Out of Control

Reason's George Passantino, a director on Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review, examines calls for a $50-$100 billion infrastructure bond:

Just as a grocery store owner wouldn't ask the alley-way drug addict to take the store's money bag to the bank, asking Sacramento to take this bag of money anywhere is a fiscal disaster waiting to happen. The Governor has become fond of speaking about Sacramento's spending addiction. How does giving them another $100 billion help?

Full Column Here

California Research and Commentary Here

Last year California's leaders made the absurd decision to float bonds to pay for obiligated payments into the state pension fund. Yes, borrowing to pay operating costs--in this case for pension investments. Kinda like using your credit card to pay for buying stocks. This stupidity is widespread at the state and local level in recent years (see here).

Today the Pacific Legal Foundation announced the courts invalidated the bonds because the state consitution requires a public vote for large bond issues, and Gov. Schwarzenegger tried to skirt around that. The court did not call bullshit on the idea of pension bonds themselves--not their purview.

The court ruling here.

The pension bond item in the 2005 California budget here.

Hat tip to PensionTsunami.com.

PLF's press release

Pacific Legal Foundation
November 17, 2005

Court Invalidates California State Pension Bonds
Government Borrowing Scheme Violates State Constitution

SACRAMENTO -- The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) announced today that
a Sacramento judge has struck down more than half-a-billion dollars in
pension bonds that California lawmakers included in the 2005 state
budget. The court ruled in response to a legal challenge brought by
PLF on behalf of the Fullerton Association of Concerned Taxpayers
(FACT).

At issue were "pension obligation bonds" intended to help cover the
state's contribution to the public-employee pension system for 2005.
When the bond plan was first unveiled late last year, it was for
nearly $1 billion. After PLF and FACT filed their legal challenge, the
state reduced the proposed bond amount to about $550 million.

PLF argued that the pension bonds violate Article XVI, Section 1, of the
California Constitution, which forbids state borrowing in excess of
$300,000 without a vote of the people. Judge Raymond M. Cadei of the
Sacramento County Superior Court agreed, ruling: "The statutes
authorizing the present bonds, and the present bonds themselves, are
therefore invalid under Article 16, Section 1."

"This decision is a victory for all Californians against spendthrift
practices in the state legislature," said Pacific Legal Foundation
attorney Harold Johnson. "Today's court ruling should make it clear to
lawmakers that they can't run California on credit cards."

"This is a huge win for California's future," said Fullerton businessman
Thomas Babcock, president of FACT. "California lawmakers can no longer
get away with borrowing billions on the backs of our children because
they lack the fiscal discipline to live within their means."

"The case also highlights the spiraling cost of public pensions in
California," added PLF's Johnson. "The state's annual payment to the
public employee retirement system has ballooned from about $160 million
five years ago to more than $2.6 billion this year."

The state contribution to the pension system is an ordinary, ongoing
cost of government, a yearly line-item in the budget. With the bonds,
the state proposed to borrow money over 20 years to pay part of the
pension contribution for 2005.

"That's like a homeowner getting a 20-year bank loan to cover a single
mortgage payment, or a car buyer putting a single car payment on a
credit card," said Johnson. "It amounts to reckless reliance on debt,
and if the state had gotten away with it this time, the precedent could
have encouraged more and more borrowing to pay a larger and larger share
of the costs of government."

PLF brought another legal challenge on behalf of FACT in 2003,
challenging the proposed $11 billion in "deficit-reduction bonds"
enacted under former Gov. Gray Davis without voter approval. PLF's legal
challenge prompted state officials to shift course and introduce
Proposition 57, an alternative deficit-bond plan that was
constitutionally valid because it was submitted to voters and received
their approval.

California has some unique infrastructure challenges, and is dealing with them very poorly. Project California released this discussion about CA infrastructure, in which Reason participated.

His bold vision to shape up California seems to get weaker all the time.

Here’s George Passantino:

It seems the "year of reform" offers little reform at all. Many are wondering, what, if anything, is Gov. Schwarzenegger willing to really fight for? If he is serious about reforming government and restoring the luster to his dulled political persona, Schwarzenegger must do two things.

First, he must resist the calls of critics, and some political allies, to dump the special election. While the momentum of the special election has diminished, there is still one mega-issue on the ballot that deserves Schwarzenegger's complete support. Paycheck protection, which would require government employee unions to get the affirmative permission of members to collect and spend dues for political purposes, now moves to center stage in the reform battle. The governor needs to be right there with it.

Read the whole thing here.

California has hundreds of unelected boards and commissions that oversee and regulate countless activities in the state. The California Performance Review recommended a lot of changes to the boards and commissions, moving many in state agencies, eliminating some etc. Gov. Schwarzenegger has now rolled out his proposal to follow up on those recommendations, eliminating 88 of them.

Reason's George Passantino served as a Director of the California Performance Review, and he has predicted the "hordes of Mordor" style response to the boards and commissions proposals. Every tom dick and harry who's special interests are served by the boards and commissions and prospects for comfy sinecures on them rises up to howl and bellow about "you can't change the system, we need these things!" And you can see it has begun.

"To me, it appears we're simply sacrificing the public's oversight role at the expense of pennies on the dollar of opportunity," said Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo, a commission member.

Never mind that no other state needs this vast horde of appointed commissioners to provide necessary oversight. And, hell, if no dollar is too much to spend on public involvement, let’s have direct democracy and let everyone vote on every little iota of regulatory consideration. That would make us all sick of it quick enough and maybe teach us about the virtues of keeping government's role a little more confined.

California has hundreds of unelected boards and commissions that oversee and regulate countless activities in the state. The California Performance Review recommended a lot of changes to the boards and commissions, moving many in state agencies, eliminating some etc. Gov. Schwarzenegger has now rolled out his proposal to follow up on those recommendations, eliminating 88 of them.

Reason's George Passantino served as a Director of the California Performance Review, and he has predicted the "hordes of Mordor" style response to the boards and commissions proposals. Every tom dick and harry who's special interests are served by the boards and commissions and prospects for comfy sinecures on them rises up to howl and bellow about "you can't change the system, we need these things!" And you can see it has begun.

"To me, it appears we're simply sacrificing the public's oversight role at the expense of pennies on the dollar of opportunity," said Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo, a commission member.

Never mind that no other state needs this vast horde of appointed commissioners to provide necessary oversight. And, hell, if no dollar is too much to spend on public involvement, let’s have direct democracy and let everyone vote on every little iota of regulatory consideration. That would make us all sick of it quick enough and maybe teach us about the virtues of keeping government's role a little more confined.

California has hundreds of unelected boards and commissions that oversee and regulate countless activities in the state. The California Performance Review recommended a lot of changes to the boards and commissions, moving many in state agencies, eliminating some etc. Gov. Schwarzenegger has now rolled out his proposal to follow up on those recommendations, eliminating 88 of them.

