"As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to say publicly that he will hold the line against new taxes,
his administration is laying the groundwork for a possible tax increase," reports the LAT's Evan Halper.
"Administration officials are soliciting advice from business groups and other special interests on how to propose billions of dollars in tax hikes that could help close a budget shortfall the governor now says is as large as $20 billion.
"Schwarzenegger's staff is exploring a range of options, including sales taxes on lawyer and accountant services, on high-end services such as golf lessons and personal-trainer sessions, and on takeout coffee and other prepared foods that are not taxed now."
Great. Golf, gym and coffee. Might as well call it The Roundup tax...
"The administration's goal, participants in the discussions say, is to
gather support for new taxes from a broad spectrum of the business lobby, giving the Legislature's Republicans political cover to break their pledges never to vote for them."
"If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
loses precious access to the neighborhood Santa Monica Airport he uses to fly to Sacramento, he can thank his own brother-in-law,
Bobby Shriver," reports Kevin Yamamura in the Bee.
"The Santa Monica City Council voted in March to ban large private jets from using its airport for fear that planes like Schwarzenegger's Gulfstream IV could crash into neighboring homes if they overshoot the 4,987-foot runway. Shriver is on the council, which voted unanimously for the prohibition.
"The ban is on hold, however, after the Federal Aviation Administration obtained a temporary restraining order on Monday. A federal district judge is expected to review the matter May 15.
"The Republican governor commutes almost daily from his Brentwood home, often using Santa Monica Airport when flying within California, Shriver said. Schwarzenegger and business travelers prefer Van Nuys Airport or Los Angeles International for longer trips since runways at those airports can accommodate the added weight of extra plane fuel.
"For Schwarzenegger, reaching the Van Nuys Airport can mean a 14-mile drive, including a nine-mile slog on the congested I-405 freeway, compared with a trip less than half the distance on city streets to Santa Monica.
"Shriver said he hasn't heard from Schwarzenegger yet, but he expects to.
"'
Arnold will come up with something like, 'Now I have to go all the way to Van Nuys because of Bobby and his communist friends,' ' Shriver said, doing his best Schwarzenegger impression with an Austrian accent."
This wouldn't have anything to do with
that whole parks commission thing now, would it, Bobby?
Meanwhile, the friendly skies might be getting friendlier. "Passengers stuck on grounded airplanes for more than three hours
would have a right to fresh air, electricity, working restrooms, food and water under a measure passed Thursday by the state Assembly," reports Nancy Vogel in the Times.
"Legislators of all political stripes, some of whom commute several times a week by commercial airlines, passed the bill with hearty support, even though Republican legislators had been advised by their staffs to oppose it.
"'
This is a time when we need to spank the airlines,' Assemblyman
Kevin Jeffries (R-Lake Elsinore) said."
We love it when you talk dirty, Mr. Jeffries.
"The measure, by Assemblyman
Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), passed 57 to 17 and goes to the state Senate.
"Leno won Republican votes after he deleted a provision that would have allowed trapped passengers to sue airlines under the state's Unfair Competition Law.
"That amendment strips the bill of its teeth, complained
Kate Hanni, the woman driving a national movement for better treatment of airline customers.
"'Absent civil penalties, there's no consequences for the airlines with this kind of behavior,' said Hanni, a former real estate broker from Napa, Calif., who created the Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights."
The Press-Enterprise's Michelle DeArmond takes a look at Gov.
Jerry Brown, er, Attorney General
Jerry Brown's regulation of tribal casinos, and how it may impact his next run for office.
"More than 25 years after ending his last term as governor, Jerry Brown is delivering stump speeches and wooing California's newly moneyed tribes as he hints at another run for the state's top job.
"Many tribes have become major political donors since he was governor.
"They now run bustling casinos that are partly regulated by Brown himself. If he is to make the leap from attorney general -- the job he was elected to in 2006 -- to governor, his campaign likely will need the financial support of the very businesses he oversees, experts say.
"The attorney general's office's Bureau of Gambling Control is one of several entities that regulate Indian casinos.
Whether Brown, as attorney general, can crack down on problems at Indian casinos and simultaneously solicit tribes' political support could become an issue on the campaign trail, as questions of potential conflicts of interest often do."
"Records show that Brown hasn't collected any campaign contributions from tribes during his time as attorney general thus far. In a telephone interview Tuesday, Brown said he wouldn't rule out accepting tribal donations later but would exercise "prudence and good judgment" in cases of potential conflict.
"'That's a concern I might have with respect to anybody,' he said, noting that many political donors do business with the state. 'I don't want to single out tribes. They're big and they're important in the political process, but there are also a lot of others.'"
And it looks like we might get that drought after all. "Two parched years - punctuated by the driest spring in at least 150 years - could force districts across California to ration water this summer as
policymakers and scientists grow increasingly concerned that the state is on the verge of a long-term drought," writew the Chron's Kelly Zito.
"
State water officials reported Thursday that the Sierra Nevada snowpack, the source of a huge portion of California's water supply, was only 67 percent of normal, due in part to historically low rainfall in March and April.
