GREEN DAY

Bay Area Event
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be in the Bay Area on Thursday, February 1st
for “an important environmental announcement” according to the Gov’s press office. No details yet on exactly where or what it might be, but the Governor has been campaigning frequently for his environmental agenda that includes reducing greenhouse gases in California 10% by the year 2020.

MOVING OUT

CHANGES AT THE CAPITOL
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s senior advisor Julie Soderlund is leaving the administration. Soderlund, who also served as press secretary for the Governor’s re-election campaign, is joining the private sector. She will be the new Managing Director for Wilson-Miller Communications, a Sacramento-based public affairs and political consulting firm. Around the Capitol, Soderlund was known affectionately by the nickname of “Thumbs”, because her Blackberry was always glued to her fingers. Now she’ll probably have free hands and maybe a little more free time to have a life.

Chronicle Departure
Capitol Correspondent Lynda Gledhill is leaving the San Francisco Chronicle for a government job. She’s the new media consultant for Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata of Oakland. Gledhill begins her new post on Monday February 5th.

MOVING UP

ALTERING CALIFORNIA PRIMARY WILL BE COSTLY
Elections officials around the state say the cost moving California’s 2008 presidential primary will not be a secondary consideration. The estimate is moving the date could cost the state from $50 million to $90 million dollars.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is the strongest advocate for moving the primary date next year from June to February. I asked the Governor how we would pay for it and if it’s worth the cost. His answer,”Whenever you talk about how much something costs, it will be one dimensional to just ask that question, because you have to ask yourself how much does it cost and how much does it bring in return”?

The Governor told me he believes California’s return is more dollars entering the state as candidates begin blitzing the airwaves and meeting with the voters. “I think that could result in not getting 79-cents on the dollar, which we are getting now,” the Governor added, “But maybe more like during the Clinton administration when we got 95-cents on the dollar.”

PRESIDENTIAL FRONTRUNNERS
So who are the frontrunners for the 2008 campaign? Democratic Party strategist Bob Mulholland sees it this way, “There are three frontrunners: John Edwards, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.”

The second tier, according to Mulholland, includes U.S. Senators Joe Biden of Delaware and Chris Dodd of Connecticut, along with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.

Mulholland predicts, “I think by the night of February 5th (2008), we’ll know the Democratic nomination” – of course only, if California does in fact move up the primary. On the Republican side, GOP Party consultant Karen Hanretty says there is no clear frontrunner right now. “Certainly John McCain has a lot of the endorsements,” Hanretty observes, ” but Mitt Romney is gaining on the contribution side.” Hanretty adds, “A lot of people in California are starting to get behind (former Massachusetts Governor) Mitt Romney. They say they want a capitalist back in the White House and he is their guy.”

DEAL OR NO DEAL?
Political insiders around the Capitol say any deal to move up the primary must contain two key elements – first, redistricting reform to give the Governor what he wants and secondly – an end to term limits as we know them, giving Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez of Los Angeles and Senate President pro Tem Don Perata of Oakland what they want – a chance to run again and extend their power beyond 2008, when their current terms are set to expire.

PRIMARY FOCUS

IS CALIFORNIA A PLAYER?
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says he favors moving up California’s presidential primary in 2008 from June to February. “I’ve spoken to the leaders about that,” the Governor told reporters at the Sacramento Press Club on Wednesday adding, “I’m interested to make California a player.”

ATM POLITICS
When it comes to political fundraising, California is known as the nation’s Automatic Teller Machine. As the Governor put it, “All those guys they come out here and they clean up and they take the money and they run…but we are not part of the decision making.” The Governor says he wants to make California “more relevant” and believes that moving up the primaries gives the Golden State more clout in picking the presidental nominees.

YEE APPOINTMENT
Senate President pro Tem Don Perata of Oakland has tapped fellow Bay Area Senator Leland Yee of San Francisco for the post of Assistant President pro Tem. That makes Yee the first Asian American ever to hold the number two leadership position in the Senate. The Assistant President pro Tem takes charge of the Senate’s floor sessions when Perata is away. Perata has also named Senator Carole Migden of San Francisco as Democratic Caucus Chair.

GOVERNMENT PERKS?

