Senate Republican heir apparent Bob Dutton – the man caught on camera saying drafting a budget isn’t a Republican responsibility doesn't seem to think much of the man he's replacing. Otherwise why would he dismiss the meetings Dennis Hollingsworth has been having for two weeks with Speaker Perez, Martin Garrick and pro Tem Steinberg? http://www.duttonreport.com/2010/07/dutton-report-alert-time-for.html

Then again, given the way Republicans are clinging to the Governor’s job-killing, hidden-borrowing, unconstitutional-school-cuts budget, I can understand why Dutton is in denial over budget negotiations.  In budget talks Speaker Perez and Assembly Democrats are continuing to fight for a budget that saves and creates 465,000 public and private sector jobs and funds education the way the constitution says it should be funded.

Maybe they should also add a couple dollars to the budget to help Bob Dutton buy a clue.

SACRAMENTO – California Secretary of State Debra Bowen today certified the Majority Vote Budget Initiative for the November 2, 2010 statewide ballot.  The measure will help ensure that budgets get passed on time by allowing a simple majority to pass the budget, holds legislators accountable when the budget is late and retains the constitutional requirement for a 2/3 vote to raise taxes.

“We are pleased that the voters of California will have an opportunity to vote on a measure that provides accountability and a common sense solution for California’s state budget process,” said Marty Hittelman, president of the California Federation of Teachers. “Year after year, the state budget is late and legislators are not held accountable. Nine days ago, the legislature failed for the 23rd time in 24 years to submit a budget to the Governor by the June 15 constitutional deadline. If passed, no longer will 14 legislators be able to hold up the budget to satisfy the desires of corporate interests. The Majority Vote Budget Initiative will end late budgets by allowing a simple majority to pass the budget and restores accountability to the process.”

“We all know the problems with the budget process,” said Lou Paulson, president of California Professional Firefighters. “Late budgets give special treatment to corporate special interests and leave regular Californians paying the costs with no way to hold anybody accountable.  Late budgets also have unacceptable consequences.  When last year’s budget was late, California issued 450 thousand IOUs to state employees, and countless small businesses that depend on business from the state. Many of these businesses provide vital support for firefighters on the front lines battling wildfires. The IOUs cost taxpayers over 8 million dollars in interest payments alone. This initiative changes that broken budget process.”

The L.A. Times Blog (PolitiCal) is reporting that Governor Arnold "whacked" Speaker Perez over "delays" in the Maldonado appointment to the Lt. Governor’s post. Yeah, right, like a vacancy in the office across the hall will somehow bring down the Republic:

 "Shannon Murphy, a Pérez spokeswoman, responded to the governor's comments in an e-mail. "Like most Californians, the speaker is focused on jobs, reform, and recovery. All jobs, not just one that was cooked-up in a backroom deal,"

 

The California Working Families 2010 Committee I’m working on announced Monday that Lou Paulson, President of the California Professional Firefighters (CPF); Bob Balgenorth, President of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTC), AFL‐CIO; and Bill A. Lloyd, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California will serve as chairs for its general purpose committee, which was formed to help protect working families by aiding candidates like Jerry Brown and other statewide candidates and ballot measures.

There have been a couple of editorials gratuitously critical of Speaker John A. Pérez in recent days, focused on the salaries of a few staffers. Their fixation is easy to understand, but their narrow focus is a disservice to their readers. If editorial boards like the Sacramento Bee and the Long Beach Press-Telegram are concerned about the Speaker's "opening act" they're paying too much attention to the set design and not enough on the actual performance.

This piece originally appeared in the Capitol Weekly. 

This week, Attorney General Jerry Brown filed papers with the Secretary of State opening an exploratory committee for Governor, for all intents and purposes divulging the worst kept secret in California politics over the past two years: that he is indeed going to run for Governor.

In June of 2008, I had the pleasure of speaking to a panel at the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s State Advocacy Day. I was asked who I thought the next Governor of California would be and I answered: “Jerry Brown, period.”

I worked on the primary campaign against Jerry Brown for Attorney General in 2006. I know how this guy works and I know how tough it is to run a campaign against him. Not only is my opinion about the 2010 race unchanged since I spoke to the Metro Chamber, it has solidified in both political and policy terms.

