In The Interest of Furthering Political Discourse…

Jon Fleischman of the Flash Report disagrees with the conclusions of a recent California’s Capitol post about Assemblymen Ted Gaines and Roger Niello who are two of the four candidates running in a special election for the 1st Sente seat, left vacant by the death of Dave Cox in July.

Here’s Jon’s view.    Read more »

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This Just In — Legislative Analyst Still Tepid About the Budget

The Legislative Analyst’s assessment of the budget signed October 8 on the 100th day of the fiscal year for which dictates spending, has not changed in its updated summary of the budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

This new version however includes the $963 million vetoed by Gov.    Read more »

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Behind the Wheel of That Town-car. Isn’t that? Couldn’t Be.

While Democrat Jerry Brown and Republican Meg Whitman duke it out to become California’s 39th governor, the 35th occupant of the state Capitol’s so-called “horseshoe” could care less.

He’s more worried about air in the tires and gas in the tank of his way-over-100,000-miles-and- probably-closer-to-200,000-miles-on-the-odometer town car because it has to get him and his wife across the country to Virginia.    Read more »

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State’s September Receipts $1.1 Billion Above May Estimates

SACRAMENTO — Receipts for September were above the Governor’s May Revision estimates by $1.1 billion, or 15.3 percent, State Controller John Chiang reported October 11.

Corporate taxes were up $378.7 million — 46.1 percent — and sales taxes came in $60 million — 2.9 percent — above estimates. Personal income tax receipts were 22 percent above estimates, $732.9 million, although that increase is likely the result of accelerated payments caused by recent changes to the tax deadlines, rather than a sign of a significant upturn in the economy.    Read more »

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The Legislative Analyst on California’s New Budget — Hate it!

It’s official.

In the Legislative Analyst’s  initial eight-page summary of the budget approved by lawmakers in the early hours of the 100th day of the fiscal year it’s supposed to dictate spending for, the conclusion is that the package is unlikely to balance and certainly won’t improve the state’s chronic gap between spending commitments and revenue.    Read more »

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Subliminal Advertising Is Still Alive and, Well, Still Subliminal

(Editor’s Note: A recurrent jibe by detractors of GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman is that she looks like Benjamin Franklin.)

-30–    Read more »

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Vote Finally Pending on a Budget But Does it Really Balance?

On October 7, the 99th day of the fiscal year, lawmakers are finally expected to vote on a budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

It is by far the latest delivery of a spending plan in California’s 160-year history. “(This budget) provides a way forward to protect the public structures of education, public safety, infrastructure and vital services, the special two-house legislative Budget Conference Committee said in an October 6 handout summarizing the proposal.    Read more »

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State’s Search for a Cure for Homosexuality Is Officially Over

Among the measures signed into law By Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this year is elimination of a 60-year-old requirement that what’s now called the Department of Mental Health investigate the “causes and cures of homosexuality.”

The bill, AB 2199, is sponsored by Equality California who says the measure’s aim is to remove from state statute a mischaracterization that institutionalizes bigotry against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons.    Read more »

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Getting Closer to Perhaps Beginning to Start to Pass a Budget

This is a modestly edited advisory from the state Senate:

Senator Denise Ducheny, a San Diego Democrat has announced that the special two-house Budget Conference Committee, which she chairs, will reconvene on Wednesday, October 6, at 1:30 p.m., in Room 4203, the Senate’s largest hearing room.

An agenda will be made available after 9 a.m.    Read more »

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One of the Alternatives to Candidates Whitman and Brown

Democrat Jerry Brown and Republican Meg Whitman aren’t the only choices California has for governor.

In fact, a third choice – Carlos Alvarez of the Peace and Freedom Party – attended Candidate Brown and Candidate Whitman’s first debate September 28 at the Mondavi Center at the University of California at Davis.    Read more »

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