Reason's George Passantino served as a Director of the California Performance Review, and he has predicted the "hordes of Mordor" style response to the boards and commissions proposals. Every tom dick and harry who's special interests are served by the boards and commissions and prospects for comfy sinecures on them rises up to howl and bellow about "you can't change the system, we need these things!" And you can see it has begun.

"To me, it appears we're simply sacrificing the public's oversight role at the expense of pennies on the dollar of opportunity," said Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo, a commission member.

Never mind that no other state needs this vast horde of appointed commissioners to provide necessary oversight. And, hell, if no dollar is too much to spend on public involvement, let’s have direct democracy and let everyone vote on every little iota of regulatory consideration. That would make us all sick of it quick enough and maybe teach us about the virtues of keeping government's role a little more confined.

California has hundreds of unelected boards and commissions that oversee and regulate countless activities in the state. The California Performance Review recommended a lot of changes to the boards and commissions, moving many in state agencies, eliminating some etc. Gov. Schwarzenegger has now rolled out his proposal to follow up on those recommendations, eliminating 88 of them.

Reason's George Passantino served as a Director of the California Performance Review, and he has predicted the "hordes of Mordor" style response to the boards and commissions proposals. Every tom dick and harry who's special interests are served by the boards and commissions and prospects for comfy sinecures on them rises up to howl and bellow about "you can't change the system, we need these things!" And you can see it has begun.

"To me, it appears we're simply sacrificing the public's oversight role at the expense of pennies on the dollar of opportunity," said Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo, a commission member.

Never mind that no other state needs this vast horde of appointed commissioners to provide necessary oversight. And, hell, if no dollar is too much to spend on public involvement, let’s have direct democracy and let everyone vote on every little iota of regulatory consideration. That would make us all sick of it quick enough and maybe teach us about the virtues of keeping government's role a little more confined.

California has hundreds of unelected boards and commissions that oversee and regulate countless activities in the state. The California Performance Review recommended a lot of changes to the boards and commissions, moving many in state agencies, eliminating some etc. Gov. Schwarzenegger has now rolled out his proposal to follow up on those recommendations, eliminating 88 of them.

Reason's George Passantino served as a Director of the California Performance Review, and he has predicted the "hordes of Mordor" style response to the boards and commissions proposals. Every tom dick and harry who's special interests are served by the boards and commissions and prospects for comfy sinecures on them rises up to howl and bellow about "you can't change the system, we need these things!" And you can see it has begun.

"To me, it appears we're simply sacrificing the public's oversight role at the expense of pennies on the dollar of opportunity," said Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo, a commission member.

Never mind that no other state needs this vast horde of appointed commissioners to provide necessary oversight. And, hell, if no dollar is too much to spend on public involvement, let’s have direct democracy and let everyone vote on every little iota of regulatory consideration. That would make us all sick of it quick enough and maybe teach us about the virtues of keeping government's role a little more confined.

California has hundreds of unelected boards and commissions that oversee and regulate countless activities in the state. The California Performance Review recommended a lot of changes to the boards and commissions, moving many in state agencies, eliminating some etc. Gov. Schwarzenegger has now rolled out his proposal to follow up on those recommendations, eliminating 88 of them.

Reason's George Passantino served as a Director of the California Performance Review, and he has predicted the "hordes of Mordor" style response to the boards and commissions proposals. Every tom dick and harry who's special interests are served by the boards and commissions and prospects for comfy sinecures on them rises up to howl and bellow about "you can't change the system, we need these things!" And you can see it has begun.

"To me, it appears we're simply sacrificing the public's oversight role at the expense of pennies on the dollar of opportunity," said Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo, a commission member.

Never mind that no other state needs this vast horde of appointed commissioners to provide necessary oversight. And, hell, if no dollar is too much to spend on public involvement, let’s have direct democracy and let everyone vote on every little iota of regulatory consideration. That would make us all sick of it quick enough and maybe teach us about the virtues of keeping government's role a little more confined.

California has hundreds of unelected boards and commissions that oversee and regulate countless activities in the state. The California Performance Review recommended a lot of changes to the boards and commissions, moving many in state agencies, eliminating some etc. Gov. Schwarzenegger has now rolled out his proposal to follow up on those recommendations, eliminating 88 of them.

Reason's George Passantino served as a Director of the California Performance Review, and he has predicted the "hordes of Mordor" style response to the boards and commissions proposals. Every tom dick and harry who's special interests are served by the boards and commissions and prospects for comfy sinecures on them rises up to howl and bellow about "you can't change the system, we need these things!" And you can see it has begun.

"To me, it appears we're simply sacrificing the public's oversight role at the expense of pennies on the dollar of opportunity," said Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo, a commission member.

Never mind that no other state needs this vast horde of appointed commissioners to provide necessary oversight. And, hell, if no dollar is too much to spend on public involvement, let’s have direct democracy and let everyone vote on every little iota of regulatory consideration. That would make us all sick of it quick enough and maybe teach us about the virtues of keeping government's role a little more confined.

California has hundreds of unelected boards and commissions that oversee and regulate countless activities in the state. The California Performance Review recommended a lot of changes to the boards and commissions, moving many in state agencies, eliminating some etc. Gov. Schwarzenegger has now rolled out his proposal to follow up on those recommendations, eliminating 88 of them.

Reason's George Passantino served as a Director of the California Performance Review, and he has predicted the "hordes of Mordor" style response to the boards and commissions proposals. Every tom dick and harry who's special interests are served by the boards and commissions and prospects for comfy sinecures on them rises up to howl and bellow about "you can't change the system, we need these things!" And you can see it has begun.

"To me, it appears we're simply sacrificing the public's oversight role at the expense of pennies on the dollar of opportunity," said Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo, a commission member.

Never mind that no other state needs this vast horde of appointed commissioners to provide necessary oversight. And, hell, if no dollar is too much to spend on public involvement, let’s have direct democracy and let everyone vote on every little iota of regulatory consideration. That would make us all sick of it quick enough and maybe teach us about the virtues of keeping government's role a little more confined.

California has hundreds of unelected boards and commissions that oversee and regulate countless activities in the state. The California Performance Review recommended a lot of changes to the boards and commissions, moving many in state agencies, eliminating some etc. Gov. Schwarzenegger has now rolled out his proposal to follow up on those recommendations, eliminating 88 of them.

Reason's George Passantino served as a Director of the California Performance Review, and he has predicted the "hordes of Mordor" style response to the boards and commissions proposals. Every tom dick and harry who's special interests are served by the boards and commissions and prospects for comfy sinecures on them rises up to howl and bellow about "you can't change the system, we need these things!" And you can see it has begun.

"To me, it appears we're simply sacrificing the public's oversight role at the expense of pennies on the dollar of opportunity," said Assemblyman Mike Gordon, D-El Segundo, a commission member.

