It appears that substantial enough progress may have been made in negotiations to achieve a 2/3rd vote in the Senate on the budget. Not being a policy wonk, I will sum up the essence of the deal as this: (1) the Governor blue-line vetoes 700 million in non-gimmicky real cuts, (2) the CEQA reforms demanded by Senate Republicans are achieved for two years, at least as far as infrastructure bond issues are concerned, and (3) some clean up takes place in numerous trailer bills that were flawed as a result of a speedy passage in the Assembly.

My source gives the caveat that the Assembly has not been involved in this negotiation, but he is hopeful they will approve this deal.

We’ll wait to see how this all pens out. At the end of the day, we’re still talking about “putting lipstick on the pig” when we talk about this fat, bloated budget. Still, it is better for the effort of Assembly Republicans and looks to be better yet for the work of Senate GOPers. Still, nothing I would vote for…but that would take a lot more giving than Perata and Nunez would or could produce…

As I pen this, Senate Republicans are still… Read More

Drudge Report now has a link up to an ABC 7 News story about Democrat California Congressman Bob Filner’sphysical altercationwith a United Airlines employee near the baggage claim area of Dulles International Airport last night.

ABC 7 reports:

"ABC 7/Newschannel 8’s Jay Korff learned that police were called to the baggage claim area around 6 p.m. when a passenger attempted to enter an area authorized for airline employees only.

"ABC 7/Newschannel 8’s Kris Van Cleave spoke with several witnesses who say they saw Filner push aside an United Airlines employee and refused to leave the office.

"When officers arrived on scene, they found Filner waiting outside the office and informed him the airline employee would be pursuing charges.

"Investigators say the employee appeared before a Loudoun County Magistrate Sunday evening… Read More

Yes, I admit I long for the days of Pete Wilson as Governor. But , Pete has moved on to bigger and wealthier things. The LA Business Journal profiles Pete Wilson and several other Government affairs attorneys in their Who’s Who in L.A. Lawreport(Think Hertzberg, Frommer). See article here.… Read More

LEGISLATURE RETURNS – TIME FOR SOME GOP SOLIDARITY AND UNITY With the legislature reconvening today in the State Capitol, it means that Assembly Republicans will all be back together for the first time since Fabian Nunez abruptly (and unwisely) adjourned the Assembly before a final budget was put on the Governor’s desk. Today would be a good day for Assembly Republicans to hold a press conference to make some key points.

We stand in solidarity with our Republican colleagues in the Senate — the reforms for which they are holding out are important, and we believe the Democrats should be listening to them. We do not support the Governor’s efforts to go into the districts of our Republican colleagues to pressure them to give up on these important reforms. We call on all Senators to reject the proposed budget as long as the tax-cut package negotiated by Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines is being held up by Don Perata. A strong statement that without that tax-cut package, there would not have been a budget passed out of the Assembly at … Read More

The Governor announced nine different LA County Judicial appointments today. The score was 5 GOP, 3 Dems and 1 decline to state. See press release here. Not impressive and doesn’t make a dent in the 2 to 1 ratio (Democrats in the lead) he has appointed since the recall. See previous post.… Read More

LEGISLATURE RETURNS – TIME FOR SOME GOP SOLIDARITY AND UNITY With the legislature reconvening today in the State Capitol, it means that Assembly Republicans will all be back together for the first time since Fabian Nunez abruptly (and unwisely) adjourned the Assembly before a final budget was put on the Governor’s desk. Today would be a good day for Assembly Republicans to hold a press conference to make some key points.

We stand in solidarity with our Republican colleagues in the Senate — the reforms for which they are holding out are important, and we believe the Democrats should be listening to them. We do not support the Governor’s efforts to go into the districts of our Republican colleagues to pressure them to give up on these important reforms. We call on all Senators to reject the proposed budget as long as the tax-cut package negotiated by Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines is being held up by Don Perata. A strong statement that without that tax-cut package, there would not have been a budget passed out of the Assembly at … Read More

Update: Assembly adjourns at 10PM, no action taken on floor.Senate stops discussions til tomorrow, session for both houses is at 11AM.

Big 5 met, things are moving, Senators getting closer to agreement, we’re waiting around on trailer bill biz, looks like another one of those late-nighters, with bills going both directions amongst Assembly and Senate.… Read More

Apparently campaigning is done a little bit "differently" if you are a Democrat legislator from Northwestern California. Democrat Assemblywomen Noreen Evans and Patti Berg apparently were so anxious to make sure that their legislative colleagues attend their upcoming fundraising events that they just distributed their event invitations right on the Assembly floor!

Looking at these photos of the campaign materials distrubuted on the desks of Democrat Members in the Assembly Chambers, there may be a bargain to he had. To be a "Plato Fuerte" sponsor for Noreen Evan’s upcoming fundraising event will cost you a cool $3600 bucks (if you are in Sacramento and free tomorrow night. But note the word "complimentary" emblazoned on both the Evans and Berg flyers. Perhaps you can print this e-mail, and take it to the event and get admitted for no charge. … Read More