"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's gamble to borrow against future lottery profits to
help pay down the state's $17.2 billion budget deficit is too optimistic and could cut funding for public
schools , the state's legislative analyst said Monday," reports Matthew Yi in the Chron.
"Education funding would be protected, however, if the
state borrowed far less money than proposed from future
lottery sales, which are likely to grow at a slower
rate than the governor's estimates, Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill said
as she released a 36-page assessment of the governor's revised budget plan released last week.
"'We're concerned (the budget) has significant risks related to the lottery proposal,' said Hill, whose alternative budget plan would raise
revenue by eliminating some tax credits and dipping
into gas sales tax receipts, which have increased substantially
as a result of high prices at the pump.
"But Schwarzenegger's proposals are within reason, said Aaron McLear, a
spokesman for the governor.
"'We believe over time, the changes that we make in the
lottery will make it more efficient and a better-performing asset,' he said.
"Last week, as part of Schwarzenegger's attempt to close the huge deficit, the governor proposed
selling $15 billion in bonds to Wall Street investors over next
three years to help close the budget gap and start
a "rainy day fund" that would be used in future fiscal crisis."
The LAT's Evan Halper reports:
"Democrats, who say they want to avoid deep cuts in
government services by raising taxes, had earlier dismissed
the lottery plan as a gimmick that doesn't generate enough cash.
"And almost every Republican has signed a pledge to
block any tax increase. They are calling the backup
sales tax hike -- a linchpin of Schwarzenegger's proposal -- a deal-breaker.
"'It shows the budget for what it is -- a fiscal disaster,' state Senate Leader Don Perata (D-Oakland) said of the analyst's report.
"Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto said, 'Burdening hardworking Californians with a tax increase
-- or a threat thereof -- will not improve the state's economic outlook.'"
Dan Walters really doesn't like the lottery plan . "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his minions insist that
"securitizing" the state lottery – floating $18.4 billion in bonds that
would be repaid from presumably larger lottery profits
in the future –
to reduce the budget deficit is not piling on more
debt.
"'It's
not a loan,' Schwarzenegger's lottery point man, David Crane, said in a
radio broadcast over the weekend. 'We don't have any obligation to
repay. It's a sale and every penny goes to no other purpose than
to
jump-start our rainy-day fund.'"
But Walters was unmoved. "If that's the best Schwarzenegger can do, the sooner his governorship
ends the better."
Walters just wants to get on with four years of Jerry Brown bashing...
"A settlement to ease California's prison population crisis without early releases for
inmates could be at hand as a result of a proposal laid out Monday by two
federal court referees," reports Andy Furillo in the Bee.
"If inmates rights lawyers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration endorse the plan – and representatives of both sides said they like what
they see – it would lay to rest the case now pending before a
specially empaneled three-judge federal court that has hung over the prison system
for a year and a half.
"The key component of the deal would give the state
three years to meet a targeted population level set
by a panel of experts in conjunction with inmates' rights lawyers.
"In addition, the proposed settlement would give more
money to counties to better handle their probationers,
cut down on the number of offenders returned to prison
on minor parole violations and establish time credit
incentives for inmates who complete education, drug
treatment and other programs.
"'We believe it is very close to the positions the parties
will agree to,' said Elwood Lui, a Los Angeles lawyer and former state appellate court
justice who has served as one of the referees. 'The next two weeks will be a time where we can decide
if that is true or not.'"
"California politicians
will no longer be allowed to use campaign contributions
to pay for golf, lavish hotels and expensive meals
while traveling in the state unless they disclose who was along and what purpose
it served to help them do their job, under rules adopted
Monday by the state's ethics watchdog agency," writes the LAT's Patrick McGreevy.
"In an effort to reduce the influence of special interests,
the state Fair Political Practices Commission also
voted Monday to bar elected officials -- such as state legislators and city council members
-- from having third parties pay for travel through government
agencies.
"The requirement for increased disclosure follows the
commission's vote in February that required that politicians disclose
the "political, legislative or governmental" purpose of out-of-state trips paid for by campaign donors.
"'Public officials don't need five-star hotels, haute cuisine and $100 bottles of wine to effectively govern the state of
California,' said
Carmen Balber, political accountability director at Consumer Watchdog.
'The new rules will require politicians to justify how
they spend their campaign cash and, hopefully, rein
in the kind of extravagant spending that has become
more and more routine.'"
Or just do it with state money instead of campaign
funds.
The LA Times' Richard Simon reports on a congressman's allegation that the head of the EPA wanted to support
California's tougher tailpipe emission laws, but the White House
wouldn't let him. "The head of the Environmental Protection Agency was
preparing to join
his staff in supporting California's bid to regulate greenhouse gas
emissions in vehicles -- until he consulted with the White House, a
congressman leading an investigation into the decision
said Monday.
"'It
appears that the White House played a significant role
in the reversal
of the EPA decision,' said Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills),
chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform
Committee.
"Waxman's comments drew a sharp rebuke from the panel's top Republican,
Rep. Thomas M. Davis III of Virginia, who called the chairman's
allegation "a knee-jerk conclusion of nefarious intent by the White
House derived from a manifestly incomplete
"California would become the first state to designate an annual
day to honor a gay-rights pioneer, Harvey Milk, under legislation passed Monday by the Assembly," writes the Bee's Jim Sanders.
