"California has had its share of the rich running for office, but never quite like this year's governor's race, in which
all three major candidates have amassed personal fortunes," writes Aaron Davis for the Merc News.
"Combined, movie star Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger -- believed to be the richest governor in the nation -- former eBay executive turned Controller
Steve Westly and former real estate developer turned state treasurer
Phil Angelides are worth more than $1 billion, according to estimates."
And don't even get us started about our insurance commissioner candidates...
It's all a bit different from
Gray Davis, who bragged about his meager life in a 1,000-square-foot condominium.
"'I don't want to say it will never happen again -- that someone who's not a millionaire couldn't become governor -- but millionaires are now the most likely candidates,' said
Bruce Cain, director of the University of California Washington Center."
"'Frankly, there are only two kinds of people who can think about running for governor of California: millionaires and people who have been in politics long enough that they have lengthy Rolodexes of ready donors.'"
"'Basically,' Cain said. 'The rich and famous only need apply.'"
Speaking of, a "bill that would restrict public access to court records to protect the financial privacy of divorcing couples
cleared a key hurdle Tuesday when it was approved by the Assembly Judiciary Committee," reports John Hill in the Bee.
"
Senate Bill 1015 by Sen.
Kevin Murray has aroused opposition from First Amendment advocates and newspapers who say it's little more than a favor to billionaire financier
Ron Burkle, who sought to seal records in his own divorce case."
"Murray and other backers say it has nothing to do with Burkle, but instead is meant to protect divorcing couples from identity thieves and other prying eyes."
"'Because you happened to get a divorce does not mean that all your personal information should get thrown out there to the world to hear,' Murray, D-Culver City, said Tuesday."
Also in the sausage factory yesterday, a "proposal to force two-time drunken drivers to display red "DUI" license plates on their vehicles
failed Tuesday to win support of the Assembly Public Safety Committee," reports Tom Bizjak in the Bee.
"The proposal,
AB 2099, authored by Assemblyman
Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta, would have required drivers with two or more drunken-driving convictions to keep the plates on their cars for two years or the period of probation, whichever is longer."
"The bill failed by a 5-2 vote."
The Bee's Peter Schrag
takes a look at Jerry Brown's candidacy for attorney general. "Brown,
who doesn't have strong opposition in the primary, says that the attorney general is the perfect job for him. It would give him national visibility on the justice and equity issues that he cares about."
Hey, while we weren't looking, Peter Schrag officially pimp-slapped
Rocky Delgadillo. But let's move on...
"He's suggested such things before. But this time, his judgment on his fit with the attorney general's post, another job his father held, may be correct.
He may not necessarily be the best man for it, but of all the jobs he's ever sought, this one may suit him best. With his Jesuit training, his moralist's impulses, his political experience, it may be like coming home."
Hey, he just used the back of that hand to give Brown a compliment...
In other statewide election news, the California Teachers Association weighed in on the secretary of state's race yesterday, endorsing
Bruce McPherson,
writes Shane Goldmacher in his California Observer blog. The nod from the traditionally-Democratic teachers union is a boost for McPherson, a moderate Republican who was appointed to the job by Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
On the initiative front, proponents of a universal preschool measure decided to act like preschoolers yesterday,
crashing a No on 82 telephone press conference. "Policy Analysis for California Education called the teleconference to explain its new study of the proposal to tax the wealthiest Californians to provide free preschool for all 4-year-olds. The study questions whether the plan will put existing schools out of business and benefit more families that can already afford to pay for preschool."
"UC Berkeley Professor
Bruce Fuller, who leads the think tank, has become a lightning rod for criticism from the pro-Prop. 82 camp led by film director
Rob Reiner. 'Bruce is grasping at straws, on a fishing expedition for finding things wrong with the policy,'
Maryann O'Sullivan, founder of Preschool California and a leading proponent of Prop. 82, said Tuesday, interrupting the call-in conference."
As the rains continue, "
two Central Valley levees broke Tuesday, flooding a trailer park and inundating farmland south of Sacramento amid soaking rains that forecasters say will pummel Northern California for two more weeks," reports AP's Juliana Barbassa. "With
no end in sight for the rains, the levee breaks heightened anxieties here about this region’s fragile levee system."
Cue Track 8, Zeppelin IV"California's stalled Proposition 71
stem cell program took a step toward financing its first grants Tuesday when officials authorized accepting
$14 million from six private foundations," reports the Chron's Carl Hall.
Where the Candidates AreArnold Schwarzenegger will speak at 9am to the Alliance of California Law Enforcement at the Convention Center, and participate in the legislative memorial for Marco Firebaugh at 4pm in the Assembly Chambers.
Phil Angelides will give a "major address" at noon at Sacramento's Guild Theater to "outline the clear choice" facing Democratic primary voters.
