Watch Your Back, Jeffe

Senate Democrats have been hung out to dry by the Assembly three times in the last two months.

Last month, Senate Democrats passed a politically unpopular measure to allow an expansion of existing offshore oil drilling.  Assembly Democrats rejected it. Also in July, Senate Democrats voted for a politically unpopular bill to take more than $1 billion in gas tax revenues from local governments.    Read more »

More

Who Knew That’s All It Takes?

“We will dissect a sheep brain, sheep heart, sheep kidney and the year ends with a lengthy dissection of a cat. Past students have said this has been their favorite part of the class and it helped them understand the BIG PICTURE.”

                                                              — Course Outline, High School Anatomy Class    Read more »

More

Not Good

California’s unemployment rate rose to 11.9 percent in July, the state Employment Development Department announced August 21.

The United States unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in July. 

In June, the state’s unemployment rate was 11.6 percent. In July of last year, the unemployment rate was 7.3 percent. 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said this:

“These numbers indicate that we must do everything possible to get California moving forward again.    Read more »

More

Predictable Prison Bill Outcome

Predictable. Almost on every level.

The budget-related measure reducing state prison spending by $524 million was approved by the Senate August 20. Predictable. All 15 Republicans voted against it – predictable — and, given the length of the debate over the already foregone conclusion of the bill’s passage, it felt like all 15 rose to speak against the bill too.    Read more »

More

Prison Spending Cuts Pose a Political Problem and, Therefore, a Math Problem

The budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, assumes that state prison spending will be reduced by nearly $1.2 billion – but doesn’t say how more than $631 million of that savings will be achieved.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says only that it will be accomplished by new policies – “reforms” — that will lower inmate and parolee populations.    Read more »

More

Old News About California’s Water Woes

At the first informational hearing on water and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta August 18, lawmakers heard a lot of things that have been said to them — and by them — for a long time.

Former Assemblyman, now lobbyist, Phil Isenberg told the joint hearing of the Assembly and Senate water committees that “if you do something significant, a lot of people will be mad at you.”    Read more »

More

One Reason a Delta Solution is So Elusive

(Editor’s Note: On Tuesday, August 18, in the 159th year of California’s water wars, amid the dust of a three-year drought, the first of three special hearings by the Senate and Assembly’s water committees is scheduled.

The purpose is to find areas of accord between the myriad water interests, which include farmers, environmentalists, irrigation districts, cities, counties, utilities, the federal government, the state and Native Americans.    Read more »

More

The Indignities of Turning 50

   Read more »

More

An Interesting Fundraising Appeal

   Read more »

More

A Look at the July Budget Package “Assumptions”

While not rivaling Clive Cussler, James Patterson or Ian Fleming for pacing or excitement, the Legislative Analyst Office’s appraisal of the budget package signed July 28 is worth perusing – if only to note the number of times the word “assumes” appears.

The package of bills which include eliminating automatic cost-of-living increases in state programs aimed at helping the poor and infirm, were an attempt to close an estimated $24 billion hole in the budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.    Read more »

More