"'It's a bill about hope and dignity,' said Assemblyman Mark Leno, a San Francisco Democrat and openly gay legislator
who proposed the measure."
Hey, we always support another day off from work
"Milk was a gay-rights activist and former San Francisco County supervisor
who was shot to death at City Hall with Mayor George Moscone on Nov. 27, 1978, by former board colleague Dan White.
"Assembly Bill 2567 passed the Assembly, 45-23, with no Republican support. It would designate every
May 22 as Harvey Milk Day and encourage schools to conduct
'suitable commemorative exercises.'"
The U-T's Blanca Gonzalez writes the obit of former Assemblyman Mike Gotch
"A hard-working Democrat with movie-star
looks, the former San Diego city councilman and state
assemblyman loved
the outdoors and relished his role in government.
"At age 32 in 1979, Mr. Gotch set a record for
winning a San Diego council seat with the slimmest
of margins. Four
years later he set another record, capturing 87 percent of the vote to
win re-election.
"He received praise and criticism throughout his career
in public service for his efforts on beach-related issues.
"Gotch died Sunday at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La
Jolla after a struggle with skin cancer. He was 60.
"State Sen. Christine Kehoe, who worked briefly in his district Assembly office,
called him an early environmentalist.
"After the Assembly, Mr. Gotch unofficially
continued his service to San Diego as legislative secretary
to
then-Gov. Gray Davis and was invaluable to local lawmakers, Kehoe said.
Mr. Gotch, who served in the position from 1999 to 2003, acted as a
liaison between Davis and the Legislature.
&qupt;Mr. Gotch resigned the position, reportedly after a
heated exchange with Davis' chief of staff at the time, Lynne Schenk."
That sounds about right to us...
And remember, today is the last day to register to vote for the June
3 primary. Because we know that all you Sacramentans out there
wouldn't want to miss a chance to vote in this race
"A confidential settlement between Sacramento mayoral
candidate Kevin
Johnson and a Phoenix teenager who claimed he molested her
called for
the former NBA player to pay $230,000," the Bee's Terri Hardy reports.
"The draft agreement states that
Johnson, who was 29 at the time of the alleged incident while the girl
was 16, denies the allegations are true. The case was investigated
by
Phoenix police and prosecutors declined to file charges.
"The June
1997 agreement lays out a detailed payment plan and provides
that
signed copies of the contract would be locked in a
safety deposit box
not to be opened unless attorneys from both sides are
present.
"The agreement prohibits the teen and her mother from
discussing the
case publicly or they must forfeit the money received
pursuant to the
settlement, some of which was to be paid immediately
for medical,
therapy and legal costs, followed by six-month installments to the girl
ending June 1, 2001."
Speaking of elections, here are yesterday's top fundraisers, courtesy of ElectionTrack.com.
Friends of Jeff Denham Against The Recall: $79,000
No 98/Yes 99: $51,000
Protectmarriage.com, A Project Of California Renewal: $25,000
Fuentes For Assembly 2008: $23,899
Strickland For Senate: $23,698
Cathleen Galgiani For Assembly 2008: $22,000
Californians For Solar And Clean Energy: $20,000
Partners For Curt Hagman Independent Expenditure Committee: $20,000
Alberto Torrico For Assembly 2008: $16,100
Friends Of Stuart Waldman: $14,100
Lou Correa For State Senate 2010: $12,200
Dave Jones For Assembly 2008: $11,200
Noreen Evans For Assembly 2008: $11,200
Friends of Bill Monning: $10,800
Bill Emmerson For Assembly 2008: $10,600
"California
may pride itself on its thousands of miles of stunning
coastline, but
its parks system is in shambles and needs $1.2 billion in basic
repairs, a national nonprofit group is expected to
announce today, reports the LA Daily News's Sue Doyle.
"California's 278-park system has made the 2008 list of
America's most endangered historic places - thanks to years of
under-funding that have left the facilities in shabby and
desperate
conditions, according to the National Trust for Historic
Preservation.
"In California, and across the country, state park systems
lack adequate funding for even basic maintenance," said Richard Moe,
president of the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit announcing the
decision today. "Without proper care, historic buildings and landscapes
will deteriorate to a point where restoration may no
longer be
feasible."
"The group is set to announce the addition of California's
state parks to its list of America's 11 most endangered historic places
at 10 a.m. today at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park in Sacramento."
And finally, we bring you a tale to track and field gone wrong.
"A newspaper photographer got a little too close to
the action at the
state high school track championships — and was speared through the leg
by a javelin.
"
Ryan McGeeney of the
Standard-Examiner
was spared serious injury in Saturday's mishap, and
even managed to
snap a photo of his speared leg while others worked
to help him."
Now, that's a dedicated journalist.
"'If I didn't, it would probably be my editor's first question when I got back,' McGeeney said later.
"The javelin was thrown by Anthony Miles, a Provo High
School student who said when he saw what had happened,
"my heart just stopped."
It's also good to see that the track coach had the injured
journalist's welfare at heart.
"'One of the first things that came to my mind was, 'Good thing we
brought a second javelin,'" Miles' coach, Richard Vance, said."
