George Skelton looks at the the GOP "ticket," and the
prospects of Tom McClintock winning in California. "'There's a McCain effect about him,' says
Rob Stutzman, a former Schwarzenegger advisor who's now a private consultant. 'He's the honest politician people always are looking for."
"I have an unproven theory: In a race like lieutenant governor, where the public's hip to the fact that the job doesn't do anything,
there's a real potential for people who don't agree with Tom's ideology — like on abortion — to give an honest politician their vote," says Stutzman.
"'
I'll believe McClintock can get elected statewide in California when you convince me Teddy Kennedy can get elected in Texas,' [
Tony] Quinn says. 'He speaks his mind. So does Ted Kennedy.'"
But Ted Kennedy didn't come
within 22,000 votes of becoming Texas state controller in 2002.
"It's still seven months until November. By then, Schwarzenegger and McClintock may not even be speaking. That would be the norm for California."
"Regardless, lieutenant governor is shaping up as one of the most intriguing state races this year.
And the winner will be an instant candidate for governor."
...or Insurance Commissioner.
"A Register analysis of campaign contributions from local donors to [
Phil] Angelides, who is state treasurer, and Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger since January 2005
show Angelides ahead by 25 percent –just over $140,000 – as of March 17, according to reports filed Wednesday," report Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and Holly Heyser in the Register.
"Schwarzenegger collected $556,475 in Orange County toward his re-election campaign during the past 15 months, the records show. That's not even two-thirds of what he collected in the county in his 2003 recall campaign. Angelides has taken in $696,000."
"'This is just another sign that Orange County is a lot more diverse than the stereotype,' said
Jack Pitney, a Claremont-McKenna College political science professor. It also 'certainly means (the governor) has some real competition and can’t take anything for granted. But I don't think we've even begun to see him flex his fundraising muscles.'"
Speaking of The OC, The LA Times
looks at the battle for the the
35th State Senate district.
"Assemblyman
Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach), with six years in the Legislature and six on the Huntington Beach City Council, has found himself on the defensive. He has fewer endorsements, less campaign money and a third as many voter mail-outs as those produced by his Republican opponent, Dana Point Councilwoman
Diane Harkey."
"At several candidate events, Harman's frustration has been evident."
"
Why would we want to send a rookie with one year experience on the Dana Point City Council?' Harman asked about 75 people at a recent forum sponsored by a Huntington Beach Republican women's group. '
Sacramento is tough enough when you're a member of the minority party.'"
The LA Daily News' Harrison Sheppard, meanwhile, takes a look at the
contentious Democratic primary for Richard Alarcon's Senate seat, between
Alex Padilla and
Cindy Montañez.
"Some political analysts say the difference between the two is that Montañez appears to be more liberal or progressive, while Padilla is more moderate and business-oriented. Montañez, however,
bristles at the idea of similarities between them, saying her experience in the Legislature and her more progressive ideas make her more qualified.
"'There are significant differences,' Montañez said. '
One of the only things Alex and I have in common is we are about the same age.'"
The Silicon Valley business press takes a look at a new parcel tax initiative for the November ballot, calling it an effort to
"take on the near-sacred Proposition 13 anti-tax measure. They envision a new statewide property tax to raise money for schools," writes Timothy Roberts in the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.
"
Reed Hastings, the chief executive officer of Netflix.com, and
John Doerr, a high-profile venture capitalist, are funding a ballot initiative for the fall that would
create a statewide $50 tax on every real estate parcel, both residential and business."
"The change would raise an estimated $500 million for elementary and high school education. The money would be used to reduce class size, pay for textbooks and improve school safety."
The Chron's Greg Lucas reports
bond talks will begin again, but without the governor. "Democrat and Republican legislative leaders, choosing to act independently of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, will resume talks this week aimed at placing a bipartisan public works bond deal on the November ballot."
The move is a show of independence by the Legislature by not involving Schwarzenegger in their search for a compromise.
"'We know what the governor's interests are,' Perata said. '
If we need him, we'll call him.'"
Ouch.
An estimated 500,000 protestors turned out in LA over the weekend to
protest an immigration reform package currently before Congress. Today, the Union-Trib takes
a look at the legislation. "Against a background of
rising political tension, protests and public frustration, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee will attempt to come up with a plan tomorrow to overhaul an immigration system that has spiraled out of control.
"The push for 'comprehensive reform' has become so ambitious that opponents predict it will collapse under its own weight."
Hmmm, where have we heard that one before?
Now that the bond talks, such as they are, are focused on November, some papers are beginning to look at big-ticket legislation pending this year.
The Bee's Clea Benson looks at Assemblywoman
Patty Berg and her
renewed fight to pass an assisted suicide bill. "'A terminally ill person has the right to make that choice,' she said. 'It's an issue of privacy and, to me, it's an issue of dignity.'"
"Berg and Assemblyman
Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, wrote what they call the California Compassionate Choices Act, a measure that would allow doctors to prescribe lethal drugs upon the request of a patient who has been certified as terminally ill by two physicians."
"While the Supreme Court decision was still pending last year, casting some uncertainty over state power to legislate on the issue, a similar effort by Berg and Levine died in the Assembly. Now, the language has been amended into
Assembly Bill 651, and Berg and Levine are hoping the measure will be heard by a Senate committee in May."
The AP, meanwhile, looks at the fight to increase the minimum wage. "Three bills to raise the minimum wage -- one backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and two by Democrats --
face tests this week in the California Legislature," reports the AP's Steve Lawrence.
"All three measures would boost the hourly minimum wage by $1 to $7.75, making it one of the highest -- if not the highest -- in the nation. The two Democratic bills also would require automatic adjustments to keep pace with inflation."
[
Sally Lieber's]
bill, which is set for a hearing Wednesday in the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee, would raise the wage to $7.25 on July 1, 2007, and to $7.75 a year later."
"After that, the wage would be adjusted each year, starting Jan. 1, 2009, to reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index.
"A
similar measure by Sen.
Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, is on the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee's agenda on Wednesday. It would raise the wage to $7.25 60 days after being signed into law and boost it to $7.75 on July 1, 2007."
"After that, Cedillo's bill would require the wage to be adjusted annually for inflation, starting Jan. 1, 2008."
"A
third bill, by Sen.
Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, also is on the Senate committee's Wednesday agenda. It would raise the wage to $7.25 on Sept. 1 and to $7.75 on July 1, 2007, but it wouldn't authorize subsequent increases tied to inflation."
In Oakland,
the mayor's race is beginning to heat up, report Matier and Ross. "It's starting to get personal in the Oakland mayor's race -- and the focus is front-runner Ron Dellums' post-congressional career as a Washington lobbyist.
In their efforts to escape Dellums' shadow, rivals
Nancy Nadel and
Ignacio De La Fuente are going after the longtime congressman's reputation for political purity. The targets include his refusal to release tax returns, questions over how his profession would be described on the ballot -- and his recent service in the revolving-door ranks of lawmakers-turned-lobbyists.
Friends, family and political leaders will gather at a 9 am funeral mass for
former Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles this morning.
Buck Owens, the legendary county music singer who's name served as the answer to the eternal question, "Why should anyone care about Bakersfield?"
died Saturday at the age of 76. His death begs the question, "Why should anyone care about Bakersfield?"
