Budget Deadline Looms – No Side Has Yet to Blink

At approximately 3:05 pm on June 30, with less than nine hours remaining in California’s current fiscal year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would veto three measures, which would save more than $3 billion but must be acted on before midnight, unless budget deal is reached.

For several days the 40-member Senate has been trying to convince two GOP lawmakers to vote for the measures, which require a two-thirds majority to pass.    Read more »

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Tom’s Not Alone — Comes Now Dean Florez and Alberto Torrico

Subject: Need Your Help: 48 Hours Left

 Friends:

 If you’re getting this email, it means that I have ONCE again reached into my personal email address book–because time is running out.

 I need your help in these last 48 hours before campaign reports close.

 I first want to thank the many who have responded with wonderful campaign contributions and words of encouragement.    Read more »

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Tom Campbell — End of the Fiscal Year Fundraising Solicitation

Dear Friend,

 California is in the most serious economic trouble since the 1930’s. But we can turn it around. I’m doing all I can, by running for Governor. And we can win.

 Several well known columnists have said I’m the best qualified of the Republican candidates to be Governor. I’ve given more than fifty speeches, dozens of interviews on radio and television, and conducted tele-town hall meetings in which thousands have participated.    Read more »

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Tokyo Culinary Adventures

Even without a foray into fugu or aburi toro-basashi, Tokyo still offers a cornucopia of culinary adventure.

Blowfish and seared horsemeat sushi, respectively, are not worth attempting to sell to a 17-year-old daughter who, to her credit, did acquire a taste for fried octopus during her 10-day stay with a family in Fukuoka before our rendezvous in the capital city.    Read more »

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The Curse of Spell-Check

The first sentence of a June 25 e-mail from Aaron McLear, the governor’s press secretary, is:

“I can’t imagine anyone is covering Assemblywoman Evans’s daily uniformed attacks on the Governor, but to the extent that you do please let me know so I can respond.”

(Editor’s Note: Emphasis added. California’s Capitol has found itself on the wrong end of Spell-Check more than once and, therefore, can easily relate.    Read more »

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Baby Bipartisan Budget Steps

Lawmakers took a few bipartisan budgetary baby steps June 25, as the Assembly approved bills that cut money for schools and universities this year by $3 billion, defer state payments to them of more than $3 billion and allow $350 million in redevelopment agency funds to be redirected to schools.

The measures reduce the state’s payment obligations in the near term but do not close the estimated $24 billion gap between revenue and spending commitments in the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.    Read more »

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Sorry UC Merced Graduates — It Never Happened

On June 23, the Los Angeles Times ran a story headlined: “Michelle Obama Launches Volunteer Initiative in San Francisco.”

The first paragraph of the story says this:

“On her first visit to California as first lady, Michelle Obama on Monday helped volunteers construct a school playground here on a site that has been barren for years.”    Read more »

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Free Political Advice — Worth Every Penny

Examining the Senate’s budgetary actions of June 24 from a political rather than a policy perspective, the majority party Democrats may not have achieved their objectives.

The measure brought up for consideration in the morning by the 40-member upper house would reduce state spending by roughly $11 billion as part of a budget-balancing plan offered by Democrats to close an estimated $24 billion shortfall for the fiscal year beginning July 1.    Read more »

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Assembly Democratic Leadership Taking No Chances on Budget Vote

Although a vote has yet to occur on a package of bills aimed at balancing the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass is taking no chances members of her caucus will be off-message.

Each Assembly Democrat received an e-mail June 23 which had the following Budget Talking Points attached:

BUDGET TALKING POINTS FOR JUNE 24, 2009  

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A Father’s Day Missive from Diane DeVore, Wife of Assemblyman Chuck DeVore

Subject: My Father’s Day Wish for Chuck

When Chuck and I married 21 years ago, we knew our life together would be intense.  When we met, Chuck was working for Ronald Reagan as a civilian appointee in the Pentagon and was an officer in the Army Reserve.  We understood Chuck’s passion for public service would lead to times of personal sacrifice.    Read more »

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