Dan Walters uses an Assembly Democrats-sponsored effort to derail a vocational education funding bill as
evidence that the first year of the legislative session has been wasted. "As the 2005 legislative session enters its final two weeks, it's evident, as Perata implies, that
virtually nothing of substance will have been accomplished. With politicians in both parties preoccupied by the political war between Schwarzenegger and Democrats over his special election ballot measures, significant legislating has been suspended."
Seemingly on cue, Assembly Democrats
unveiled a legislative package aimed at Governor Schwarzenegger's fundraising, although the bills won't be seeing floor votes until next year. According to the Bee, "Democrats characterized the measures - Assembly Bills
1391,
1363 and
534 - as an
attempt to restore more trust in state politics."
And more faith that Democrats will kick the governor every chance they get.
"'We, as elected officials, hold office for one primary reason - to represent the interests of the people,' said Assemblywoman
Cindy Montaņez, D-Los Angeles. 'It's a sacred trust ... that has to be protected from abuse and even the perception of abuse.'"
"None of the measures will be eligible for a floor vote this year. All would require passage by a two-thirds majority of the Legislature."
But the Knight-Ridder Capitol bureau
says the Legislature is just now rolling up its sleeves. "The Legislature acted on a wide range of bills Monday in its final two weeks, focusing on such diverse topics as paper trails for electronic voting machines, pocket bikes, e-mail spam, Internet hunting, teen drivers, Viagra and the governor's finances."
And, of course, there are the series of bills aimed at jamming the governor
this year. The Merc News reports that
significant children's health legislation may be passed in upcoming days. "A bill that aims to cover California's remaining 800,000 or so uninsured children is poised to pass the Legislature in coming days, offering the hope of health care for many more families and potentially putting Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger in the hot seat."
"
AB 772 by Assemblywoman
Wilma Chan, D-Oakland, would create a California Healthy Kids Insurance Program, based in part on Santa Clara County's groundbreaking, 4-year-old children's health insurance program."
Senator Perata predicts a veto and hints that the bill is unaffordable. "We are determined to send him a bill this year that is phase one of expanding health care' for kids, he said. '
This seems in obvious conflict with his campaign to pass Live Within Our Means in November. But we are going to rely not only on his comments made as a campaigner, but also on his comments made as governor.'"
Speaking of the election, AP reports the
feud among national labor organizations is having an effect here in California. "As a result, major
California unions have seen little backing from national headquarters in their campaign against ballot initiatives intended to rein in labor's power in state government. 'The split at the convention has definitely dominated the focus for national money and national players for a couple of months,' Democratic consultant Larry Grisolano said. 'There's a real sense of importance for what is going on in California, but the national thing has been a distraction for people's attention.'"
Not all, however, is lost for the legislative session. Our
Animal Beat Reporter checked in yesterday to report that
SB 861, aka the pit bull anti-proliferation act, passed Senate Local Government on a 6-2 vote.
Los Angeles Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa made a return to Sacramento yesterday,
seeking funds to combat the terrorist threat to Los Angeles. "'We have the most pressing needs of any jurisdiction in California,' Villaraigosa told The Times on Monday. 'We are without question the most significant target of opportunity.'"
A partial transcript of grand jury testimony in the case of
Kevin Shelley fundraiser
Julie Lee was released yesterday, detailing some of the ways she allegedly
tried to launder campaign contributions into Shelley's campaign account. The transcript "describes Lee's
dogged pursuit of a $500,000 state grant Shelley helped arrange from the Department of Parks and Recreation and her efforts to
use others as conduits to launder the money for Shelley's campaign treasury. And as auditors and authorities moved in during the summer of 2004, she
tried to persuade others involved to cover it up, according to the transcripts."
Lee is awaiting trial, and free on $250,000 bail.
Speaking of fundraising problems. The Schwarzenegger Museum in the governor's home town of Graz, Austria, is
set to close due to financial difficulties. The museum, which contains bodybuilding equipment used by Schwarzenegger, as well as photos and paintings of Graz's favorite son.
Finally, our
Most Disturbing Out-of-Context Quote of the Day award goes to Healdsburg truck driver
Ronald Love. "It should never have happened. The
ostrich's butt broke the window. You never would think an ostrich could fit through a little window, but she did."
You can read the entire saga of the
ostrich on the Bay Bridge, but we prefer to let that quote stand on its own.
