Buried in the business section of the Sacramento Bee (and again in the opinion page) was a story about what should be one of the biggest political scandals of the year: Sacramento Councilman Steve Cohn, in an brazen attempt to curry favor with labor unions, is secretly attempting to force a private company to unionize – even though employees already voted against unionizing.

One of the regions oldest businesses – the venerable Blue Diamond Growers, which is really a co-operative of 3500 small growers — learned of the move by the City of Sacramento when the item appeared on the agenda for this Friday’s council meeting.

Councilman Steve Cohn — who really wants to be mayor — is trying to eliminate the standard secret ballot, which would leave employees open to intimidation for their ballot choice (no matter which side they pick, they would be subject to possible intimidation).

Cohn once tried to block expansion of Sutter Hospital… Read More

Yesterday marked the beginning of the 2007-2008 legislative session. The Assembly once again installed Assembly member Fabian Nunez as Speaker of the Assembly yesterday and the Senate re-elected Senator Don Perata as Senate Majority Leader. Most of the action was in the Assembly, as the governor sat through the whole swearing-in ceremony and got up to saw a few words when Nunez introduced him.

Nunez gave a speech about wanting to work with members of both parties on issues such as health care, education and the environment. When Assembly member Mike Villines was elected as Republican leader in November, Nunez issued a statement saying, “I congratulate Assembly member Mike Villines on his election today as Republican leader. If there is any lesson to be learned from the election, it is that California voters want us to be partners, not partisans…I look forward to working with him to continue the bipartisan progress we made with Governor Schwarzenegger.”… Read More

Yesterday marked the beginning of the 2007-2008 legislative session. The Assembly once again installed Assembly member Fabian Nunez as Speaker of the Assembly yesterday and the Senate re-elected Senator Don Perata as Senate Majority Leader. Most of the action was in the Assembly, as the governor sat through the whole swearing-in ceremony and got up to saw a few words when Nunez introduced him.

Nunez gave a speech about wanting to work with members of both parties on issues such as health care, education and the environment. When Assembly member Mike Villines was elected as Republican leader in November, Nunez issued a statement saying, “I congratulate Assembly member Mike Villines on his election today as Republican leader. If there is any lesson to be learned from the election, it is that California voters want us to be partners, not partisans…I look forward to working with him to continue the bipartisan progress we made with Governor Schwarzenegger.”… Read More

Today is swearing in day for the new Legislature. The 2006-08 session officially begins today.

For me, it is a strange time. Since 1992, I have showed up on the first Monday of December in each even numbered year, raised my right hand, and swore to defend the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies foreign and domestic. I then spent the next two years defending those Constitutions against the domestic enemies who were elected to the California Legislature. That duty now falls to the new Legislators.

When I first joined the Legislature in 1992, there were 48 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the Assembly and 26 Democrats and 14 Republicans in the Senate. Today, there are 48 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the Assembly, and 25 Democrats and 15 Republicans in the Senate. The Senate never had more than 17 Republicans in the Senate, but the Assembly had 41 Republicans after the 1994 election. After those Republicans were sold out by Paul Horcher, Doris Allen and Brian Setencich, they finally solidified their majority by January, 1966. We lost that majority in November 1996.… Read More

Assembly Republican leader Mike Villines introduced a redistricting reform measure today. Good for him. I hope that the Governor picks this as an issue of importance to help usher through. Maybe he can prevail on the Democrats to sign on and make California’s legislative races more competitive (and therefore, more democratic). From Villines’ office:

REPUBLICAN LEADER VILLINES INTRODUCES REDISTRICTING REFORM MEASURE Legislation Strips Powers from Politicians, Returns Them to the People SACRAMENTO – Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, of Clovis, today introduced legislation that will take away the power to draw legislative… Read More

Even though he’s away lolling on a tropical beach, I wanted to take the time to wish FR Big Daddy Jon Fleischman a happy birthday.

Without his vision and drive, I wouldn’t be able to say this, or anything else, in this venue.

I think he’s about 37 now (?)

Please join me in wishing Jon a great day!… Read More

After 3 1/2 days with no Assembly in place, we were sworn in today a little after noon. The ceremony was orderly and timely, including the attendence by Governor Schwarzenegger, a very rare thing for a governor to visit the Assembly chamber for its swearing-in ceremony…for sure the firstduring the3 swearing-in ceremonies I’ve been around. I thought it was a great gesture and a signal of his interest in working with the Legislature. A bi-partisan chord was what was trying to be struck by those that spoke…and it lasted until the rules of the house were brought forth for adoption as we do atthe beginning of each 2 year session. The kicker: As usual, Republicans only received the rules draft that we were to vote on at about 9:30 AM, with no time for us to really consider them, membersgot copies much later. So that put a damper on the bi-partisan love fest but that’s how the majority issues the rules each year. One colleague remarked to one of the freshmen members, "There, you’ve experienced your first [vote] loss already!" Also, about 80 bills were introduced on day one, a number which will grow to about 1900 by the end… Read More

Hats off to Capitol Weekly’s Anthony York for being first out of the gate with the news that Senate Republicans this morning re-elected Dick Ackerman as their leader. According to the story, it was a razor-close vote between Ackerman and challenger Jim Battin.

There were several votes, and that among other issues discussed, according to Battin, there was the relationship between Senate Republicans and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Specifically, Battin told York, "And we had a long discussion on how the leaders should act with the governor."

You can read Capitol Weekly’s piece here. Congratulations to Senator Ackerman.

(We understand that the ultimate ‘swing’ vote was an undecided Senator Abel Maldonado. Maldonado went with Ackerman, and sealed the deal for the Leader’s re-election. )… Read More