Gov. Jerry Brown announced the key players in his administration, a straight Democratic lineup that includes seasoned
pros, a couple of surprises and talent from his first
go-round as governor.
"From the LA Times' Anthony York: "Some of those named held high-level positions in
Sacramento when Brown was governor in the 1970s — upstarts without political
experience then, seasoned government hands now. Veterans
of the Gray Davis and Schwarzenegger
administrations, career state bureaucrats and high-level corporate executives
were all in the mix.
"Brown also gave his wife a top job, without a salary. All 21 appointments announced Wednesday went to
Democrats."
One of the top appointments -- executive secretary -- went to Nancy McFadden, a former PG&E executive who played a crucial role in the utility's
failed ballot measure to limit local municipal utility districts. Wyatt
Buchanan of the Chronicle has the story.
"For those at home who don't have total recall of ballot
propositions, Prop. 16 was the June 2010 measure that would have made it much
more difficult for local governments to get into the
electricity business and,
thus, provide a challenge to PG&E."
"The San Francisco-based energy giant spent $46 million on
the proposition, which was defeated by 52.5 percent of voters and stirred up
considerable ill will for the company among local and
state officials. According to a transcript from a March 2010 PG&E
investors' conference in New York, the proposition
was McFadden's work."
Speaking of appointments, Brown wasn't the only governor
who made news: Before he left office, Schwarzenegger named former state Sen. Carole Migden to the state's farm
labor board, an appointment that caught many by surprise. From Capitol
Weekly's Christine Mai-Duc.
"Migden’s selection came as a surprise because she had a
stormy exit from the Senate and because the governor
had vetoed her major bill
sought by unions, the so-called “card check” legislation that would ease the
unions’ ability to sign up new members..."
"Capitol insiders say her lack of connection to
Schwarzenegger wasn’t critical to her appointment, but that the driving
force
behind the selection was Migden’s friend Susan Kennedy, Schwarzenegger’s chief
of staff and second-most powerful person in his administration."
And still more on the departing Schwarzenegger: The LAT's George Skelton takes a look at Schwarzenegger's exit and doesn't like what he sees.
"Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor who
promoted himself as a reformer, made a mockery of reform
on his way out the
Capitol door. The Republican governor who flamboyantly vowed to
"blow up the boxes" and couldn't figure out how to
do it, wound up
filling boxes with political cronies — and, even more outrageously, some of
their spouses.
"The movie star who repeatedly said he ran for office
to "give back" to the public for his life of fantastic
success — in keeping with the teachings of his Kennedy family
in-laws — closed out his reign by lavishly giving back to political
pals."
For a fun look at what''s in and what's out in Sacramento
with the arrival of Brown, go no further than Greg Lucas' tale at Capitol Weekly, who notes that brains are in and bald is beautiful.
"It’s now kinda cool to be old. Seventy-two probably isn’t the new 52, but Brown’s frenetic energy makes it seem that way. A related
development is that experience, logging some laps around
the track, is a plus, not a pejorative. Older folks
are more likely to listen to the old hands.
Governor’s office staff also appears to be out. Particularly
videographers. Didn’t have those in the '70s, why would they be needed now? Also out: human resources personnel. Apparently the 39th governor will just pop by the Office Max on 17th and J Street on his way into work to buy pencils
and carbon paper.
Meanwhile, the fight over online poker is picking up
steam, with legislation in the hopper and confusion over
who's carrying what. Capitol Weekly's Malcolm Maclachlan has the story.
"On Wednesday, Assemblyman Jerry Hill woke up to the
news
that he was carrying online poker legislation on behalf
of the group Poker
Voters of America. Except he’s not.
"The confusion arose from a story out of a British
gaming publication, eGaming
Review, which said Hill was going to submit a bill.
The story went on to quote
Poker Voters’ president Melanie Brenner as saying they were seeking
an
“alternative sponsor” in the Senate “who will be more of a champion of it.” A
bill sponsor speaking so dismissively of an author
is almost unheard of in
Sacramento, especially when that bill is not yet in
print."
And now we turn to our "American Dream" file to learn about the Pittsburgh man who was remodeling
his home and went out to get some materials. When he
came home -- surprise! -- the house was demolished. This is when you need your
sense of humor.
"Andre Hall, of East Liberty, said he had replaced
the
windows and done drywall work on the long-vacant house at 3224 Motor St. -- but
when he arrived to do more work Monday, a backhoe was
sitting on top of the
home."
"I thought it was a dream. I thought this wasn't
real," Hall told Channel 4 Action News reporter Bob Mayo on Wednesday.
"I drove around the block to make sure I was at the
right street and at
the right address."
"John Jennings, acting chief of the city's Bureau of
Building Inspection, said only the house next door
was supposed to be taken
down -- but the contractor also destroyed 3224, despite being notified in
writing not to do that."
Well, as Redd Fox once said, "That's urban renewal
for you...."
