LAWMAKERS VOTE TO PROTECT THEIR PAYCHECKS

DON’T CUT MY SALARY: State Senators just voted down a constitutional amendment that would have prevented them from getting a pay raise whenever there’s a budget deficit. The final tally was three to one, with only Senate President Don Perata (D) Oakland, voting in favor of the measure that could have opened the door to possible pay cuts – not only for lawmakers – but also for Constitutional officers…everyone from the Governor on down.  Although Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger does not take a pay check, future Governors could have seen a change in the $212, 179 salary.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Abel Maldonado (R), Santa Maria was clearly peeved when I talked to him just moments ago, telling me, “I don’t think it’s right,” then adding, “In three weeks we’re cutting everybody and everybody else gets a raise.” Last year, the Legislature received a 2.75% increase with most members making a base salary of  $116,208, while Assembly and Senate leaders make even more.

Those voting to preserve their salaries were Democrats Gilbert Cedillo and Alex Padilla, both of Los Angeles. Republican Senator Jim Battin of La Quinta also voted no, while Republican Bob Dutton of Rancho Cucamonga took the easy way out and decided not to vote on the matter.

 

BAY AREA POWER

TORRICO TAPPED AS MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER

Newly sworn in Assembly Speaker Karen Bass may be from Los Angeles, but she’s tapped Assemblyman Alberto Torrico of Newark to be her Majority Floor Leader to help drum up votes from Democrats on the Assembly floor. Torrico’s job will be to streamline legislation and make sure Democrats vote for key bills that are important to the new leadership.

Torrico is in his second term in the Assembly and represents portions of Alameda and Santa Clara Counties.  He is the son of immigrants from Bolivia and his mother is of Japanese heritage. He is the first Assemblymember to belong to both the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus and the Latino Caucus.

RECALL IS OVER

PERATA PULLS THE PLUG

Senate President Don Perata (D), Oakland just sent shockwaves through the Capitol by announcing he’s pulling the plug on efforts to recall Senator Jeff Denham (R) Merced, scheduled for a public vote on June 3. Perata says it’s all about making peace with Republicans in time for fruitful budget negotiations. Perata issued a statement saying, “There was no deal, no quid pro quo. This is my call – and my best judgement about how to stop the long, slow slide into another long stalemate.”

Reaction was swift from Republicans where Senate Minority Leader Dave Cogdill (R), Modesto said, “I applaud the wisdom of Senator Perata for making this decision.”

Many Capitol insiders viewed the recall as a purely political move by Perata to steal a seat for Democrats in the Senate, making it easier for them to raise taxes without threat of Republicans blocking the move.  California requires a two-thirds vote for tax increases and with Denham out of the Senate, Democrats would be only one vote away from getting their way unobstructed. 

 So why would Perata throw in the towel four weeks before the election? Speculation is that pre-polling showed the recall going down to defeat and perhaps Perata wanted to cut his losses early.  Or perhaps Perata was sincere in saying he wanted to build bridges with the Republicans in tackling the budget, but cynics wonder why it took Perata so long to get that message.

CHICKEN WARS

ACTIVISTS SCRAMBLE OVER EGGS

It’s coming to the ballot in California this November, but the battle for votes has already begun. Animal rights activists intend to release a video in Sacramento on Tuesday, showing “hidden camera footage revealing shocking animal abuse.” The footage was shot by an undercover activist who worked at a California chicken farm for several months, according to Nathan Runkle of Mercy for Animals.

The activists have identified the farm as Gamperle Enterprises in Merced County, which they say is a supplier to NuCal Foods – one of the largest distributors of eggs in the Western U.S.  All this to advance a ballot measure Californians will be voting on this fall that would essentially ban farms from keeping chickens in cages and promoting instead, free range chickens.

However free range chickens actually suffer more injuries than those in cages–according to traditional chicken farmers are scratching back. And they say the price of eggs will go sky high if the measure is approved by voters. We’ll get a preview tomorrow of what the fighting is all about.

PORN STARS AT THE CAPITOL

FREE SPEECH COALTION

Porn stars Mary Carey and Nina Hartley are at the State Capitol today to lobby their  lawmakers on behalf of the Free Speech Coalition.  The group of more than a dozen adult entertainers, as they like to be called, are trying to kill Assembly Bill 2914.  The measure by Charles Calderon (D) Whittier Assemblyman, would levy an 8% tax on the adult entertainment industry. The tax is designed to counteract the negative “secondary effects” of porn movies, adult video stores and strip clubs.

The porn star lobby says the claims of adverse effects are fictitious with little or no evidence to back them up.  Lobbyist Matt Gray says “the industry has amassed dozens of independently researched studies which are peer reviewed and published in academic journals showing lower than normal adverse secondary effects.”  Mary Carey, the adult film star who ran against Arnold Schwarzenegger for Governor in 2003,  will be arguing you are safer having an adult business in your neighborhood than you are in a public school, gas station or convenience store.

 

DEADBEATS DELIVERED ONLINE

TOP 250 TAX CHEATS REVEALED

The Franchise Tax Board came out with a list today you don’t want to be on.  It’s the top 250 tax debtors in California – the deadbeats who owe more than $123 million in unpaid income taxes.  California law requires the state to post a list of names on the Internet of anyone owing more than $100,000  in back taxes. Topping the list this year is something called Pinehill Investment of Rye, New York, which owes $6.1 million, according to the FTB.

Second on the list is another New Yorker – Michael S. Fitzsimmons, who owes $4.4 million, says the FTB.  A San Franciscan is 4th on the list – Xin Mian Pan.  State records indicate he’s behind by $2.8 million on his taxes.

