"As the Capitol debate intensifies over California's health care system,
key players are pouring money into a campaign backed by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez to ease term limits," reports Capitol Weekly's John Howard.
"The latest donation, $35,000, came Wednesday from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the well-heeled pharmaceutical coalition made up of some of the world's largest prescription drug makers.
"California hospitals contributed $100,000, the optometrists donated $150,000 and the dentists gave $25,000, according to financial disclosure records at the secretary of state. Blue Cross of California donated $50,000, and a long-term care workers union affiliated with SEIU also donated $50,000.
"Though united now on the term limits issue, SEIU and PhRMA clashed at the ballot box in 2005, when the drug manufacturers spend $80 million to defeat a measure that would have set price controls on prescription drugs."
"State lawmakers acknowledged Thursday that they
won't make today's constitutional deadline to pass a state budget, but there is growing optimism despite differences on funding for public transit, welfare cuts and how soon the state should repay its bond debt.
"'I think we're all working toward getting something done in a reasonable time frame,' Assembly Republican Leader
Mike Villines of Fresno said during an appearance Thursday before the Sacramento Press Club. 'There's no reason for us not to be adults, to get into the room, to talk about our differences.'
"Those differences, Villines said, add up to at least $1.4 billion and define the philosophical disconnect between the parties.
"For example, Assemblyman
John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee, said Democrats want to restore at least $827 million in transit money that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposes be shifted to the general fund.
"Democrats also want to reject the governor's plan to shell out at least $600 million to make early payments on debt from his 2004 economic recovery bond. Instead, they want to use the money to increase social service payments to children and senior citizens."
Dan Walters writes that
the deadline doesn't matter. "What really matters is that the budget -- whenever it is enacted -- reasonably balances income and outgo, or at least comes closer than the current version kicking around the Capitol, because the state cannot continue to run multibillion-dollar operating deficits forever."
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
called Thursday for a canal to transfer water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, marking the first time he has expressed support for the historically controversial project," writes Kevin Yamamura in the Bee.
"The Republican governor, speaking at a town-hall forum in Bakersfield, told farmers he would fight to ensure they have enough water for the next two to three decades.
"'We need more water,' he said, according to a recording. '
We need to build more storage, and we have to build conveyance, the canal, and all of those kinds of things.'
"Politicians have been averse to such a system ever since voters rejected the Peripheral Canal in 1982. The project involved a 44-mile channel that would have circumvented the Delta to deliver water to the California Aqueduct."
Delta and Dawn couldn't be reached for comment.
"Amid a swirl of television cameras and persistent reporters, Los Angeles City Atty.
Rocky Delgadillo on Thursday
continued to duck questions about who was driving his city-owned vehicle when it was damaged in a 2004 accident and repaired at taxpayer expense," reports Matt Lait in the Times.
"Under city rules, the vehicle assigned to Delgadillo cannot be driven by a family member for personal reasons."
And for practical reasons, it should not be driven by Carole Migden.
"Earlier this week, The Times reported that two sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said Delgadillo occasionally has allowed his wife to use the city-owned GMC Yukon.
"Another source close to the city attorney told of being informed that the Yukon had been backed into a structure in the parking garage of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center when Delgadillo's wife, Michelle, was there for a medical appointment."
"'
When it comes to city property, he should be an open book,' said
Robert Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles."
Speaking of opening the books, "[w]hen
Richard Krupp refused to fudge the numbers on sick leave and overtime costs, he
found himself shuffled off by management into a nothing job in a nothing corner of the state prison system," reports Andy Furillo in the Bee.
"Now,
he's going from being banished to being the boss. Earlier this week, the Schwarzenegger administration appointed Krupp, the most prominent prison system whistle-blower this decade, to lead the effort to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the correctional agency.
"'
They pulled me out of the hole I was in and kind of gave me a new lease on life,' said Krupp, 57, who will take over Monday as the head of audits and compliance for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
"It's a promotion that represents even more vindication for the 35-year civil servant. Krupp was awarded $500,000 in October 2004 when the state agreed to settle his whistle-blower retaliation lawsuit and other legal claims."
"Tribes are mum, labor is worried and a key lawmaker Thursday said
talks with tribes over pending gambling compacts are moving on separate tracks," reports Jake Henshaw in the Desert Sun.
"'
We are only talking to three tribes right now,' said Assemblyman
Alberto Torrico, D-Fremont, who chairs the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee that has jurisdiction over the compacts. '
Pechanga, San Manuel, Sycuan.'
As for the Palm Springs-based Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians?
"'We just haven't made as much progress with them,' Torrico said of the tribe that is one of the Coachella Valley's biggest employers and seeks, through the compacts to increase the slot machines at their two local casinos and add a third casino.
"And what about the Morongo Band of Mission Indians?
"'We haven't made that much progress with them either,' he added, speaking of the tribe that operates a 24-story resort and casino just outside Palm Springs."
"Lt. Gov.
John Garamendi, whose own legislation created the county- and state-run emergency medical services system 27 years ago,
said this week that background checks should be required for California's 70,000 emergency medical technicians," writes the Bee's Andrew McIntosh.
"But Garamendi said he is not sure the state's Emergency Medical Services Authority, which licenses and disciplines the state's 13,000 paramedics, should also license EMTs. That has been handled by county agencies since 1980.
"'
If you want to have one big statewide agency based out of Sacramento, that's going to be a disaster,' Garamendi said in his office at the Capitol. 'That's not to say I wouldn't go with it. But right now, I don't see the need.'"
And People Magazine announced their
Bachelor of the Year.
Matthew McConaughey topped the list, which also included Adrian Grenier, Zach Braff, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Reynolds, Ludacris and Apolo Ohno.
What, no Antonio Villaraigosa?
