"Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to announce a deal today to
permit one of the state's richest tribes to open a third casino in the Palm Springs area, a pact that could open a new round of gambling expansion in California," writes the LAT's Dan Morain.
"Top Schwarzenegger administration officials said Monday that the governor and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians were expected to sign a deal that would permit the tribe to have up to 5,000 slot machines."
"Agua Caliente, among the most politically active tribes in the nation, has spent $17 million on state campaigns since 2004. By striking a deal with Agua Caliente, Schwarzenegger may be ensuring that the band will not spend any of its millions to unseat him in November."
"'I would imagine that had something to do with his thinking,' said
Alison Harvey, executive director of the California Tribal Business Alliance, a consortium mainly of tribes that struck compacts with Schwarzenegger in 2004."
"...
the accord omits pro-labor language that had appeared in previous compacts with other tribes. Unions sought that provision as a means to organize casino workers. Agua Caliente, the prime target of a union organizing campaign, fought the clause."
"'
If it doesn't include labor, that would be a huge betrayal on the part of the governor,' said
Jack Gribbon, an executive with Unite-Here, the hotel workers union that has been seeking to organize workers at California's Indian casinos."
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's
plan to ease prison overcrowding came in for a one-two punch Monday from a newly fashioned coalition that gave the proposal a collective thumbs-down and from a legislative leader who promised to give the administration's correctional policies a tough going-over," writes the Bee's Andy Furillo.
"The coalition includes groups such as the California Correctional Peace Officers Association and an inmate rights group headed by a former aide to since-termed-out Democratic state Sen.
John Vasconcellos of San Jose, a longtime union nemesis."
"Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez announced that he is setting up a new committee to hear all of the prison bills in the special session on prison overcrowding called for by the Schwarzenegger administration that technically began Monday."
"Three years after
Arnold Schwarzenegger entered his first race for governor, state Treasurer
Phil Angelides on Monday
unveiled a plan to curb political corruption in the Capitol, and accused his Republican rival of 'shamefully' ignoring his own pledges made in the recall campaign," reports Robert Salladay in the Times.
"Angelides' proposal would require political consultants in Sacramento to more fully disclose their clients; enact first-ever penalties for conflicts of interest; ban top officials from taking jobs outside of government; and require nonprofit groups that aid elected officials to disclose their donors."
"'
Hiram Johnson would be rolling in his grave if he saw the Schwarzenegger administration,' Angelides said, speaking as a class of noisy children trampled nearby."
"'The Schwarzenegger campaign accused Angelides of being a hypocrite who "will say anything if it will benefit him politically.' Angelides, the aides pointed out, has voted to give lucrative investments from the state's pension fund to some of his political donors."
Speaking of ethics, the Bee's Judy Lin
takes a look at gift reports filed by lawmakers and legislative staff. "Last season, California's legislators and their employees and relatives snatched up some 650 complimentary tickets to 88 Kings games, making the arena the place to be seen outside the Capitol.
"But the Kings are just the most popular feature in a bonanza of free tickets provided to Capitol staffers. According to a Bee review of disclosure reports from January 2005 to June 30, 2006, groups with business at the Capitol gave lawmakers and their staff at least $218,000 in free passes to 85 assorted sporting events, concerts and shows at an assortment of venues."
"Often, the free passes were accompanied by access to luxury suites and free parking, as well as food and drinks."
The freebies reveal a vast gift-giving network spanning the building's hierarchy, from the Assembly speaker to Capitol nurses and clerks. The donors are often large corporations lobbying for controversial bills, prompting government watchdogs to worry that the tickets are an enticement to gain political access.
"'
Everybody loves tickets,' said
Bob Stern, president of the nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles. 'There's only one reason (lobbying groups) give tickets: to advance their agenda.'"
"Getting 'comped' isn't just for lawmakers. While companies such as Walt Disney generally hand out Disneyland passes to legislators, Capitol staff members, too, have grown accustomed to perks."
"In some cases, Capitol workers don't even have to be invited to an event -- they can simply call a special ticket request line. A voice recording instructs callers on how to obtain tickets through BP's suite at Arco Arena, though it warns that Kings tickets are generally restricted to two."
Capitol Weekly's Shane Goldmacher reports on
a new initiative submitted by the folks at U.S. Term Limits.
