“Checking the Pipes While the House Burns to the Ground”*

The Legislature adjourned for its spring break March 25 with a $20 billion hole still remaining in the current budget year and the next one, which begins July 1.

Before adjourning, however, the state Senate adopted a resolution by Sen. Elaine Alquist, a Santa Clara Democrat, acknowledging March 25 as Greek Independence Day.    Read more »

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This Just In From the California Office of Problem Gambling

Jerome E. Horton, Vice Chairperson of the California State Board of Equalization recently was recognized at the first annual California Problem Gambling Training Summit for his outstanding leadership as a policy maker and continuous support in mitigating problem gambling throughout the State.

The California Office of Problem Gambling (OPG), a division of the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, presented Horton with an award entitled “Achieving Success One Step at a Time,” at an awards luncheon co-hosted by the California Council on Problem Gambling and OPG on Thursday, March 11, 2010, at the Red Lion Inn in Sacramento .    Read more »

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‘No’ on Proposition 15 Sweetly Targets Measure’s Author

“Clean Money” Author Invites Lobbyists to $3900 Lunch

FOR RELEASE:    March 24, 2010

CONTACT:  Richard Wiebe, 916.448.4234

SACRAMENTO – The state senator who wrote Proposition 15, “to break the connection between political donations and public policy” broke bread with lobbyists and other political players at a fundraiser her campaign committee hosted today at a Sacramento steakhouse.    Read more »

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Correction

(Editor’s Note: It has been brought to the attention of management that an error occured in the March 23 posting, Committee Approves Bill on California Condor Carrion.

Through a lapse in editing, the following sentence appeared in the post:

“Like former Senate President Pro Tempore John Burton, California condors date back to before the Pleistocene Epoch.”    Read more »

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Committee Approves Bill on California Condor Carrion

New rules for feeding the Golden State’s wild California condors were unanimously approved March 23 by the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife.

Among the requirements, give North America’s largest bird only euthanized livestock killed with non-lead ammunition, animals that die of natural causes and wildlife killed by traffic.

Although 87 condors ply the skies of California – up from 22 in 1982 – they need help finding food, supporters of the state’s condor recovery program say, because young condors, particularly those raised in captivity, don’t know where to find food on their own.    Read more »

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Scoring High on the Irony-Meter: MD Fundraiser at Gun Range

(Editor’s Note: Don’t see this combination often, even in the Central Valley. Pity to have missed the event. Hopefully, the good doctor will throw some commemorative photos on her Facebook campaign page.)    Read more »

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Legislature Makes Changes Aimed at Improving Work Quality

The Legislature proposed a series of bipartisan operational changes March 22, including stricter limits on bill introductions, aimed at improving the caliber of their work product.

Announced at a joint hearing of the Senate and Assembly Committees on Improving State Government, the changes include a greater focus on examining whether existing state programs work well or should be revamped.    Read more »

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Don’t Overlook: The Latest from the Fellini of Political Ads

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJKlc77K5dg&feature=player_embedded

(Editor’s Note: Paging Terry Gilliam, Mr. Terry Gilliam. Please come to the White Courtesy Phone.)    Read more »

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Assembly Fails to Pass State Parks and Beaches Smoking Ban

One of the most sweeping smoking bans in the country, which would ban smoking at state parks and beaches, fell five votes short of passage in the state Assembly March 18.

The measure, SB 4, would impose a $100 fine on those who smoke cigars, cigarettes or other tobacco products at California’s 279 state parks and beaches.     Read more »

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Rumors Persist the First Eight Choices Felled by Scarlet Fever

Diarmuid Philpott (above, from left), John Burton and Irish Consul General Gerry Staunton at City Hall.

(Editor’s Note: Burton was the Grand Marshal of March 13’s 159th St. Patrick’s Day Parade in San Francisco.  The parade is sponsored by the United Irish Societies of San Francisco. Photo and caption from Catherine Bigelow’s column in the San Francisco Chronicle.    Read more »

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