While California Dreams: November 2007 Archives

A weekly update on the goings-on in Sacramento

For the week ending November 24, 2007

Key bills and issues we've been following during the

Past week and beyond

In keeping with the spirit of the week, we can safely say that this one was a turkey for the legislature as well. Sacramento came up with an egg on the water bonds issue as there is no time left for any meaningful measure to be passed during this "Special" legislative session in order for it to be placed on the February, 2008 ballot for approval by the people. Although Senate leader, Don Perata has been working hard to reach agreement with the Governor, the deal seems to be hitting a stumbling block over who is going to oversee the distribution of funds for dam projects that would comprise about $3 billion of the bond funding. The Dems want to be able to oversee the spending on an annual basis, but the Reps want the funding to be continuous because they think that the former may try to pull the dam dollars needed for the concrete to implement their vision of appropriate water policy. For the Dems and their environmental supporters, the goal is groundwater storage, recycling and conservation. Although Perata compromised on this issue, the stalemate continues and thus the February '08 ballot deadline has passed.

For more on this story, check out the Sac Bee article here.
For even more analysis, check out Bill Cavala's column for the California Progress Report here.

Meanwhile, the healthcare measure continues to see the dogged determination of the Speaker, Fabian Nunez, who insists that a deal can be reached with the Governor that will have logic as well as political legs. He is planning to call for a vote possibly this coming week, but all the concessions and twists necessary to fit this square peg into a round hole aren't viewed by many as having much of a chance of passing or working, if such a miracle were to happen.

Bringing on the lawsuits to protect the public

The real action this week, such as it was, really comes out of the judicial side where a number of lawsuits were filed to attempt to address some critical issues that call for judicial intervention either because big businesses are over-reaching or the government isn't doing its job to regulate and enforce existing laws.

From the Secretary of State to former Governor Moonbeam, (now middle-of-the-road Mr.Mainstream) Attorney General Jerry Brown, the courthouse saw its work load increase from these Constitutional offices during the past week.

Secretary of State Deb Bowen, ever vigilant over the fraudulent touch-screen debacle of a number of companies serving up questionable products, has filed a lawsuit seeking $15 million in damages from a company which sold unauthorized systems to five California counties, alleging they had not sought the required certification necessary to qualify their equipment for use in California.

Attorney General Brown brought a suit this week against 20 leading toymakers and retailers, including Mattel and Toys R Us for the lead content in products being sold to our children.

Environmental organizations have also gotten into the fray by suing the federal government over toxic pollution caused by a fleet of mothballed warships floating near the continually-challenged San Francisco Bay. Under the terms of the complaint, the Natural Resources Defense Center (NRDC) and the San Francisco Baykeeper allege that the U.S. Maritime Administration has violated both state and federal environmental regulations by allowing dozens of decaying and rotting ships to linger well past the Congressional deadline set for their removal.

Another lawsuit was filed this week by education advocates against the State of California alleging the state has shortchanged school districts by $1 billion of required programs (mandates) it has either underpaid or failed to pay at all. With the state continuing to go in the red by the month, the timing on this lawsuit couldn't be much worse.

Of course, the car manufacturers and dealers have their own deep pockets to challenge the laws that the legislature and people want, so they don't want to be left out of the litigation frenzy (except when it comes to the public suing them). Yup, they've sued to overturn California's landmark greenhouse gas legislation of 2002. (By way of disclosure, the undersigned proudly co-authored this important piece of legislation.) The measure, as passed, authorizes the state to establish limits as to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions permitted by motor vehicles. The car manufacturers and dealers are claiming that the law is an attempt to require higher gas mileage (which is strictly a federal government responsibility for which states have no jurisdiction). The experts seem to feel the lawsuit won't hold muster based upon the recent Supreme Court decision that held that regulating air pollutants is not in conflict with the exclusive federal power to regulate fuel economy. However this one may turn out, it again shows the importance of keeping the courthouse doors open for everyone- rich or poor, right or wrong.

