"Signaling a generational shift in attitudes, a new
Field Poll on Tuesday said California voters now support legal marriage between same-sex couples and oppose a state constitutional amendment
to ban gay marriage ," writes the Bee's Peter Hecht.
"By 51 to 42 percent, state voters believe gay couples have the
right to marry, according to a May 17-26 poll of 1,052 registered voters.
"However, the same poll revealed a California electorate
that remains sharply divided over gay marriage – split by age, political affiliation, religion and
the regions where they live.
"The poll was taken after the May 15 California Supreme Court decision overturning a state
ban on same-sex marriages. The results marked the first time in
more than 30 years of state polling that a majority of Field Poll
respondents favored making gay marriage legal.
"Reflecting stark differences in generational attitudes,
68 percent of voters between 18 and 29 years old said they favored allowing same-sex couples to marry. Fifty-eight percent of voters 30 to 39 and 51 percent of voters 40-49 favored gay marriage. That compared with 47 percent of voters 50-64 and 36 percent of those over 65 who supported the idea.
"'As young people are replacing older people, voters
are more supportive,' said
Mark DiCamillo, director of the California Field Poll. 'The trend line itself is historic. The lines are crossing.
This is a major sociological event in California.'"
CW's Malcolm Maclachlan reports all of this is headed
to a big, expensive showdown in November. "California likely will play host this fall to an unprecedented
political battle
over gay marriage, as a looming ballot-initiative contest appears
likely to force more than
$30 million in total spending from the rival factions. Even though a
proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage has not yet made it
onto the November ballot, both sides are already
taking in big checks from familiar donors.
"Where's all this money going to come from? Oddly, the coalitions
on each side look very similar in many ways. Each has
a small number of extremely rich donors who were paying
attention to this issue long before it was in the news
on a regular basis, along with a few key organizations
that largely sat out the last round of same-sex marriage fights in
2006. Each side is also taking in hundreds of smaller donations
from individuals who will likely provide armies of
ground troops working phones and walking precincts.
"On the anti-same-sex marriage side, the donors are led by a pair of
wealthy Southern California businessmen who are also
evangelical Christians. Fieldstead & Co., the company owned by billionaire financier Howard
Ahmanson, gave $400,000 in February and March to the committee behind The
California Marriage Protection Act. Christian radio
magnate Ed Atsinger has donated $12,500. Both live in Southern California. Each man gave $100,000 to back Prop. 22 in 2000.
"Meanwhile, the Santa Ana-based National Organization for Marriage
has packaged
up $921,000 to pass the amendment. Colorado-based Focus on the Family
has contributed $133,000. That group's founder and leader, James
Dobson, is one of the leading
voices in the anti-gay movement."
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's inability to stop the growth of the state's payroll despite his pledges to reform government
spending shows that he is hampered by a problem that
has cursed many of California' governors before him, political observers said Tuesday," reports the Chron's Erin McCormick.
"In his first State of the State speech in 2004, Schwarzenegger said that 'if we continue spending and don't make cuts, California will be bankrupt.' But the fact that the state's payroll has mushroomed on his watch - as its budget deficit has grown to $17.2 billion - shows that promise was hard to keep, experts say.
"'He came in thinking he was going to find all these
ways to cut inefficiencies,' said UC Berkeley political scientist Bruce Cain. 'And, while he did find inefficiencies to eliminate,
they were in the millions, while the budget shortfall
is in the billions.'
"Cain and other political experts say the governor has
not been able to overcome the long-standing reality of the state's budget imbalance: In lean years, revenues simply aren't enough to cover expenditures.
"A Chronicle analysis of the state's payroll, published Sunday, found that California's salary costs have increased by 37 percent under Schwarzenegger after growing 5 percent under the previous governor, Gray Davis.
"The number of state employees earning base salaries
of more than $200,000 has grown from eight in October 2003 to nearly 1,000 today. And prison guards, California Highway Patrol
officers and professional engineers have seen pay increases
averaging about 30 percent in four years."
