Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
InlandPolitics.com has learned the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors have authorized the release of the investigation report into the conduct of District Attorney Michael Ramos and members of his department.
The investigation was discussed by supervisors this afternoon in a nearly four-hour long closed session.
InlandPolitics.com has received permission to use excerpts from a journal submitted as an exhibit by the complainant to county investigators.
The journal is handwritten and covers the time period from April 24, 2004 through July 25, 2005.
Congressional Budget Office sees 2010 deficit of $1.35 trillion as economy lags
By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Writer , On Tuesday January 26, 2010, 10:40 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The latest congressional budget estimates out Tuesday predict a $1.35 trillion deficit for this year as the economy continues to slowly recover from the recession.
The Congressional Budget Office report predicts a sluggish economic recovery and continued high deficits that present twin political problems for President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies.
This is the first of a multi-part series delving into the investigation of alleged misconduct by District Attorney Michael Ramos.
Tomorrow, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors will consider the release of the Ramos investigation report. The report, all memos, findings, conclusions, and most importantly the interview notes are subject to public disclosure. It will be interesting to see what county supervisors do.
As expected, inside sources say that only Supervisor Derry is for full disclosure.
Here is two exhibits in the Ramos investigation provided to county investigators. However, County Counsel Ruth Stringer neglected to mention it in the memo clearing Ramos of a “Purported” relationship, hostile work environment, and retaliation.
10:00 PM PST on Monday, January 25, 2010
By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise
San Bernardino County is proposing to continue its sponsorship of activities at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, but at a reduced level.
The Board of Supervisors will consider today an almost three-year agreement, paying $350,000 a year to market the county through billboards and other signs around the racetrack, which hosts two nationally televised NASCAR races each year.
Southern California — this just in
January 25, 2010 | 1:46 pm
The California Supreme Court today threw out criminal charges filed by the San Diego County district attorney against five former members of the city retirement board stemming from the city’s pension controversy.
The court, however, allowed conflict-of-interest charges to remain against the firefighters union president because of his alleged role in tailoring a pension boost for himself in 2002.
By Les Christie, staff writer , On Tuesday January 26, 2010, 9:33 am
Home prices fell in November for the first time in seven months, according to a industry report released Tuesday.
The S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index recorded a decline of 0.2% from October. Prices were down 5.3% compared with 12 months ago.
The loss was unexpectedly large. Experts had forecast that prices would be off by only 5% compared with last November, according to Briefing.com. The lone good news is that the rates of year-over-year declines have continued to shrink.
January 26, 2010 | Lance Williams
Last week, retired eBay CEO Meg Whitman put $20 million of her own money into her quest for the Republican nomination for governor. Her campaign manager, Jill Hasner, quickly noted that contributors other than Whitman had already pitched in $10.2 million to the campaign, demonstrating “overwhelming donor support from Californians.”
Who gives money to a candidate with such deep pockets?
BY CHRISTINE BEDELL, Californian staff writer
cbedell@bakersfield.com | Monday, Jan 25 2010 07:20 PM
Last Updated Monday, Jan 25 2010 07:20 PM
State Sen. Roy Ashburn, after virtually an entire adulthood in government and politics, said Monday he’s bowing out of public life — at least for now.
Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, told The Californian he’s dropping his bid for the state Board of Equalization and will not run for Democrat Jim Costa’s congressional seat. He’d been thinking about the latter but not made any firm decisions.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com The Sacramento Bee
Published: Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Arnold Schwarzenegger, with 11 months remaining in his star-crossed governorship, says it’s “a little bit too early to reflect” on his legacy – but California voters appear to be rendering their verdict already, and it’s not a positive one.
Schwarzenegger once enjoyed some of the highest approval ratings ever recorded for a California governor – 65 percent during his first months – but the latest Field Research poll, released on Sunday, found that just 27 percent of registered voters approve of his performance, and 59 percent say he’ll leave state government in worse condition than he found it.
Meg Whitman
Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer
Monday, January 25, 2010
“I really hate waste,” writes Whitman, who is estimated to have spent more than $300,000 on polls and untold millions on political consultants in the year since the start of her drive for California’s top post. In her book, “The Power of Many: Values for Success in Business and in Life,” which hits bookstores this Tuesday, she boasts she comes from a family so thrifty that they reused aluminum foil and tea bags and repaired holes in socks.
Move will save $750,000 in three years
January 25, 2010 5:34 PM
BROOKE EDWARDS Staff Writer
VICTORVILLE • The city is returning 43 vehicles it’s been leasing for employees, as another cost-saving measure to get through its current financial crisis.
The move will save $250,00 a year, city spokeswoman Yvonne Hester said, for a total savings of $750,000 over the next three years.
The vehicles were all leased from Sunland Ford Lincoln Mercury for five years starting April 1, 2008, in effort to replace aging, less fuel-efficient models with newer ones.
Stacia Glenn, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/25/2010 05:35:27 PM PST
BARSTOW – The District Attorney’s Office is deciding whether to charge Mayor Joe Gomez with sexually battering a police officer’s wife after a Christmas party.
The victim, who has not been identified, reported the alleged assault Dec. 18 to the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department because the crime took place in an unincorporated area of Barstow.
Staff and Wire Reports
Posted: 01/25/2010 09:30:48 PM PST
Under a state law that took effect Monday, California has started to reduce its prison population by about 6,500 inmates over the next year.
The bill was signed as part of last year’s state budget package. Under it, early-release credits for inmates who complete educational and vocational programs will be expanded, letting more inmates leave prison earlier.
At the same time, the state will stop its monitoring of low-level offenders after their release. That is designed to reduce the number of parolees returned to prison, essentially because the state will not know if they are violating the terms of their parole.
10:00 PM PST on Monday, January 25, 2010
By DUANE W. GANG
The Press-Enterprise
Ed Rose has been a member of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for 21 years — the last nine as an investigator.
He wants to stay with the department, but he has no desire to enter management. In the past, that would have left him few options — short of leaving for other agencies — to advance his career and earn more money.
Now things have changed.