The state's leaders are drawing up plans to
seek voter approval for a large wave of bond-financed infrastructure projects, writes Robert Salladay and Evan Halper in the LA Times. "Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders are actively considering another round of government borrowing — this time to pay for massive building projects such as fixing freeway and cargo port bottlenecks as well as shoring up delta levees and hospitals that could fail in an earthquake."
Assembly Speaker
Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles), who is working with the administration as well, said: "I think Katrina is forcing us to look at issues that we haven't looked at since 1959 in California: water, infrastructure."
Katrina?
Actually,
water bonds were passed in virtually every election in the 1970s and 1980s, until the environmental movement and water districts couldn't agree on off-stream storage. Since nothing has changed, the fight next year should be fun.
Meanwhile, Treasurer
Phil Angelides warned lawmakers in his annual report yesterday that the
state's debt is too high. "The treasurer said Schwarzenegger should have attempted to cut more spending and raise taxes, rather than borrow. He said the state should resist using bonds to cover future deficits."
"
H.D. Palmer, spokesman for Schwarzenegger's Department of Finance, said the governor does not support using bonds to pay for operating costs but supported the borrowing last year to avoid deep cuts and higher taxes."
In other words, both sides tested their messages for a possible 2006 match-up.
Dan Walters writes that the treasurer's report is
more for the campaign trail than for the purpose of updating policymakers and is intellectually dishonest. "Until Angelides reveals exactly what he wants to spend and how he specifically proposes to raise it while also balancing the budget,
it's just so much mindless blather."
The Sacramento Bee's Andrew McIntosh reports that the Fair Political Practices Commission
does not have enough resources to prosecute misbehaving politicians. "The chief enforcer for the Fair Political Practices Commission says the state's political watchdog agency has shelved about 380 cases of possible misconduct since May because of a chronic lack of resources and high staff turnover."
"'It has been one of the most difficult things I've had to do: Look at a number of cases, and say, 'Yeah, we know there's merit, but we simply can't prosecute them given our resources and our other cases and the public harm in those other cases,'' [FPPC Chief of Enforcement
John] Appelbaum said. 'It is really hard to triage ... and take the ones where you know there has been a violation, but you simply don't have the resources to prosecute, and close them.'"
The governor's team is pushing
a poll from Survey USA which shows all of the governor's initiatives leading. Maybe that's because the questions asked sound like they're read off the governor's own talking points. Here's an example:
"Proposition 76 limits growth in state spending so that it does not exceed recent growth in state revenues. If the special election were today, would you vote Yes on Proposition 76?"
Somehow, we think CTA may provide some additional commentary on Prop. 76 before all this is over.
Our Spin of the Day comes from
Mike Murphy, who discusses some of the criticism of Survey USA's methods on the
Join Arnold blog, before deciding the criticism is without merit."Historically, the political consultant community has disparaged Survey USA since ever they showed up on the polling scene some years ago. Why? Survey USA uses a new technology with a
computer voice interviewing voters over the telephone, or they use the recorded voice of the local TV news anchor...
"The bottom line here? An independent media pollster with a record that is
far more accurate the usual California public pollsters has the Arnold reform initiatives winning big. Clear momentum for reform."
Well, open up the lid, and throw me in the dryer.
Today, the
people have their say in the
John Campbell Coronation Project, with the real suspense being whether there will be a runoff. Immigration activist
Jim Gilchrist, former Assemblywoman
Marilyn Brewer and 16 other candidates are vying to keep Campbell under 50% of the vote, which would force a December 6 runoff.
Speaking of the OC, Anaheim mayor
Curt Pringle has decided to set aside his differences with Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim owner Arte Moreno, and
will attend tonight's playoff game. "'I think everyone wants to rally around our team and show community pride for our hometown team,' he said. '
I root for the Anaheim Angels.'"
Not even Pringle could resist a chance to boo the Yankees in person.