The economic forecast continues to cast a dark shadow on the state

The fallout from the sub-prime housing market collapse continues to unfold. The Legislative Analyst continues to issue warnings about the steep drop in tax revenues coming into the state and the fallout will continue for months to come. Although we're not quite sure where this will all land, we know the perils of this downturn are likely to be extensive. For more on the implications, check out the SacBee article here.

We here at Speak Out California hope to be able to keep you up-to-date on all of this and any signings or vetoes by the Governor in the weeks and months ahead, so

If you like the work we've been doing at Speak Out California, with our regular weekly updates which provide inside commentary and analysis on what is going on in our state capital, we hope you'll support our work by making a contribution to Speak Out California. To contribute, just click here for our website so we can keep providing this unique and important perspective on our state and its future.

Just click here for our website to support our work in keeping California's progressive voice strong!

As promised, Speak Out California will be taking a close and careful look at the significant number of ballot initiatives as they are introduced for the 2008 election year. There will be a number of them that qualify as the money to gather signatures continues to be factored in as just a cost of doing business. With California becoming the testing ground for all sorts of controversial ideas, our commitment to direct democracy through the initiative process continues to encourage special interest groups and multi-millionaires to play in our sandbox. Many of these ideas are contrary to the best interest of the people of our state and we at Speak Out California will continue to speak out against those policies that do not serve our communities.

And now for the rest of our weekly update...

A weekly update on the goings-on in Sacramento

For the week ending November 17, 2007

Key bills and issues we've been following during the

Past week and beyond

Last week we observed that the Special Session was clearly losing momentum and oxygen. Although it certainly doesn't have the vigor or energy of the regular legislative session, it appears to have staying-power beyond what we anticipated. Ever slowly and ploddingly, the beat goes on. This week, the water bill seems to have been revived (after we all but pronounced it dead) and the health care measure being touted by the Democrats in the Assembly has now seen another iteration which has been approved by the Assembly Health Committee, even though its chances of passing are slim at best. While some may say little is going on, it is impossible to deny the fact that the leadership continues to push ahead, somewhat reminiscent of the "Little Engine That Could" as it fought its way up the mountain to the top.

We posit that the effort to accomplish something is fueled by a desire to show some productivity before the fury of the February election and the battle over Prop 93, the term-limits/extension initiative. While this may very well be the motivation, the fact remains that the legislature is forging ahead with an admirable dogged determination.

On the health care side, the Assembly heard and passed out of committee a revised measure that considers a number of the Governor's suggested ideas, like reducing the contributions required by employers. However its ultimate passage remains problematic at best as neither the Reps nor the Governor have signaled their agreement. And with the ominous news about the economy becoming more apparent and pessimistic, we can only wonder if major policy changes of this magnitude can emerge under such a difficult economic prognostication. The Governor, of course remains all smiles and optimism, but that positive thinking won't get us out of the economic mess created by the national policies of the Bush administration or the irresponsible policies of the sub-prime mortgage industry that have brought our economy to a halt.

The dismal economic forecast weighs into the debate

By now, most Californians are aware that we're in for a financial shakedown (if not meltdown) in the economy. While not necessarily the doing of California or its policies, the housing downturn, coupled with the ever-increasing price-gouging we're seeing at the gas pump, is wreaking havoc on our middle-class. The result is that all facets of the economy have slowed down dramatically. Added to this is the Writer's Strike in Hollywood and the obvious fiscal train wreck in the state's budget becoming more apparent.

There is at least a glimmer of good news amongst all this economic carnage. The writers and producers have agreed to start up negotiations right after the Thanksgiving holiday. But with dozens of productions dark, the loss of income has got to be taking its toll on California's huge entertainment industry which means there little being generated in the way of income or tax receipts for the state, based upon that income.

The bad news, so deftly presented by California's outstanding Legislative Analyst, Elizabeth Hill, confirms that the state expects to see a shortfall in tax receipts over the next fiscal year of almost $10 billion. As we reported last week, the governor has already called upon the state's agencies to start cutting at least 10% from their budget. It is important to note that this doesn't take into account the fallout from the fires in our state this past September, the economic costs associated with fighting them or the loss of economic activity as a result. Translated: things are likely to get worse before they get better. For more on this economic bad news, click here for the LA Times article or here for the SacBee story.

