The governor, facing a federal court order to cut inmate populations in California prisons, says its going to cost money.
From the AP's Don Thompson: "Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday responded to a federal court order to significantly reduce California's prison population by proposing a $315 million plan to send inmates to private prisons and empty county jail cells."
"The cost could reach $700 million over two years, with much of the money likely to come from a $1 billion reserve fund in the state budget."
"During a news conference at the Capitol, Brown bristled at the court's suggestion that the state could continue its early release of certain inmates to meet the federal judges' population cap. He noted that California has already released some 46,000 inmates to comply with the court's orders and said only the most dangerous felons remain in state prison."
Spin is everywhere in the world of pollitics, where reality and perception merge frequently. Such is the case in the battle over an off-reservation casino.
From the Bee's Dan Morain: "Schmit seeks to gather 504,000 signatures of registered voters to place the referendum on the 2014 ballot so she can overturn a compact authorizing the North Fork band of Mono Indians to open what would be a lucrative casino in Madera."
"It appears to be the sort of underdog undertaking that would warm Hiram Johnson’s heart, except it’s not. Wall Street, hardly a bastion of direct democracy, is financing the campaign, along with a rich tribe that owns a nearby casino and could lose market share if the North Fork band opens a casino."
"Brigade Capital Management, a secretive investment house, dumped $261,100 into the campaign to qualify the referendum earlier this month. Two other New York investment firms chipped in $89,000. Table Mountain casino, a 30-minute drive from Madera, gave $350,000, the start of a campaign that will cost millions."
Just when you think you've heard it all, just when you think it couldn't possibly get stranger in San Diego in the wake of the Bob Filner sexual harassment scandal, it does: Now we have GOP politician Carl DeMaio reportedly caught jacking off in a City Hall restroom. It's stories like this that make journalism so fulfilling.
From the U-T's Trent Seibert: "DeMaio on Tuesday said he had passed lie detector tests to refute an allegation made by Democrat State Sen. Ben Hueso last week in the Voice of OC, a website founded with labor money in Orange County."
"In the article by Rex Dalton, Hueso contends that he snuck up on DeMaio in a City Hall bathroom in 2009 and saw him masturbating."
"Former council President Tony Young, quoted second-hand by the Voice of OC to corroborate its report, told a local television station on Tuesday that he had never seen DeMaio do anything inappropriate."
Speaking of Filner, what's he up to? Under the negiotiations that led to his resignation, he stays in office until Friday at 5 p.m. So what's he doing?
From the U-T's Craig Gustafson: "Filner retains full mayoral authority until Friday and continues to work out of the City Hall’s 11th floor despite the local, state and federal probes stemming from his alleged behavior and questionable policy decisions. That has led some to question the wisdom of allowing him to continue working as a lame-duck mayor."
"John Dadian, a Republican political consultant, said he’d worry that Filner might delete emails or shred documents related to the investigations."
“Most people who’ve been in any type of management position either in the public sector or the private sector knows that once an employee leaves or intends to leave, either voluntarily or involuntarily, you get’em out of the office right away,” he said. “It’s just good business practice. So I’m baffled by this one week.”
Tesla, that spiffy all-electric car that received lots of state financial support, is now the No. 3 selling brand in California's luxury car market, behind Mercedes and BMW's 5 series.
From the LAT's Jerry Hirsch: "Tesla has sold 4,714 of its Model S electric cars in the state during the first half of the year, according to the California New Car Dealers Assn. Only the Mercedes E-Class, with 6,582, and the BMW 5-Series, with 6,077, sold more."
"Moreover, it looks like California accounts for about 50% of the Palo Alto car company’s total sales during the first half of this year."
"Tesla sells its Model S sport sedan for prices starting at $63,570 and running to more than $100,000, with the largest battery and driving range."