Never mind that no other state needs this vast horde of appointed commissioners to provide necessary oversight. And, hell, if no dollar is too much to spend on public involvement, let’s have direct democracy and let everyone vote on every little iota of regulatory consideration. That would make us all sick of it quick enough and maybe teach us about the virtues of keeping government's role a little more confined.

In his second State of the State Address (available here), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a number of political challenges that will make for "Must See Political TV" over the coming two years in Sacramento.

First and foremost, he intends to call a special session tomorrow that will serve as the battleground for a number of major fights, including budget, pensions, teacher salaries, redistricting, and government reorganization.

Here are a few key quotes from the speech:

- ON THE BUDGET SYSTEM: In every meeting I attend in Sacramento, there's an elephant in the room. In public, we often act like it's not there. But, in private, you come up to me--Republican and Democrat alike--and you tell me the same thing, "Arnold, if only we could change the budget system. But the politics are just too dangerous."

The elephant in the room is a budget system that has removed our ability to make the best decisions for California. It has taken away the freedom and the responsibility of legislating. We can change that.

- ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A lot of people say, "Arnold, why don't you just raise taxes and be done with it?" Well, as I said earlier, we don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. We could raise taxes by billions but that would only further drive up spending by billions of dollars.

California would never come out ahead. Our economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and the people would be punished. Unless we go to the root of the problem and reform the system, the budget will continue to be one big fight, year after year after year. I don't mind a fight, but if there is to be one, let it be over new, important things that move us beyond the past.

- ON THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM: Like the budget itself, our state pension system is another financial train on another track to disaster.

For new employees, we must move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. We need a public pension system that is fair to employees and to taxpayers.

- ON TEACHER PAY: We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.

So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.

- ON REDISTRICTING:Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.

The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.

- ON CPR / GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION: Tomorrow, I will send to the Little Hoover Commission our plan to reorganize this agency. And I want to say this to the many honest and hard-working people who work in corrections: thank you for your perseverance, and thank you for your hard work. We will free you from the prison of waste and mismanagement in which you have been held.

No one paid by the state should make $100,000 a year for only meeting twice a month.

- ON ROADS AND HOUSES: When I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car-centered state. We need roads.

I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the freeway and more time in the homes that they own.

I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment.

SUM-UP
No doubt, this speech sets the stage for a year of "Lord of the Rings" scale political fights.

Of course, there are still a lot of details to follow and a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

Among them:
-Does taking on the budget formulas mean questioning Proposition 98, that mandates nearly half the state budget go to school finance?

-When he suggests that other government agencies will be reorganized over the coming months, which are they and when will they happen?

- What about the other thousands of CPR recommendations for reform? Will we see them in the budget this week or a soon-to-follow legislative package?

I will, no doubt, be paying attention to these things, as I am sure will most of Sacramento.

This quote sums up the year ahead best for me:
"I know the special interests will oppose all the reforms I have mentioned. Any time you try to remove one dollar from the budget, there are five special interests tugging on the other end. Anytime you try to make something more efficient, there are a half-dozen special interests trying to prevent it.

If we here in this chamber don't work together to reform the government, the people will rise up and reform it themselves. And I will join them. And I will fight with them."

It will be an interesting year indeed.

In his second State of the State Address (available here), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a number of political challenges that will make for "Must See Political TV" over the coming two years in Sacramento.

First and foremost, he intends to call a special session tomorrow that will serve as the battleground for a number of major fights, including budget, pensions, teacher salaries, redistricting, and government reorganization.

Here are a few key quotes from the speech:

- ON THE BUDGET SYSTEM: In every meeting I attend in Sacramento, there's an elephant in the room. In public, we often act like it's not there. But, in private, you come up to me--Republican and Democrat alike--and you tell me the same thing, "Arnold, if only we could change the budget system. But the politics are just too dangerous."

The elephant in the room is a budget system that has removed our ability to make the best decisions for California. It has taken away the freedom and the responsibility of legislating. We can change that.

- ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A lot of people say, "Arnold, why don't you just raise taxes and be done with it?" Well, as I said earlier, we don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. We could raise taxes by billions but that would only further drive up spending by billions of dollars.

California would never come out ahead. Our economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and the people would be punished. Unless we go to the root of the problem and reform the system, the budget will continue to be one big fight, year after year after year. I don't mind a fight, but if there is to be one, let it be over new, important things that move us beyond the past.

- ON THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM: Like the budget itself, our state pension system is another financial train on another track to disaster.

For new employees, we must move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. We need a public pension system that is fair to employees and to taxpayers.

- ON TEACHER PAY: We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.

So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.

- ON REDISTRICTING:Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.

The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.

- ON CPR / GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION: Tomorrow, I will send to the Little Hoover Commission our plan to reorganize this agency. And I want to say this to the many honest and hard-working people who work in corrections: thank you for your perseverance, and thank you for your hard work. We will free you from the prison of waste and mismanagement in which you have been held.

No one paid by the state should make $100,000 a year for only meeting twice a month.

- ON ROADS AND HOUSES: When I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car-centered state. We need roads.

I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the freeway and more time in the homes that they own.

I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment.

SUM-UP
No doubt, this speech sets the stage for a year of "Lord of the Rings" scale political fights.

Of course, there are still a lot of details to follow and a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

Among them:
-Does taking on the budget formulas mean questioning Proposition 98, that mandates nearly half the state budget go to school finance?

-When he suggests that other government agencies will be reorganized over the coming months, which are they and when will they happen?

- What about the other thousands of CPR recommendations for reform? Will we see them in the budget this week or a soon-to-follow legislative package?

I will, no doubt, be paying attention to these things, as I am sure will most of Sacramento.

This quote sums up the year ahead best for me:
"I know the special interests will oppose all the reforms I have mentioned. Any time you try to remove one dollar from the budget, there are five special interests tugging on the other end. Anytime you try to make something more efficient, there are a half-dozen special interests trying to prevent it.

If we here in this chamber don't work together to reform the government, the people will rise up and reform it themselves. And I will join them. And I will fight with them."

It will be an interesting year indeed.

In his second State of the State Address (available here), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a number of political challenges that will make for "Must See Political TV" over the coming two years in Sacramento.

First and foremost, he intends to call a special session tomorrow that will serve as the battleground for a number of major fights, including budget, pensions, teacher salaries, redistricting, and government reorganization.

Here are a few key quotes from the speech:

- ON THE BUDGET SYSTEM: In every meeting I attend in Sacramento, there's an elephant in the room. In public, we often act like it's not there. But, in private, you come up to me--Republican and Democrat alike--and you tell me the same thing, "Arnold, if only we could change the budget system. But the politics are just too dangerous."

The elephant in the room is a budget system that has removed our ability to make the best decisions for California. It has taken away the freedom and the responsibility of legislating. We can change that.

- ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A lot of people say, "Arnold, why don't you just raise taxes and be done with it?" Well, as I said earlier, we don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. We could raise taxes by billions but that would only further drive up spending by billions of dollars.

