Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 2, 2010
By DUG BEGLEY
The Press-Enterprise
Public confidence in San Bernardino County officials is at its lowest point in more than a decade, according to an annual survey released Wednesday.
Recent corruption scandals and a sluggish economic rebound have residents in the funk, according to the Inland Empire Annual Survey, and they are taking it out on local officials.
10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 2, 2010
By JIM MILLER
Sacramento Bureau
SACRAMENTO – More than any Assembly seat in the Inland area, the 63rd Assembly District sits atop what not long ago was a gusher of campaign money.
The district includes Rancho Cucamonga-based Colonies Partners, which reported more than $1.2 million in political spending from 2002 through 2008.
But with only days until Tuesday’s election, the development company and its leaders have been absent from the seven-way Assembly contest, the most competitive GOP legislative primary in the state, as well as other campaigns, according to reports filed with the state.
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Created: 06/02/2010 06:48:57 PM PDT
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s and Public Defender’s offices are preparing to eliminate about 85 positions as the county tries to reduce its $89.4 million budget gap.
The Board of Supervisors is expected to receive the proposed 2010-2011 budget today, county spokesman David Wert said.
Liset Márquez, Staff Writer
Created: 06/02/2010 04:51:01 PM PDT
ONTARIO – City Council members have determined that at least in their chambers, the words “In God We Trust” will always be with them.
The council unanimously agreed Tuesday to put those words in a semi-circle above the city seal in council chambers in City Hall.
Michael J. Sorba, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/02/2010 04:44:58 PM PDT
COLTON – The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to hold its city elections Nov. 2, the same day a slew of state, including governor, and federal offices will be up for grabs as well as three City Council seats and the mayor’s office.
Residents in Districts 1, 2 and 4 will vote for their council representative. The mayor acts as the lone at-large representative on the council so voters city-wide will decide on the office.
Neil Nisperos, Staff Writer
Created: 06/02/2010 05:07:17 PM PDT
CHINO – A bill to let the Chino Valley Unified School District off the hook for an $8 million state penalty was passed Wednesday in the Assembly.
Assembly Bill 1988, authored by Assemblyman Curt Hagman, R-Chino Hills, still must be passed by the Senate and signed by the governor to take effect. A similar bill by Hagman stalled in the Senate last year.
Jesse B. Gill, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/02/2010 08:29:38 PM PDT
Wal-Mart has thrown its financial might behind an effort to defeat Measure O at the polls Tuesday.
Campaign documents show the retailer has spent about $340,000 on the No on Measure O Coalition’s push to convince voters that the initiative is bad for Redlands.
James Rufus Koren, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/02/2010 03:13:34 PM PDT
Ask Pacific Gas and Electric why voters should support Proposition 16 – a measure on next week’s ballot that would make it harder for local governments to start their own power companies – and they’ll likely mention Victorville.
The High Desert city has had several miscues over the past few years as it has tried to develop new power plants. In May, the city settled a dispute with General Electric, losing $50 million on a power plant that never came to be.
House Democrats kill a $24-billion fund to help cash-strapped states cover costs. States are lobbying hard to have it restored, warning of further devastating cuts to healthcare and social services.
By Richard Simon and Evan Halper, Los Angeles Times
June 3, 2010
Reporting from Washington and Sacramento —
With the federal deficit a growing political liability, lawmakers in Congress are backing off plans to send more aid to financially strapped states, putting in jeopardy billions of dollars that California and others were counting on to balance their budgets.
The potential loss of funds is a significant setback for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers, who may not see nearly $2 billion in federal assistance that they intended to use to help bring California out of the red.
By Malcolm Maclachlan | 06/02/10 12:00 AM PST
An independent expenditure campaign financed by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has been spending big on behalf of Barbara Alby, a Republican candidate for the Board of Equalization (BOE). Some of that money is paying a robocall recorded by Alby’s former boss at the BOE, Bill Leonard.
The tribe put $1 million into the IE, titled People for a Better Government, on April 10. The only other backer for the group is the Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians, also known as the Chumash Tribe, who $10,000 on March 26.
10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, June 2, 2010
By SANDRA STOKLEY
The Press-Enterprise
Riverside County planning official Adam Rush has collected a total of $9,492 in donations for his campaign for Eastvale city council, easily outdistancing the other 16 active candidates vying for the five seats in the June 8 election.
Rush’s closest competitor, according to campaign finance statements released this week, is special education teacher Kelly Howell, who has collected $7,007 in total contributions.
By Dale Kasler
dkasler@sacbee.com
Published: Thursday, Jun. 3, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 8B
A bill cracking down on placement agents, the middlemen enmeshed in an influence-peddling scandal at CalPERS, squeaked through the Assembly on Wednesday. It now goes to the Senate.
Assembly Bill 1743 would prohibit placement agents – who are hired by private equity firms to secure investments from CalPERS and other public pension funds – from collecting contingency fees from their clients. They would also have to register as lobbyists.
Posted By: Carla Marinucci (Email, Twitter) | June 02 2010 at 04:56 PM
The move comes just days after Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman dropped another $3 million in, bringing her total personal contribution to $71 million.