"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cannot run for re-election and has no stated plans to seek another office,
but he still raises millions of dollars each year," writes the Bee's Kevin Yamamura.
"The governor's continued reliance on the ballot box means a constant
need for campaign cash, and watchdog groups say that
leaves him vulnerable to influence by special interests.
"'I think voters should be wary of the extent to which
the governor has to go to fund those ambitions,' said Carmen Balber of the Foundation for Taxpayer
and Consumer Rights. 'If you look at his overall trend, business interests
are overwhelmingly represented.'
"Schwarzenegger has solicited more than $4.6 million this year as he pursues an initiative to change
how California draws its voting district boundaries,
which qualified last week for the November ballot.
He also wants the Legislature to add three measures
related to budget and water projects for the same election.
"Schwarzenegger declared during the recall campaign
in 2003 that "I don't need to take money from anyone," but he has raised more than $127 million since then, not counting money he has personally
contributed. That figure surpasses the $87 million former Gov. Gray Davis raised over five years."
Well, need and want are two different things...
"Schwarzenegger's fundraising totals this year are lower than in heavy
campaign years like 2005 and 2006, but watchdog groups anticipate he will raise millions
this fall to help his redistricting initiative pass
in November."
"Californians, long known for their propensity to buck
convention, have apparently done it again: A national survey released Monday revealed that they are less religious and less certain
about the existence of God than the nation as a whole," reports Duke Helfand in the Times.
"Residents of the Golden State do not pray as much as
people in other parts of the country. They are less
inclined to take scripture literally. And they are
more likely to embrace "more than one true way" of interpreting their religious teachings.
"Fifty-nine percent of them say that homosexuality should
be accepted by society, compared to 50% of people nationwide who hold that view, according
to the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey.
"And while 71% of the nation is "absolutely certain" of the belief in God, only 62% of Californians say so -- a difference that reflects similar attitudes in other
states on both coasts.
"'The West Coast generally is less religiously observant,
less certain about religious beliefs,' said John Green, a senior fellow with the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, which produced the survey. 'It was settled last,' Green added. 'It has been growing fairly rapidly and has a unique
amount of dynamism' in its societies."
On cue, the governor is skipping the annual Capitol Prayer Breakfast to
campaign with John McCain.
“We're saddened that he is unable to make it, and we'll be praying for him,” said an event spokesperson.
Gotta wonder, though about McCain's big energy security speech planned for Santa Barbara.
Seems like a strange place to go and talk about off-shore oil drilling. Unless, of course, you're angling for a national photo op, knowing full well
that you've got no chance in California come November...
"With the clink of champagne glasses, Los Angeles Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday became the latest politician to preside over the marriage
of a same-sex couple, uniting a Hollywood producer and his five-year companion in a short ceremony at City Hall," write David Zahniser and Phil Willon in the Times.
"The mayor joined a growing list of political figures
who are eagerly officiating gay weddings -- and gambling that championing same-sex marriage will not come at a political cost. Yet
Monday's ceremony showed the risks faced by politicians who
embrace the issue, which remains controversial among
voters.
"Moments after the champagne was poured, a woman who
introduced herself as the "Angel of the Trinity" strode up to the podium to denounce the ceremony and
call Villaraigosa an "adulterer" -- a reference to his extramarital affair with a television
reporter.
"'I don't believe that gay marriage is morally right,' said Rosalyn Schultz of Hesperia, moments after the mayor shooed her away
from the lectern. Schultz went on to warn that such unions would invite
earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes."
Whew...thank goodness wildfires weren't on the list.
"Producer Bruce Cohen, one of the grooms, said the interruption "added spice" to the ceremony. "It doesn't spoil our day. It doesn't take away our joy," he told City News Service. "And it certainly doesn't change the fact that we are legally married in the
state of California."
"Villaraigosa quickly left the room, and his spokesman,
Matt Szabo, had no comment on the incident. But last week, the
mayor said that allowing same-sex couples to marry boils down to a fundamental issue
of equality.
"'The California electorate is coming into a new age
realizing that [gay] marriage is an institution that supports family values,
and it's certainly one I support,' Villaraigosa said. 'I certainly respect people of faith who disagree. I
also respect the law, and I'm sworn to uphold the law.'"
Speaking of fires, more than 800 of them are burning across the state.
"AP reports, "More than 840 wildfires sparked by an "unprecedented" lightning storm
are burning across Northern California, alarming the
governor and
requiring the help of firefighters from Nevada and
Oregon.
"Two of the state's biggest fires had each charred nearly 6 square
miles. One in Napa County quickly moved into Solano
County, and
threatened about 250 homes about 40 miles southwest of Sacramento, said
Kevin Colburn, a spokesman for the California Department
of Forestry
and Fire Protection. It was 60 percent contained.
"The other, in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest about 160 miles north of Sacramento, threatened about 1,200 homes.
In more fire news, opposition is building to the governor's proposal to collect fees from rural property owners
for fire protection.
The Merc News's Paul Rogers writes: "The governor's proposal would add a surcharge on property insurance
for all commercial and residential structures statewide.
