The Governor may as well have been humming the U.C.L.A. Bruin fight song while going to a meeting of the U.S.C. Trojans. My sources tell me that that is a good analogy for what happened today when the Governor went into a closed-door meeting with Assembly Republicans. Once again, he has earnestly asked GOP legislators to sign off on a budget deal that punishes California taxpayers for the overspending of politicians (something Arnold actually promised he would never do), asking Republicans to sign off on his so-called "temporary" tax increase. You know, the one that socks it to Californians through a tax increase the next few years, and "promises" to then lower the tax rate a few years out… Right.

Well, Assembly Republicans made it clear to the Governor that a tax increase is not going to happen.

After the meeting, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, a leading critic of the Governor’s broken "I will not raise your taxes" pledge, has this to say:

A good synopsis from the Gov’s press team…. Voices Heard ‘Round The State…California Correctional Peace Officers Association’s Recall Attempt Just Another Political Intimidation Tactic

Sacramento Bee: “Union leaders can’t buy Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has never accepted CCPOA contributions, so now they want to recall him.” (Editorial, “A Desperate Ploy From Guards Union,” Sacramento Bee, 9/9/08)

CCPOA’s Actions Are A “Desperate” Attempt To Bully The Governor Towards High Pay Raises

San Diego Union-Tribune: “This Is A Bullying Tactic Designed To Force The Governor To Go Along With A Raise.” “… Everything about this reeks – starting with the group pushing for a recall. The prison guards union isn’t motivated by altruism; instead, this is a bullying tactic designed to force the governor to go along with a raise for CCPOA members.” (Editorial, “Recall Folly,” San Diego Union-Tribune, 9/9/08)

Union Trying To Use… Read More

As a follow-up to yesterday’s FR mainpage link to the SFChron Matier & Ross story, here’s today’s announcement as noted by California Special Districts Association….

Correctional Officers Announce Effort to Recall Schwarzenegger

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA) announced today that they will begin the process to recall Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"It’s about leadership," said CCPOA spokesman Lance Corcoran. "Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is the worst governor in the history of worst governors …" The union is collecting the 65 necessary valid signatures to serve the governor a… Read More

As the hijinks of the legislative and budget process lurches along, the "day-counts" are becoming a kind of interesting subplot…to me anyway. Now, with all the conventions over and the bill deadline over, it now can become time for the media to focus on why the Republicans should give in to a tax increase. Hey, everyone else is. What I mean by the day-countsis that today is the 70th day since the June 30 fiscal year or "working deadline" came and went. The latest budget ever was signed Sep. 5 so we have that record going for us,70 and counting.

Then, counting down, for us legislators termed out this year, we have79 days until wehave to get our stuff outof our state offices, November 26 at 5 PM, the Wednesday beforeThanksgiving. They want a couple days for the incoming crop to have their offices switched over, ready on the day of their swearing in Monday, Dec 1 at noon.

Our termsare technically until November 30 at midnight [83 days]so I guess my constituents will have tocall me or our staff by cell or at home for case work issues those last 4 days. Or maybe they find a way to do without their… Read More

As the hijinks of the legislative and budget process lurches along, the "day-counts" are becoming a kind of interesting subplot…to me anyway. Now, with all the conventions over and the bill deadline over, it now can become time for the media to focus on why the Republicans should give in to a tax increase. Hey, everyone else is. What I mean by the day-countsis that today is the 70th day since the June 30 fiscal year or "working deadline" came and went. The latest budget ever was signed Sep. 5 so we have that record going for us,70 and counting.

Then, counting down, for us legislators termed out this year, we have79 days until wehave to get our stuff outof our state offices, November 26 at 5 PM, the Wednesday beforeThanksgiving. They want a couple days for the incoming crop to have their offices switched over, ready on the day of their swearing in Monday, Dec 1 at noon.

Our termsare technically until November 30 at midnight [83 days]so I guess my constituents will have tocall me or our staff by cell or at home for case work issues those last 4 days. Or maybe they find a way to do without their… Read More

The State Senate just gave thumbs down to the no tax budget plan advanced by the Republican caucus by a vote of 13 ‘aye’, all Reeps, and 21 ‘no’, all Dems.… Read More

In perhaps San Diego’s highest profile run-off election in the last several years, Judge Jan Goldsmith is taking on incumbent Democrat City Attorney Mike Aguirre. Goldsmith, endorsed by the San Diego GOP prior to the primary, is now pulling in one Democratic endorsement after another.

Goldsmith was clearly a moderate as a state assemblyman. Yet, at a time when many simply desire stability in the city attorney’s office, his call for a lack of partisanship is serving him well as a coalition builder. The Dem support for Goldsmith not only shows an across-the-board respect for his capabilities, it also signifies the overwhelming disdain for Aguirre’s job as the city attorney, regardless of party.

Aguirre, a longtime liberal Democrat, successfully ran four years ago as a reform crusader against the pension-debacle powers-that-be of both parties at City Hall, those responsible for making San Diego the “Enron by the Sea." Once elected, his continuing crusade may have cost him previous big labor support, but he also became something of a darling among many fiscal conservatives and some Republicans. They cheered his willingness to call a spade a… Read More

I know Jon likes to keep this as a resource for state political news, and in that vein I guess I’ll point out how this map shows that Obama’s lead in California has dropped from 21-points in July to 11-points currently.

But more so, a)maybe I’m late to the party, but I didn’t know Rove had a website, and b)this scrolling map is pretty interesting, to see how the state-by-state polls have shifted throughout the past 6 months. Definitely something I’ll keep bookmarked for the next 60 days.… Read More