For those of you who know John Myers of KQED, if you are happy (liberals) that I have to pospone my state budget wrap up piece until tomorrow, blame John. If you are unhappy to have to wait (normal people), you can also blame John. I had an opportunity to spend an hour on KQED radio this morning along with Myers, Senate President Don Pereta, Senate GOP Leader Dick Ackerman, and Steve Mavigilio, Deputy Chief of Staff to Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez.

If you have some time to kill you can listen to the recording of the show here (Myers counsels that the program may not appear until this afternoon).

Look for my budget wrap-up tomorrow morning.… Read More

The annual Reagan Golf Classic and dinner to benefit sailors serving aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, the San Diego Navy League, and the San Diego Armed Services YMCA, will be held September 9 and 10th, The dinner will be held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds starting a 6:00 pm on Sunday the 9th, and will feature actor Gary Sinise’s band! The Golf Classic will start with lunch at 11:00 am the next day and begin at 12:30 pm at the Coronado Municipal Golf Course. Two winners will receive an all expense paid trip to compete in the 2008 Mercedes-Benz National Championship in Kaanapali, Maui. Hosts are Michael Reagan and Mercedes-Benz of San Diego. Details: 800-659-6145.… Read More

Earlier tonight in Sacramento,the Republicans beat the Democrats.

I’m serious.

No, it wasn’t on the budget, oron a floor vote, or on some legislative procedure, or anything that might’ve helped California families, businesses, or taxpayers.

But the Republicans did beat the Democrats at something else. Softball!

Last night was the annual legislative softball game – where the Republicansquad continued their dominance andextended their series lead to 6 – 1.

Orange County Republican Assemblyman Todd Spitzer put the Republicans out to an early lead with a 1st inning home run.

Freshman Assemblyman Cameron Smyth carried much of the of burden for the team through the middle innings – making two catches in center field that according to one in attendence “would’ve made Twins Gold Glove centerfielder Torii Hunter jealous.” And, as if that weren’t enough, Smyth… Read More

Some may say the Budget vice-chair’s take is cautiously "post-partisan"-like, yet it is well-crafted and succinct. It all comes down to one sentence:

"While this is a budget that has been brought under control and reflects our list of priorities sought in the negotiations, it is still one that will result inevitably in a near $5 billion deficit next year, and as such it is not one I wanted to affix my name to for posterity." Here’s the full release:

Senator Hollingsworth Comments on the Passage of the State Budget

SACRAMENTO —- Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, made the following the statement after the passage of the budget today by the Legislature:

“This is the first time in my seven year legislative career that I’ve seen Republicans achieve so many of our budget priorities. With further clarification of the Governor’s blue penciling the spending plan to a zero operating… Read More

Over at his Citizens for the California Republican website, State Senator Tom McClintock has posted an column entitled A Small Victory And A Big Risk…

Four main items were taken up in the Assembly as the Senate finished up on the budget.

A bill, SB 97 was passedto provide a moratorium on lawsuits by Attorney General Brown over greenhouse gas emissions not being factored into construction. So, for a window of time, infrastructure can be built until the regs are actually sorted out on the ill-conceived AB32, and bond dollars voted for by Californians won’t be used to settle frivolous global warming lawsuits or more studies on how much CO 2 comes from projects. That moratorium is only until the end of ’09.

SB 83, the amended health trailer bill squeaked out 54 votes, not much Rep support.

Two other bills amending the Transportation trailer bill and the General Government trailer from the original Assembly versions a month ago passed with strong bipartisan support. These amendments did improve original trailers that had only checkered Republican support.… Read More

With the passage of the budget, I have been on the phone quite a bit to Capitol denizens, and have heard a reoccuring rumor that Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman is on the way out.

Let me just put that rumor to bed. I’ve spoken with plenty of Senators, and while there is no love for this state budget (it’s too big, fat and bloated for any GOPer to love), I heard a lot of praise about Ackerman from his colleagues in terms of that way he worked with his caucus on the matter. Some of this praise came from Senators who did not support Ackerman’s bid to keep his leadership role last year.

Ackerman’s term in office ends next year, and one can presume that he will step aside early in order to allow for a transition — but I wouldn’t look for something to happen immediately. Certainly not before the end of this legislative session.… Read More

As indicated from my intel below, the State Senate met and did, in fact, pass out the state budget with 27 votes — the two GOPers being Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman and ersatz Republican Abel Maldonado.

First the CEQA reform I outlined below was voted on in the State Assembly, and then it came over to the State Senate where it, simultaneously to the budget, was passed on to the Governor.

Kudos to legislative Republicans for making a horrible budget slightly better. Californian’s need to elect more Republicans to the legislature if we want to see substantive structural reform of California state government.… Read More