California would never come out ahead. Our economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and the people would be punished. Unless we go to the root of the problem and reform the system, the budget will continue to be one big fight, year after year after year. I don't mind a fight, but if there is to be one, let it be over new, important things that move us beyond the past.

- ON THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM: Like the budget itself, our state pension system is another financial train on another track to disaster.

For new employees, we must move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. We need a public pension system that is fair to employees and to taxpayers.

- ON TEACHER PAY: We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.

So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.

- ON REDISTRICTING:Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.

The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.

- ON CPR / GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION: Tomorrow, I will send to the Little Hoover Commission our plan to reorganize this agency. And I want to say this to the many honest and hard-working people who work in corrections: thank you for your perseverance, and thank you for your hard work. We will free you from the prison of waste and mismanagement in which you have been held.

No one paid by the state should make $100,000 a year for only meeting twice a month.

- ON ROADS AND HOUSES: When I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car-centered state. We need roads.

I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the freeway and more time in the homes that they own.

I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment.

SUM-UP
No doubt, this speech sets the stage for a year of "Lord of the Rings" scale political fights.

Of course, there are still a lot of details to follow and a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

Among them:
-Does taking on the budget formulas mean questioning Proposition 98, that mandates nearly half the state budget go to school finance?

-When he suggests that other government agencies will be reorganized over the coming months, which are they and when will they happen?

- What about the other thousands of CPR recommendations for reform? Will we see them in the budget this week or a soon-to-follow legislative package?

I will, no doubt, be paying attention to these things, as I am sure will most of Sacramento.

This quote sums up the year ahead best for me:
"I know the special interests will oppose all the reforms I have mentioned. Any time you try to remove one dollar from the budget, there are five special interests tugging on the other end. Anytime you try to make something more efficient, there are a half-dozen special interests trying to prevent it.

If we here in this chamber don't work together to reform the government, the people will rise up and reform it themselves. And I will join them. And I will fight with them."

It will be an interesting year indeed.

In his second State of the State Address (available here), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a number of political challenges that will make for "Must See Political TV" over the coming two years in Sacramento.

First and foremost, he intends to call a special session tomorrow that will serve as the battleground for a number of major fights, including budget, pensions, teacher salaries, redistricting, and government reorganization.

Here are a few key quotes from the speech:

- ON THE BUDGET SYSTEM: In every meeting I attend in Sacramento, there's an elephant in the room. In public, we often act like it's not there. But, in private, you come up to me--Republican and Democrat alike--and you tell me the same thing, "Arnold, if only we could change the budget system. But the politics are just too dangerous."

The elephant in the room is a budget system that has removed our ability to make the best decisions for California. It has taken away the freedom and the responsibility of legislating. We can change that.

- ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A lot of people say, "Arnold, why don't you just raise taxes and be done with it?" Well, as I said earlier, we don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. We could raise taxes by billions but that would only further drive up spending by billions of dollars.

California would never come out ahead. Our economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and the people would be punished. Unless we go to the root of the problem and reform the system, the budget will continue to be one big fight, year after year after year. I don't mind a fight, but if there is to be one, let it be over new, important things that move us beyond the past.

- ON THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM: Like the budget itself, our state pension system is another financial train on another track to disaster.

For new employees, we must move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. We need a public pension system that is fair to employees and to taxpayers.

- ON TEACHER PAY: We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.

So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.

- ON REDISTRICTING:Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.

The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.

- ON CPR / GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION: Tomorrow, I will send to the Little Hoover Commission our plan to reorganize this agency. And I want to say this to the many honest and hard-working people who work in corrections: thank you for your perseverance, and thank you for your hard work. We will free you from the prison of waste and mismanagement in which you have been held.

No one paid by the state should make $100,000 a year for only meeting twice a month.

- ON ROADS AND HOUSES: When I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car-centered state. We need roads.

I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the freeway and more time in the homes that they own.

I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment.

SUM-UP
No doubt, this speech sets the stage for a year of "Lord of the Rings" scale political fights.

Of course, there are still a lot of details to follow and a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

Among them:
-Does taking on the budget formulas mean questioning Proposition 98, that mandates nearly half the state budget go to school finance?

-When he suggests that other government agencies will be reorganized over the coming months, which are they and when will they happen?

- What about the other thousands of CPR recommendations for reform? Will we see them in the budget this week or a soon-to-follow legislative package?

I will, no doubt, be paying attention to these things, as I am sure will most of Sacramento.

This quote sums up the year ahead best for me:
"I know the special interests will oppose all the reforms I have mentioned. Any time you try to remove one dollar from the budget, there are five special interests tugging on the other end. Anytime you try to make something more efficient, there are a half-dozen special interests trying to prevent it.

If we here in this chamber don't work together to reform the government, the people will rise up and reform it themselves. And I will join them. And I will fight with them."

It will be an interesting year indeed.

In his second State of the State Address (available here), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a number of political challenges that will make for "Must See Political TV" over the coming two years in Sacramento.

First and foremost, he intends to call a special session tomorrow that will serve as the battleground for a number of major fights, including budget, pensions, teacher salaries, redistricting, and government reorganization.

Here are a few key quotes from the speech:

- ON THE BUDGET SYSTEM: In every meeting I attend in Sacramento, there's an elephant in the room. In public, we often act like it's not there. But, in private, you come up to me--Republican and Democrat alike--and you tell me the same thing, "Arnold, if only we could change the budget system. But the politics are just too dangerous."

The elephant in the room is a budget system that has removed our ability to make the best decisions for California. It has taken away the freedom and the responsibility of legislating. We can change that.

- ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A lot of people say, "Arnold, why don't you just raise taxes and be done with it?" Well, as I said earlier, we don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. We could raise taxes by billions but that would only further drive up spending by billions of dollars.

California would never come out ahead. Our economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and the people would be punished. Unless we go to the root of the problem and reform the system, the budget will continue to be one big fight, year after year after year. I don't mind a fight, but if there is to be one, let it be over new, important things that move us beyond the past.

- ON THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM: Like the budget itself, our state pension system is another financial train on another track to disaster.

For new employees, we must move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. We need a public pension system that is fair to employees and to taxpayers.

- ON TEACHER PAY: We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.

So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.

- ON REDISTRICTING:Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.

The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.

- ON CPR / GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION: Tomorrow, I will send to the Little Hoover Commission our plan to reorganize this agency. And I want to say this to the many honest and hard-working people who work in corrections: thank you for your perseverance, and thank you for your hard work. We will free you from the prison of waste and mismanagement in which you have been held.

No one paid by the state should make $100,000 a year for only meeting twice a month.

- ON ROADS AND HOUSES: When I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car-centered state. We need roads.

I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the freeway and more time in the homes that they own.

I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment.

