CAPITOL JOURNAL

A constitutional convention isn’t going to happen, but real reform can — eventually.

By George Skelton Capitol Journal

March 1, 2010

From Sacramento

The dream about a historic state constitutional convention “reforming” California government was just that — a fantasy. But the conclave’s possibility served an important role: a prod on the Legislature to produce its own reforms.

Legislative leaders are about to unveil some bipartisan internal changes — eye-glazing but potentially productive — plus proposed restraints on the scourge of ballot box budgeting.

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Information has been provided to InlandPolitics relevant to prior conduct of an investigator with the San Bernardino County District Attorney. The information raises questions related to credibility.

The investigator in question currently has a lead role within the District Attorney Public Integrity Unit and sources confirm he is playing a major role related to decision-making and tactics in the ongoing county corruption investigation.

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Last spring the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors embarked on a “score some political points” statement. One that would make them look like corruption fighters.

County supervisors were going to show residents accountability was at hand. The board voted 5-0 to initiate litigation against Former Assessor Bill Postmus and his staff to recover taxpayer funds related to time card fraud. The support for filing the lawsuit was the county’s success at recovering from individuals and businesses related to misconduct in the late 1990′s.

What supervisors received for their vote this time can best be described as a “legal boondoggle”.

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10:00 PM PST on Sunday, February 28, 2010

The Press-Enterprise

The campaign for next month’s special primary election for Riverside County’s 37th Senate District is heating up.

Meanwhile, a pair of pending court cases could affect the candidacies of the leading Republican contenders for the seat — former Assemblyman Russ Bogh and Assemblyman Bill Emmerson.

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10:31 PM PST on Sunday, February 28, 2010

By DARRELL R. SANTSCHI
The Press-Enterprise

Grand Terrace will have to cinch its belt tight for the next four months to make up a $423,240 budget gap this year and then brace for an $800,000 shortage in the fiscal year that begins July1.

City Manager Betsy Adams told the Grand Terrace City Council this week that new construction has ground to a halt, sales tax revenue has plunged and earnings on the city’s investments have dropped more than expected. All of this, she said, is the result of a slumping economy in a community of 12,500 people.

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Meg Whitman

Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

Monday, March 1, 2010

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman proudly argues she turned the online auction company into a household name – right up there with Coca-Cola and Nike – by successfully “branding” its image into the minds of millions of American consumers.

But now the business titan is confronting her biggest challenge yet: to establish her own personal “brand” and successfully sell herself as a GOP gubernatorial candidate in the nation’s most populous state.

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March 1, 2010

This story is also being published today in the Los Angeles Times.

One hundred days before the June 8 primary election, the race for governor of California has taken shape, but the outcome won’t be clear without answers to three key questions.

Dianne Feinstein’s announcement late last month that she won’t run leaves Attorney General Jerry Brown as the Democrats’ presumptive nominee – with his formal announcement of candidacy expected any day now.

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