California on Monday May 05, 2008

Archive of California on Monday May 05, 2008

Legislators have no fundraising limit for ballot measure accounts
By Shane Goldmacher, The Sacramento Bee (registration)
Karen Bass, the speaker-elect of the state Assembly, gathered checks last month from big contributors at The Kitchen, the exclusive Sacramento eatery. But Bass, like a growing number of the state's leaders, wasn't collecting funds for her re-election. Instead, the money went to a ballot measure committee she controls.
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California faces huge upheaval
By Dan Walters, The Sacramento Bee (registration)
If demography is destiny, as 19th-century French philosopher Auguste Comte first proposed, California is destined to soon experience an economic and cultural tsunami of monumental proportions. This is the year the oldest of the post-World War II baby boomers turn 62 and can begin drawing Social Security benefits. That's expected to touch off a mass exodus from the state's labor force over the next two decades.
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California parolees get a chance in community programs
By Andy Furillo, The Sacramento Bee (registration)
California corrections officials are again diverting thousands of parole violators into community programs instead of sending them to prison, hoping this time the experiment doesn't fail.
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Atwater lawmaker targeted in recall draws wide support
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times (registration)
MODESTO, Calif. - Donald Benart runs a business in Rialto, hundreds of miles from the Central California district of state Sen. Jeff Denham, and has never met the Republican lawmaker who represents this farming area.
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California lawmakers consider new sentencing laws
By Andy Furillo, The Sacramento Bee (registration)
Lawmakers have revived a pair of bills to overhaul California's criminal sentencing laws, but majority Democrats are still wrangling over which approach to push.
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California Democrats crow over voter roll uptick
By Dan Walters, The Sacramento Bee (registration)
California's Democratic leaders, who have seen their share of the electorate decline by about 15 percentage points over the last three decades, are crowing about an uptick in registration.
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Governor's budget plan grows green staff
By Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross, San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's near-and-dear fight to make the state greener is adding a lot of new jobs to the state's already-in-the-red payroll.
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Foster care cuts challenged
By Aurellio Rojas, The Sacramento Bee (registration)
Two years ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law an eight-bill package designed to improve the lives of thousands of children in foster care. Now, Schwarzenegger is proposing a 10 percent across-the-board cut in state services because of a budget deficit he says may reach $20 billion.
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Fiddler plays the state worker blues
By Steve Wiegand, The Sacramento Bee (registration)
You can view this as enterprising entrepreneurialism -- or just a sign of hard times: A young guy with a fiddle has set up shop at various spots near the Capitol lately, scratching out tunes for passers-by. Next to the guy is an open fiddle case, with a sign in it that reads "Budget Crisis: Please Help."
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Jaime Escalante stills stands, delivers advice
By Jim Sanders, The Sacramento Bee (registration)
Jaime Escalante, whose success in teaching advanced mathematics to inner-city Los Angeles teenagers was immortalized in the movie "Stand and Deliver," will be honored today at the Capitol.
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Mental health help hit by budget crunch
By Deborah Lohse, The Mercury News (San Jose) (registration)
Hundreds of psychiatric patients will no longer receive personal therapy or casework. Sixteen low-income schools will lose on-site crisis-intervention services. Group homes for teens may see a vital county subsidy disappear.
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Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
By Kim Mendelsohn, Special to Stateline.org
Lawmakers in 10 states have taken steps to require that American flags bought with state funds be manufactured in this country. While not all the legislation has passed, one state’s new law even bans the sale of foreign-made American flags in that state.
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Fiscal pressures lead some states to free inmates early
By Keith B. Richburg and Ashley Surdin, The Washington Post (registration)
NEW YORK - Reversing decades of tough-on-crime policies, including mandatory minimum prison sentences for some drug offenders, many cash-strapped states are embracing a view once dismissed as dangerously naive: It costs far less to let some felons go free than to keep them locked up.
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Strapped governments revive pension bonds
By Michael McDonald and Adam L. Cataldo, The Washington Post (registration)
Pension bonds are making a comeback, as states and cities from Alaska to Philadelphia bet they can use the proceeds to help fill deficits in their retirement funds and still generate a higher return than what they pay in interest.
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Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
By John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writer
Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views.
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WORTH NOTING: Voters' guide promotes phone sex
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org Staff Writer
An Oregon voters’ guide lists a very wrong number. California’s governor insults rural legislators. And Pennsylvania considers selling wine in vending machines. In case you missed those stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in.
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Seeds of social issues dot 2008 elections
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

