The money spent by state government may be bottled up by the lack of a new budget (now one month late), but the campaign cash is still flowing. Hundreds of campaign finance reports are being filed today, as various candidates … Continue reading »

What does it mean for a voting machine, or an overall voting system, to be secure? For years, there has been almost no agreement on an answer to that question. And the long running debate about the potential for elections … Continue reading »

The state budget stalemate continues, and is the main focus of this week's Capital Notes Podcast. Senate Republicans demand more budget savings, Democrats reject many of the ideas, and Governor Schwarzenegger urges action. With the regular crew: John Myers, Kate … Continue reading »

Two very big political stories landed with a boom Friday afternoon: referendum measures were filed to invalidate the revised casino deals with four powerful Indian tribes… and a long-awaited report on the security of voting machines raises a lot of … Continue reading »

That's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's message to the state Senate, as the 26th day of the budget impasse comes… and goes… with no spending plan in place. Schwarzenegger held a news conference this afternoon on the fiscal fight at the state … Continue reading »

Lawmakers quickly convened and adjourned this morning, but not before the 15 members of the Senate Republican Caucus finally handed over a list of cuts they say are necessary to pass a new state budget… a budget that's now 25 … Continue reading »

A major political battle appears to be brewing, as the campaign to reform the state's term limits law for legislators has begun submitting signatures to qualify the proposed initiative for the February 2008 statewide ballot. More than 1.1 million signatures … Continue reading »

The state budget impasse is our focus on this special early week edition of the Capital Notes Podcast. We take a look back at the negotiations and standoffs from last week, and we also quickly examine a new look at … Continue reading »

The state budget impasse is the subject of an unusual (our first!) Capital Notes Podcast alert. A mini podcast, if you will, because the state budget… while being approved by the Assembly early this morning… remains, for now, stuck in … Continue reading »

"Back where we started. Here we go 'round again. Day after day, I get up and I say, 'c'mon do it again.'" –The Kinks Even though the Senate has yet to vote on the budget plan passed by the Assembly … Continue reading »