In ZIP codes designated as "high-hazard zones" for earthquakes, fires or floods, the fee would be
1.4 percent, about $12.60 a household per year. In "low-hazard zones," the surcharge would be 0.75 percent, or $6.75 a year.
"The plan is part of the pending Assembly budget. Taxpayer
groups and many Republican leaders oppose it.
"'It's not fair to the general taxpayer in an urban area,' said David Wolfe, legislative director for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers
Association. 'They are subsidizing people who are choosing to live
in high fire danger areas.'"
"Parents and religious groups favoring homeschooling
will have Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and California's schools chief on their side today when a state appeals court meets to reconsider its ruling
that required in-home instructors to have teaching credentials," reports the Chron's Bob Egelko.
"The state's largest teachers union, however, is arguing before
the Second District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles
that the judges did the right thing when they declared
that state law requires parents to send their children
to full-time public or private schools or have them taught
by credentialed tutors at home.
"The court stunned homeschooling advocates when it issued
its ruling Feb. 28. After a clamor by homeschooling partisans, and a
promise by Schwarzenegger to change the law if necessary
to authorize home instruction, the court took the unusual
step of calling a new hearing and inviting arguments
from education groups, state officials and other parties.
"More than a dozen groups and officials responded, most
of them arguing that California law already allows
parents without teaching credentials to instruct their
children at home by declaring their homes to be private
schools. State law requires private schools to teach
the same basic subjects as public schools and keep
the same daily attendance records, but does not require
their teachers to be credentialed.
"In its February ruling, the court said state law has
been clear since at least 1953, when another appellate court rejected a challenge
by homeschooling parents to California's compulsory-education law. 'Parents have a legal duty to see to their children's schooling under the provisions of these laws,' and can be prosecuted for failing to comply, the three-judge panel said."
Meanwhile, if the state doesn't have any money, we might as well force others to
more equally give theirs away.
"Faced with legislation that would require them to disclose
their ethnic composition and detail grants awarded
to minority organizations, 10 of California's largest foundations agreed Monday to a multimillion-dollar, multiyear investment in minority communities," reports Aurelio Rojas in the Bee.
"In return, Assemblyman Joe Coto, D-San Jose, dropped a bill that opponents said was an
effort to impose racial diversity on charities and
threatened to drive donors out of California.
"Many foundations enjoy tax-exempt status. But according to a 2006 study by the Berkeley-based Greenlining Institute, which sponsored Coto's legislation, only 3.6 percent of grant dollars from the nation's top 24 private foundations went to minority-led organizations.
"'The Greenlining Institute provided us some evidence
that the level of investment by these foundations in
minority communities was inadequate compared to the
level of investment they are making elsewhere,' Coto said.
"Coto said by asking foundations "to shed some light on their investments," he hoped "they would then be in a position to make greater investments."
"'They saw this as an opportunity to do what we were
suggesting and we've worked out this agreement that I think will be positive
for everyone,' he said.
"The foundations – including the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation,
the Ahmanson Foundation and the California Endowment
– said in a joint statement that nonprofits play a critical
role in addressing the challenges facing minority and
low-income communities."
"The California Assembly approved legislation Monday that appears destined for
a showdown with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over penalties
for the state's lowest-performing school districts," reports the Bee's Jim Sanders.
"Hanging in the balance is $47 million in federal funds for troubled schools, roughly
$19 million of which will be lost unless agreement is
reached by September.
"Senate Bill 606, requiring a two-thirds majority of both houses, passed the Assembly
without a single vote to spare, 54-23, after two unsuccessful roll calls Monday and a failed
bid two weeks ago.
"The measure by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata,
D-Oakland, is supported by much of the state's education establishment. It now goes to the Senate
for concurrence.
"'This legislation gives struggling school districts
the guidelines and resources they need to make the
improvements the state is demanding,' Perata said in a press release."
Meanwhile, Dan Walters asks why so many schools are failing when others show
promise.
The U.S. Supreme Court removed an obstacle to building a fence on the U.S.-Mexican border yesterday. The Union-Trib's Leslie Berestein reports, "The decision, made without comment, seemingly
removes a potential hurdle to construction of a $48.6 million fencing
project across a canyon known as Smuggler's Gulch, west of the San
Ysidro port of entry.
“It's over. They're going to build a wall,” said
attorney Cory Briggs, who in 2004 filed suit to stop the project on
behalf of the Sierra Club, San Diego Audubon Society,
the Southwest
Wetlands Interpretive Association and other local environmental
groups."
And from our Drinking and Driving Files, AP reports,
"A man found asleep in a motorized wheelchair on a highway
in
northern Australia was charged with drunk driving ,
police said Monday.
"Officers
in a patrol car noticed the man slumped in the stationary
chair about
10 a.m. Friday on an exit lane near the tourist city
of Cairns,
regional traffic Inspector Bob Waters said. Cars were
swerving to get
around him, Waters said.
"The officers breath-tested the 64-year-old man, who registered a
blood alcohol reading of 0.301 — more than six times the legal driving
limit. He was charged with operating a vehicle while
drunk and ordered
to report to court on July 7, where he faces a stiff fine if convicted."
