"With legislative negotiations stalled, an alliance of business and farm groups on Wednesday
began an effort to qualify an $11.7 billion water bond initiative for November's ballot," reports E.J. Schultz in the Bee.
"The move sets up a potential ballot-box showdown between competing solutions to the state's water woes -- a Republican-backed plan that places an emphasis on dams and a Democratic proposal that focuses on groundwater storage and conservation.
"The business-backed measure is similar to the proposal Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and GOP lawmakers have pushed all year. The California Chamber of Commerce, which is leading the effort, filed the proposal Wednesday with the state attorney general's office.
"'We are encouraged and hopeful that a legislative agreement can be reached and a measure placed before voters next year,'
Allan Zaremberg, president of the chamber, said in a statement. 'In case this does not happen legislatively, we felt it necessary to file these measures today in order to preserve our options and have adequate time to gather signatures for the November ballot.'"
CW's John Howard
sits down with FPPC chairman Ross Johnson.
"
In recent months, the watchdog has been baring its fangs, at least in part because it has a new chairman: Ross Johnson, a combative, conservative Republican from Orange County who was appointed to the $127,833-a-year position in February by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “
I’ve been in a lot of fights. I’ve lost most of them,” Johnson noted. His critics, including political attorneys and some in the Legislature, hope he keeps losing them. So far, though, that isn’t happening."
Johnson, who served 26 years in the Legislature, including stints as GOP leader of both the Senate and the Assembly, is shaking things up.
CW also breaks down
the obstacles to a health care deal.
"When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed to go to the ballot to seek funding for a plan to expand health care coverage, he eliminated a major hurdle to getting a plan approved. Without a funding component, the plan only needs a simple majority in the Legislature, eliminating the need for any Republican support.
"
But in the process, the governor created a new problem. Now, the Legislature is charged with devising a plan that stakeholders will not simply passively support. Schwarzenegger and Speaker Fabian Núñez must now find a way to concoct a plan that supporters are willing to spend millions of dollars on to get the funding mechanism approved on the November ballot."
"California regulators are
taking aim at major shipping companies and thousands of individual truckers with two landmark measures intended to cut air pollution at large state ports and rail yards," writes Alex Veiga for the Associated Press.
"The proposed regulations would force operators of cargo ships and other large vessels to use land-based electric power while docked, and require trucks operating at major ports and rail yards to reduce emissions.
"If approved, California would be the first state to impose such requirements on the shipping and transportation industries.
"California ports account for more than 40 percent of all cargo container traffic into the United States.
"The California Air Resources Board has scheduled two days of public hearings in El Monte beginning today. Votes on the two measures are expected to take place by Friday."
Meanwhile, the Hollywood producers have turned to a Democratic political consulting duo and one of the governor's consultants in their battle with the writers' union.
The Hollywood Reporter's Carl DiOrio reports: "Separately on Wednesday, the AMPTP said it
has retained PR consultants Mark Fabiani and Chris Lehane of Fabiani & Lehane and
Steve Schmidt of Mercury Public Affairs. The studio group said the trio will help communicate its negotiating proposals, which the AMPTP has dubbed the New Economic Partnership.
"Fabiani and Lehane have worked for top Democratic political figures including President Clinton, and Schmidt has been an adviser to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger."
Aren't these guys
supposed to be union-friendly?
Anyway, life is tough for the guys, and they have to find ways of standing out.
Karen Hanretty isn't having such problems, and
is profiled in this month's Glamour magazine in an article "The Real Women Behind the White House Race." Unfortunately, she has now received more ink than her boss,
Fred Thompson, has this month.
"San Francisco Public Utilities Commission chief
Susan Leal has been asked to resign, the first major department head to be targeted for removal by Mayor
Gavin Newsom, knowledgeable City Hall sources said," writes the Chron's Cecilia Vega.
"Leal's departure would create a vacancy at the top of an agency that is in the midst of rebuilding the city's Hetch Hetchy water system and is at the forefront of moving the city toward more environmentally friendly energy sources.
"Leal received a telephone call Friday evening from Newsom's chief of staff saying her services won't be needed in his second term, the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Wednesday. The call prompted Leal and the administration to begin talking about whether she will stay.
"Administration officials had already started inquiring about replacement possibilities, sources said."
Next time you're buying one of those six dollar burgers, a percentage of it may be
going to help the campaign to change California's electoral votes.
Carl Karcher may be dead, but his political legacy lives on, with the report of a recent $25,000 contribution to the campaign from the Carl's Jr. parent corporation. Other corporations appear to be steering clear of the controversial campaign, which has primarily been supported by wealthy individuals.
The Bee's Kevin Yamamura
covers the California Hall of Fame induction.
"[I]n a rare red carpet event in the state capital, golfer
Tiger Woods appeared Wednesday night with entertainer
Rita Moreno, winemaker
Robert Mondavi, baseball great
Willie Mays and technology guru
Steve Jobs, as well as relatives of seven posthumous inductees ranging from researcher
Jonas Salk to author
John Steinbeck."
Didn't Tiger Woods
move to Florida to avoid paying California taxes?
"'This is absolutely incredible, especially when you have Willie here,' Woods said, referring to Mays, while standing on a red carpet outside the California Museum for History, Women and the Arts. 'From an athletic perspective, this is as good as it gets.'
Other posthumous inductees were actor
John Wayne, photographer
Ansel Adams, baseball player and civil rights pioneer
Jackie Robinson, comedian
Milton Berle and former governor and Supreme Court Justice
Earl Warren.
Actress
Elizabeth Taylor, winner of two Academy Awards, was scheduled to attend, but she bowed out at the last minute, citing back pain. Her publicist said Taylor plans to come to Sacramento at a later date to receive her medal."
Taylor will be presented with a new husband, as well.
"'The men and women we are honoring here are all risk-takers, pioneers whose commitment to excellence and breaking barriers has changed the world,' said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who oversaw the selection process with first lady
Maria Shriver."
We couldn't help but notice, trolling through yesterday's daily filings that
Phil Angelides has decided to open some old wounds, er, reopen his 2006 gubernatorial fundraising committee. You know, Phil, there's no Constitutional provision for an electoral mulligan.