"In an ominous sign for efforts to end federal oversight
of state prisons, state Senate Republicans on Tuesday rejected a $7-billion proposal to build medical facilities intended
to improve unconstitutionally poor healthcare for inmates," writes the LAT's Michael Rothfeld.
"The plan was created by a federal receiver and backed
by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. U.S. District
Judge Thelton Henderson, who appointed the receiver, wrote a letter last week
urging lawmakers to approve it.
"But Senate Republicans balked at the bill's high price tag and objected that it had not been
coordinated with other plans that could dramatically
affect state prisons, such as a proposal for settling
a federal court case on overcrowding by reducing the
inmate population by tens of thousands.
The construction program and the settlement proposal
are part of an overarching but largely disconnected
state effort to bring the sprawling prison system and
the care of inmates up to constitutional standards.
Both now appear to be in some danger of sinking without
legislative support.
"'The problem . . . , quite frankly, is the amount of
money we're talking about,' said state Sen. Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto), who leads the Senate's Republican minority. 'We think there are more responsible ways to move forward
to get where we need to go and to do it in a much more
frugal manner.'
"Republicans said they needed to make sure that all
pending prison overhaul efforts -- including a separate state and local plan approved
last year to build more beds -- would be connected.
"'This is just another example where the state has failed
to enforce its own laws,' said state Sen. Michael Machado (D-Linden), who wrote the bill to build medical facilities, SB
1665. "How many more times are we going to abdicate our responsibility
and let the federal courts come in and govern the state?"
"Months after massive protests and alarm over school
layoffs began, only a fraction of the teachers who received pink slips
will lose their jobs ," writes Sherry Saavedra in the U-T.
"Yesterday, the San Diego Unified, Poway Unified and
Chula Vista Elementary school districts became the
latest to rescind layoff notices and restore all permanent
teaching positions.
"In San Diego Unified, jobs were restored for more than
two-thirds of the 617 teachers and nurses who received pink slips this month.
That includes all of the nearly 380 permanent teachers and all 37 probationary nurses who had received layoff notices.
Around 200 probationary teachers still face layoffs.
"Scores of layoff notices to teachers elsewhere in the
county also have been withdrawn.
"The changes in most districts came after Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger issued a revised budget this month that
meant less-drastic funding cuts. Just a couple of weeks ago, layoff
notices were rescinded for more than 280 teachers, counselors and others in the San Diego district,
the state's second-largest.
"'We went overboard,' San Diego school board member John de Beck said of the initial layoff list. But unknowingly,
he said. The board was being prudent based on the budget
information it had at the time."
Meanwhile, the AP reports: "Emergency declarations for five counties ringing Lake
Tahoe were signed
Tuesday by California and Nevada governors to help
speed
fire-protection efforts in the scenic mountain resort area
hit by a
catastrophic blaze last summer .
"The declarations were among more than 70 recommendations by a special
panel formed by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
and Nevada Gov.
Jim Gibbons after the Angora Fire destroyed 254 homes and caused $140
million in property damage in South Lake Tahoe.
"'We will not rest until this natural crown jewel is
as safe as it is
beautiful,' Schwarzenegger said prior to the signings that affect
California's El Dorado and Placer counties and Nevada's Carson City,
Douglas and Washoe counties.
"'Many of these recommendations can be implemented swiftly,
and I hope
that everyone with the power to make these changes
does so quickly,'
Gibbons said, referring to the California-Nevada Basin Fire
Commission's report."
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger travels to Mexico today to meet with border governors
and President Felipe Calderón on contentious economic, environment and border security
issues, reports the U-T.
"A key focus will be the flow of illegal weapons and
cash to Mexico and the human and drug smuggling to
the United States, Schwarzenegger's representatives said. Schwarzenegger is chairman
of the Border Governors Conference, which includes
governors from California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona
and six Mexican states. The governor plans to meet
privately with Calderón tomorrow after morning meetings with the governors."
Matier and Ross report that special interests are pouring money into this election
that nobody's watching.
"When it comes to special
interest money, the lineup for Tuesday's Democratic primaries for the
state Legislature is looking more and more like the
Village People.
