- If you are a Republican, and think you may want to see what it is like to work for a member of the State Legislature in the Capitol Building, then don’t miss today’s lead column from Karen Pank, who, as an alumni of the Capitol Fellowship Program, makes a good case for GOPers to apply!
- No one that I know believes for a minute that the Fabian Nunez-pushed effort to put a term limits ‘reform’ measure on the ballot this February is about anything other than the Speaker and other term-limited incumbent politicians seeking to extend their own time in political office. There’s a story in the Sacramento Bee about how the measure was ‘tweaked’ when it was discovered that Senate President Pro-Tempore Don Perata would not be able to extend HIS time in office. Any measure that allows politicians to serve in any single chamber of the legislature longer than the current limits is a weakening of the measure. Mr. Speaker, make your case on why term limits are bad. But don’t insult the voters by trying to somehow frame your self-preservation measure as a ‘strengthening’ of term limits.
- There is a lot of controversy swirling about the pending recommendations about to be made by the California Transportation Commission on the allocation of Transportation Bond funds for projects around the state. As Dan Walters of the Sacramento Bee points out, as he discussed the fact that legislators (like Speaker Fabian Nunez) unhappy with the proposed allocations are proposing to get the legislature involved in the process, that during the bond campaign, we were all assured that the allocations would be a non-political process. Right.
- The Commission that was formed to look at the issue of retirement benefits for public employees as well really defining what California’s pension obligations truly are, and whether we have the funds set aside to pay those obligations, and been ‘officially constituted’ as the Governor and legislative leaders have appointed members. While there are a few bright lights on the panel (Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle being one), it is clear that the Democrat leaders were intent on putting public-employee advocates, and not taxpayer-advocates, on this body. Out of left-field comes the appointment by the Governor of financier Gerry Parsky to the commission. Parsky’s appointment will certainly muddy the waters as his m.o. is to strike compromises and cut deals. His infamous process he set up to give California’s liberal Democrat Senators too much say over Bush judicial picks in the Golden State comes to mind…
**There is more – click the link**