Having worked on several gubernatorial campaigns (including Davis and Westly for Governor campaigns with SF Mayor Gavin Newsom advisor Garry South) I understand the dynamics of a gubernatorial campaign in California are always in flux. But Jerry Brown has smartly avoided the pitfalls that come with most candidates’ desire to show themselves off to whoever will pay attention.  Brown understands that he is winning this race, at both the primary and general election level, without even being in it.

That said, the announcement of an exploratory campaign the same week a Rasmussen Poll has Jerry handily beating Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner, and Tom Campbell is no coincidence.  For Brown, this keeps the focus on the Republicans and away from his Democratic opponent.

Still, this coming week, Newsom has former President Bill Clinton coming out to campaign for him at a time when he needs help the most.  Clinton is still popular in California, but this endorsement smacks of petty payback for the 1992 Presidential race and voters can smell that. All of internal and public polls I’ve seen show Brown running up the score on Newsom in the primary match-up.  Most have Brown ahead even in Newsom’s hometown of San Francisco. The amazing part is Brown’s lead has increased despite being outspent by Newsom during this early period 6 to 1.

Brown leads Newsom in the early fundraising, with $7 million on hand to Newsom’s $1.2 million. That cash lead is about to triple now that Brown can raise under the gubernatorial limits, so look to see that $7 million turn into $21 million.

There's more...

McCarty well on way to match Dave Jones’ fundraising pace from successful 2004 campaign
 
Democrat Kevin McCarty’s campaign for the California State Assembly 9th District today announced that he has raised more than $118,000 in the past six months to bring his fundraising total to more than $236,000. 
 
“I’m proud that hundreds of groups and individuals have shown their faith in me,” said candidate McCarty. “The strength of our campaign is evident by the large number of small contributors who are setting the foundation of our grassroots effort.”
 
McCarty was elected to represent the Sacramento City Council’s 6th District in 2004 and was re-elected in 2008. The last two City Council members to hold this seat also went on to represent the 9th District in the State Assembly.
 
McCarty also works as an advocate for Preschool California, a statewide non-profit organization fighting to expand access to quality preschool programs. 

There's more...

CNN, the Los Angeles Times and POLITICO announced today that the California Democratic Party will sanction the Jan. 31, 2008, Democratic presidential primary debate in Los Angeles. Scheduled less than one week before Super Tuesday, this debate will be the candidates’ final face-off before primary voters in more than 20 states flock to the polls on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008.
 
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer will moderate, with journalists from the Los Angeles Times and POLITICO participating in the questioning. This is the only debate that the Democratic Party of California has officially sanctioned in the 2008 race for the White House.
 
“The California Democratic Party is excited that our party’s presidential debate, on the eve of the momentous Feb. 5 primaries, will be in Los Angeles, California,” said California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres. “As a native Angeleno, I am proud to join CNN, the Los Angeles Times and POLITICO in helping our presidential candidates embrace the diversity and vision that California offers all Americans.”
 
CNN, the Los Angeles Times and POLITICO will also sponsor the final Republican primary debate on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library will be the site of this debate, which will be moderated by CNN’s Anderson Cooper with The Times and POLITICO again participating in candidate questioning.

Senator Art Torres (Ret.), Chairman of the California Democratic Party, today issued the following statement:

"The self-proclaimed 'People’s Governor' owed nothing less to the people of California and our troops overseas than to let the voice of the voters be heard on this disastrous war in Iraq. Last week, the Governor himself acknowledged: Every poll you look at shows that the majority of Californians are against the war. So that message is out there.'

Instead, even as General Petraeus presents statistics this week that have raised more questions than answers about progress in Iraq, Schwarzenegger has ignored that message and effectively muzzled California voters on this critical issue.

The Republican Party must stop looking at this war through rose-colored glasses and start working with Democrats across the country on a way to bring a responsible end to the war."

Senator Art Torres (Ret.), Chairman of the California Democratic Party, today issued the following statement: 

"Regardless of the Governor’s views on the war in Iraq, California voters deserve the right to have their voices be heard. In this war that has now claimed more than 3,700 American troops, Californians have suffered the largest toll, having lost more than 400 of our own in Iraq.

Recent polling shows that two out of three Californians support either withdrawing some or all of the U.S. troops now stationed in Iraq.

The self-proclaimed 'People’s Governor' owes it to the people of California, our troops and their loved ones to let the voice of the voters be heard."