Groups from around the state have been attacking looming budget cuts, and now it's the teachers' turn: Teachers and their allies throughout California head for the Capitol for a week of protests.
From Sharon Noguchi in the San Jose Mercury News: "It is catastrophic. It's absolutely
devastating," said Lynne Formigli, a sixth-grade teacher at Santa Clara's
Cabrillo Middle School who is using her personal-leave time to lobby and
protest in Sacramento for the week."
"Aside from the Sacramento rallies, the California
Teachers Association is planning statewide activities that include a
"grade-in" on Tuesday, meetings about the budget, neighborhood
canvassing and, on Friday, regional rallies in its "State of
Emergency" campaign."
"The 15,000-student Santa Clara Unified School District
will lose librarians, after-school tutoring programs and aides to help
language-learners. And that's assuming that the tax extensions that Gov. Jerry
Brown has proposed pass. Republicans in the Legislature, however, have refused
to put the taxes on the ballot until the Brown administration makes concessions
on pension reductions, spending caps and other reforms."
Redistricting -- now handled by an independent commission -- leaves the fates of politicians in doubt as new boundaries enfold new constituents. A case in point is that of Bill Emmerson, whose political future is on the line. Jim Miller in the Press-Enterprise reports.
"The Hemet Republican is up for re-election next year in
Riverside County's 37th Senate District. But if this summer's redrawing of
political lines puts Hemet in an even-numbered district, which wouldn't be on
the ballot until 2014, "I'm out," Emmerson said..."
"Unlike members of the Assembly and the House of
Representatives, who face voters every two years, state senators have four-year
terms. Odd-numbered districts are on the ballot next year and even-numbered
districts will be on the ballot in 2014."
"Depending on how Senate lines get drawn, some parts of
the state could wind up being represented by two senators for two years. Others
could have none."
Speaking of suprises, the race to replace Rep. Jane Harman in LA's 36th District is drawinmg quite a crowd -- 16 to be exact -- and one problem is figuring out the logistics of the debates. The LAT's Jean Merl tells the tale.
"Lou Baglietto Jr. set some
tough rules for a recent congressional candidates' debate: Participants needed
a war chest of at least $50,000 or had to have made a good showing in a past
election."
"Some of the 16 people hoping to succeed former Rep. Jane Harman in this
month's special vote complained, but Baglietto, who helped organize the debate
for the South Bay chambers of commerce, stuck to his guns. Anyone who didn't
meet his test was "not going to be competitive" in the race, he said,
implying that including the also-runnings would be a waste of time."
"So half the field was left out."
"He told me I didn't have a chance, because I
didn't belong to one of the major parties and I didn't have at least
$50,000," said Libertarian Steve Collett, a certified public accountant
who got wind of the forum and asked to be included. He has participated in
other debates to talk about his aims to cut defense spending and decriminalize
drug use."
California's finances may be in a shambles and the state budget starved for money, but one aspect of government looks well-funded indeed -- homeland security.
From the Chronicle's Matier and Ross: "State and school budgets are being slashed, but
federal Homeland Security dollars are pouring into California at record rates.
California received $268 million worth of security
spending last year, about 16 percent of the nearly $1.7 billion awarded
nationally."
"Over the years, such money has gone for training, for
consultants and for just about every high-tech gadget and piece of equipment
imaginable - be it a fully equipped, $1 million San Francisco police mobile
command truck or Alameda County's fleet of $60,000 trailers with
decontamination showers."
"In all, state records
show California has received nearly $1.8 billion in federal anti-terror grants
since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. San Francisco, which serves as the Bay
Area hub for anti-terror planning, has received $200 million."
The University of California, also on the hunt for dollars, is considering charging different levels of tuition at different campuses. The LAT's Larry Gordon has the story.
"Should
an education at UC Berkeley cost more
than one at UCSanta Cruz? Should a student pay $11,000
in tuition at UC Riverside while his friend is billed $16,000 at UCLA?"
"Leaders of the 10-campus University of California system are considering such
questions as they grapple with state budget reductions that already have led to
tuition increases, staff layoffs and cuts in class offerings."
"Advocates of allowing undergraduate tuition to vary by campus say that the
change would raise funds the schools could share and that consumer demand
should play a bigger role in setting tuition. But opponents contend that the
idea is inherently elitist and could harm the unified nature of the UC system."
Down in San Diego, a deal to get more than $700 million in savings over the next 25 years in public retirees' health care has been reached. Will it serve as a template for other communities?
From CalPensions' Ed Mendel: "San Diego expects to save $714 million over the next 25 years under a
tentative retiree-health agreement with labor unions announced last week by
Mayor Jerry Sanders, a step toward cutting a long-ignored public employee cost."
"Rising pension costs during a time of deep government
budget cuts, intensified by alarming projections of massive pension debt, have
received most of the attention. But retiree health costs are edging into the
spotlight."
"Though seldom found in the private sector, retiree health
care is a standard benefit for most state and local government employees. Yet
little money has been set aside to pay for care promised current workers,
passing the cost to future generations."