SUM-UP
No doubt, this speech sets the stage for a year of "Lord of the Rings" scale political fights.

Of course, there are still a lot of details to follow and a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

Among them:
-Does taking on the budget formulas mean questioning Proposition 98, that mandates nearly half the state budget go to school finance?

-When he suggests that other government agencies will be reorganized over the coming months, which are they and when will they happen?

- What about the other thousands of CPR recommendations for reform? Will we see them in the budget this week or a soon-to-follow legislative package?

I will, no doubt, be paying attention to these things, as I am sure will most of Sacramento.

This quote sums up the year ahead best for me:
"I know the special interests will oppose all the reforms I have mentioned. Any time you try to remove one dollar from the budget, there are five special interests tugging on the other end. Anytime you try to make something more efficient, there are a half-dozen special interests trying to prevent it.

If we here in this chamber don't work together to reform the government, the people will rise up and reform it themselves. And I will join them. And I will fight with them."

It will be an interesting year indeed.

In his second State of the State Address (available here), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a number of political challenges that will make for "Must See Political TV" over the coming two years in Sacramento.

First and foremost, he intends to call a special session tomorrow that will serve as the battleground for a number of major fights, including budget, pensions, teacher salaries, redistricting, and government reorganization.

Here are a few key quotes from the speech:

- ON THE BUDGET SYSTEM: In every meeting I attend in Sacramento, there's an elephant in the room. In public, we often act like it's not there. But, in private, you come up to me--Republican and Democrat alike--and you tell me the same thing, "Arnold, if only we could change the budget system. But the politics are just too dangerous."

The elephant in the room is a budget system that has removed our ability to make the best decisions for California. It has taken away the freedom and the responsibility of legislating. We can change that.

- ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A lot of people say, "Arnold, why don't you just raise taxes and be done with it?" Well, as I said earlier, we don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. We could raise taxes by billions but that would only further drive up spending by billions of dollars.

California would never come out ahead. Our economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and the people would be punished. Unless we go to the root of the problem and reform the system, the budget will continue to be one big fight, year after year after year. I don't mind a fight, but if there is to be one, let it be over new, important things that move us beyond the past.

- ON THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM: Like the budget itself, our state pension system is another financial train on another track to disaster.

For new employees, we must move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. We need a public pension system that is fair to employees and to taxpayers.

- ON TEACHER PAY: We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.

So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.

- ON REDISTRICTING:Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.

The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.

- ON CPR / GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION: Tomorrow, I will send to the Little Hoover Commission our plan to reorganize this agency. And I want to say this to the many honest and hard-working people who work in corrections: thank you for your perseverance, and thank you for your hard work. We will free you from the prison of waste and mismanagement in which you have been held.

No one paid by the state should make $100,000 a year for only meeting twice a month.

- ON ROADS AND HOUSES: When I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car-centered state. We need roads.

I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the freeway and more time in the homes that they own.

I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment.

SUM-UP
No doubt, this speech sets the stage for a year of "Lord of the Rings" scale political fights.

Of course, there are still a lot of details to follow and a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

Among them:
-Does taking on the budget formulas mean questioning Proposition 98, that mandates nearly half the state budget go to school finance?

-When he suggests that other government agencies will be reorganized over the coming months, which are they and when will they happen?

- What about the other thousands of CPR recommendations for reform? Will we see them in the budget this week or a soon-to-follow legislative package?

I will, no doubt, be paying attention to these things, as I am sure will most of Sacramento.

This quote sums up the year ahead best for me:
"I know the special interests will oppose all the reforms I have mentioned. Any time you try to remove one dollar from the budget, there are five special interests tugging on the other end. Anytime you try to make something more efficient, there are a half-dozen special interests trying to prevent it.

If we here in this chamber don't work together to reform the government, the people will rise up and reform it themselves. And I will join them. And I will fight with them."

It will be an interesting year indeed.

In his second State of the State Address (available here), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a number of political challenges that will make for "Must See Political TV" over the coming two years in Sacramento.

First and foremost, he intends to call a special session tomorrow that will serve as the battleground for a number of major fights, including budget, pensions, teacher salaries, redistricting, and government reorganization.

Here are a few key quotes from the speech:

- ON THE BUDGET SYSTEM: In every meeting I attend in Sacramento, there's an elephant in the room. In public, we often act like it's not there. But, in private, you come up to me--Republican and Democrat alike--and you tell me the same thing, "Arnold, if only we could change the budget system. But the politics are just too dangerous."

The elephant in the room is a budget system that has removed our ability to make the best decisions for California. It has taken away the freedom and the responsibility of legislating. We can change that.

- ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A lot of people say, "Arnold, why don't you just raise taxes and be done with it?" Well, as I said earlier, we don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. We could raise taxes by billions but that would only further drive up spending by billions of dollars.

California would never come out ahead. Our economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and the people would be punished. Unless we go to the root of the problem and reform the system, the budget will continue to be one big fight, year after year after year. I don't mind a fight, but if there is to be one, let it be over new, important things that move us beyond the past.

- ON THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM: Like the budget itself, our state pension system is another financial train on another track to disaster.

For new employees, we must move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. We need a public pension system that is fair to employees and to taxpayers.

- ON TEACHER PAY: We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.

So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.

- ON REDISTRICTING:Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.

The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.

- ON CPR / GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION: Tomorrow, I will send to the Little Hoover Commission our plan to reorganize this agency. And I want to say this to the many honest and hard-working people who work in corrections: thank you for your perseverance, and thank you for your hard work. We will free you from the prison of waste and mismanagement in which you have been held.

No one paid by the state should make $100,000 a year for only meeting twice a month.

- ON ROADS AND HOUSES: When I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car-centered state. We need roads.

I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the freeway and more time in the homes that they own.

I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment.

SUM-UP
No doubt, this speech sets the stage for a year of "Lord of the Rings" scale political fights.

Of course, there are still a lot of details to follow and a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

Among them:
-Does taking on the budget formulas mean questioning Proposition 98, that mandates nearly half the state budget go to school finance?

-When he suggests that other government agencies will be reorganized over the coming months, which are they and when will they happen?

- What about the other thousands of CPR recommendations for reform? Will we see them in the budget this week or a soon-to-follow legislative package?

I will, no doubt, be paying attention to these things, as I am sure will most of Sacramento.

This quote sums up the year ahead best for me:
"I know the special interests will oppose all the reforms I have mentioned. Any time you try to remove one dollar from the budget, there are five special interests tugging on the other end. Anytime you try to make something more efficient, there are a half-dozen special interests trying to prevent it.

If we here in this chamber don't work together to reform the government, the people will rise up and reform it themselves. And I will join them. And I will fight with them."

It will be an interesting year indeed.

In his second State of the State Address (available here), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a number of political challenges that will make for "Must See Political TV" over the coming two years in Sacramento.