NO JUICE FOR THE JUICE

O.J. Simpson is on the list again, as he has been for every year since 1999. State officials have thrown a yellow flag against him for being delinquent on $1.5 million worth of back taxes, according to the latest list. California’s practice of playing the Shame Game to get deadbeats to pay up seems to be working…State Controller John Chiang says the Franchise Tax Board received approximately $4.2 million in payments since January, from taxpayers trying desperately to keep their names off the list.

To see the entire list of the Top 250 Income Tax Debts….click here..

http://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/txdlnqnt.shtml

MIGDEN TAKES ON TOXIC TOYS

CONSUMER PROTECTION OR JUNK SCIENCE ?:

On Monday, Senate Democrats will unveil their plans to eliminate what they believe to be poisonous products sold in California.  Senator Carole Migden (D), San Francisco will introduce her Toxin-Free Toddlers and Baby Act that would ban lead and other chemicals found in baby bibs, lunch boxes and toys.

The supporters of SB 1713 include a Washington State University professor who has studied reproductive problems associated with BPA…a phthalate chemical that’s said to be present in sippy cups and other children’s products. But opponents from the American Chemistry Council and others insist Migden is waging a fear-mongering campaign that is based on junk science.  Should be an interesting showdown on Monday before the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

RIFT OVER MA LEGISLATION

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D), San Francisco wants to create a government Web site listing those convicted of domestic violence.  If you think the measure has universal support from women’s groups – think again.

The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence is opposing the Ma measure, saying it could harm victims and their families.  Marivic Mabanag, the group’s Executive Director has issued a statement saying Ma’s bill “does not address domestic violence victims wrongly convicted of a domestic violence offense, it would become a mechanism to further victimize an already vulnerable population.”

Fiona Ma tells me she has the support of other women’s groups and hopes to prevail when her bill comes up before the Assembly Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, April 8th.

 

 

 

Communists in the Classroom

BETTER RED THAN DEAD?

Democrats at the Capitol will be fanning the flames of controversy this week by introducing a bill allowing Communits to teach in California public schools. Senate Bill  1322 (see below)

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_1301-1350/sb_1322_bill_20080324_amended_sen_v98.html

by Senator Alan Lowenthal of Long Beach would change California law which currently requires school employees to be fired for being a member of the Communist Party. That law has been on the books since the Cold War and Lowenthal has been quoted as saying Communists “are not a danger to our liberty, and the courts have uniformly said that.”

FIGHT BACK,  FIGHT AHEAD

Conservative groups are gearing up for a big fight before the Senate Education Committee this Wednesday.  Karen England of Capitol Resource Institute told me in an interview today, “We don’t want to promote Communism in schools. His bill does that.” “We’ve got kids,” she added, “who can’t even pass the high school exit exam and now he wants to bring communists into the classroom.” England says her group will be protesting the bill on Wednesday by bringing a Romanian immigrant who was imprisoned by Communists in Romania for exercising free speech. She says, “Instead of promoting Communism in our schools, lawmakers should be focused on actually teaching students to read, write and think for themselves.”

Lowenthal could not be reached today due to the Cesar Chavez holiday, but we’ll be anxious to get his comments.

WHY NOW?

Democrats have been leading the charge against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed  budget cuts for education…and their protests seemed to resonate with the public. So why would party leaders tolerate this major distraction that sets them up to be criticized as Communist sympathizers? We’ll find out this week.

LIZ HILL WANTS MORE TEE TIME

LEG ANALYST ANNOUNCES REASONS FOR RESIGNATION

Liz Hill was under no pressure to resign, but said today she is stepping down voluntarily after 22 years as the state’s Legislative Analyst. Hill told me by phone today “I’ve never had a golf handicap and it is probably time to get one.” Hill says she will leave her “dream job” later this year, after evaluating California’s budget nightmare for more than two decades.

WIDELY RESPECTED

Plenty of praise today from legislators who clearly admired her non-partisan approach to public policy analysis. Senate President Don Perata of Oakland issued a statement saying he “will sorely miss her thoughtful analysis and sound advice.” Perata added, “Her dedication to examining the policies – not the politics – of issues was remarkable.”

Hill, who recently offered her own budget plan that included closing tax loopholes to raise revenues, said it was simply time for a new chapter in her life to begin. Her husband retired five years ago and at age 58 she indicated she would like to do some traveling overseas. No word yet on who her successor might be. It’s up to the Legislature to begin the search and ultimately hire a new analyst after Hill leaves in the fall.

BIG RESIGNATION TODAY

LEG ANALYST LIZ HILL TO RESIGN

For 22 years, she has been the steady ship in a sea of chaos surrounding the Capitol, but today the state’s Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill is holding a press conference to announce her resignation at the end of the legislative session. Liz Hill is only the 4th person to hold the title of Legislative Analyst in the office’s 67 year history and she is widely respected by both Democrats and Republicans for her even keeled approach to reviewing the state budget.

HIGH PRAISE FROM NUNEZ

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez of Los Angeles issued a statement today, saying Hill’s “thoughtful, non-partisan stewardship of the Legislative Analysts’s Office is an example of public service at its best. “

Hill recently took the unusual step of offering an alternative budget plan for legislators to ponder…one that would close many tax loopholes to stem the tide of red ink in California’s $16 billion deficit. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said Hill’s plan included many ideas worth considering (such as closing the $21 million yacht tax loophole) and that lawmakers should take a closer look.