Moving violations

Jan 12, 2010

The legislative homecoming felt complete Monday. There were big rallies on the Capitol steps, groups of activists clad in color-coded shirts, and the halls of the Capitol were once again jammed with activity. Meanwhile, the pre-game smackdown between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Washington D.C. continues.

 

The LAT's Rothfeld and Simpon analyze the back and forth between Sacramento and Washington. "For Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, blasting the federal government for California's problems has become an oft-used routine since his first days in office. But in a new twist, federal officials are firing back.

The bicoastal fusillade, which continued Monday, began last week when Schwarzenegger attributed part of the state's $20-billion deficit to what he called an unfair federal funding formula, criticized the national healthcare plan and included an implicit message of extortion for federal lawmakers in his budget: Come up with an extra $6.9 billion for California or share the blame for eliminating state programs for children, the elderly, the disabled and the poor.

This did not sit well with the state's representatives in Congress, who felt unappreciated for helping win tens of billions of dollars in federal stimulus funds for the state last year and offering hope of more aid in a jobs bill now moving through Congress.

"The governor got himself into this mess," said Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare). "He wants everybody to like him instead of making the tough decisions. It's kind of silly to come to the federal government."

But for Schwartzenegger, apparently, it's mission accomplished.

 

"I think we have made enough noise, even though they are complaining, even though the congressional delegation, you know, now feels guilty," Schwarzenegger said. "The truth always hurts."

 

One potential source of income will be discussed today as the Assembly Public Safety Committee hears a bill to legalize and tax marijuana. Capitol Weekly's  Malcolm Maclachlan reports, "Amid protest by supporters and opponents, AB 390 by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, will get its first hearing in the Assembly Public Safety Committee. After first being introduced nearly a year ago, the bill was amended last week."

 

Meanwhile, the Assembly will also hear a bill that would prohibit the sale of the Orange County fairgrounds, despite the fact that the property has received seven bids from potential new owners. Brian Joseph reports, "The state of California, which is selling the 150-acre property in Costa Mesa, will not disclose the identities of the bidders until a live auction is held Thursday, but the Orange County Register has confirmed that bids were submitted by Advanced Real Estate Services in Lake Forest and by a joint partnership of the city of Costa Mesa and Orange County government.

 

"It’s unclear whether the nonprofit Orange County Fair & Event Center Foundation, which includes OC Fair Board members Kristina Dodge and Mary Young, has made a bid. In an email to the Orange County Register on Sunday afternoon, Dodge wrote that “we are still contemplating bidding.”

 

Jim Sanders reports the war over taxes officialy got underway in the Asembly yesterday.

"Legislation to impose a new severance tax on oil and natural gas extraction to help bolster higher education funding passed the Assembly's Revenue and Taxation Committee by a party-line vote Monday.

 

"The action came just three days after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released a new state budget plan relying largely on spending cuts and hoped-for federal revenue to bridge a projected $19.9 billion shortfall by July 2011.

 

"Democrats, by their committee vote, signaled a willingness to press for targeted tax increases, even though 2010 is an election year and odds are slim of winning the necessary two-thirds legislative super-majority to pass such measures."

 

This afternoon, the hand wringing continues as the state's legislative analyst analyzes the governor's budget proposal.

 

The governor, meanwhile, will be in Mountain View, extolling what his "jobs creation" push in his budget plan. But don't expect Dan Walters to be impressed.

 

Carla Marinucci reports Jerry Brown's gubernatorial hopes are getting a financial boost.  

 

"California's 2010 governor's race will get a lot hotter, now that the Democratic Governor's Association is ready to launch an independent expenditure -- look out, Meg Whitman -- to boost Democratic State Attorney General Jerry Brown, the party's only gubernatorial candidate.