"Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger swiped at his Democratic opponent in a speech before California Republicans on Saturday, seeking to convince any doubters that he is the better choice on immigration and taxes," writes Kate Folmar in the Merc News.
"Even though Schwarzenegger enjoys a comfortable lead over challenger
Phil Angelides in early polling, some conservatives object to his recent overtures to Democrats. And many consider his moderate views on immigration too wishy-washy."
"He tried to assuage those concerns during a lunchtime speech to 700 of the GOP faithful at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. His take: Angelides holds even less stringent views on immigration."
"'Now my opponent wants to pull the National Guard off the border. He wants to give undocumented workers California driver's licenses. His policies are disastrous,' Schwarzenegger said. 'On immigration, the choice is clear. We say no to weakening our borders and yes to reforming our badly broken immigration system and yes to securing our borders.'"
On Sunday, the guv
swung to the left by visiting a black church in South Los Angeles.
Michael Finnegan and Robert Salladay report in the Times "...television images of
Schwarzenegger swaying and clapping with the gospel music at First African Methodist Episcopal Church could serve to offset — among any concerned voters — his tougher line of the previous day about a subject suffused with racial sensitivities. It could particularly enhance his image among California's wide audience of moderates, especially independent voters, said Republican strategist
Dave Gilliard."
"'Independent voters are typically wary of partisan politics,' he said. 'They see a Republican governor show up in a typically liberal venue, and it makes them more comfortable that he's not going to be a strident partisan.'"
Phil Angelides sits down with George Skelton to convince him that he can still win. "Angelides, 53, is no political neophyte. The former housing developer has won and lost races all his adult life, starting with a beating for Sacramento City Council at age 20. So he's realistic. '
It's a tough climb,' he concedes."
"'But the last thing I want to say on this is a quote from
Harry Truman,' he continues. 'When Truman accepted the nomination of his party in 1948 — when everyone had counted him out, dead, left by the side of the road — what he said was, 'I will win this election and I will make the Republicans like it.'"
"'
I will win this election and I will make Arnold Schwarzenegger like it.'"
You know Arnold loves it when you talk dirty.
"When candidates start quoting Harry Truman, I told him, you know they've lost."
"'No,' Angelides shot back, laughing. '
It's when they start saying, 'The only poll that counts is the one on election day.' The minute you hear me say that…. '"
"Fortunately for Angelides, he still has a sense of humor. He's going to need it."
Today, Angelides will be
talking about targeted tax cuts in Sacramento, as he continues to try to shake the image painted of the treasurer by the Schwarzenegger campaign as a tax-hiker.
In San Diego yesterday, "State Treasurer Angelides outlined a plan to provide an
estimated $526 million in tax relief to 1.1 million small businesses in California at Pacific Bakery in Oceanside," reports the U-T's John Marelius.
"Under the Democratic nominee's proposal, small businesses would receive a tax cut of up to $5,000 a year. In addition, he would
exempt the first $500,000 of business equipment classified as personal property from taxation for businesses with fewer than 50 employees."
"The small-business tax breaks Angelides promoted yesterday are part of a $1.4 billion package of tax cuts the Democrat unveiled this week in an effort to get off the defensive on his proposed tax increases and portray himself as a champion of average working Californians."
Meanwhile, GOP delegates refused to swallow the governor's entire agenda. "While Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger worshiped with a mostly Democratic congregation Sunday morning, his political party
rejected two of five bond measures he's supporting on the Nov. 7 ballot."
"Conservative activists had urged the California Republican Party to reject all five of the $42.6 billion in bond measures during its three-day convention here."
"'By passing these bond measures, we are passing the buck to our children and grandchildren,' said
Jon Fleischman, former California Republican Party executive director."
"The party voted Sunday to
oppose Proposition 1C, a $2.85 billion affordable housing bond, and Proposition 84, a $5.4 billion water bond."
"It voted to
support Proposition 1B, the $19.9 billion transportation bond, and Proposition 1E, the $4 billion flood protection bond."
"It also voted to take
no position on Proposition 1D, the $10.4 billion education bond."
"Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
made a passionate pitch for the support of teachers union activists Sunday, as his plan to assume some control of the Los Angeles Unified School District moves forward amid grumbling from some union members," writes Sandy Banks in the Times.
"Speaking before a ballroom packed with hundreds of union members at United Teachers Los Angeles' annual leadership conference, Villaraigosa was at first greeted with a few catcalls and boos. But in the end, his 20-minute talk drew an ovation."
Things are a bit rougher on another labor front for the Southern Golden Boy.
"Los Angeles Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa this week faces a test that few would have predicted for the former union organizer who now occupies the seat of government in one of America's most historically anti-labor cities: Thousands of his own workers, members of the city's Engineers and Architects Assn.,
are prepared to strike and are asking other employees to join them," reports the LAT's Jim Newton.
"Their two-day strike, planned for Tuesday and Wednesday, threatens to disrupt services at the airport, in the Police Department and at the city's sewage treatment plant — and, if other union workers honor the picket lines, it could affect scores more."
However, some believe that the strike could help Villaraigosa. "As odd as it may seem for Los Angeles' labor Democrat mayor to be facing off against his union allies, the conflict offers vivid evidence of the changed expectations for America's progressive city leaders —
and the expected walkout could actually end up benefiting the mayor against whom it is directed."
Dan Walters looks at the Legislature's
balk at placing redistricting reform on the ballot. "[S]trangling redistricting reform after months of pledging to place it before voters and thus elevate the level of lawmakers' civic standing may be even worse -- and that's exactly what California's legislative leaders did late last week."
"The Democratic leaders didn't reform redistricting because fundamentally, they didn't want to do it, given the possibilities for enhancing their control of the Capitol and the congressional delegation after the census."
"Rather than insult our intelligence with denials and skewed accounts of what didn't happen, they should be honest enough to simply admit they didn't want to do it. But nothing about redistricting is honest or aboveboard."
Steve Geissinger and Ian Hoffman
look at the legislative fight over the Nuñez/Pavley emissions bill. "They are waging a nationally watched, precedent-setting debate, amid stakeholders who range from environmentalists fighting what they call a global-warming Armageddon to businesses saying the economy could be heavily damaged."
"The debate centers on
Assembly Bill 32 by Assembly Speaker
Fabian Nuñez, D-Los Angeles, which would set up a monitoring program for greenhouse gas emissions and seek to roll back emission levels by up to 25 percent by 2020. "
The Register's Martin Wisckol looks at campaign finance games of termed-out members. "Irvine's
Dick Ackerman, the state Senate GOP leader, and Oakland's
Don Perata, the Senate Democrats' chief,
each have a campaign account to run for the state Board of Equalization in 2010. But it's unlikely that you'll see either of them on that panel."
"Ackerman is upfront that he has no intention of running for the seat. It's simply an account opened so he has somewhere to put fundraising money that will later be used to help other candidates – and to pay for his own trips to charity dinners and other office-related expenses that he doesn't want to dip into his office budget for."
"Proposition 34, the campaign-reform measure passed in 2000, banned office holders from putting money into a campaign account for an office they can no longer be reelected to because of term limits. That's the case for both Ackerman and Perata, hence the fake campaign for the BOE."
"Ackerman says he hasn't set his sights on another office once he's termed out in 2008, but didn't rule out a run for county supervisor."
From our "
How do you say first in Armenian" files: The Glendale/Burbank area, home to the nation's largest Armenian population, will for the first time be represented in the upcoming legislative session by an Armenian, Democratic Nominee
Paul Krekorian. But leave it to incumbent Latino Assemblyman
Dario Frommer to out-Armenian the Armenian. He has joined with Assemblymember
Greg Aghazarian to form the First Legislative Armenian Caucus.
"'Our intent is for it to be a working caucus and a group of folks who reach out and educate others,' said Frommer, Assembly majority leader. 'Here in California we have a large and vibrant Armenian community, not just in my district, but in Fresno and other places, and we want to bring those folks together.'"
Maybe if incoming Krekorian is lucky, Frommer will pass him the gavel in December.
