The governor's green image may be among the casualties of the state's budget mess, reports Capitol Weekly's John Howard.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s hard-times budget proposal to balance the
state’s books hinders California’s efforts to curb global warming and
weakens the state’s principal environmental law, environmentalists
contend.
Fears of an economic meltdown appear to be driving
the shift, which conflicts with the governor’s public image as a
warrior to curb greenhouse gases.
“'He seems to be panicked. Instead of moving ahead calmly
and deliberately, he is throwing possible solutions
out there, giving a sense that he is spooked by the
economy. There is a sense of panic, and I think it’s out of character,' said Gary Patton, general counsel of the Planning
and Conservation League. 'The governor’s immediate instincts are usually right, so I think
he’s just spooked.'
"The governor’s special-session proposal includes the creation of a
top-level panel -- composed of his appointees heading the state
Environmental
Protection Agency, the Resources Agency and the Business,
Transportation and Housing Agency-- who could override decisions by
local, regional or
state agencies in connection with SB 375, or other laws. In effect, the
panel could gut SB
375.
“The administration has quietly proposed waiving all
GHG (greenhouse gas) pollution reduction requirements, and other environmental
requirements, for large transportation and flood projects
as part of its “economic stimulus” proposals in the budget,” one Capitol expert’s private analysis said.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday the federal government should give money
to states as part of a financial stimulus package, insisting that such aid would not be a bailout," reports Kevin Yamamura in the Bee.
"The Republican governor portrayed federal aid as a
way to recapture more of the tax dollars that California
residents send to Washington.
"'We are also asking the federal government to help,' Schwarzenegger told the Greater Fresno Area Chamber
of Commerce. 'Because we all know ... they are giving us only 80 cents on the dollar. And there's some $40-some billion they are holding back. So it's not like we are asking for a bailout, because it's our money. We're just saying, 'Hey, give us some of our money back.' '
"Federal officials are considering an economic stimulus
package that would include grants to states reeling
in the wake of declining tax revenues."
In other budget gnus, the governor may be willing to drop the sales tax for something
else, reports John Ellis in the Fresno Bee.
"'We have our proposal and we like our proposal,' Schwarzenegger told The Bee's editorial board.
"But if the state's legislators have other ideas to help close the deficit,
he'll listen -- as long as they raise the $4.7 billion in new revenue that he said would come from
his proposed 1.5-cent sales-tax increase and other new taxes.
"Schwarzenegger also wants to extend the sales tax to
more services, such as vehicle repairs and veterinarian
services, and increase vehicle registration fees by
$12 per vehicle. He also has proposed $4.5 million in spending cuts.
"Among the possibilities for generating additional revenue,
the governor acknowledged, is further increasing the
vehicle license fee."
Margot Roosevelt reports in
the Times:
"Mary Nichols, the savvy negotiator who is leading California's complex effort to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions,
is reportedly a candidate to head President-elect Barack Obama's Environmental Protection Agency.
"Nichols, 63, is chairwoman of the state's powerful Air Resources Board. She was a high-level EPA official under President Clinton, serving
as the agency's assistant administrator for air and radiation."
Meanwhile, another Californian may be hoping to move
up in Washington, as The Hill reports that Dan Lungren is considering a bid against Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH).
Perhaps Lungren can start working on that bailout for
the guv.
And, making it clear that the post-campaign election drama isn't limited to the thrilla from Wasilla, the Bee's Aurelio Rojas reports on the disarray within the campaign against Proposition 8.
"Key staff members – including the campaign manager – were replaced in the final weeks as polls turned dramatically
against the No side. Their replacements say they found
an effort that was too timid, slow to react, without
a radio campaign or a strategy to reach out to African
Americans, a group that ultimately supported the measure
by more than 2 to 1.
"Gay marriage supporters are looking to the courts to
overturn the decision. But if another political campaign
is waged, said Dennis Mangers, co-chairman of the No on 8 Northern California Committee, "we'll have to do better."
"No on 8 campaign manager Steve Smith was shoved aside three weeks before Election Day,
after he was slow to counter TV ads in which the measure's supporters claimed that same-sex marriage would be promoted in schools if the measure
failed.
"Two Sacramento political consultants – Joe Rodota, a Republican, and Gale Kaufman, a Democrat – were brought in by the No campaign. Republican consultant
Rick Claussen was asked for advice.
"The campaign's public relations firm, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide,
was replaced by Sacramento-based Perry Communications Group.