"With many reservoirs at well-below-average levels from the previous winter and a federal ruling limiting water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the new data added a dimension to a crisis already complicated by crumbling infrastructure, surging population and environmental concerns.
"'
We're in a dry spell if not a drought,' said California Secretary for Resources Mike Chrisman. 'We're in the second year, and if we're looking at a third year, we're talking about a serious problem.'"
And it's official --
time to get ready for $30 per pound salmon. "Salmon fishing was banned along the West Coast for the first time in 160 years Thursday, a decision that is expected to have a devastating economic impact on fishermen, dozens of businesses, tourism and boating.
"Commerce Secretary
Carlos Gutierrez immediately declared a commercial fishery disaster, opening the door for Congress to appropriate money for anyone who will be economically harmed.
"
This marks the second year in the past three that a federal fishery failure has been declared for West Coast salmon, and last year's catch was poor, despite liberal fishing seasons. Fishing cutbacks in 2006 because of the collapse of chinook run in the Klamath River, which straddles the Oregon-California line, caused a drop in catch value estimated at $16 million. Congress appropriated $60 million in disaster assistance that was distributed last year.
"It followed the recommendation last month of the Pacific Fishery Management Council after the catastrophic disappearance of California's fabled fall run of the pink fish popularly known as king salmon.
"It is the first total closure since commercial fishing started in the Bay Area in 1848.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency last month and sent a letter to President Bush asking for his help in obtaining federal disaster assistance. Schwarzenegger plans to appropriate about $5.3 million for coastal salmon and steelhead fishery restoration projects."
Former state Republican Party Chairman
Duf Sundheim takes some time out of his busy day to
insult some Republican officeholders in a Sac Bee op-ed.
"Fortune 500 companies do it and so do national nonprofits. Cities and counties do it, too. We're talking about executive recruitment, and it is among the most important tasks any organization will undertake. Why? Because matching the best candidates with important positions does not happen by chance," he writes.
"In politics, however, who runs and subsequently who wins an election is too often left to chance.
In recent years, too many winning candidates chose to run because they either were termed-out of office of their prior post or had the financial backing of narrowly focused interest groups � not because they were the best person for the job."
Hey, Duf. If you want to name names, we're here for you...
And from our
Sleeping With The Enemy Files "After three decades of keeping mum,
Barbara Walters is disclosing a past affair with married U.S. Sen. Edward Brooke, whom she remembers as �exciting� and �brilliant.�
"A moderate Republican from Massachusetts who took office in 1967, Brooke was the first African-American to be popularly elected to the Senate. Both he and Walters knew that public knowledge of their affair could have ruined his career as well as hers, Walters says."
And before you ask, no, we never slept with
John Vasconcellos.
ElectionTrack Highlights from May 1, 2008:
- No 98/yes 99, Ca To Stop The Prop 98 Attack On Renters & In Support Of Prop 99, The Homeowners Protection Act. A Comm Of Sr, Homeowners, Taxpayers, Renters, Educators, Bus, Labor Environmetalists, Loc: California Public Securities Association- Issues Pac (CAPSA Ipac): $125,000
- No 98/yes 99, Ca To Stop The Prop 98 Attack On Renters & In Support Of Prop 99, The Homeowners Protection Act. A Comm Of Sr, Homeowners, Taxpayers, Renters, Educators, Bus, Labor Environmetalists, Loc: California State Association Of Counties - Non Public Funds: $50,000
- Committee To Take Back Our Neighborhoods: Taxpayers For George Runner: $39,000
- Yes Prop 98, Ca For Ppty Rts Protection, A Proj For The Howard Jarvis Taxpyrs Assoc With Funding By Its No New Taxes Comm, The Calif Farm Bur Fed, Supp By The Ca Alliance To Prot Private Ppty Rts: Sonoma County Park Owners Association: $35,000
- Denham Against The Recall, Friends Of Jeff: Calif. Motor Car Dealers Assoc. Pac: $10,000
- Bass For Assembly 2008, Karen: Faculty For Our University's Future: $7,200
- De Leon For Assembly 2008, Kevin: Faculty For Our University's Future: $7,200
- Cogdill 2010, Taxpayers For Dave: California Real Estate Political Action Committee: $7,200
- Migden, Re-elect Senator Carole: Southwest Regional Council Of Carpenters Political Action Fund: $7,200
- Hall For Assembly: Service Employees International Union Local 721 Ctw Clc State & Local: $7,200
- Bass For Assembly 2008, Karen: Faculty For Our University's Future: $7,200
Yesterday's total: $644,190.
And from our That's How We Started The Roundup Files, "a 21-year-old North Texas man was arrested last week for trying to cash a $360 billion check, saying he wanted to start a record business, authorities said. Tellers at the Fort Worth bank were immediately suspicious � perhaps the 10 zeros on a personal check tipped them off, according to investigators."
Wow, nothing gets by those Texas Rangers
"Fuller, of suburban Crowley, was arrested on a forgery charge, police said. He was released after posting $3,750 bail."
Did he write a check?