BAY AREA BONANZA
Former Bay Area Senator Liz Figueroa may be termed out of office, but she’s not out of a job. Figueroa, a Fremont Democrat, was just appointed to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, where she’ll be making $114,191 a year to sit on a board that according to the state Web site, meets just once a month. Never heard of this board – you’re not alone. The California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board conducts hearings on cases involving unemployment and disability benefits. Sure that’s important, but does it justify a six-figure salary – a salary by the way that’s higher than most lawmakers made when they were in office.

THE PERATA CONNECTION
Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perata of Oakland appointed Figueroa to her post. He also selected former Senator Wesley Chesbro of Arcata to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, a little-known government entity that manages an estimated 88 million tons of waste generated each year in California. Chesbro will sit on a board that’s designed to protect public health and the environment and he’ll be paid handsomely for that – pulling in $117,818 a year, plus travel and other expenses.

Perata also appointed former Bay Area Assemblywoman Wilma Chan of Oakland to the California Medical Assistance Commission, another obscure government post. Chan will make $50,000 a year plus necessary travel expenses. According to its Web site, the Commission is responsible for negotiating contracts with managed care plans and hospitals, on behalf of the California Department of Health Services.

CUSHY APPOINTMENTS?
California Common Cause advocate Ned Wigglesworth says, “Some of these positions jibe with the taxpayers’ interests and the voters’ intent, but some of them are little more than golden parachutes for termed-out legislators.”

Wigglesworth adds, “Perhaps especially in a time of such budget uncertainty, the public should question the need and utility of these positions and the fat salaries which accompany them.”

NO PARTY POOPER

GOVERNOR VOWS ALLEGIANCE TO GOP
Many Californians consider Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to be a closet Democrat, after launching a bold plan to cut carbon emissions by 10% and raising the state’s minimum wage to $7.50 an hour. But the Governor insists he is a loyal Republican, dismissing political speculation that he plans to become an Independent. “I’m proud to be a Republican,” the Governor told reporters after unveiling his state budget. “I have no intentions to switch parties.”

BAD BREAK
So what really happened in Sun Valley, Idaho when the Gov broke his right leg last month while standing still on the ski slopes? “First of all, it was one of those very unfortunate accidents,” Schwarzenegger explained to Capitol reporters. Showing he is the ultimate entertainer, the Governor joked, “The reason why I say unfortunate is because it happened at a very slow speed.” Then he added, “If I had the accident at 50 miles per hour – and many times I crash at that speed – nothing happens.”

GOOD FOOT FORWARD
Arnold Schwarzenegger is not the only politician with a wounded limb.
Senator Gloria Romero of Los Angeles has been using a walking boot to get around the Capitol. Turns out she badly bruised her left foot after tripping over a beach chair while on a recent Hawaiian vacation. Is it irony or just coincidence that the liberal Romero injured her left limb, while the more conservative Schwarzenegger was wounded on the right? Romero says it’s all about bipartisanship. ” My left foot is a little bit out of sorts,” she explains. “His right leg is out of sorts, but maybe in California we get injured together with the challenge to fix it and move on forward. That’s the spirit this year.”

GOV A NO-SHOW FOR PRE-INAUGURAL

HE CAN TALK THE TALK BUT CAN’T WALK THE WALK
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s broken right leg is forcing him to cancel his attendance at Thursday’s pre-inaugural activities at the State Capitol. Schwarzenegger says, “After meeting with my doctor he has advised me to rest, elevate my leg and stay off of my feet for as long as possible. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend pre-inaugural activities on Thursday.”

The Gov broke his femur December 23rd while skiing at Sun Valley, Idaho. The recovery process may be going slower than expected, or perhaps the Gov is a Springsteen fan and wants to “Walk tall – or baby, don’t walk at all”, as Bruce belted out in his 1973 song, “New York City Serenade”.

GREEN DREAM
The Governor’s pre-inaugural party will take place without him on Thursday, but there will be a cool Bay Area connection. Mass transit vehicles from the Bay will play a starring role in California’s Green Dream event at the Capitol. Guests will arrive in zero-emission fuel cell vehicles running on hydrogren power – and transit buses from Oakland’s AC Transit and San Jose’s Santa Clara VTA, using Ballard Power fuel cells. It’s all part of California’s commitment to clean air and the Hydrogen Highway.