Just in time for the big fight to come in the Legislature,
the federal government has ordered California to shrink its prison population.
This couldn't possibly be choreographed, could it?
The Bee's Denny Walsh reports,
"In a historic move, a panel of three federal judges
today ordered
the state of California to reduce its prison population by more than
40,000 inmates in the next two years.
"The
order, which will not result in the immediate release of any of
the
state's 167,000 inmates, almost certainly will be appealed to the U.S.
Supreme Court, the first time the high court will have faced such
a
case.
"California's prison system is operating at 190 percent of
its design capacity of 84,210 inmates, and the judges said the state
must devise an inmate reduction plan within 45 days unless a stay is
ordered to allow an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
"The convergence of tough-on-crime policies and an unwillingness to
expend the necessary funds to support the population
growth has brought
California's prisons to the breaking point," the judges' 184-page order
said."
Everyone got into the press release act, from the governor
on down, reacting to the news.
Senate leader Darrell Steinberg: “The case for reform can not be any clearer.
We will return in August to produce reform that saves
money, protects public safety, and takes back the control
of our prison system.”
Assembly GOP leader Sam Blakeslee: “Today’s decision by the three judge panel is a nightmare come true for California families. Any fair-minded court will see there is no way to reduce our
prison population by nearly 43,000 without letting out some very dangerous criminals
onto our streets and into our neighborhoods.
We urge the Governor and the Attorney General to appeal this reckless decision without delay.”
Sen. John Benoit: “The 44,000 overcrowding figure is a gross exaggeration that
early-release advocates arrive at by referring to ‘design-capacity’,
which is one inmate per cell. Many prisoners are housed two to a cell
quite humanely and comfortably.”
In the other big news of the day, Democratic leaders released their package of water
bills . The U-T's Michael Gardner reports, "The proposals from Democrats include creating an appointed
oversight
commission with unprecedented authority over water
issues in the
fragile Sacramento Delta.
"One piece would authorize unspecified fees from those who draw water out of the
delta to help pay for various programs.
"Other provisions in the measures include mandatory conservation of
20 percent for cities and incentives for urban and agriculture to
conserve, specifically giving those saving water priority
for existing
grants.
"Also, one bill gives the State Water Resources Control Board even
broader powers, including the ability to levy harsher fines on those
not complying with regulations or drawing water that
they are not
entitled to.
"Critics also worry that the process, while not overtly
saying so,
could be used by water exporters to build a new above- or below- ground
conveyance and new dams without being legally commited to covering the
cost of restoring damages done to fish and wildlife."
Steve Lopez has a cure for state budget cuts -- backfilling them with private money.
"
State parks spokesman Roy Stearns told The Times how
it might
work: "For example, if Budweiser came forward with enough
money for
Malibu Beach State Park," he said, "we wouldn't change the name to
Budweiser Beach. But why not put up a banner saying,
'This park is kept
open by Budweiser' for as long as they continue helping us?' "
It might be the only way to go, after Gov. Schwarzenegger
went after
the state parks budget with a wood chipper last week,
nearly doubling
the cut to $14.2 million. That means as many as 100 state parks could
be shut down.
If you've seen the way middle-aged men dress in Orange County, you have
to ask yourself why Tommy Bahama doesn't catch a PR wave by sponsoring
state beaches at Crystal Cove and San Clemente. I imagine
the San Diego
peninsula would support a Viagra boost for Torrey Pines
State Beach,
and if anyone's got a contact for the Taliban, let's see if they'd like
to adopt the California Poppy Reserve.
I'm even more willing to go this route after meeting
last week
with state Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, who had just
returned home to
Los Angeles from the bloody budget battles, in which
roughly $25
billion was slashed from the budget.
"Meetings with the governor were like going to Gitmo," said Bass, and "budget negotiations were like water-boarding."
Congratulations, Karen Bass! You win our Roundup Quote
of the Day award!
CW's John Howard reports the head of the California Medical Association is stepping
down . "Joe Dunn, an attorney and former state senator representing
an Orange County district, said Tuesday he was stepping
down as chief executive officer of the California Medical
Association, which represents some 35,000 doctors statewide. He also said he hoped to remain
with the CMA in some capacity.
Dunn and the CMA declined to comment on his decision.
But in an email sent to a number of people in the Capitol,
Dunn said he took the step because of family reasons.
"I cannot be both an effective CEO and a connected dad
while splitting my time between O.C. and Sacramento
in addition to all the other necessary travel necessary
as CEO," he wrote in the email.
The LAT's Raja Abdulrahim reports, "Former
President Clinton and the two California journalists whose freedom he
helped secure from prison in North Korea arrived early
this morning at
Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, where they were greeted
by dozens of
family and friends."
Hey, we thought Hillary was supposed to be the Secretary
of State...
"Their private plane landed about 6 a.m. and immediately taxied to a
heavily secured hangar to meet the
waiting crowd, which included
former Vice President Al Gore and reporters and photographers. Journalists Laura Ling, 32, and Euna Lee, 36, were greeted by kisses
and hugs from sobbing family members, who had not seen
them in four
months."
"California veterans who attend private college or graduate school
will
receive tuition support from the Post 9/11 GI Bill, thanks to an
agreement between the state and the Department of Veterans
Affairs," the Chron's Matthew Stannard reports.
"The news came as a relief to many California veterans,
who had faced
a choice between borrowing thousands of dollars or
abandoning their
chosen college.
"California's history of charging public university students "fees"
and not "tuition" had created confusion under the new GI Bill, which
took effect Monday and bases its reimbursement for
private or graduate
school tuition on each state's undergraduate public school tuition."
And finally, the Indian rugby team is going on the
Cool Hand Luke Diet.
"India's unfancied rugby sevens side must bulk up if they
hope to make an impact at next year's Commonwealth Games, eating seven meals and at least 15 eggs a day, the country's South African coach said on Friday.
"I have told them (his players) they must eat at least 15 eggs a day,
six for breakfast and the remaining nine any time,
any how, during the
day," the country's South African coach Norman Laker told the Telegraph
newspaper on Friday.
"The players have three meals a day and that's not enough. In South Africa, elite rugby players have seven meals a day."
