayoral run." The UT lists thirteen names in a sidebar, including
Dede Alpert,
Steve Peace,
Juan Vargas and
Pete Wilson.
In brief:Claremont's
Rose Institute on State and Local Government released results of a survey yesterday showing that voters favor a proposal to change the way legislative districts are drawn, and would like the changes effective 2006.
The Sierra Club
voted voted overwhelmingly to stay out of the debate over U.S. immigration policies and elected a new slate of board members that ensures the venerable environmental group cannot face another takeover threat from immigration-control advocates for at least two years.
This week's long hours in the Capitol got you down? One contract doctor for King/Drew Medical Center
claims to have worked 20 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6 months. "'I took showers at the hospital. I ate my meals at the hospital. I never left,' said
[Dr. Harold A.] Tate, 45, whose permanent residence is in Las Vegas." Tate earned more than $1.3 million from the hospital last year.
Finally, the Republican surge in the Bay Area has been
traced to one man. "Under dozens of pseudonyms,
Kyle Vallone has orchestrated the publication of scores of letters to the Times, San Francisco Chronicle and the Tri-Valley Herald during the last decade. A Times investigation found that the San Ramon man
submitted more than 100 letters under fictitious identities to the three newspapers. Vallone estimated that he has had a hand in 200 bogus letters published in Northern California newspapers."