First and foremost, he intends to call a special session tomorrow that will serve as the battleground for a number of major fights, including budget, pensions, teacher salaries, redistricting, and government reorganization.

Here are a few key quotes from the speech:

- ON THE BUDGET SYSTEM: In every meeting I attend in Sacramento, there's an elephant in the room. In public, we often act like it's not there. But, in private, you come up to me--Republican and Democrat alike--and you tell me the same thing, "Arnold, if only we could change the budget system. But the politics are just too dangerous."

The elephant in the room is a budget system that has removed our ability to make the best decisions for California. It has taken away the freedom and the responsibility of legislating. We can change that.

- ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A lot of people say, "Arnold, why don't you just raise taxes and be done with it?" Well, as I said earlier, we don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. We could raise taxes by billions but that would only further drive up spending by billions of dollars.

California would never come out ahead. Our economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and the people would be punished. Unless we go to the root of the problem and reform the system, the budget will continue to be one big fight, year after year after year. I don't mind a fight, but if there is to be one, let it be over new, important things that move us beyond the past.

- ON THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM: Like the budget itself, our state pension system is another financial train on another track to disaster.

For new employees, we must move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. We need a public pension system that is fair to employees and to taxpayers.

- ON TEACHER PAY: We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.

So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.

- ON REDISTRICTING:Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.

The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.

- ON CPR / GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION: Tomorrow, I will send to the Little Hoover Commission our plan to reorganize this agency. And I want to say this to the many honest and hard-working people who work in corrections: thank you for your perseverance, and thank you for your hard work. We will free you from the prison of waste and mismanagement in which you have been held.

No one paid by the state should make $100,000 a year for only meeting twice a month.

- ON ROADS AND HOUSES: When I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car-centered state. We need roads.

I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the freeway and more time in the homes that they own.

I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment.

SUM-UP
No doubt, this speech sets the stage for a year of "Lord of the Rings" scale political fights.

Of course, there are still a lot of details to follow and a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

Among them:
-Does taking on the budget formulas mean questioning Proposition 98, that mandates nearly half the state budget go to school finance?

-When he suggests that other government agencies will be reorganized over the coming months, which are they and when will they happen?

- What about the other thousands of CPR recommendations for reform? Will we see them in the budget this week or a soon-to-follow legislative package?

I will, no doubt, be paying attention to these things, as I am sure will most of Sacramento.

This quote sums up the year ahead best for me:
"I know the special interests will oppose all the reforms I have mentioned. Any time you try to remove one dollar from the budget, there are five special interests tugging on the other end. Anytime you try to make something more efficient, there are a half-dozen special interests trying to prevent it.

If we here in this chamber don't work together to reform the government, the people will rise up and reform it themselves. And I will join them. And I will fight with them."

It will be an interesting year indeed.

In his second State of the State Address (available here), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a number of political challenges that will make for "Must See Political TV" over the coming two years in Sacramento.

First and foremost, he intends to call a special session tomorrow that will serve as the battleground for a number of major fights, including budget, pensions, teacher salaries, redistricting, and government reorganization.

Here are a few key quotes from the speech:

- ON THE BUDGET SYSTEM: In every meeting I attend in Sacramento, there's an elephant in the room. In public, we often act like it's not there. But, in private, you come up to me--Republican and Democrat alike--and you tell me the same thing, "Arnold, if only we could change the budget system. But the politics are just too dangerous."

The elephant in the room is a budget system that has removed our ability to make the best decisions for California. It has taken away the freedom and the responsibility of legislating. We can change that.

- ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A lot of people say, "Arnold, why don't you just raise taxes and be done with it?" Well, as I said earlier, we don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. We could raise taxes by billions but that would only further drive up spending by billions of dollars.

California would never come out ahead. Our economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and the people would be punished. Unless we go to the root of the problem and reform the system, the budget will continue to be one big fight, year after year after year. I don't mind a fight, but if there is to be one, let it be over new, important things that move us beyond the past.

- ON THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM: Like the budget itself, our state pension system is another financial train on another track to disaster.

For new employees, we must move from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system. We need a public pension system that is fair to employees and to taxpayers.

- ON TEACHER PAY: We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.

So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.

- ON REDISTRICTING:Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.

The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.

- ON CPR / GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION: Tomorrow, I will send to the Little Hoover Commission our plan to reorganize this agency. And I want to say this to the many honest and hard-working people who work in corrections: thank you for your perseverance, and thank you for your hard work. We will free you from the prison of waste and mismanagement in which you have been held.

No one paid by the state should make $100,000 a year for only meeting twice a month.

- ON ROADS AND HOUSES: When I first came to California, the roads fascinated me. Californians can't get from place to place on little fairy wings. This is a car-centered state. We need roads.

I want a California where people spend less time sitting on the freeway and more time in the homes that they own.

I believe we can meet our transportation, our housing and our business needs and still improve the environment.

SUM-UP
No doubt, this speech sets the stage for a year of "Lord of the Rings" scale political fights.

Of course, there are still a lot of details to follow and a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

Among them:
-Does taking on the budget formulas mean questioning Proposition 98, that mandates nearly half the state budget go to school finance?

-When he suggests that other government agencies will be reorganized over the coming months, which are they and when will they happen?

- What about the other thousands of CPR recommendations for reform? Will we see them in the budget this week or a soon-to-follow legislative package?

I will, no doubt, be paying attention to these things, as I am sure will most of Sacramento.

This quote sums up the year ahead best for me:
"I know the special interests will oppose all the reforms I have mentioned. Any time you try to remove one dollar from the budget, there are five special interests tugging on the other end. Anytime you try to make something more efficient, there are a half-dozen special interests trying to prevent it.

If we here in this chamber don't work together to reform the government, the people will rise up and reform it themselves. And I will join them. And I will fight with them."

It will be an interesting year indeed.

Imagine the horror! Almost too much to bear! A handful of Gray Davis appointees on some of the most offensive and overpaid state boards in California are staging a little rebellion because the Governor has the audacity to expect them to put in a full day's work for their $100,000+ salaries.

If ever there was an illustration of why the California Performance Review is so desperately needed, you are looking at it!

Read the full article here.

Also, check out the great report on California Boards and Commissions published in August by the California Performance Review here.

Imagine the horror! Almost too much to bear! A handful of Gray Davis appointees on some of the most offensive and overpaid state boards in California are staging a little rebellion because the Governor has the audacity to expect them to put in a full day's work for their $100,000+ salaries.

If ever there was an illustration of why the California Performance Review is so desperately needed, you are looking at it!

Read the full article here.

Also, check out the great report on California Boards and Commissions published in August by the California Performance Review here.

Imagine the horror! Almost too much to bear! A handful of Gray Davis appointees on some of the most offensive and overpaid state boards in California are staging a little rebellion because the Governor has the audacity to expect them to put in a full day's work for their $100,000+ salaries.

If ever there was an illustration of why the California Performance Review is so desperately needed, you are looking at it!

