ARNOLD PUMPS MONEY INTO CAMPAIGN

$50,000 DONATION
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s
California Dream Team made a $50,000 donation to jumpstart redistricting reform in California. The California Voters FIRST Act would create a 14-person commission – 5 Dems, 5 Republicans and 4 Independents to draw district boundaries for the State Senate, State Assembly and Board of Equalization.

WHAT’S MISSING
The big omission here of course is Congress. The Schwarzenegger plan neglects to include redrawing boundaries for the U.S. House of Representatives. Many Democrats around the State Capitol are reluctant to support anything that might upset House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) San Francisco, who is known to oppose making any changes to congressional boundary lines. Call it irony perhaps that a so-called reform minded measure would totally ignore California’s 53 member Congressional delegation.

The Gov’s supporters need to gather nearly 700,000 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot this November.

CLONED AGAIN?

MIGDEN TO REINTRODUCE CLONING DISCLOSURE BILL
San Francisco State Senator Carole Migden plans to try again for legislation requiring labels on all cloned food products in California. Just this week, the federal Food and Drug Administration announced food from coned animals is safe to eat.

Not everyone agrees and in a written statement Migden says, “California consumers want to know what they’re eating and what we’re feeding our children.” She cites a poll from Consumers Union that found nearly nine out of every ten Americans want cloned foods to be labeled and that close to 70% have concerns about foods coming from cloned animals and their offspring.

Migden’s new bill is in fact a clone of her original SB63 that was vetoed last year by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who cited concerns that federal law prohibits states from tacking on additional labeling requirements for meat and poultry. In his veto message last year, the Governor said, “I am concerned that this bill would require tracking and labeling requirements that could be unworkable, costly and unenforceable.” Hmmm…I wonder if we’ll have a cloned result this time around?

CALIFORNIA GOLD

Clinton Campaign Scores Big Endorsement

New York Senator Hillary Clinton got a big boost today in her race to capture California’s presidential primary on February 5th with an endorsement from Lt. Governor John Garamendi, who said, “I’ve had the privilege of working with her and witnessing up close her lifelong fight against special interests and the failed status quo.”

The endorsement is no big surprise since Garamendi served as President Bill Clinton’s Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior back in the mid 90’s.

Gay Rights Advocates Declare Victory

In Sacramento, gay rights groups are celebrating a ballot victory for an election that never happened. That’s because a signature drive to challenge California’s new non-discrimination law in public schools has fallen short. Opponents of the new law announced they were gathering petitions to overturn the new law, but they missed the mark by about 80,000 signatures, according to Equality California, The Gay-Straight Allaince Network, Lamba Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

BAY AREA STATE PARKS TO CLOSE

Governor Says Cuts Necessary

In an effort to save money, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling for 48 State Parks to be closed, including several in the Bay Area. On the hit list are Tomales Bay in Marin County, Petaluma Adobe, the old Benicia Capitol, Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, Portola Redwoods State Park and Henry Coe State Park.

Life’s a Beach

The Gov’s budget cuts mean a reduction in seasonal lifeguards at state beaches in Northern California, including New Brighton, Seacliff and Manresa. Natural Bridges and Sunset State Beach area also on the list. The Governor is hoping to save $1 million this year and $13 million next year by closing the parks and cutting lifeguards at the state beaches until the state’s fiscal crisis can be solved.