"A leading figure in the national term-limits movement arrived in Sacramento Monday to head off the ongoing discussion to alter legislative terms. U.S. Term Limits President
Paul Jacob said if the Legislature tries to tweak the current term-limits law, his group will fund an initiative that would eliminate legislators' tax-free, $153-per-day stipend, and force any future legislative pay to be approved by a popular vote.
"If they mess around with term limits, we will be much more inclined to say we need to go on offense," said Jacob. "The public has made up their mind but we continue to get legislators who ignore the public and decided they are going to do what's best for their careers."
Dan Walters
looks at the challenges of reaching a redistricting reform deal in the next few weeks. "To recycle a cliché, the devil is in the details. Who would appoint the commission? What would be its political makeup? What criteria would the commission use to redraw 120 legislative districts and 53 (or more) congressional districts? What influence, through hearings and other processes, would outside groups have on the final product?"
"And then there are legislative term limits, which voters imposed in 1990. There have been broad hints that legislative leaders want to attach a measure easing up on term limits to any redistricting reform -- a political symbiosis that could doom reform at the polls.
"Last week,
Don Perata, president pro tem of the state Senate, said he wants to delay action on redistricting, saying it would be a "huge mistake" to attempt to place it on the 2006 ballot. 'Term limits, if it is done by the Legislature, will be tremendously scrutinized,' Perata said. 'So I am not looking for the fusion of the two issues at all.'"
"But on Monday, Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez said he still wants to act this month. 'I want to put it on the (2006) ballot,' Núñez said, adding that while he wants to alter term limits, he's willing to pursue redistricting reform on its own, reasoning that with dozens of new lawmakers coming in next year, the issue may lose momentum if delayed."
"So will it happen? The odds against redistricting reform this year are long -- which would suit a lot of folks in the Capitol, who privately consider the current insider system just fine."
The Daily News's Harrison Shepperd reports on the
beginning of the end of the legislative session.
"One of the bills approved Monday was
SB 1524, by Sen.
Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, which allows heirs of victims of the Armenian Genocide who live in California to file legal claims against banks in an effort to recover assets looted by the Turkish government in the early 1900s.
'Over 900,000 Armenian-Americans reside in California,' said Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles. 'Many of their families were killed in the Armenian Genocide from 1915 to 1923 and their assets were abruptly seized by the Turks and placed in German banks. No effort has been made by these banks to return their assets to their rightful owners.'"
The bill, which has already passed the Senate, went through the Assembly on a 65-2 vote.
"Facing a certain veto, state lawmakers have
abandoned their effort to require that textbooks in California schools detail the history and achievements of gays and lesbians in America," report Jordan Rau and Nancy Vogel in the Times.
Chalk one up for the
Red Truck Guy.
"Supporters removed that provision of the
gay rights bill, which passed the California Senate in May, so that the measure only bars teaching anything that 'reflects adversely' on people because of their sexual orientation. Schools would also be prohibited from sponsoring any activities that sanction such a bias."
"The revised law is certain to win full approval by the Democratic-led Legislature. If the bill is signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, it would add that protection to California's existing anti-discrimination law, which prohibits instructional materials and teachers from pedagogy that is negative about race, ethnicity, disability, nationality or religion."
And, it wouldn't be end of session without at least one animal bill, and the Chron'[s Lynda Gledhill has tracked one down. "
SB1578 would
limit the tethering of dogs to three hours during 24 hours, and, supporters say, hopefully persuade owners not to tie up their dogs at all. Proponents of the legislation say tethering dogs all day is not only unfair to the animals but can lead to more aggression."
"'Dogs that are chained permanently become more aggressive and are more likely to bite,' said
Pam Runquist, a member of the board of the California Animal Association, a coalition of 15 animal rights organizations. "It's also a horrible existence for a dog. They are social creatures; they should be part of a family.'"
"
Paris Hilton said
she's not the kind of girl many people think."
"The star of the TV reality show "The Simple Life" and hotel heiress said she plans to set the record straight and
refrain from sex for a year."
"The 25-year-old told British GQ that despite her sexy image, she has only had sex with two men her entire life."
...and has a 50% videotaping ratio.
"Hilton said her chastity has ruined a number of relationships because some boyfriends wanted more than a kiss before they fell in love."
