Jordan Rau spent his holiday
studying the 2006 ballot measures and offers a rundown of what's shaping up for June.
"Actor and director
Rob Reiner has collected more than 1 million signatures for a proposition that would increase taxes on the wealthy to pay for universal preschool. If validated by elections officials, the names would be more than enough to place the measure on the June primary ballot."
"Meanwhile, two groups are gathering signatures for competing initiatives that would
raise the state's cigarette tax by $1.50 a pack, to $2.37. That would be higher than in any other state except Rhode Island ($2.46) and New Jersey ($2.40), according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, an advocacy group in Washington, D.C.
A spokesman for Philip Morris USA said such an increase in California would be excessive."
"
Some of this year's bitter conflicts in Sacramento are likely to spill over onto next year's ballot. Gay rights opponents are preparing measures that would outlaw same-sex nuptials through California's Constitution. (They have drafted 10 versions so far.) The groups are still furious that the Legislature approved a same-sex marriage bill in August, only to see it vetoed by Schwarzenegger; their measure, if approved, would prevent subsequent legislators from changing the law."
"Empowered by victories in the special election fight, labor unions are also contemplating two measures inspired by events this year. One would
raise California's $6.75-an-hour minimum wage, a change Schwarzenegger has twice vetoed." The other would
require shareholder approval before public corporations could donate to campaigns, a payback for Proposition 75.
Also in the mix are initiatives sponsored by
Team Runner allowing sex offenders to be confined indefinitely, one by
Ray Haynes to create a state border patrol, and one by
Chuck Poochigian dealing with identity theft.
The governor took advantage of your Thanksgiving food coma to announce that he was going to
conduct a private hearing before deciding the fate of
Stanley "Tookie" Williams. The governor plans to meet with attorneys from both sides and the family members of the victims on December 8. Williams is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on December 13.
In the Chron, Lynda Gledhill reports that the governor "is
turning his attention to a multibillion dollar infrastructure bond for the state, but his proposals may center on concepts Democrats have been reluctant to support."
"While Democrats and Republicans favor investing in the state's roads, ports and levees, the specific projects and how they will be financed could become a contentious issue in the next legislative session. The administration had been careful to say that not all of the money --
which could be as high as $50 billion -- will come through general obligation bonds, which taxpayers would be paying off for decades. Among the options are revenue bonds, fees and partnerships with private companies."
"'It is not yet determined what the package will be,' said
H.D. Palmer, spokesman for the Department of Finance. '
Everyone assumes it would all be general obligation bonds, but there are creative ways to finance projects.'"
Assemblymember
Joe Canciamilla doesn't believe the talk of everyone working together now that the special election is over. "'
There is only a new era of cooperation in Sacramento because no one is in Sacramento,' he said. '
Let's wait and see what happens when everyone gets back.' The Legislature reconvenes the first week of January."
Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association,
warns against rushing into a large bond in a commentary this morning on Jon Fleischman's FlashReport. "That ominous shadow that is now darkening the Golden State is being cast from a massive “infrastructure” bond trial balloon."
"Before moving forward with a gargantuan, all inclusive infrastructure bond, a backward look is important. It should be noted that, during
Pat Brown’s administration, six percent of the general fund was dedicated to infrastructure improvement. Today? Virtually nothing."
Dan Walters writes in the Bee that the bond is
phase three of the governor's "restore, reform, rebuild" trifecta of goals. "
Schwarzenegger has failed, rather miserably, to accomplish his first two goals. The budget is still plagued by chronic deficits, and voters trashed his version of political reform this month."
"Rather than regroup on the first two, however, the governor will forge ahead with the third. As he seeks to restore his own much-tarnished public standing, he appears poised to
revert to the time-dishonored technique of buying political support with the voters' own money - borrowed money at that."
From our
Our Kids Win Too Files: Steve Geissinger reports for the Oakland Tribune that the state's participation in the
Mega Millions multi-state lottery will be before a judge on Friday. "The state-run lottery and an anti-gambling group are set to argue in Sacramento court whether to halt the game as a judge weighs claims by the group and Democratic legislators that voters permitted a lottery only within California."
It must be the holiday season, because gifts like these only come once a year. Congressman
Dan Lungren appeared with three of his Republican congressional colleagues with
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to
talk about global warming.
Apparently, the same people that ran Lungren's campaign for governor are advising him on media appearances.
