Day Nine: Fiscal Year 2009-2010

SACRAMENTO

4:45 PM, Pacific Standard Time

*****

No deal between the governor and the Legislature on closing an estimated $26 billion hole in the budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

*****

The Senate scheduled a 9:00 am floor session then adjourned until Monday, July 13.

*****

The Assembly scheduled a 9:30 am floor session then adjourned until Monday, July 13.    Read more »

More

Help America — Buy Hamburger Helper

A tip of the hat to General Mills and its advertising agency.

The food maker has recently inaugurated an advertising campaign promoting Hamburger Helper, featuring its white-gloved, ever-smiling palm, cartoon Hand.

While the new ad campaign is probably rooted in the economic reality of families cutting home budgets and turning away from more expensive dining choices in favor of pantry stalwarts, General Mills hawks its Hamburger Helper with a nifty twist.    Read more »

More

Day Eight: Fiscal Year 2009-2010

SACRAMENTO

5:05 PM, Pacific Standard Time

*****

 No deal reached to close an estimated $26 billion hole in the budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

*****

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger held a noon press conference to outline changes he wants to make to the state’s welfare system. Among them, tougher sanctions for recipients who don’t meet the program’s requirements.     Read more »

More

Day Seven: Fiscal Year 2009-2010

SACRAMENTO

4:57 PM, Pacific Standard Time

No deal yet on how to close an estimated $26 billion hole in the budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

*****

 The governor left the Capitol a little before 1 pm, presumably to eat lunch.

*****

 Hearings were held by the Legislature’s policy committees.    Read more »

More

A Truly Great Musician

“It’s nice to be important, but it’s important to be nice.”

                                        — Sam Butera, (August 17, 1927 – June 3, 2009)    Read more »

More

Day Six: Fiscal Year 2009-2010

SACRAMENTO — 16:57 p.m., Pacific Standard Time

No budget deal yet.

Citing the state’s “continued inability to achieve timely agreement on budgetary and cash flow solutions to its severe fiscal crisis” Fitch Ratings, one of three firms that set the bond rating for California’s general obligation bonds, knocked California down two rungs to BBB.    Read more »

More

Something to be Said for Consistency

On July 7, Sen. George Runner, a Lancaster Republican, has a joint resolution scheduled for hearing in the upper house’s Public Safety Committee.

A resolution is basically a letter requesting Congress and the President to do something. This one, SJR 11, asks the federal government not to send California any terrorist or suspected terrorist being held in Guantanamo Bay.    Read more »

More

Clock is Now Running for John, Mark and Joan, Et. Al

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following proclamation today, declaring November 3, 2009 the date for a special election in California’s 10th Congressional District (located in Contra Costa County including portions of Alameda, Solano and Sacramento counties), to elect a congressional representative to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Congresswoman Ellen O.    Read more »

More

Budget Progress?

Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg and Senate GOP leader Dennis Hollingsworth had a 20-minute tete-a-tete the evening of July 2 at a table at Gallaghers, an Irish pub near the state Capitol on July 2.

What the two men discussed is unknown but the conversation was not lubricated with alcohol so it couldn’t have been that good.      Read more »

More

He Might Be Talking About Budget Negotiations

“Makes the Marx Brothers stateroom scene look like the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.”

                                   — Dennis Miller    Read more »

More