Read the full article here.

Also, check out the great report on California Boards and Commissions published in August by the California Performance Review here.

Imagine the horror! Almost too much to bear! A handful of Gray Davis appointees on some of the most offensive and overpaid state boards in California are staging a little rebellion because the Governor has the audacity to expect them to put in a full day's work for their $100,000+ salaries.

If ever there was an illustration of why the California Performance Review is so desperately needed, you are looking at it!

Read the full article here.

Also, check out the great report on California Boards and Commissions published in August by the California Performance Review here.

Imagine the horror! Almost too much to bear! A handful of Gray Davis appointees on some of the most offensive and overpaid state boards in California are staging a little rebellion because the Governor has the audacity to expect them to put in a full day's work for their $100,000+ salaries.

If ever there was an illustration of why the California Performance Review is so desperately needed, you are looking at it!

Read the full article here.

Also, check out the great report on California Boards and Commissions published in August by the California Performance Review here.

Imagine the horror! Almost too much to bear! A handful of Gray Davis appointees on some of the most offensive and overpaid state boards in California are staging a little rebellion because the Governor has the audacity to expect them to put in a full day's work for their $100,000+ salaries.

If ever there was an illustration of why the California Performance Review is so desperately needed, you are looking at it!

Read the full article here.

Also, check out the great report on California Boards and Commissions published in August by the California Performance Review here.

Imagine the horror! Almost too much to bear! A handful of Gray Davis appointees on some of the most offensive and overpaid state boards in California are staging a little rebellion because the Governor has the audacity to expect them to put in a full day's work for their $100,000+ salaries.

If ever there was an illustration of why the California Performance Review is so desperately needed, you are looking at it!

Read the full article here.

Also, check out the great report on California Boards and Commissions published in August by the California Performance Review here.

Imagine the horror! Almost too much to bear! A handful of Gray Davis appointees on some of the most offensive and overpaid state boards in California are staging a little rebellion because the Governor has the audacity to expect them to put in a full day's work for their $100,000+ salaries.

If ever there was an illustration of why the California Performance Review is so desperately needed, you are looking at it!

Read the full article here.

Also, check out the great report on California Boards and Commissions published in August by the California Performance Review here.

Imagine the horror! Almost too much to bear! A handful of Gray Davis appointees on some of the most offensive and overpaid state boards in California are staging a little rebellion because the Governor has the audacity to expect them to put in a full day's work for their $100,000+ salaries.

If ever there was an illustration of why the California Performance Review is so desperately needed, you are looking at it!

Read the full article here.

Also, check out the great report on California Boards and Commissions published in August by the California Performance Review here.

Reason’s George Passantino was a director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review. He has a piece in today’s LA Times about what Arnold has (and has not) done so far:

He has traveled to other states, recruiting businesses to come to — or return to — California. He also vetoed a number of bills that would have further undermined the state's still-recovering economy, including a minimum-wage increase. Perhaps most important, he resisted tax increases.

However, efforts to restore the state's fiscal stability have not been as successful.

Read the whole thing here.

Reason’s George Passantino was a director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review. He has a piece in today’s LA Times about what Arnold has (and has not) done so far:

He has traveled to other states, recruiting businesses to come to — or return to — California. He also vetoed a number of bills that would have further undermined the state's still-recovering economy, including a minimum-wage increase. Perhaps most important, he resisted tax increases.

However, efforts to restore the state's fiscal stability have not been as successful.

Read the whole thing here.

Reason’s George Passantino was a director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review. He has a piece in today’s LA Times about what Arnold has (and has not) done so far:

He has traveled to other states, recruiting businesses to come to — or return to — California. He also vetoed a number of bills that would have further undermined the state's still-recovering economy, including a minimum-wage increase. Perhaps most important, he resisted tax increases.

However, efforts to restore the state's fiscal stability have not been as successful.

Read the whole thing here.

Reason’s George Passantino was a director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review. He has a piece in today’s LA Times about what Arnold has (and has not) done so far:

He has traveled to other states, recruiting businesses to come to — or return to — California. He also vetoed a number of bills that would have further undermined the state's still-recovering economy, including a minimum-wage increase. Perhaps most important, he resisted tax increases.

However, efforts to restore the state's fiscal stability have not been as successful.

Read the whole thing here.

Reason’s George Passantino was a director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review. He has a piece in today’s LA Times about what Arnold has (and has not) done so far:

He has traveled to other states, recruiting businesses to come to — or return to — California. He also vetoed a number of bills that would have further undermined the state's still-recovering economy, including a minimum-wage increase. Perhaps most important, he resisted tax increases.

However, efforts to restore the state's fiscal stability have not been as successful.

Read the whole thing here.

Reason’s George Passantino was a director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review. He has a piece in today’s LA Times about what Arnold has (and has not) done so far:

He has traveled to other states, recruiting businesses to come to — or return to — California. He also vetoed a number of bills that would have further undermined the state's still-recovering economy, including a minimum-wage increase. Perhaps most important, he resisted tax increases.

However, efforts to restore the state's fiscal stability have not been as successful.

Read the whole thing here.

Reason’s George Passantino was a director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review. He has a piece in today’s LA Times about what Arnold has (and has not) done so far:

He has traveled to other states, recruiting businesses to come to — or return to — California. He also vetoed a number of bills that would have further undermined the state's still-recovering economy, including a minimum-wage increase. Perhaps most important, he resisted tax increases.

However, efforts to restore the state's fiscal stability have not been as successful.

Read the whole thing here.

Reason’s George Passantino was a director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review. He has a piece in today’s LA Times about what Arnold has (and has not) done so far:

He has traveled to other states, recruiting businesses to come to — or return to — California. He also vetoed a number of bills that would have further undermined the state's still-recovering economy, including a minimum-wage increase. Perhaps most important, he resisted tax increases.

However, efforts to restore the state's fiscal stability have not been as successful.

Read the whole thing here.

Reason’s George Passantino was a director of Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review. He has a piece in today’s LA Times about what Arnold has (and has not) done so far:

He has traveled to other states, recruiting businesses to come to — or return to — California. He also vetoed a number of bills that would have further undermined the state's still-recovering economy, including a minimum-wage increase. Perhaps most important, he resisted tax increases.

However, efforts to restore the state's fiscal stability have not been as successful.

Read the whole thing here.

Lots of people want to know what kind of a governor Arnold is, and this list of bills vetoed, and bills signed helps define him.