"You've got your doctors, lawyers, nurses, state workers,
teachers
and even Indian chiefs, all pumping hundreds of thousands
of dollars
into last-minute hits and hugs for their candidates.
"In the Bay Area alone, interest groups have raised
and spent more
than $1 million on Democratic races through their "independent
expenditure" committees."
The Merc's Paul Rogers reports on John Laird's proposal to raise vehicle fees to pay for state parks.
"Free admission to every one of California's state parks and beaches all
year long? It might happen, if an influential state
lawmaker gets his
way. But the catch is, it will cost you $10 more to register your car -
even if you never venture to the great outdoors.
"Attempting to solve the recurring budget shortfalls
that have left
California's once-renowned state parks system struggling with too many
repairs and too few rangers, Assemblyman John Laird,
D-Santa Cruz,
plans to introduce a proposal today to increase funding
for parks
through the state's vehicle fees.
"Under his proposal,
which is expected to face opposition from Republicans
who call it a tax
increase, a $10 annual surcharge would be assessed on the registration
of all vehicles except trailers and commercial trucks.
"In exchange, anyone driving a vehicle with a California
license plate
would get free year-round admission to any of the state park system's
278 beaches, parks or museums - from redwood forests to Southern
California sand dunes. Parks normally charge entrance
fees between $6
to $10."
"Former California Gov. Pete Wilson let it be known Tuesday that he is no fan of congressional
candidate Tom McClintock," reports Peter Hecht in the Bee.
"Wilson began by putting out a letter attacking the
veteran state lawmaker as an obstructionist who has
accomplished little.
"'As governor, I could never count on Tom McClintock,' Wilson said in the letter sent out on behalf of Doug Ose, McClintock's rival in the 4th Congressional District race. 'He was always first to criticize, but the last to help
the team. His record doesn't match his rhetoric.'
"Later, appearing with Ose outside the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial in Capitol Park, Wilson ripped McClintock
for voting against recent state legislation to help
veterans and for opposing a cut in the car tax while
Wilson was governor."
And as Election Day approaches, here are the day's biggest fundraising hauls, according to ElectionTrack.com:
No 98/yes 99 : $935,000
Education Leaders For High Standards: $55,000
Yes Prop. 98: $52,470
Progressive Leadership For The East Bay, A Coalition
Of Consumer
Attorneys And Nurses: $29,000
Gutierrez For Assembly: $25,000
Protect Our Kids Independent Expenditure Committee: $25,000
Friends of Jeff Denham Against The Recall: $22,000
Dave Jones For Assembly 2008: $21,500
Chan Independent Expenditure Committee Major Funding
By The
California Medical Association Pac: $20,000
You've read all the stories about Fabian Nuñez blaming race for the way he was treated by the press.
Now, watch the video! The Spanish-language interview has been subtitled and posted online
by the Latino Report, courtesy of state Republican
Party spokesman Hector Barajas.
"Even his interviewers look a little surprised, as Nunez
begins riffing on taco trucks and sleeping under a cactus. "Groups that don't like Latinos use this as a weapon to inflame anti-Mexican, andti-Latino politics," Nunez said in the interview.
"But odds are, the River Cats aren't going to have a Nunez sleeping-under-a-cactus bobblehead anytime soon, so perhaps he should
consider himself lucky. Larry Craig didn't get off so easy.
"The independent league St. Paul Saints, the
folks that brought us Bud Selig/Donald Fehr seat cushions, Bud Selig
All-Star ties and Randy Moss Hood Ornament Night, created
a bobblefoot.
It wasn't just any bobblefoot. It was a guy in suit pants sitting
in a
bathroom stall.
"While
they didn't mention the name "Larry Craig," the Idaho senator who
resigned after his arrest and guilty plea in a sex
sting in an airport
in the Minneapolis Airport last summer, everyone knew
the toe-tapper
was meant to be him."
Apparently, the bobblefoot has a wide stance...
"The
team gave away 2,500 of the dolls, whose stall says "For A Good Time
Call..." and then has the ticket office number. And prices are
skyrocketing to in between $75 and $200 per bobblefoot."
