California's Capitol http://www.californiascapitol.com The chief correspondent of California’s Capitol is Greg Lucas who has been writing about California politics and government since 1986. Lucas levels his bipartisan wit at Republicans and Democrats and, not infrequently deservedly, at himself. Sat, 18 May 2013 01:03:54 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en-US Budget Maneuvering Begins Between Brown and Democrats Republicans complimented the restraint exercised by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown in the revised budget he presented May 14.

Several of Brown’s Democratic legislative allies criticized him for being too tight-fisted.

Ultimately, scattered GOP applause isn’t going to translate into budget “aye” votes and Democratic disgruntlement isn’t going to mean less than the 41 votes needed to send a budget back to Brown that looks quite similar to the one that spawned their initial complaints.

What the rhetorical volley does mean is the official start of budget season.

There have been several months of subcommittee hearings and explications of the Read more »

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/budget-maneuvering-begins-between-brown-and-democrats/ Public Schools Win in Brown’s Revised Budget Saying the state’s “multi-billion dollar increase in current-year cash receipts” is “short-lived,” Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled an updated budget May 14 that gives $2.9 billion of those receipts to public schools.

The $137 billion spending plan also earmarks additional money to Medi-Cal, the state’s health care program fro the poor, whose rolls will expand by more than 1 million persons when the federal Affordable Care Act takes effect January 1, 2014.

“It’s (a budget) that responds to our education and health challenges but unlike ones of the past it’s very prudent,” the Democratic governor told reporters at a Capitol press conference.

The Read more »

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/public-schools-win-in-browns-revised-budget/ Where Has All the Surplus Gone? Gone to Classrooms Everywhere Public schools will be the biggest beneficiary by far of the revised budget Gov. Jerry Brown unveils May 14, receiving the bulk – if not all -- of the $4.5 billion in unexpected revenue the state has received this year.

The Democratic governor wants to use the money to both augment the budgets of the state’s more than 1,000 school districts and erase several billion of the remaining $8.2 billion in postponed payments to schools made in past budgets.

Paying off those deferrals would effectively place more money in school coffers during the new fiscal year, which begins July 1.  

Since January, Californians have paid Read more »

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/where-has-all-the-surplus-gone-gone-to-classrooms-everywhere/ Resolve not to Revise, Redux Apparently the message is not sinking in. Once again:

On Tuesday May 14, 2013 Wednesday, Gov. Jerry Brown will present a revised budget plan. That means the document he shares with California and its 38 million residents is a REVISION of the spending plan he presented in January.

It is not a revise of the spending plan he offered four months ago, although it could be a revising thereof.

If the previous document is the Democratic governor's January budget plan, this new document would be the May REVISION.

Not now, not ever, would it be the May revise. 

Revise, according to the Free Read more »

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/resolve-not-to-revise-redux/ A Strategic Way of Spending $4.6 Billion By Jim Mayer

The Internet was humming recently with the news that the California economy has generated $4.6 billion more in state tax revenue than budget writers had anticipated.

Now comes the big question: What to do with it?

Californians in November 2014 are scheduled to vote on a constitutional amendment, the California Rainy Day Budget Stabilization Fund Act, which would restrict what state officials can do when revenues jump above the 20-year average growth line. 

In fact, Californians were supposed to vote on that amendment –championed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and agreed to by the Legislature – in November 2012.  But with Read more »

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/a-strategic-way-of-spending-4-6-billion/ State Controller Confirms That California Tax Collections Are $4.6 Billion Over Estimates Echoing previous statements by the Franchise Tax Board and the Legislative Analyst, State Controller John Chiang's April report covering California's cash balance, receipts and disbursements shows state revenues are $4.6 billion over estimates contained in Gov. Jerry Brown's January budget plan.

In April alone, tax receipts totaled $15 billion, Chiang reported. All but $200 million of the $4.6 billion is higher-than-anticiapted state income tax payments. 

"We've reached an important milestone in California's economic recovery. For the first time in nearly six years, we closed out a month without borrowing from internal state funds to pay our bills," Chiang said in a statement. "But, there Read more »

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/state-controller-confirms-that-california-tax-collections-are-4-6-billion-over-estimates/ Be Kind to Koreans Today Gov. Jerry Brown met with South Korean President Park Geun-hye in Los Angeles May 9, issuing a “Korea-California Friendship Day” proclamation to commemorate the event. The press release from the Demoratic governor commemorating the commemorative proclamation is silent as to the South Korean president's reaction.

The proclamation in full:

WHEREAS, California is home to over 450,000 Korean-Americans, many of whom are among our most prominent and accomplished citizens; and

WHEREAS, among the 50 states California is the Republic of Korea’s foremost trading partner and Korea is California’s fifth largest export market; and

WHEREAS, the Republic of Korea and California exchange billions Read more »

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/be-kind-to-koreans-today/ Quality — Not Quantity "it's far better to own a significant portion of the Hope Diamond than 100 percent of a rhinestone."

--Warren Buffett

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/quality-not-quantity/ Getting Healthy, the Anthem Blue Cross Way Anthem Blue Cross recently sent a form letter to an unknown number of its 6.8 million members.

The letter was signed by Dr. Michael J. Belman, the health insurance company’s medical director for quality management.

Dr. Belman’s letter begins:

“We’re much more than just your health care plan. We’re also want to help you get and stay as healthy.” (Sic)

After his garbled second sentence, Dr. Belman starts a new paragraph, announcing -- in boldface -- that he has enclosed some “money-saving coupons” to help Anthem Blue Cross members “build and lead a healthy lifestyle.”

In the third paragraph, although Read more »

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/getting-healthy-the-anthem-blue-cross-way/ Former GOP Assemblyman Turned Independent Nathan Fletcher Registers as a Democrat Fletcher's explanatory email to friends and supporters follows:

Ralph Waldo Emerson had a famous saying, “Life is a journey not a destination.”

For me, the last couple years have been quite a journey—going to war, serving in the State Assembly, campaigning for Mayor (of San Diego) and now teaching and working in the private sector.

You were a part of that journey as a friend and supporter.  I appreciate your faith in me more than you will ever know.  You hung with me when people said we had no chance of winning and then when every campaign was working overtime Read more »

]]> http://www.californiascapitol.com/2013/05/former-gop-assemblyman-turned-independent-nathan-fletcher-registers-as-a-democrat/