Takes the Virtual Cake: A Virtual Check is Virtually in the Mail

Dear Friend, 

I want to invite you to celebrate my birthday with me on Saturday, February 6th. 

As our campaign moves forward I want to thank you for your continued support. I’ve met many of you as I have travelled around the state and I am excited about our progress. 

As you know, we are getting down to a crucial part of the campaign and it is vital that we raise as much money as possible to get our message out.     Read more »

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Senate Committee OKs Schwarzenegger’s Lt. Governor Pick

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s pick to fill the vacant lieutenant governor’s job was unanimously approved on a bipartisan vote by the Senate Rules Committee on February 3.

Sen. Abel Maldonado, a moderate Santa Maria Republican, was approved on a 4 to 0 vote. Sen. Sam Aanestad, a Grass Valley Republican, didn’t vote because he is a candidate for lieutenant governor.     Read more »

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Schwarzenegger’s Education Cabinet Secretary to Step Down

Veteran educator Glen W. Thomas is resigning as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s education cabinet secretary in order to care for his ailing mother.

Schwarzenegger appointed Thomas, 63, to the post – the primary education advisor to the governor — in January 2009. The date of Thomas’ departure has yet to be set.    Read more »

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New Poll Offers Foretaste of Tone in Attorney General Race

In a foreshadowing of the tone of next year’s race to become California Attorney General, the Ted Lieu campaign released a poll February 1 showing him competing favorably with one of the GOP contenders, Steve Cooley, the district attorney of Los Angeles County. 

Commissioned by Leiu’s campaign, the poll of 500 likely voters notes that 41 percent of Democratic voters are still undecided and that San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris has a slight early lead at 19 percent.    Read more »

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Bill Would Create New Office of Federal Funding Information

The following measure was introduced January 27 by Sen. Carol Liu, a Pasadena Democrat:

“SB 907, as introduced, Liu. Office of Federal Funding Information and Assistance: establishment.

   “Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research within the office of the Governor to, among other duties, assist the Governor and the Governor’s cabinet in long-range planning and research.    Read more »

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California’s Lawmakers Aren’t the Only Ones Who Ghost Vote

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut5S-Qu3TE0&feature=relatedWatch  

(Editor’s Note: This video is provided by the special correspondent for California’s Capitol in Mongolia. No doubt other California’s Capitol correspondents in other countries could provide similar images.)

-30-    Read more »

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Your Tax Dollars At Work — Small, Man-Made Lake in Granite Bay Violates California’s Constitution, Water Board Staff Says

A hearing of the State Water Resources Control Board is scheduled for Monday, February 1, on the claims of two homeowners in Placer County’s upscale Granite Bay that the leaking of one of the man-made lakes in their subdivision is a misuse of water and violates the state constitution.

The hearing caps an investigation by the state dating back to April 2005 when Tony and Donna Wood and their neighbors, Ted and Cheri Allegra, filed a water right complaint against the Hidden Lake Estates Homeowners Association, documents at the water board’s website show.    Read more »

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Tax ‘Em If You Got ‘Em: Marijuana Measure Files Signatures

California moved a step closer to legalizing marijuana January 28 as proponents of a measure to regulate and tax the drug submitted approximately 700,000 signatures to place the proposal on the November ballot.

The “Regulate, Control, Tax Cannabis” initiative requires 434,000 valid signatures to be placed before voters.

The initiative says one of its purposes is to “regulate cannabis like we do alcohol: Allow adults to possess and consumer small amounts of cannabis.”    Read more »

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Senate Confirmation Hearing Scheduled For Maldonado

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg has set a Rules Committee hearing to consider the Governor’s appointment of Abel Maldonado as Lieutenant Governor for Wednesday February 3rd at 1:30pm in room 113 of the State Capitol.

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(Editor’s Note: Only one house need reject Maldonado’s appointment. Legislative manners would suggest that Maldonado’s fellow senators, if only as a courtesy, would vote in favor of his nomination, leaving the task of voting him down to the Assembly.    Read more »

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Legislative Analyst: Reject Governor’s Personnel Costs Plan

California state government has roughly 356,000 employees.

One-third work for the University of California or in the State University system.

Total state payroll is $24 billion.

Excluding university employees, some $10 billion in General Fund revenue – about 12 percent of the current year’s budget — is devoted to salaries, health benefits, pension contributions and other personnel costs.    Read more »

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