Schwarzenegger: In Like a Lion – Out Like a Lion?
Arnold Schwarzenegger barreled into the governor’s office seven years ago after winning an unprecedented gubernatorial recall campaign and immediately accomplished a major reform in fixing the workers compensation system. As he nears the end of his two terms in office, Schwarzenegger is attempting to go out by notching another big time reform of the public employee pension system.
There are similarities to the two efforts. One is the jump in costs in each of the systems and how they do damage to the fiscal situation in California. Workers comp premiums paid by California employers roughly doubled between 1999 and 2003. This dramatic increase pressured many businesses to cut employees or reduce inventory to cover their costs. Some businesses even packed up and left the state. Reduced business meant reduced tax revenue for governments.
The private sector was not the only one to feel the workers comp pinch. Public entities also had workers comp costs and the more they paid for increased premiums the less they had to pay for programs under their control.
What Really Happens if Prop 14 Passes
What they hope will happen versus what we know will happen. There is a difference between the two when it comes to the results of Prop 14 possibly passing.
Proponents will paint a picture, looking forward, of a reformed and well functioning Sacramento. "Party bosses" will be no more, and enlightened "moderates" will rule the day. There is an irony that the Governor and Lieutenant Governor-those in the best ‘insider’ positions to run a party under normal circumstances, i.e., the ultimate party bosses-are the prime pushers of this measure.
Not to mention that the pushers are themselves self-described moderates and are the people who have run the state (or cast critical votes in the very budgets that have nearly destroyed the state) lately. One must wonder whether the theoretical moderates produced by Prop 14 will rule us any better than the actual moderates who are promoting Prop 14.
The Evidence is Clear: Steve Cooley is Right Choice for AG
As District Attorneys, we are driven by evidence, justice and the need to protect the public. When we look at who is best qualified to protect the people of California as our Attorney General, the evidence is clear: Steve Cooley is the right choice.
His opponents? According to their filings with the Secretary of State, one says he is qualified to be Attorney General because he filed a brief on kosher foods in South Dakota prisons and the other because he was part of a program where he observed some cases as a courtroom volunteer – a program he did not complete.
During his 10 years as District Attorney of Los Angeles County, Steve Cooley has overseen a staff of over 1,000 attorneys that have handled more than 500,000 felony cases. He has fought for the rights of victims, locked up thousands of dangerous criminals and been a leader in aggressively prosecuting public corruption.
Federal Government Employment Is Climbing in California, While State and Local Government Employment Is Shrinking
Total government employment in California has not changed significantly over the past few years.
But this total employment number masks a sharp difference between federal government employment in California, which has actually grown during the Recession, and local and state employment, which has shrunk, as shown on the chart below.
What is Going on with the CA Commission on Disability Access?
Cross posted at www.cala.com
The CA Commission on Disability Access (CCDA) was established through legislation (SB 1608)
signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the fall of 2008. It is a
17-member commission with a budget of $80,000 and six committees. One
of the committees is the Civil Enforcement Committee, which is designed
to look at the whole issue of litigation in California related to the
Americans with Disability Act.
Has this committee met since January 1st, 2009? No. Was it supposed
to meet? Yes. On May 27th it was supposed to have its first
meeting. However it was cancelled due to lack of quorum. It will likely
be rescheduled in July sometime. In the meantime ADA lawsuits are being
filed left and right throughout the state.
I think it is fair to say that most people in the business community
supported SB 1608, not because it was the model legislation that would
rid us of these predatory lawsuits, but because it is a compromise that
has the potential to end the the rampage of lawsuits being filed by a
bunch of trial lawyers in this state. Has it done that? No. Not even
close. And the CCDA is doing nothing about it.