"'The campaign brought in pretty much who was available
in Sacramento to really look at the message, ads – everything – to figure out what was going on,' said Kassy Perry, the firm's president.
"Perry said Smith remained with the campaign through
the Nov. 4 election. But she never spoke to him and instead reported
to Rodota, who brought her on board."
Capitol Weekly's Malcolm Maclachlan that gay rights groups in California
may ask voters to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage they approved last week if legal challenges to Proposition
8 are unsuccessful.
"When California voters passed Proposition 8 last week, most veteran California political watchers
opined that we hadn't seen the last on this issue-and they were right.
"A group called the Courage Campaign said they have
begun a bid to go back to the ballot in 2010 with an initiative that
would repeal Prop. 8. This initiative, which passed by a 4.6 percent
margin, revoked the right to marriage the
same sex couple had won in a May California Supreme
Court decision.
"Additionally, Equality California executive
director Geoffrey Kors sent out an e-mail indicating gay-marriage advocates would collect signatures for a ballot
initiative to reverse the ban in two years if the lawsuits
fail.
Yeah, we got that e-mail.
It called for a campaign for "marriage quality," something straights and gays both long for.
"''We will go back to the ballot only after we have exhausted
our legal avenues and after we have a majority of voters
with us,' Kors said. 'We hope we don't have to go back to the ballot. These things shouldn't be decided by voters.'"
Capitol Weekly looks at some of the legislative races -- many of which were unexpectedly close.
"Democrats performed well in a pair of districts where
the party and its surrogates made a strong push before
Election Day. Republican Bill Berryhill eked out a
hard-fought 51-48 percent victory over Democrat John Eisenhut in the
26th Assembly District. And Democrat Ferial Masry came
within thee points of knocking off Republican incumbent
Audra Strickland, R-Ventura, in AD 37.
"But there was also a close race in the high desert,
outside of Los Angeles, in what has traditionally been
safe Republican territory. Democrat Linda Jones was
within 4,000 votes, or 3.8 percent, of the eventual winner, Republican Steve
Knight, in AD 36.
"Republican Assemblyman Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley, was only reelected by
7,000 votes – 53-47 over Democrat Carl Wood, and Orange County
Assemblyman
Van Tran won 53-47 over Democrat Ken Arnold.
“'What’s happening is a significant decline in Republican
registration in every district in California, regardless
of location,' said Allan Hoffenblum. 'It’s across the board.'
"The state’s rapidly changing demographics, coupled with the Republican
Party’s troubles making inroads among newly powerful ethnic
groups, portends deep trouble for the party in the
state, says
Hoffenblum.
"'It’s got to the point where I think the only votes Republicans
can depend on is white males and their spouses who
are against abortion,' he said. 'What you’re seeing is a political
party that’s actually become regional party rather than state-wide
party.'"
In a column praising the likely passage of Proposition 11, George Skelton gets this gem of a quote.
"'Parties have degenerated into a philosophical wasteland,' says former Democratic state Sen. Steve Peace of San Diego, who is drafting a "top two" ballot initiative. 'Their core agenda is a mindless pursuit of election
wins with no sense of governing once you get there.
They've gotten far out of step with the public.'"
"San Francisco Dist. Atty. Kamala D. Harris filed papers Wednesday to run for California attorney
general in 2010 but said she would withdraw if incumbent Jerry Brown, a fellow Democrat, decides to run for reelection
rather than for governor as widely expected," reports Patrick McGreevy in the Times.
"'I'm a career prosecutor, and the work we've done in the San Francisco district attorney's office I want to bring statewide,' Harris said.
"She said she plans to propose "new ideas" for strengthening the state's criminal justice system. They include an expanded
version of a San Francisco program, Back on Track,
that partners with businesses to provide job training
and other help to those released from prison."
And from our
If At First You Don't Succeed Files, "Two San Jose brothers who survived a Christmas Day
tiger attack at the
San Francisco Zoo have filed a long-expected lawsuit against the city,
zoo and others, claiming slander and civil rights violations
in the
aftermath of an incident that drew international attention," the Chronicle reports.
"Kulbir Dhaliwal contends his federal civil rights were
violated because
he was deprived the use of his BMW M3, the car the three took to the
zoo. Police impounded the car during their investigation
but didn't
seek a court order to search it until they had already
had the car for
about two weeks, according to the lawsuit filed by
Mark Geragos' law
firm."
Hmm, we didn't know we all had the right to an M3.
