Suspense Over the Assembly Suspense File

The state is grappling with something teetering darn close to fiscal Armageddon.

On the heels of closing a $43 billion gap between spending commitments and revenues in February, a new $24 billion gap has emerged thanks in part to further sinking of the economy over the past few months and voter rejection of three ballot measures on May 19 that accounted for $5.8 billion in budget solutions.    Read more »

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Not Sure He’s Joking

“We don’t have to worry about going off the cliff, we’re already there.”

                         — Sen. Bob Dutton

The Rancho Cucamonga Republican, vice-chair of the Senate Budget Committee, made his comment May 22 in the two-house conference committee trying close a $24 billion budget gap and cope with California’s bleak cash flow situation.    Read more »

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Take This Cup, Senator. The Bathroom is Around the Corner

A fair number of Californians believe politicians should have their heads examined but Dorothy Cummings and Gary Ellis of Lake Arrowhead want state officeholders to have their blood and urine examined too.

Under a proposed initiative filed May 20 with the Attorney General’s office, on the first day of each legislative session state senators and Assembly members would be tested for the use of controlled substances and “the habitual use of alcohol” by the California Highway Patrol.    Read more »

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Press Release: California Continues to Lead the Way in Edible Garden Movement

(Editor’s Note: Good to lead the way in something although academic achievement, charitable giving and affordable health care might be better areas in which to excel. Not that Edible gardens aren’t good though.)    Read more »

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Memo to Democratic Legislative Leaders

To: Democratic Legislative Leadership

From: Students of California Political History

May 21, 2009

As you know, the May 19 special election was a political ass-whupping. 

Had such an ass-whupping occurred during Willie Brown’s tenure as speaker he would be readying or, possibly have already readied, the governor’s budget plan for a vote by the lower house.    Read more »

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Bad Budget Problems Made Worse

There are lots of thoughtful – and disturbing – observations by the Legislative Analyst about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s revised budget plan, which seeks to close a $21 billion gap between spending commitments and revenues.

In a report issued May 21, the Legislative Analyst says that while the GOP governor’s estimate of a $21 billion problem is “reasonable,” it is actually $3 billion higher.    Read more »

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The Most Significant Reform of California’s Political System of the New Millenium

Jerrol LeBaron of Tujunga may well have happened on the 21st Century’s most far-reaching reform of California’s political system – he wants lawmakers to swear they’ve read and understand the legislation they vote on.

Such a requirement would have cataclysmic effects, infinitely more profound than preventing lawmakers from drawing their own district lines or allowing open primaries.    Read more »

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Selling Surplus Property Won’t Help the State’s General Fund Very Much

 Depending on the structure of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed sales of such state properties as San Quentin and various office buildings, any cash collected by the state can’t be used to balance the budget.

Under the terms of Proposition 60A, approved by voters in November 2004, proceeds from the sale of any state surplus property can only be used to pay the interest on $15 billion in budget-balancing bonds sought by the GOP governor and approved by voters in March of the same year.    Read more »

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Out-Sourcing Gone Mad

Check out the by-line on the bottom of this “domestic news” Reuters piece. One wonders if foreign news is covered by their man on Mars.

-30-    Read more »

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More Closed Doors, Less Public Scrutiny?

In response to a complaint about the lack of public hearings for the state budget signed February 20, a lobbyist pal noted that such issues were only important to the media.

“What are the two most important documents in American History?” he asked.

Both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were written in private and then presented to the public.    Read more »

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