With a sagging economy and a divisive war occupying Americans’ minds, will social issues be overshadowed in state elections in 2008?
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Parents turn to states for autism help
By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer
(UPDATED 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday May 1) One of the toughest problems facing autism patients, their families and policymakers is paying for treatment. Families are increasingly relying on states to help them cope with the financial, medical and educational needs.

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Legislators prod Congress on Medicaid, Real ID
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer
As some states tumble into what they fear is a recession, state lawmakers from across the country are pushing Congress for relief from impending federal rules that would force states to pick up more Medicaid costs and spend billions to make drivers’ licenses more secure.
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With justices' OK, voter ID moves ahead
By Daniel C. Vock and John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writers
A decision Monday (April 28) by the U.S. Supreme Court to let Indiana demand photo identification from voters paves the way for other states to do the same during November’s presidential election, experts say.
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More states offer choice in long-term care
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
More states are poised to offer a successful alternative to traditional Medicaid plans that allows elders and the disabled to avoid moving to a nursing facility by hiring friends, neighbors or family members to look after them in their own homes.
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WORTH NOTING: Phantom voter stalks Ala. State House
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
An Alabama lawmaker says someone’s been using his voting machine. Florida’s House Speaker locks the doors and turns off Internet access to make legislators pay attention. And Mayberry’s Sheriff Taylor endorses a North Carolina gubernatorial candidate. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.
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Credit crunch hits states' college loans
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org Staff Writer

(Updated 11:55 a.m. EDT, April 23, 2008)

The credit crisis has led some state lending agencies to suspend their federal and private student loan programs, forcing thousands of students to search elsewhere for money to pay for college.

Turf wars rage over fake grass
By Eric Kelderman, Stateline.org Staff Writer
State legislators are used to political turf wars. Now, debates in a handful of states really are about turf, pitting those who back the artificial variety against supporters of natural grass for playgrounds and athletic fields.
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'Don't forget us,' PA candidates tell voters
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer
As Pennsylvanians prepare to go to the polls tomorrow to cast ballots in the April 22 presidential primary, experts wonder how the surge in registered voters will affect little-noticed state legislative races, particularly those in the House, where Democrats cling to a one-seat majority.
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Partisan mix in R.I., Conn. poses challenges
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

The blue states of Connecticut and Rhode Island have had a long tradition of electing Republican governors. But in both states, the combination has led at times to difficult — even chaotic — policymaking.
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Will Democrats grow legislative edge in '08?
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

For the past several election cycles, the Democrats have been on a roll in legislative elections. This year, the party is well-positioned to hold its majority of chambers — but greatly expanding Democratic control may not be in the cards.

'Purple' states turn a little more 'blue'
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

The national polls point to a tight presidential race in November. But Democrats have a bit more to cheer about than Republicans do, regardless of who wins the Democratic primary, according to the latest state-by-state electoral-vote projections by “Out There.”
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Governors pitch ambitious programs
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

Billion-dollar deficits in California, New York and Arizona haven’t stopped governors there and elsewhere from proposing big-ticket items for 2008. Stateline.org looks at proposals from governors’ 2008 "state of the state" speeches and provides an exclusive summary of all the addresses so far.

Summary of the State of the State Address

Facing a projected $14 billion budget deficit, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urged lawmakers to "face our budget demons" and approve a constitutional amendment to rein in spending.
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A tale of two comebacks
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

Not long ago, the approval ratings of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley were in the dumps. Both managed to climb back to popularity. Their stories hold lessons for other politicians.

Iraq casts shadow on 2008 state races
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

Not a single governor or state legislator wields authority over the conduct of the Iraq War, yet a broad range of party strategists and political analysts agree that state races in 2008 will be shaped, mostly indirectly, by public attitudes towards that conflict. Unless there’s a sea change in public opinion, that’s bad news for Republicans.
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