We have also been following the work of the legislature in order to unravel the reasons behind the devastating and totally avoidable oil spill in the Bay Area last week that leaked 58,000 gallons of filthy, low-grade bunker fuel into its waters. While it has emerged that the cause was human error, the results have led legislators, headed by Natural Resources Chair Loni Hancock, to call for serious measures to protect against future disasters of this nature. Among the ideas to quickly come forward is a measure to require the placement of bunker fuel inside the ships, and not carried along side behind the hull.

On the federal level, a new debate and discussion has begun over the problem associated with single-hulled ships, one of the primary culprits in major oil spills throughout the years. For a good discussion of this issue, click here for the Mercury News story.

We here at Speak Out California hope to be able to keep you up-to-date on all of this and any signings or vetoes by the Governor in the weeks and months ahead, so

If you like the work we've been doing at Speak Out California, with our regular weekly updates which provide inside commentary and analysis on what is going on in our state capital, we hope you'll support our work by making a contribution to Speak Out California. To contribute, just click here for our website so we can keep providing this unique and important perspective on our state and its future.

Just click here for our website to support our work in keeping California's progressive voice strong!

And now for the week's goings-on:

A weekly update on the goings-on in Sacramento

For the week ending November 10, 2007

Key bills and issues we've been following during the

Past week and beyond

Although there isn't much frenzy in Sacramento these days, the Special Session is still technically in play. The healthcare portion of the session seems to have undergone some lifesaving procedures and has a faint, but nevertheless, distinguishable heartbeat. While the water reform proposals have ended with only water-under-the-bridge, the legislature is desperate to salvage something significant this year so they can enter the February primary election season (which also includes Prop 93, the term limits/extension initiative) claiming some substantial accomplishment. Without a major reform to tout after this legislative year, the public will never agree to give this crop of legislators any additional time in office, or so the conventional wisdom (such as it is) goes.

But the real news that set Sacramento reeling this week was the budget. Given the downturn in the housing industry, due to the disastrous sub-prime market that was obviously destined to collapse, the Governor announced that the budget deficit for the coming year had grown from an anticipated $4 billion to a whopping $10 billion short-fall. When the red ink gets that large, the only real expectation for the coming year is cuts and reductions in existing services, not expansion. Bad news and dark clouds will follow.

In spite of this fiscal challenge, the ever-optimistic governor has promised to pass a major health care bill that will require all Californians to have health insurance. Although more and more people are recognizing this as a boondoggle for the insurance industry that plays no role in providing needed health care, the cost of the program will require at least an additional $14 billion to fund. No one is quite sure how this squares with our fiscal crisis, but the Governor continues to bang this drum regardless.

What else is happening in California while Sacramento treads water?

Two other significant events occurred this week that are not directly related to Sacramento but deserve mentioning. The first is the Writers Strike that has serious economic consequences to the state's economy. With at least a dozen prime-time TV shows dark and dozens of other creative productions stopped because of the strike, thousands of people are now out-of-work.

Both the Governor and L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa are calling for a quick solution to the strike, but the producers won't even consider talks until the Writers Guild sends its members back to work. The Guild has made it clear its members are serious about seeking some piece of the internet and digitalized products they help create. The corporate big wigs say this is a non-starter so the impasse looks ominous.

For more on this story, check out the first article and the second from the LA Times.

The second story that has serious consequences to the state's economy and critical eco-system as well, was the completely avoidable oil spill in the Bay Area that leaked 58,000 gallons of bunker-fuel into the San Francisco Bay. Today's LA Times quotes what may be the understatement of the year by the Coast Guard's top dog in California. In summing up the problem (the ship hit a support on the base of a SF-Bay Bridge tower rupturing two fuel tanks holding the heavy and filthy bunker fuel that spilled into the Channel) Rear Admiral Craig Bone stated, "They were skilled enough individuals on board this ship. They didn't carry out their mission correctly." One can only wonder how much they pay these heavyweights for their brilliant deductive reasoning.

