"Saturday will mark the latest into a fiscal year (which started July 1) that the state has ever gone without a budget. On Monday, lawmakers surpassed their Aug. 31 record for the latest the Legislature had ever approved
a budget," reports Steve Weigand in the Bee.
"And there is no discernible end in sight. There has
been talk in the Capitol about a "half-a-loaf" compromise. The idea is to pass a bill that would
allow the controller to make payments to programs he
cannot now pay without a budget.
"Those include community colleges, some elementary and
high school programs, programs that provide medical
services to the needy, social service providers and
recipients, and private companies that peddle goods
and services to state agencies.
"Should legislators and Schwarzenegger fail to reach
a deal by the end of this month, [Controller
John] Chiang has said those groups will be shorted $7.6 billion in state payments.
"That's on top of the total of $4.25 billion they were stiffed in July and August.
"Thursday, Assembly GOP leader
Mike Villines renewed a call for an emergency bill to free up money
for Medi-Cal patients, programs for the developmentally disabled
and 24-hour care services.
"'We should all be able to agree that Californians should
not have to suffer because we can't agree on the budget,' Villines said.
"But the governor, who has said he's ready to spend Thanksgiving without a budget, has
made it clear he's not in the mood for half a loaf."
The Bee reports:
"The governor said the most important contribution he
is making right now to solve the budget impasse is
that he is staying in Sacramento. 'Our office stays in town, I am staying in town. I said
I will not leave town and I will not leave this state
until there is a budget,' Schwarzenegger said. He said it in Burbank."
Dan Walters writes that, just because the legislative
deadline has passed, it doesn't mean bills won't be passed.
"More ominously, any budget deal will require dozens
of "trailer bills" in addition to the budget itself, and trailer bills
have evolved into below-the-radar vehicles for special interest giveaways, many
of which have little or nothing to do with the budget.
"Schwarzenegger, backed by Republican legislators, is
insisting that the budget package include provisions
that supposedly would stimulate California's flagging economy, such as business tax breaks. He's already singled out his old pals in the movie industry
as needing subsidies to discourage "runaway production."
"The California Correctional Peace Officers Association,
meanwhile, has hopes of bypassing long-stalled contract negotiations with the administration
via legislation that would give prison guards a salary
raise. A budget trailer bill would be the perfect vehicle
for such a move by the union's Democratic allies.
"Finally, a budget deal probably will entail a special
election to enact the "budget reforms" that Schwarzenegger is demanding, and perhaps some
changes in the state lottery.
"All sorts of other stuff could be dumped on voters,
and that's just scratching the surface of potential mischief
in this session-after-the-session."
"Saying California's water reserves are all but gone, state officials
on Thursday announced the revival of a dormant 17-year-old program to buy water from Sacramento Valley farmers
and sell it to the thirstiest Southern California agencies in case this winter brings a third year of skimpy
precipitation," reports Nancy Vogel in the Times.
"'We're hoping for the best, that we're going to have a good storm season and be able to
meet the needs of California,' said state Department of Water Resources Director
Lester Snow. 'However, we would be negligent if we didn't prepare for the worst.'
"The bounty of the state's biggest reservoirs, which supplied the state through
the last two dry years with Sierra and Cascade mountain
snowmelt, is disappearing. Major reservoirs, including
Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville, are now at half of what
is typical for this time of year.
"'There are a number of scenarios where we do not regain
our snow pack,' Snow said, 'and because our storage is low, we're really in a lot of trouble.'"
"For the second time in two years, state legislators
have passed legislation to require California's emergency medical technicians to undergo mandatory
criminal background checks," reports the Bee's Andrew McIntosh.
"In 2007, a similar bill was zapped by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger,
who disliked last-minute changes that would have kept secret details
about rescuer misconduct.
"Now, the governor is ready to sign, an aide said Wednesday,
but only after the budget passes. Schwarzenegger's staff spent months prodding leaders in California's emergency medical services world to modernize a patchwork
licensing and certification system with extensive problems
exposed in a 2007 Bee investigation.
"Bruce Lee, an emergency medical administrator from
Santa Clara County and vice chair of the state Emergency
Medical Services Commission, said the bill should fix
a system many considered broken."
And we didn't even make a Bruce Lee joke. Aren't you proud of us?
"Assembly Bill 2917, introduced by Assembly Majority Leader Alberto Torrico,
D-Newark, was passed Saturday. It also requires that
EMTs be certified in the county where they work and
calls for the creation of a state-run central EMT registry."
"San Francisco is delaying a program that would provide identification
cards to all residents regardless of legal status, after the mayor ordered a thorough review of it and
all other city policies affecting illegal immigrants," writes Jason Dearen the Chron.
"Mayor Gavin Newsom requested last month that the ID
card plan – closely watched by other cities considering similar
initiatives – be suspended “until a thorough review has been completed,” according to a letter sent to the city administrator.
"'The mayor wants to proceed cautiously with this program
to ensure that it complies with all applicable federal
and state laws,' Nathan Ballard, the mayor's spokesman, said yesterday.
"The city's policies toward illegal immigrants have come under
scrutiny after it was revealed that a number of juvenile
offenders were shielded from deportation because of
San Francisco's sanctuary policy.
"Newsom reversed the juvenile offender policy in May,
but said he stood by the city's vow to shelter illegal immigrants who otherwise follow
the law from deportation."
The Merc's Mike Zapler becomes the latest to praise Steve Schmidt for saving John
McCain.
"While
McCain's summer resurgence can't be tied to any single person, one
senior aide has received much of the credit: Steve Schmidt, a former
strategist for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger nicknamed
"The Bullet" for
his clean-shaved head as well as the swiftness and precision
with which
he can deliver a strike against an opponent. More recently,
McCain has
adopted the moniker "Sergeant Schmidt" for the Californian.
"The
military metaphors seem apt for the barrel-chested, 37-year-old
drill-sergeant look-alike who's emerged from the shadow of Karl Rove
this year to become one of the GOP's most prominent political
operatives. Schmidt has been widely touted for bringing
focus and
discipline to a candidate notorious for his freewheeling,
shoot-from-the-hip style."
But Schmidt is coming home to California, win lose
or draw.
"Among the projects
Schmidt and his firm, Mercury Public Affairs, are working
on: bringing
the 49ers to the South Bay and helping former eBay Chief
Executive Meg
Whitman with her political aspirations."
And finally, from our animal law enforcement files,
AP reports, "One Utah community is cheering a special bear — but don't call him Smokey.
"Investigators say a large black bear raided a clandestine
marijuana growing operation so often that it chased
the grower away.
'This bear is definitely law-enforcement minded,' said Garfield County Sheriff Danny Perkins. 'If I can find this bear I'm going to deputize him.'"
Ah, but can he do this?
