As if last week's speech wasn't enough, today's budget is sure to really tick some people off. The early word on Schwarzenegger's 2005-06 spending plan is that there's a little something for just about everyone to hate.
In Northern California, they're
digging the trenches for the budget fight. Fiscal conservatives will like the no new taxes, but may bristle at reported plans for new borrowing. And transportation advocates will once again see Prop. 42 funds raided, with a promise of future funding guarantees. Then again, transportation folks may want to ask the education community about making deals with the governor about future funding guarantees.
Education leaders are taking their broken promise from the governor, and getting ready to launch an offensive of their own. Education advocates are considering
suing the state, arguing that the state's not providing an "adequate" public education to its children. With education funding already taking half of the state budget, a win in the courts similar to recent wins in New York, Kansas, Texas and Massachusetts could force the state to fork over another third of the state budget.
Didn't we just settle this lawsuit last year?
Meanwhile, UTLA's president says the governor's merit pay proposal is "
la-la land." The story reports of a November proposal on the ballot in Denver to raise property taxes to fund a new merit-pay proposal. Somehow, we don't think that would pass muster with the Howard Jarvis crew in California.
So much for burying that Shelley story. The SOS gets Sunday ink in the
New York Times.
Skelton says the Shelley scandal is just one reason
Democrats are in decline in Sacramento, but says of the governor's reform proposals: "it's doubtful whether these proposals warrant a special election that could cost taxpayers $40 million when there'll be two regular elections next year."
Lawyers in the
Rebecca Cohn sexual harrassment case follow the first lesson of Public Relations 101: Announce settlement of all lawsuits on Friday, and after the election.
Matsui's successor chosen -- in DC Doris Matsui has been telling friends
she'll run for her husband's Congressional seat. Others are still looking at the race. But in D.C., Nancy Pelosi
has made her choice for Matsui's replacement. Hint: Think Bill Clinton.
Lobbying firm Jim Gonzalez and Associates has a
plan to save congressional members from the the gov's redistricting plan. If this is the governor's vehicle for his redistricting plan, it's sure to catch a lot of flack from the punditocracy in Sacramento.
Meanwhile, a key Democratic group gives Schwarzenegger
a partial thumbs-up on his redistricting plan.
There's
one place colder in California than
Canciamilla's seat in the Democratic Caucus.
Speaking of people who have lost their positions of power, Gore/Davis vets Lehane and Fabiani have
lost their client in the LA Mayor's race, while Hertzberg's coffers runneth over ($1.6 million on hand, as of the end of the year). Whether it'll be enough to winneth him the election, or even get into the runoff, remains to be seen.
What is known is that in a 5-way race, every endorsement is a big deal, forcing seasoned polititions to do their
dog and pony show for every group under the sun.
In the Central Valley, Stockton is giving a new meaning to "
red light district."
If we didn't have enough things to worry about, the Chron's Greg Lucas reminds us that we in the Central Valley live in a bathtub, and we've been
neglecting our levees.
Skelton cautions everyone to hold on for the ride: "The State of the Capitol? Unstable with lots of spinning. Many politicians could get hurt."
