Thursday, January 22, 2009

California News Roundup - January 22, 2009

California controller sides with unions in suit challenging Arnold Schwarzenegger - John Chiang refuses to implement the governor's order forcing state workers to take days off without pay. A spokesman for Schwarzenegger says the move is 'politically calculated.'By Michael Rothfeld and Patrick McGreevy Reporting from Sacramento -- State Controller John Chiang has refused to execute an order by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to force state workers to take two days off without pay each month, siding with two unions that filed a lawsuit challenging the move.

George Skelton: Schwarzenegger could learn from Obama's share-the-pain message - I hope Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger listened closely from his choice seat. Because President Obama's inaugural address was a stark reminder of what has been missing from political discourse in California: the notion of individual sacrifice for the common good.

CalPERS names chief investment officer -Joseph Dear, director of Washington state's public pension fund, faces a stiff challenge.By Marc Lifsher Reporting from Sacramento -- The head of the Washington State Investment Board is heading south to Sacramento to oversee investments at the nation's largest public pension fund, the California Public Employees' Retirement System.

L.A. County may divert funds toward welfare clients - Officials are considering using $6 million meant to fight child abuse for welfare and food stamp recipients, as the number of people applying for aid grows as a result of the recession.By Garrett Therolf Scrambling to cope with a surge in welfare applications, Los Angeles County officials are considering a budget maneuver that would prop up some key support services by tapping a pot of money meant to fight child abuse and neglect.

California Republicans put taxes on table for state budget - After months of holding firm on a "no new taxes" pledge, some Republican lawmakers said Wednesday that they are willing to consider a tax hike as part of a wider-ranging deal to close the state's budget gap.

California's Democratic gubernatorial prospects test the waters at inauguration– California's Democratic gubernatorial rivals have been quietly advancing their ambitions amid the inaugural celebrations.

Daniel Weintraub: Maybe it's time for a government overhaul- When people first started kicking around the idea of a constitutional convention for California, I was skeptical.


The Buzz - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is wasting no time in hitting up the new prez on an issue the last administration fought tooth and nail. The guv wrote President Barack Obama on Wednesday to ask him to let California and other states regulate vehicles' greenhouse-gas emissions. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has ruled that states don't have the authority. Obama has said he would grant the waiver.

CalPERS names new chief investment officer- CalPERS named a new chief investment officer Wednesday, hiring a politically savvy pension fund executive to steer it through the most difficult climate the financial markets have seen in decades.

State controller: I won't carry out governor's furlough order- Democratic State Controller John Chiang announced Wednesday that he will refuse to carry out Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's order to cut state worker pay in February unless a judge demands that he do so.

The State Worker: Furlough order's uncertainties cause anxiety- The e-mail was simple and direct: "(Furloughs) are a microcosm of the way the state does things: Wait until the last possible minute, then implement something that never had a chance of being successful in the first place."

It's a crisis; act like it's a crisis- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and California's top legislative leaders can't seem to stick to their scripts.

Sen. Feinstein rises to the occasion- If you were among those moved by President Obama's inauguration, take a moment to salute California Sen. Dianne Feinstein. As head of the inaugural committee, she set the tone for the new, incoming government with simple, classy ceremonies that accommodated millions of Americans.

California controller warns of cash crunch, but rejects $1.3 billion furlough plan- State Controller John Chiang — who warned last week that he will soon suspend billions in tax refunds and other payments because the state is short on cash — is opposing a plan by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to save $1.3 billion by furloughing state workers two days a month.

More fuzzy math and bad policies by state prisons- A story problem: It cost $50 a day to house nonviolent offenders in restitution centers, where they worked to compensate their victims and defray detention costs. It costs $97 a day to keep an inmate in a California prison. How much did the state save by moving 74 nonviolent offenders to state prisons?

Republicans considering the unthinkable: - Republicans are rethinking the unthinkable: saying yes, though begrudgingly so, to taxes.

Catholic group enters the legal fray over Prop. - Catholic Answers Action has entered the legal fray over the Proposition 8 ban on gay marriage, filing a court brief in support of the measure. Opponents of the measure, which passed in November, are suing to have the ban voided by the state Supreme Court.

State challenges prison plan- California's attorney general asked a federal appeals court Wednesday to block what he described as an extravagant spending proposal for prison medical facilities.

Legislators object to proposal for drilling off Santa Barbara-A dozen state legislators have challenged a proposal to drill for oil off the coast of Santa Barbara, saying it could set a precedent for more drilling along the 1,100 miles of California coastline.

State deficit debacle threatens First -The top administrator of California's embattled First 5 program urged local supporters Wednesday to lobby state legislators not to scuttle the child care and preschool program.

Tech promise - California's enormous budget deficit makes more efficient state government a necessity. So Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to combine four technology agencies into one state office has merit: The proposal could save taxpayers money. And done properly, the idea could lead to a more effective and accountable state government.

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