"A string of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's appointees to state boards
are facing complaints that they are unqualified, beholden to the industries they oversee or otherwise mired in conflicts of interest," reports Peter Nicholas in the Times.
"Schwarzenegger has installed longtime friends and political associates on several boards, giving rise to criticism that he is practicing cronyism while failing to adequately vet people who oversee billions of dollars' worth of economic activity and other public matters.
"Last month, Schwarzenegger appointed his dentist to the state dental board. His former chiropractor now chairs the chiropractic panel.
"But when Schwarzenegger was asked recently about turmoil on the board, he said, 'What is important to us is: Does the chiropractic board represent the chiropractors?'
"
Julianne D'Angelo Fellmeth, director of the Center for Public Interest Law at the University of San Diego law school, was taken aback. 'If he really believes that, that is extremely troubling,' she said."
"The governor's office says all appointees are carefully screened. Criminal histories, civil suits, driving records and relevant news stories are thoroughly reviewed before appointments are made, a Schwarzenegger spokesman said.
"'The governor has appointed more than 3,000 people to agencies, boards and commissions since taking office,' said
Aaron McLear, Schwarzenegger's press secretary. "We try to identify the most talented people willing to serve, and to recruit candidates from both inside and outside government.'"
The governor
takes George Skelton to the smoking tent to respond to the columnists assertions that the gov's biting off more than he can chew.. "'What I want to convince you of,' he told me, after I'd nearly emptied his bowl of seasoned almonds, 'is don't forget the big picture. I'm a big-picture guy. I love to solve the problems here. But let us also sell California worldwide. If we have something to brag about, let's brag.'"
"The last time Schwarzenegger told me to 'think big' he was running off to stumble over a cliff in a special election. He won't do that again. He's much wiser.
"But we really won't know until late summer how skilled he is at multi-tasking when one task is creating universal healthcare. That's a very big-picture project."
The U-T's John Maurelius writes: "It started out as a straightforward plan to slow the constant legislative turnover created by California's term limits law. But a proposed ballot measure has
evolved into a vehicle to allow legislators who would be forced out of office next year to prolong their stay by as long as six years.
"Supporters of the initiative, targeted for the Feb. 5 presidential primary ballot, frame their argument this way: Putting up with a little legislative self-interest is a small price to pay for doing away with the instability spawned by the current term limits.
"Some critics say the Legislature is undermining a worthy reform by being too clever by half.
"Other critics – and according to one recent poll, the majority of the state's voters – say the system is working just fine the way it is and doesn't need to be changed at all.
"The driving force behind the initiative, which is due to be cleared for circulation by the Secretary of State's Office this month, is Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez.
"'You can't do the job effectively if you can't be there for a reasonable amount of time, to have a real grasp on the issues,' the Los Angeles Democrat said in a recent speech to newspaper publishers in Sacramento. 'We ought to relax those terms, and I think we ought to do it sooner rather than later.'"
The Bee's Judy Lin reports that, while some legislators are trying to tighten campaign disclosure laws, others
are trying to loosen up restrictions. "Assemblyman
Mervyn Dymally, D-Compton, wants to let members donate their campaign money to legislative caucuses. Assembly Bill 65 would allow state lawmakers to give up to $5,000 from their campaign to a recognized Assembly or Senate caucus.
"He said the bill would allow caucuses to raise cash for caucus luncheons and events.
"'What this is trying to do is legitimize the formation of a fund from members to make a contribution,' said Dymally, who is chairman of the California Legislative Black Caucus.
"Even the five-member state panel responsible for enforcing campaign and lobbying laws would like to see increased flexibility. The Fair Political Practices Commission is sponsoring proposals that seek to lessen the workload for its staff.
"Included are:
"Senate Bill 512 by the Senate Elections Committee would exempt officeholders from having to disclose investments that are part of a defined benefit pension plan.
"Assembly Bill 1361 by Assemblywoman
Betty Karnette, D-Long Beach, would put a cap on the number of lawsuits lawyers can file for campaign reporting violations, and also would require that a copy of the complaint be provided to the person named in the lawsuit.
"According to FPPC documents, any lawyer can make mass filings, creating an enormous burden on the commission.
"Senate Bill 298 by Sen.
Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, would increase the reporting threshold of a major donor from $10,000 to $30,000 a year.
"Cogdill said the level hasn't been raised in years and would be akin to a cost-of-living increase. Any bill that amends the Political Reform Act requires two-thirds approval of the Legislature."
The Chron's Mark Martin writes about the Legislature's
attention toward global warming. "Lawmakers have introduced more than 60 bills on the topic, and no wonder. Polls show widespread support among California voters for tackling climate change. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez received rock star-like affection worldwide for their work on landmark greenhouse gas legislation last year. And there is a seemingly infinite number of policy directions the state could take to lower carbon emissions.
