"Members of the Legislature's African American, Latino and Asian caucuses
convened a town hall meeting in a show of solidarity on the eve of last week's hearing into Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's universal health care plan," reports Aurelio Rojas in the Bee.
"'We want to deliver a message to the governor (and) to the entirety of the Legislature that any health care discussion, absent the issue of health care disparities, will continue to undermine the quality of care and life expectancy in communities of color,' state Sen.
Mark Ridley-Thomas said at the outset.
"During the past year, the Schwarzenegger administration has held more than 1,000 meetings with stakeholders as it developed its health care plan. But Ridley-Thomas, chairman-elect of the Legislative Black Caucus, said the role of race and ethnicity in the distribution of health care resources has been "conspicuously absent from the discussion."
"'We wouldn't be here tonight, in fact, if we had been adequately heard,' the Los Angeles Democrat said.
Dan Walters
looks into last week's "mixed bag" for Fabian Nuñez. "The highlight, from his standpoint, was being selected as one of Governing magazine's nine "public officials of the year." The magazine cited his ability to put together a striking record of legislation in 2006, acting as a bridge between a liberal Legislature and Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"Governing's version of recent history is a little skewed, since it overstates what happened last year and ignores the utter failure of Núñez and Schwarzenegger to do anything of significance this year.
"Nevertheless, it was a bit of positive news for Núñez, who needs some. During the week, newspapers once again delved into Núñez's somewhat complex and questionable political finances, detailing how corporations with stakes in high- profile legislation in which he was involved contributed large sums to his pet charities."
Meanwhile, George Skelton
talks to FPPC chairman Ross Johnson about the current rules regarding fundraising.
"One rule Johnson would like changed -- and it's very relevant currently -- is the loophole that provides lawmakers with several smelly fundraising tools.
"Besides a campaign cache, they're permitted to raise money for "officeholder accounts," or personal slush funds. They can solicit tax-deductible donations for charitable gifts presented in their name, or "behest." They can travel the world -- as Schwarzenegger does -- on the special interest dime that is tax-deductible when filtered through a 'nonprofit.' There are also other devices in the fundraising toolshed.
"'
If I were king,' Johnson said, there'd be only one fundraising account -- in order to reduce special interest influence and to make it easier for the public to follow the money. In his view, whether money is given to a politician's campaign or to his pet charity, the donor's purpose frequently is the same: to buy return favors.
"'Money is money is money,' Johnson said. '
It doesn't matter which pocket that a special interest contributor is putting it in, whether he's putting it in your vest pocket or putting it in your hip pocket or in your shirt pocket.'
Now, if they're putting it in your underwear while you're dancing on stage, well, then we have a problem...
The Chron's Matthew Yi takes a look at the state's
lawsuit against the federal government asking for permission to start cracking down on car emissions.
"California regulators, under pressure to arm the state's ambitious battle against global warming, are eager to tackle one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions: exhaust from millions of cars on the state's roadways.
"
About one-quarter of the state's greenhouse gas emissions come from passenger vehicles, light trucks and SUVs. Supporters of the state's plan say new exhaust standards for automakers are key to carrying out the state's landmark legislation enacted last year to cut total emissions 25 percent by 2020.
"The regulations would begin with 2009 model vehicles arriving in car dealerships next year, and officials at the California Air Resources Board, which wrote the rules, say there are several technologies already available that would help meet the state's goals."
"
But the federal government must first grant California a special waiver, which is required for states to enforce rules that are more stringent than federal guidelines. This week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to file a lawsuit to force the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to grant that waiver."
The U-T's James Sweeney writes that, after the rave reviews of the governor's leadership during the fires,
the real test will come us the discussion returns to preventing future disasters.
"[S]ome say the governor's biggest test may come when the action returns to Sacramento and proposals to prepare for the next big fires become just another set of fiscal calculations in a tight budget.
"They point to recommendations made by the Governor's Blue Ribbon Fire Commission after catastrophic fires in 2003, which struck shortly before Schwarzenegger's inauguration. Some recommendations were adopted. But many others have yet to be fulfilled, including a call for 150 more fire engines. Only 19 have been bought.
"'
One hundred fifty firetrucks – would that have made a difference in terms of fewer homes burning in Rancho Bernardo? We'll never know,' said
Steve Erie, a University of California San Diego political scientist who has been critical of the state's commitment to preparedness.
"The commission's recommendations continue to be pushed by a group of state and local fire officials.
"'There has been a lot of good things that have happened, and I think we will see that helped with the response – but more work needs to be done,' said
Sheldon Gilbert, president of the California Fire Chiefs Association."
"Complaining that officials are moving too slowly on their promise to fix California's troubled youth prisons,
a public-interest law group says it's time for a court to assume control over parts of the juvenile corrections system," reports Brandon Bailey in the Merc News.
"If approved, the appointment of a court receiver would be another rebuke to the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, which already has been forced to accept a federal court receiver running medical services in the adult prisons, and federal judges considering early releases of adult inmates.
"State officials say they have made progress in the three years since Schwarzenegger personally vowed to improve conditions in the juvenile system. They cite a decrease in assaults and an increase in school attendance at a once-notorious youth prison in Stockton.
"But court-appointed experts report that young offenders at other state facilities still face recurring violence, poor sanitation, inadequate medical care and limited access to education and counseling that's essential to help them stay out of trouble when they return to their communities."
And finally,
perhaps Hell isn't such a bad place after all.
"Life in Hell just got a little easier for John and Sue Wilson. The couple, who live in the unincorporated town 45 miles west of Detroit, were blessed with a $115,001 windfall from the Michigan Lottery.
They won the big prize in the Fantasy 5 drawing held Wednesday — that is, Halloween.
"The couple said they plan to use their winnings to pay off bills, make some home improvements, buy a video game system for their 13-year-old son and possibly visit relatives in Georgia."
Visit the family in Georgia? Now
that sounds like Hell...
