Capitol Weekly reports on a six-figure fine against Steve Westly handed down by the FPPC. "Former state controller and candidate for governor
Steve Westly and his campaign treasurer are expected
to pay $104,500 to settle a dispute with the state's political watchdog, which said the campaign failed
to report some payments to subvendors.
"The staff of the Fair Political Practices Commission,
Westly and Westly's campaign treasurer, Kinde Durkee, reached agreement
on the proposed settlement which will go before the
commission on Dec. 10 for final approval, an FPPC spokesman said.
"According to FPPC documents, the case arose from an
FPPC audit of the Westly for Governor campaign from
January 2005 through the end of June 2006. Westly, a Democrat, was defeated in the Democratic
primary by then-Treasurer Phil Angelides, who lost in November 2006 to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger."
The Union-Tribune reports Joel Anderson was also fined
"The enforcement staff of California’s political watchdog agency
yesterday recommended a $20,000 fine against Assemblyman Joel Anderson
for violating campaign contribution laws.
"After an investigation triggered by a report in The
San Diego
Union-Tribune, the staff of the Fair Political Practices
Commission
found that the La Mesa Republican accepted contributions
in excess of
the legal limit. The donations originated with supporters
in his
district who contributed money to the Fresno County
Republican Central
Committee, which donated similar amounts to Anderson
within days.
"A fine of $29,000 was recommended for the Fresno County GOP for its
role in the transactions and for failing to properly
disclose the
contributions to Anderson"
Dan Walters looks at the politics of the Abel Maldonado confirmation fight.
"Confirming him would spark a special election in his
district, one
that Democrats would have a 50-50 chance of winning. A Democratic win,
coupled with an anticipated gain of one other Senate
seat next year,
would give the party a two-thirds majority in the Senate and change the
dynamics of the state's perennial budget and tax issues - which is why
the Democratic left is pushing legislative leaders
to confirm.
"However,
confirmation would also give Maldonado a good opportunity
to win a full
term as lieutenant governor next year and thus give
Republicans a
moderate Latino officeholder who could broaden the
party's appeal in
the future. That scenario appears to bother conservative
Republicans -
who consider Maldonado to be a Schwarzenegger- like "Republican in name
only" - as much as it does some Democrats. But legislative
rejection
could drive a wedge between Democrats and Latino voters.
"As these
scenarios imply, whether Maldonado is confirmed or
rejected will be an
exercise in pure politics, no matter what veneer of
public interest the
politicians involved may attempt to attach."
Ben Baeder reports the state's property tax revenue will decrease for the first time since Proposition 13 was enacted.
"Due to monetary deflation, property taxes
will drop an estimated $2.60 per $100,000 of assessed value - about $5
to $10 for most homeowners.
The decrease would become a sure thing this month when
the
official deflation figure is scheduled to be released
by a state
agency.
"Hopefully that will offset some of the tax increases,"
said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers' Association.
"It's not a lot of money, but the reality is the (Board of
Equalization) is simply following the law, which is good and is
what
they really should do."
Alex Breitler looks at the new panel that will control water policy for the
Delta.
"Months before he
leaves office, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will appoint
four of the
seven council members. In this sense, he will have
a "dead hand" in
Delta policy long after he leaves the governorship.
(Council members'
terms are four or six years.)
Schwarzenegger has made it clear he wants a canal or
a tunnel to carry water past, rather than through,
the Delta.
"We're
taking some rather important decisions and turning
them over to this
group of people who are really not answerable to anybody," Delta landowner Tom Zuckerman
said.
Critics complain about the council's
makeup, but they also contend that it lacks authority.
For example, it
must approve the Bay Delta Conservation Plan - of which a canal may be
a key component - if that plan earns approval from the state Department
of Fish and Game."
And finally, from our Should Have Checked The Closing Time Files, AP reports, "Police said a man wearing a ski mask entered the first set of doors
at 5:36 p.m. Wednesday with a gun, apparently not realizing
the bank
was closed.
"The second set of doors was locked and police were
called but the man left before they arrived.
"Waukesha Police Sgt. Jerry Habanek told The Freeman
in Waukesha that police are reviewing security tapes
and investigating.
He said the robber could have planned poorly or possibly
had another
reason, like getting tied up in traffic."
