That's the sentiment of Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata on the upcoming special election, on this first day back for the Legislature after the summer recess. The feeling in the corridors of the Capitol today is kind of like … Continue reading »

They may say otherwise now, but there was hardly a person in state Capitol circles who I spoke to this week– Democrat or Republican– who thought that the redistricting initiative Proposition 77 would be placed back on the ballot. But … Continue reading »

California's Controller Steve Westly was the 23rd employee of online auction giant eBay back in 1997, but it turns out he's not the politician to whom the company has given the most campaign cash. That would be Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. … Continue reading »

The amount of money spent on lobbying the California Legislature tops the amount spent in any other state, according to a new report from the non-profit Center For Public Integrity. Using data from state records, researchers for the organization have … Continue reading »

After months of being in limbo, California's new law allowing hybrid vehicles to use HOV lanes, without any passengers, is now going into effect. The support for AB 2628, written by Assemblymember Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), was pretty strong as … Continue reading »

As expected, the proponents of the redistricting initiative Proposition 77 have filed their appeal with the state Supreme Court to keep the measure alive. Prop 77′s backers are 0-2 so far in the courts. And a reading of the high … Continue reading »

Strike two for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's preferred plan to redraw political districts, courtesy of the Third District Court of Appeals. In a 2-1 ruling, the court upheld the original ruling that Proposition 77 should not be on the November 8th … Continue reading »

The next phase of this year's battle over money for schools will be played out in court, courtesy of a lawsuit filed today against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger by Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and the California Teachers Association. For … Continue reading »

A three judge panel of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals may have a decision next Tuesday as to whether the initiative to change political redistricting is on the November ballot. But while today's two hour hearing focused on legal … Continue reading »

Take two politically powerful labor organizations and put them in the same room with a business association that helped bankroll an effort to cut into political cash spent by the labor organizations. You'd get chaos, chairs being thrown, right? Wrong. … Continue reading »