One of California’s brightest public policy minds is retiring (perhaps temporarily) from public office after a sixteen-year career on the Garden Grove City Council.

Political professionals, myself included, often times under estimate the impact of individual elected officials. And it is easy to discount the majority of elected officials both local and in the legislature–they just don’t have the skills or knowledge or command of the issues that allows them to be great at the job of making policy.

Councilman Mark Leyes is the exception to that rule. He is in an economist by education, a political strategist by necessity and visionary by desire. And if you had ever been to Garden Grove in the late ’80s and then came back today, you would know why Tuesday night’s retirement party hosted by the city had included over a hundred admirers of Leyes and what he accomplished in his tenure on the council.

Having served on a local water board and policy guru at another water district prior to… Read More

In the coming days, newly minted Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines will be announcing key leadership team members, the most prominent of which will be his selection for Chairman of the Assembly Republican Caucus.

We have verified that Villines’ pick for this important post is conservative leader Bob Huff. Huff has quickly risen in prominence in GOP circles because of his understanding of politics, his commitment to core Republican principles, and his ammiable personality.

Congratulations (in advance) Assemblyman Huff – our expectations are appropriatly high! And a nod of respect to Leader Villines – a superb pick!

(Note: I’ve had this intel for a little while, choosing to hold it in confidence. I’m only posting it now because so many folks have told me, that it will be common knowledge by noon. I guess make that eleven now!)… Read More

I really couldn’t be more proud to live in Oakland than I am today. Not only do I have to look forward to seeing Jerry Brown hands the reins of power over to Ron Dellums, but we get a hand-holding ceremony around Lake Merritt to celebrate the new mayor to boot! The Chronicle’s Matier & Ross write today about Dellums’ and Schwarzenegger’s planned festivities. One can’t fault Schwarzenegger for throwing a big party this time around. He rightly held off when he was first elected, rolling up his sleeves and telling the voters that he understood he was sent to Sacramento to get work done that the recalled Gov. Gray Davis was unable to accomplish. But under normal situations, it is customary for governors to throw inaugural parties and there’s no doubt that… Read More

From the Groan Department, this press release pretty much speaks for itself….

New workshop series provides farm workers with variety of life skills The Migrant Education Program (MEP), which is administered by the San Diego County Office of Education, will be presenting a series of free workshops, in Spanish, introducing skills on everyday living and educational opportunities in the community for farm workers. The first workshop in the two-part pilot series will be held Tuesday, Nov. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Farm Bureau office, 1670 E. Valley Parkway, Escondido. The second workshop will be presented from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 27, also at the Farm Bureau office. Depending on the response to this initial workshop series, additional workshops will be offered in 2007 and at different North San Diego County locations.

The complete workshop series teaches practical and relevant skills to fit the needs and interests of migrant farm workers in San Diego County. They include, among other things, advice on banking and money management, buying a car, renting an… Read More

Today the Governor made fifteen more appointments into State Government — 9 Republicans and 6 Democrats. To the Shasta County Fair Board: Eileen Bauer (R), Emmett Burroughs (R), Bill Gibson (R), Bradd McDannold (R), Pete Peters (R), Larry Russell (D), Patrick Wallner (D), Victor Woolery (R).

To the Advisory Committee on Juvinile Justice and Delinquency: Carol Biondi (R, Los Angeles), Sandra McBrayer (D, San Diego), Winston Peters (D, Los Angeles), Maria Rochart (R, Glendale).

Also: * John Dunker (R), of Rio Dell to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. * Matthew Magner (R), of Bakersfield, as special assistant inspector general of the Bureau of Independent Review in the Office of the Inspector General. * Samuel Wakim (R), of Yreka to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. (A special FR congrats to Sam Wakim, who is Chairman of his… Read More

Since the election, several of the Governor’s top staff have announced they are leaving for greener ($$$) pastures.

The blog LA Observed has a post of an email from a Democratic consultant looking for people to work in the Villaraigosa’s administration in Los Angeles. See post here.

That is good economic news for Democratic operatives as they now have two places they can apply.… Read More

This week the Republican members of the California State Senate and State Assembly will hold a ‘retreat’ at Donald Bren’s posh Island Hotel (formerly the Four Seasons) in Newport Beach, California. This multi-day affair is an annual tradition, and affords a chance for nearly fifty GOP legislators to come together and spend some ‘quality time’ — getting to know one another (over a quarter of these legislators are taking office for the first time next week), and look at their political and policy strategies for the upcoming legislative session and election cycle. If FR readers will recall, on the Thursday after the election, Assembly Republicans caucused for several long hours and emerged with a new leader – Mike Villines of Fresno. We featured a column from Villines on this site the very next day, where the new Assembly Republican Leader talked about his priorities, paramount of which is trying to bring fiscal discipline and sanity to state government.

Because of the way California’s Constitution is worded, it takes a two-thirds vote of both houses of the legislature to enact a tax increase, or to pass a… Read More

This week the Republican members of the California State Senate and State Assembly will hold a ‘retreat’ at Donald Bren’s posh Island Hotel (formerly the Four Seasons) in Newport Beach, California. This multi-day affair is an annual tradition, and affords a chance for nearly fifty GOP legislators to come together and spend some ‘quality time’ — getting to know one another (over a quarter of these legislators are taking office for the first time next week), and look at their political and policy strategies for the upcoming legislative session and election cycle. If FR readers will recall, on the Thursday after the election, Assembly Republicans caucused for several long hours and emerged with a new leader – Mike Villines of Fresno. We featured a column from Villines on this site the very next day, where the new Assembly Republican Leader talked about his priorities, paramount of which is trying to bring fiscal discipline and sanity to state government.

Because of the way California’s Constitution is worded, it takes a two-thirds vote of both houses of the legislature to enact a tax increase, or to pass a… Read More