Some notables:

Vetoes:

FOREIGN JOBS: Five labor-backed bills by Democrats that sought to track and curb the movement of jobs overseas. One bill would have banned state agencies from contracting with companies that "outsource" jobs. Another would have required California companies to annually report how many people they employ outside the United States. (AB 1829, AB 2715, AB 3021, SB 888, SB 1492)

MINIMUM WAGE: A bill that would have raised the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $7.75 an hour in July 2006. (AB 2832 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

Approvals:

CARPOOL LANES: A bill allowing solo drivers of hybrid vehicles to use carpool lanes. It applies to cars that get at least 45 miles per gallon, including the Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. (AB 2628 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

MEXICAN TRUCKS: A bill requiring trucks crossing into California to meet national emissions standards. The bill was written in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could open the border to more than 30,000 trucks from Mexico. (AB 1009 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

NEEDLES: A bill allowing pharmacists to sell up to 10 hypodermic needles without a prescription. The governor said the law would help stop the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases among drug users. (SB 1159 by Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clara)

OLD CARS: A bill ending the exemption on smog checks that cars at least 30 years old now get and requiring emissions tests for all vehicles made since 1976. (AB 2683 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

And the “Prison Riot Inducing Bill of 2004” was also signed into law:

SMOKING: A bill banning smoking by inmates and guards in California prisons starting in July 2005. (AB 384 by Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City)

Lots of people want to know what kind of a governor Arnold is, and this list of bills vetoed, and bills signed helps define him.

Some notables:

Vetoes:

FOREIGN JOBS: Five labor-backed bills by Democrats that sought to track and curb the movement of jobs overseas. One bill would have banned state agencies from contracting with companies that "outsource" jobs. Another would have required California companies to annually report how many people they employ outside the United States. (AB 1829, AB 2715, AB 3021, SB 888, SB 1492)

MINIMUM WAGE: A bill that would have raised the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $7.75 an hour in July 2006. (AB 2832 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

Approvals:

CARPOOL LANES: A bill allowing solo drivers of hybrid vehicles to use carpool lanes. It applies to cars that get at least 45 miles per gallon, including the Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. (AB 2628 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

MEXICAN TRUCKS: A bill requiring trucks crossing into California to meet national emissions standards. The bill was written in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could open the border to more than 30,000 trucks from Mexico. (AB 1009 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

NEEDLES: A bill allowing pharmacists to sell up to 10 hypodermic needles without a prescription. The governor said the law would help stop the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases among drug users. (SB 1159 by Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clara)

OLD CARS: A bill ending the exemption on smog checks that cars at least 30 years old now get and requiring emissions tests for all vehicles made since 1976. (AB 2683 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

And the “Prison Riot Inducing Bill of 2004” was also signed into law:

SMOKING: A bill banning smoking by inmates and guards in California prisons starting in July 2005. (AB 384 by Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City)

Lots of people want to know what kind of a governor Arnold is, and this list of bills vetoed, and bills signed helps define him.

Some notables:

Vetoes:

FOREIGN JOBS: Five labor-backed bills by Democrats that sought to track and curb the movement of jobs overseas. One bill would have banned state agencies from contracting with companies that "outsource" jobs. Another would have required California companies to annually report how many people they employ outside the United States. (AB 1829, AB 2715, AB 3021, SB 888, SB 1492)

MINIMUM WAGE: A bill that would have raised the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $7.75 an hour in July 2006. (AB 2832 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

Approvals:

CARPOOL LANES: A bill allowing solo drivers of hybrid vehicles to use carpool lanes. It applies to cars that get at least 45 miles per gallon, including the Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. (AB 2628 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

MEXICAN TRUCKS: A bill requiring trucks crossing into California to meet national emissions standards. The bill was written in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could open the border to more than 30,000 trucks from Mexico. (AB 1009 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

NEEDLES: A bill allowing pharmacists to sell up to 10 hypodermic needles without a prescription. The governor said the law would help stop the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases among drug users. (SB 1159 by Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clara)

OLD CARS: A bill ending the exemption on smog checks that cars at least 30 years old now get and requiring emissions tests for all vehicles made since 1976. (AB 2683 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

And the “Prison Riot Inducing Bill of 2004” was also signed into law:

SMOKING: A bill banning smoking by inmates and guards in California prisons starting in July 2005. (AB 384 by Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City)

Lots of people want to know what kind of a governor Arnold is, and this list of bills vetoed, and bills signed helps define him.

Some notables:

Vetoes:

FOREIGN JOBS: Five labor-backed bills by Democrats that sought to track and curb the movement of jobs overseas. One bill would have banned state agencies from contracting with companies that "outsource" jobs. Another would have required California companies to annually report how many people they employ outside the United States. (AB 1829, AB 2715, AB 3021, SB 888, SB 1492)

MINIMUM WAGE: A bill that would have raised the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $7.75 an hour in July 2006. (AB 2832 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

Approvals:

CARPOOL LANES: A bill allowing solo drivers of hybrid vehicles to use carpool lanes. It applies to cars that get at least 45 miles per gallon, including the Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. (AB 2628 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

MEXICAN TRUCKS: A bill requiring trucks crossing into California to meet national emissions standards. The bill was written in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could open the border to more than 30,000 trucks from Mexico. (AB 1009 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

NEEDLES: A bill allowing pharmacists to sell up to 10 hypodermic needles without a prescription. The governor said the law would help stop the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases among drug users. (SB 1159 by Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clara)

OLD CARS: A bill ending the exemption on smog checks that cars at least 30 years old now get and requiring emissions tests for all vehicles made since 1976. (AB 2683 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

And the “Prison Riot Inducing Bill of 2004” was also signed into law:

SMOKING: A bill banning smoking by inmates and guards in California prisons starting in July 2005. (AB 384 by Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City)

Lots of people want to know what kind of a governor Arnold is, and this list of bills vetoed, and bills signed helps define him.

Some notables:

Vetoes:

FOREIGN JOBS: Five labor-backed bills by Democrats that sought to track and curb the movement of jobs overseas. One bill would have banned state agencies from contracting with companies that "outsource" jobs. Another would have required California companies to annually report how many people they employ outside the United States. (AB 1829, AB 2715, AB 3021, SB 888, SB 1492)

MINIMUM WAGE: A bill that would have raised the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $7.75 an hour in July 2006. (AB 2832 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

Approvals:

CARPOOL LANES: A bill allowing solo drivers of hybrid vehicles to use carpool lanes. It applies to cars that get at least 45 miles per gallon, including the Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. (AB 2628 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

MEXICAN TRUCKS: A bill requiring trucks crossing into California to meet national emissions standards. The bill was written in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could open the border to more than 30,000 trucks from Mexico. (AB 1009 by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills)

NEEDLES: A bill allowing pharmacists to sell up to 10 hypodermic needles without a prescription. The governor said the law would help stop the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases among drug users. (SB 1159 by Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clara)

OLD CARS: A bill ending the exemption on smog checks that cars at least 30 years old now get and requiring emissions tests for all vehicles made since 1976. (AB 2683 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View)

And the “Prison Riot Inducing Bill of 2004” was also signed into law:

SMOKING: A bill banning smoking by inmates and guards in California prisons starting in July 2005. (AB 384 by Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City)

Lots of people want to know what kind of a governor Arnold is, and