"Democratic legislators, who have long wanted to get more money for underfunded California schools,
think they have a historic opportunity to push for a tax increase," writes the U-T's Ed Mendel.
"... Democrats are planning a long campaign to build public support for a tax increase to aid schools, hoping to pry loose a few Republican votes needed for passage in the Legislature or perhaps build support for a ballot measure in November.
Hmmm...who would run that ballot campaign, we wonder?
"The governor and the four legislative leaders usually negotiate a budget for the new fiscal year that begins on July 1, often with lengthy deadlocks that have delayed a new spending plan until as late as early September.
"But Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles, said this year Assembly Democrats, who are
planning to develop a full budget proposal in a 'summit' meeting March 26-27 in Sacramento, will take a different path.
"'
We are not going to do this the way we typically do it, where come June and July we sit in a big room in a 'Big Five' meeting and negotiate a budget,' Núñez said last week.
"'It's not going to happen that way this time,' the speaker said. 'We are going to be having public hearings. We are going to have a conversation with Californians about their values and priorities. And we are going to have a fight about how to best balance this budget.'"
Aren't we supposed to have a new speaker by then?
But, before we get to that budget, it's Spring Break!!!
The AP's Steve Lawrence reports: "Eight California lawmakers
are traveling overseas this week to study high-speed rail systems and other matters as the Legislature takes an 11-day spring break."
Each will be writing a 1,500-word essay on "What I learned on Spring Break."
"Assembly members
Charles Calderon, D-Whittier,
Mary Hayashi, D-Hayward,
Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, and
Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, are on a trip to Spain sponsored by the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy."
Studying hard, we're sure.
"Sen.
Jim Battin, R-Palm Desert, and Assembly members
Anthony Adams, R-Hesperia,
Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City, and
Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco, are part of a delegation visiting Japan.
"One reason for the trips is to study the development of high-speed rail systems in both countries. A measure on the November ballot would authorize California to sell nearly $10 billion in bonds to help pay for a 700-mile high-speed rail system linking the state's largest cities.
"Lawmakers on the trip to Spain also will examine solar power, liquefied natural gas and desalination projects, as well as public-private partnerships to build infrastructure, said
Patrick Johnston, a former state senator who heads the board of the California Foundation."
George Skelton
asks why someone would want to be Senate Republican Leader. "Today, being minority leader tends to be a thankless job, although it does pay better than what an ordinary legislator makes -- $133,639 annually instead of $116,208. And in the Senate, the GOP leader occupies a big, handsome office in the historic, domed wing of the Capitol. But ambitious wannabes often are measuring the drapes, kibitzing and plotting a takeover.
"One such plotter for more than a year was Sen.
Dave Cogdill, 57, of Modesto. Two months ago, he was chosen by Senate Republicans as their new leader. On April 15, he'll replace the soon-to-be termed out
Dick Ackerman of Irvine. Cogdill could hold the job for the equivalent of an eternity under term limits -- until 2014.
"I asked him why he sought the job.
"'
Everything I've ever been involved in, I've been very fortunate to rise to leadership,' Cogdill said. 'I enjoy being in positions of leadership.'
"On policy, Cogdill is a typical Republican legislator: Anti-abortion. Anti-gun control. Pro-business. Anti-tax.
"
But he seems to leave wiggle room for perhaps closing tax loopholes, as Schwarzenegger now is urging. 'Where votes end up at the end of the day is anybody's guess,' the senator says. 'Some will look at it and say, 'That's a tax increase.' Others will say, 'It's an equity issue.' '"
"The trick for Cogdill will be to lead Senate Republicans into some flexibility on taxes and wring more spending cuts out of Democrats while avoiding another summer-long stalemate. That would make being minority leader worthwhile -- partly because it would allow him to go trout fishing."
"California conservatives, stifled by the Democratic majority in the Capitol,
are turning to the people in hopes of advancing their stalled agenda in 2008," reports Shane Goldmacher in the Bee.
"
Four conservative-backed ballot campaigns, including one to etch a ban on gay marriage into the state constitution, have amassed $8.9 million to put measures before voters in November."The other measures would require minors to notify a guardian before obtaining an abortion, stiffen anti-gang statutes and expand crime victims' rights.
"Many Republican activists have resigned themselves to minority status in the Legislature, where Democrats control at least 60 percent of the seats in both the Senate and Assembly.
"But they see hope at the ballot box.
"'The reality is they do stand a chance with the voters, and they don't stand a chance in the Legislature,' said
Mark Baldassare, president of the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.
"Or, as Assemblyman
Todd Spitzer put it, '
We weren't going to waste our time in the Legislature.'"
If that's the case, perhaps they don't want their per diem.
The Bee's Peter Hecht
looks at the hottest primaries in the Sacramento region, and previews the contests in AD10, AD15, AD03, and CD04.
"Secretary of State
Debra Bowen has posted an unofficial list of candidates who met March 7 and March 12 deadlines to file to run for state legislative and congressional seats. They will be competing in the June 3 primary, when turnout is likely to be exceptionally low, for a chance to run in the November general election, when turnout is likely to be exceptionally high.
"'We're doing stuff that we've never done before,' said
Allan Hoffenblum, editor of the California Target Book, which tracks state congressional and legislative races.
"The difference is that California held a separate presidential primary this year, leaving voters with a June primary featuring less glamorous down-ticket candidates.
"Turnout is expected to surge in November, when the ballot will be headed by the presidential clash between Arizona Sen. John McCain and either Illinois Sen. Barack Obama or New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. The June vote, Hoffenblum said, may center on the most dedicated, 'most conservative voters in Republican districts and the most liberal in Democratic districts.'"
And for
anyone who was worried about that bee shortage, fear not. AP reports, "Millions of swarming honey bees are on the loose after a truck carrying crates of the insects flipped over on a California highway.
"The California Highway Patrol says 8-to-12 million bees escaped Sunday from the crates in which they were stored and swarmed over an area of Highway 99 and stung officers, firefighters and tow truck drivers trying to clear the accident.
"Bradley says several beekeepers driving by the accident stopped to assist in the bee wrangling."
And you thought getting votes for tax increases was tough.
Meanwhile, while the boss is gone today, good luck to everyone
filling out those NCAA brackets. Let the gambling begin...
