"Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles, and state Senate President Pro Tem
Don Perata, D-Oakland, said they
have resolved their own infrastructure differences and that it's up to the governor and the Assembly GOP members to close the gap between their own proposals so the Legislature can present a bond deal to the voters," reports Andy Furillo in the Bee.
"Núñez said it is 'unlikely' that an agreement can be hatched by Friday's deadline to make it for the June ballot, but that 'we're prepared and we're ready to make a deal happen if necessary.'"
"Gubernatorial spokeswoman
Margita Thompson said 'everybody is committed' to getting the best bond deal at the soonest date."
Of course, the leadership fight among Assembly Republicans can't be helping things.
Which reminds us, fourteen-term congressman
Bill Thomas announced yesterday that he
is not running for reelection, setting up a scramble to replace him. Vic Pollard reports for the Bakersfield Californian "Speculation about Thomas' future was sparked by the fact that under House rules, he must leave his powerful post as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee at the end of this year, and most people doubted he could find another leadership post as powerful or interesting to him. Monday's announcement produced a bipartisan outpouring of praise for Thomas' accomplishments."
"The announcement made for a wild day in Kern County politics."
"Assembly Republican Leader
Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield did not respond to a request for comment about Thomas' retirement. But he scheduled a news conference for today, at which he is expected to announce his candidacy for Thomas' seat."
"Another likely candidate, state Sen.
Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, also had nothing to say, said his spokesman, Dan Brennan."
"'He feels this is Bill Thomas' day,' Brennan said."
Dan Walters writes that the retirement will
further diminish California's clout in Washington.
McCarthy is expected to step down as Assembly Republican Leader today, and
George Plescia is believed to have enough votes to succeed him.
Phil Angelides is set to unveil a new television spot today, though we could have sworn we saw it on the air over the weekend.
Steve Westly will be in Santa Barbara to "discuss his proposal for protecting California's coastline," according to a campaign press release. The governor will be in Sacramento, working on trying to reach a bond deal.
The Field Poll is out with a
new survey today, and finds that
voters like preschool and voters like
Dianne Feinstein.
The Bee's Laura Mecoy reports on Prop. 82. "Once told of the measure's provisions, 55 percent of likely voters said they supported it, while 34 percent opposed it and 11 percent were undecided."
"Field Poll Director Mark DiCamillo said voters at this point like the idea of providing preschool. But he
expects the gap to narrow as more become aware of the measure's provisions."
You've got to imagine that Prop. 82 proponents were hoping for a bit higher than 55% from the "I like preschool" crowd.
"The poll conducted last month also found U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is leading her Republican challenger, former state Sen.
Richard Mountjoy, by a 2-1 ratio, 56 percent to 28 percent among likely voters."
Jenifer Warren writes in the Times that the recent resignation of
Roderick Hickman as corrections secretary
may slow attempts to reform the system.
"Explaining his resignation in an interview with The Times, Hickman said he faced dwindling support in the Legislature and governor's office for the changes he had launched. California's 'political environment and the power of special interests,' he said, 'work against efforts to bring about lasting reform.'"
"Schwarzenegger said in a statement a week ago that he would continue down "the path toward change." But with a tough reelection fight before him, he could veer off that route, fearing that political opponents might portray him as soft on crime.
"'It feels that way,' said
Donald Specter of the Bay Area nonprofit Prison Law Office, which has sued the state over inmate healthcare and other issues. 'It feels like he showed up at a few press conferences and said a lot of great things, and then we never heard from him again.'"
From our
Deep Pockets Files:
Steve Westly yesterday
reported adding $2.5 million of his personal money to his campaign account.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports "California's Democratic party
filed a complaint on Monday alleging that California Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sen.
John McCain, also a Republican, had violated election rules for an upcoming fundraiser."
Accusing McCain of violating the campaign law that bears his name. Cute.
“We do not take comfort in having to file a complaint against a sitting U.S. Senator, but no one should be above the law,” said California Democratic Party Chairman
Art Torres in a statement, though somehow, we don't believe him.
"California Republicans in turn, filed their own complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Democratic gubernatorial candidate
Phil Angelides had himself broken fundraising rules."
"Both complaints allege that the involvement of federal elected officials in the high-profile California gubernatorial campaign had triggered complicated U.S. rules on how money can be raised."
The complaint against Angelides argues that the pictures of U.S. Senators Boxer and Feinstein on his website, which also has a fundraising pitch, violates the same rules McCain is alledged of breaking.
"'It's very arcane, it's very complex and that's the problem,' California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres said in an interview. '
It restricts First Amendment rights.'"
And, therefore, Torres' party will start the lawsuits to reinstate those First Amendment rights, right?
A judge ordered the University of California to
repay certain students for fee increases that, in his opinion, violated a contract to not raise fees during their enrollment. "The case focused on statements in UC catalogs and other publications that the portion of payments known as professional student fees would not rise during the students' enrollment. Those professional school fees constitute about half or more of such students' overall UC bills."
"In December 2002, the university raised the professional school portion by $400 for the spring and then enacted raises of $1,125 to $3,473 for the next year to help cover funding gaps during the state's budget crisis."
"'
It think it's a great victory for students. It shows the UC is not above the law,' said
Mohammad Kashmiri, a UC Berkeley law school graduate who was the lead plaintiff in the case."
"
Christopher Patti, a university counsel, said UC 'will be vigorously pursing an appeal.'"
Apparently, UC is done with settlements for awhile.
The Chron's Stacy Finz writes about the Capitol's
latest food fight. "Assemblywomen
Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, and
Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, say a law initially intended to provide children with fresh produce now could let school districts serve canned fruit in light syrup -- a source of the added sugar that contributes to childhood obesity and the increased rate of diabetes."
"Last week, the Department of Education set temporary, emergency regulations to enact the legislation that would allow school districts to also serve canned fruit in light syrup."
"'I think it's a tragedy when more and more children are obese and fewer and fewer children are able to eat fresh fruit, to give them canned,' Hancock said. 'It's feeding them sugar.'"
Oh, and by the way,
the Loch Ness Monster was a circus elephant. Or, so sayeth the Australians.
Congrats to Reuters for winning the Roundup's
Worst Headline of the Day Award. In a story about a girl who had her
prosthetic leg stolen and returned twice, the wizards at Reuters wrote:
Prosthetic legs returned; police stumped.
