California’s economy is in the toilet. The budget stands in perpetual crisis. The entire governing system doesn’t work.

Amidst the Bladerunner-style wreckage of our state government, the legislature is making time for hearings on filling the job of the lieutenant governor for the next 10 months.

Why bother?

This is the question that was raised, but never really answered, Tuesday afternoon as State Senator Abel Maldonado made the case for his own confirmation during a press conference call.

Veteran educator Glen W. Thomas is resigning as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s education cabinet secretary in order to care for his ailing mother.

Schwarzenegger appointed Thomas, 63, to the post – the primary education advisor to the governor — in January 2009. The date of Thomas’ departure has yet to be set.

“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be Secretary of Education,” Thomas said. “With the governor’s leadership, we accomplished a lot more than some people thought possible. Things like Race to the Top and digital textbooks.”

A triumvirate of entities shape public school policy in the state: the State Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the governor’s education cabinet secretary.

California took more employment and innovation bruises this month with two announcements from companies producing the state’s favorite products – web technology and solar power.

Palo Alto based Facebook will build new facility in Oregon
Employing 200 people during construction and 35 full time employees upon completion

"The social media powerhouse confirmed Thursday that it has picked the economically depressed Central Oregon town for Facebook’s first company-owned data center, drawn to the region by reliable and affordable power, a favorable climate and tax breaks."

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Silicon Valley based MiaSole solar company will build manufacturing facility in Georgia
Employing potentially 1,000 workers

When Mike Murphy, a heavy-hitter strategist for Meg Whitman, asked if there was anything that could be done to get the state insurance commissioner to drop out of the GOP governor’s race, Steve Poizner could have just said no.

But where’s the fun in that?

Instead, Poizner called a news conference Monday to announce that he was sending letters to the FBI, the attorney general, the secretary of state, assorted U.S. attorneys, the Fair Political Practices Commission and just about everyone this side of the Alpine County sheriff, accusing Murphy and the Whitman campaign of trying to force him out of the governor’s race.

“Meg Whitman does not have the right to prevent a legal election process through threats and intimidation” that would deny Republican voters a chance to choose their nominee, Poizner thundered.

Stirring stuff. Cynical, political and way over the top, but stirring.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger complained that the legislature felt “no urgency” to get behind his job creation program in California. Schwarzenegger made the statement at the Quallion Company in Sylmar yesterday promoting one of the five legs of his job creation program, exempting sales tax on green manufacturing. Quallion develops and manufactures customized lithium ion batteries.

The governor said California couldn’t wait for Washington to help with job creation or for the economy to fully recover. California has to make moves to increase jobs. He has proposed a training and hiring incentive program, streamlining regulations, extending the homebuyer credit and eliminating frivolous lawsuits against small businesses in addition to eliminating sales tax on green tech manufacturing equipment.

The same day that Dan Walters questioned in his column whether or not green jobs can save the state’s economy, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Vickie Bradshaw, was on hand at the press conference pumping up the green job sector. She noted that California has more employers involved in the green economy and receives 60% of all venture capitol aimed at “green” job creation.

Today, I had the honor of joining Governor Schwarzenegger, Senator Alex Padilla and others at a press conference to promote legislation I have introduced which will create jobs and boost green energy through tax relief. The event was held in Sylmar, CA at Quallion, the largest manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries and a direct beneficiary of this proposed bill.

SBX8 22 will exempt the purchase of green technology equipment from sales tax. Governor Schwarzenegger presented the idea as part of an effort to promote clean, renewable energy, stimulate the economy and create jobs. Creating jobs and promoting renewable energy alternatives are central themes in my effort to return California to prosperity and I welcomed the opportunity to author this bill.

SBX8 22 will help transition California to a more renewable, energy efficient economy. Green technology manufacturing is important for several reasons. Not only is it making a positive impact on our environment, but it’s also providing much needed jobs at a crucial time. This is win-win legislation that should be implemented right away.

On Saturday, February 6, an end of an era will come to Sacramento. The famous Squeeze Inn will be closing it’s location at 7916 Fruitridge Avenue in Sacramento. To clarify, The Squeeze Inn is not closing, it is simply closing it’s historic location that became the scene of a lawsuit filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) last year. It will be opening its new location right around the corner in the next few weeks.

Famous for it’s 1/3 of a pound hamburger with a bubbling cheese skirt, the Squeeze Inn garnered extra publicity after appearing on the Food Network show, Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. In fact, the show’s host Guy Fieri recently appeared on Jay Leno’s show and ranked it in the two best burgers he has ever had.

Come Saturday, the famous location on Fruitridge will be closing and the cozy 12-seat diner owned by the great Hausauer Family will be no more. A little slice of Sacramento will be gone, all due to an ADA lawsuit. While it will live on in it’s new location and another location in Galt, it wont’ be quite the same.

We’ve now entered the weird season – or perhaps the silly season, depending on your perspective – of the California Republican gubernatorial primary.

This morning, Steve Poizner called a press conference – no stated reason given – to talk about the race. Some journalists wondered if he was pulling out. He wasn’t.

Instead, he argued he had been a victim of a crime.

The crime? Threatening him if he doesn’t leave the race for governor and hand the nomination to Whitman.

The Whitman campaign’s reaction? Top Whitman advisor Rob Stutzman responded to an email query by saying of Poizner: “He’s gone nuts.”

Looking at the PPIC poll ‘s score of the governor’s race in the Republican primary, some might wonder if Steve Poizner is finished. I’m not one of them.

Even though Poizner is 30 points behind Meg Whitman this is no time to close the books on the campaign. Voters don’t pay close attention until a month or so out from Election Day. The recent heralded victory of Republican Scott Brown in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate race is only the most recent example of a candidate coming from way down in the polls to snatch victory. Brown’s winning surge occurred over the last ten days of the campaign.

Richard Riordan, the former mayor of Los Angeles, was the prohibitive favorite to capture the 2002 Republican gubernatorial nomination. One month before the March primary election, Riordan was 33 points ahead of eventual winner Bill Simon.