"'It's become an apple-pie issue,' noted
Darry Sragow, a longtime Democratic strategist in California. 'It's like being for better schools.'
"This year, lawmakers are pushing bills to require diesel-powered school buses to run on biodiesel fuel instead of regular diesel; change regulations to make it easier for housing projects to install solar power; require televisions and computers to be more energy efficient; create a new bureaucracy to consolidate the disparate bureaucracies that study climate change issues; and add incentives for gas station owners to install pumps for alternative fuels.
"In a repeat from last year, there is also an effort to require that half of all cars sold in California run on alternative fuels by 2020."
"Assemblyman
Lloyd Levine has a plan to transform California's apathetic masses into avid political consumers, or at least better informed ones," writes Steven Harmon in the Oakland Tribunes.
"Levine, D-Van Nuys, is pushing a bill that would require not one, not two, but three general election debates between the two major candidates for governor. The bill, AB 970, which is scheduled for its first hearing later this month, would also create a debate commission that would tinker with various formats to generate greater interest.
"'It's the marketplace of ideas,' said Levine, a third-term lawmaker, who also has proposed banning less-efficient light bulbs and mandating greater care of elephants, and is a co-author of a bill to allow assisted suicide. 'Will it spur interest? I hope so. Some will see all three, but they'll at least have more opportunities to see one. Those who do see all three will be more informed to make a decision.'"
"A California assemblyman who says he's tired of waiting for Congress to change immigration laws
has come up with his own bill to provide a 'California work permit' to undocumented workers for three years," writes the Bee's Susan Ferriss.
"Assemblyman
Rick Keene, R-Chico, introduced his proposed 'Employer Security and Accountability Act' to the Assembly's labor committee on Thursday.
"The bill which some experts say is patently unconstitutional -- would create a state work permit for non-U.S. citizens, including undocumented workers. It would require employers to ask to see the permits and verify them through a state 'hotline.' Employers could face a $10,000 fine for failing to comply.
"The proposed law also would garnish 8 percent of the wages of undocumented workers -- exempting legal immigrants -- to contribute to California's general fund to help pay for public education, police, health and other services. If undocumented workers don't become legal residents within three years, Keene said, they would lose the permit.
"'The Congress has been saying it's going to address this issue, but they're doing nothing about it,' Keene said. 'Frankly, personally, I'm frustrated with sitting here waiting for them to do something about immigration.'"
"California's prisons department
is disclosing details of more than $4 billion worth of contracts, nearly four years after it and other agencies were ordered to provide the information to improve spending oversight," reports the AP's Michael Blood.
"The long delay ran afoul of a 2003 state directive stipulating it was 'required' and 'critical' for details on state contracts to be entered into a huge computerized library kept by the state General Services Department.
"'It's something that has been a work in progress for years,' California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman
Seth Unger said. 'The goal is to be able to provide greater transparency in our contracts.'
"The department turned over the massive database early last week. General Services was working yesterday to post the records to its public Web site."
LA Observed repors "In a live story posted at 1:26 am Midwest time, the Chicago Tribune's website says the board of the parent Tribune company
was busily negotiating a $13 billion deal with Sam Zell in hopes of closing the sale of the company "before markets open Monday morning." A final sales price and other details remained to be worked out — "the situation was still fluid and sources cautioned that a deal might not be completed," the Tribune reporters said — but the Tribune board clearly prefers a future with Zell in charge over Los Angeles billionaires
Eli Broad and
Ron Burkle. The New York Times reported earlier tonight that Zell on Sunday raised his offer to more closely match what the West Coast interlopers had offered."
The LA Times reports the
deal was sealed this morning.
From our
I Feel Lucky Files: "A bank robbery suspect
was arrested after leaving a trail of cyberclues, including an online search for '
how not to rob a bank,' police said.
Kevin Fitzpatrick, 32, was arraigned Thursday on charges of robbery and larceny for a Sept. 28, 2005, robbery. He was held on unrelated charges in New York at the time of his arrest.
"Police said Fitzpatrick was staying with a woman at the time of the Norwich robbery and spent a great deal of time on her computer. They had met on the Internet and had never met in person when he asked to stay for several days, borrowing her car the day of the robbery and returning with a lot of cash, claiming he won it at the Mohegan Sun casino, police said.
"Police allege Fitzpatrick walked into a Liberty Bank branch and handed a teller a note demanding money. A week later, a tip led police to the friend, who said she recognized Fitzpatrick from a surveillance photo posted on a newspaper Web site.
"Police said when the friend checked the log of her computer, she noticed a search had been conducted for "Norwich bank robbery."
"A police search of the computer revealed numerous searches concerning bank robberies."
To avoid a similar fate during this Spring Break week for our Capitol readers, we provide the following result for the Google Search "
How to Waste Time at Work."