The result of this mess, is that hundreds of birds and wildlife are at risk; most of this fuel will not be recovered and the commercial and sport crabbing season will be closed. The costs of this negligence will be enormous and the only question is who will pay for it. Hopefully whoever owns the ship will have to do so, but the costs and the devastation are never fully recovered after this type of disaster.

For more on this story, see the sfgate article here
or go to this LA Times story.

We here at Speak Out California hope to be able to keep you up-to-date on all of this and any signings or vetoes by the Governor in the weeks and months ahead, so

If you like the work we've been doing at Speak Out California, with our regular weekly updates which provide inside commentary and analysis on what is going on in our state capital, we hope you'll support our work by making a contribution to Speak Out California. To contribute, just click here for our website so we can keep providing this unique and important perspective on our state and its future.

Just click here for our website to support our work in keeping California's progressive voice strong!

And now for the week's goings-on:

A weekly update on the goings-on in Sacramento

For the week ending November 3, 2007

Key bills and issues we've been following during the

Past week and beyond

This is usually a pretty quiet time in Sacramento. While this situation remains pretty much the case, the slowly dying Special Session still remains. With the big battle over water ending in a stalemate, the debate over health care reform showed a glimmer of activity this week as the Assembly Health Committee held a full-blown hearing on the Governor's health care proposal. There wasn't any progress to speak of, although the Speaker, Fabian Nunez pledged to keep working to reach a compromise. Unfortunately, few in Sacramento believe either side will make necessary concessions to make that happen.

When times are slow, polls become more interesting-at least to those political wonks who are otherwise suffering withdrawal from relative inactivity. This week was no different as the well-respected Public Policy Institute of California came out this week with the latest on several fronts. Among these are whether the people feel California is moving in the right direction or not (which is just another way of asking whether people are optimistic and hopeful about their future) and how the Governor would fare should he decide to take on Senator Barbara Boxer in 2010 for the U.S. Senate. As you can see, a lot of inside baseball here, especially since even the baseball season is finally over.

The ballot measures for 2008 are again coming to life, especially since right-wing Congressman Darrell Issa, who brought us the Davis Recall in 2003, has announced he will bankroll the return of the Electoral College measure. For those who thought this blatant right-wing power grab was dead, this measure will split California's electoral votes from a winner-takes-all to a split of electoral votes by Congressional District. Translated, this would likely give the Republican candidate 20 electoral votes---or the size of Ohio or Florida. Since the Republicans haven't won California in years, this is as good as giving them a 40 vote turnaround in the Electoral College, enough so the conventional wisdom holds, to steal the election for the Republicans. And since it is felt that Rudy Guliani is the one most likely to benefit from this ploy, and there are many dirty footprints leading to his door on this measure, the Dems are howling. All this makes for good copy, of course, and keeps the political junkies busy during an otherwise slow period before the election cycle kicks in. Of course, this year, the election cycle seems to have started months ago and seems to be in overdrive already.

With so much bad press recently for Speaker Fabian Nunez's spending habits, the Term-Limits/Extension measure Prop. 93 appears to be sliding out of favor dramatically with California's likely voters. Added to the woes of current members hoping to extend their terms in office is the announcement by billionaire State Insurance Commissioner, Steve Poizner, that he will help bankroll the opposition to the measure. Even though the supporters of the measure have a substantial war chest, this measure looks like it may go down with a big thud.

We here at Speak Out California hope to be able to keep you up-to-date on all of this and any signings or vetoes by the Governor in the weeks and months ahead, so

If you like the work we've been doing at Speak Out California, with our regular weekly updates which provide inside commentary and analysis on what is going on in our state capital, we hope you'll support our work by making a contribution to Speak Out California. To contribute, just click here for our website so we can keep providing this unique and important perspective on our state and its future.

Just click here for our website to support our work in keeping California's progressive voice strong!

And now for the week's goings-on: