Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
Baca
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 08/13/2010 11:50:26 AM PDT
RIALTO – In a city of 100,000 residents, not one has stepped forward to run against the two incumbents seeking re-election on Nov. 2.
Councilwoman Deborah Robertson and Councilman Joe Baca Jr. are the only two candidates to qualify through the City Clerk’s office.
Gutierrez
Mike Cruz, Staff Writer
Created: 08/13/2010 05:15:26 PM PDT
SAN BERNARDINO – A Superior Court judge granted a prosecution motion to add a count of felony conspiracy to the list of charges against Rancho Cucamonga Councilman Rex Gutierrez in connection with the Assessor’s Office investigation.
Gutierrez appeared before Judge Duke Rouse on Friday in San Bernardino Superior Court, where Rouse granted prosecutors’ motion to amend the criminal complaint.
10:00 PM PDT on Friday, August 13, 2010
Cassie MacDuff
Bill Postmus needs help before he self-destructs completely.
Who shows up for a crucial court hearing under the influence of drugs?
August 13, 2010 9:03 AM
Brooke Edwards
VICTORVILLE • The No. 2 employee in charge of the city’s Water District has filed a claim against Victorville, alleging he was retaliated against for reporting possible investment fraud and other “financial improprieties” to his bosses and to the San Bernardino County Grand Jury.
Steve Borrowman claims the city responded by stripping him of his ability to perform his job, creating a hostile work environment and constituting an adverse job action.
Brown
August 13th, 2010, 3:00 am · posted by BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento Correspondent
Updated with comment from Brown’s spokesman
As Jerry Brown grabbed the spotlight with his criticism of Bell city officials and their outrageous pensions, The Watchdog got to wondering: How much will the Democrat for Governor make in retirement?
Carla Marinucci, Joe Garofoli, Chronicle Political Writers
San Francisco Chronicle
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Robert Rizzo has been dubbed the “Willie Horton” of overpaid public employees for his $1.5 million-a-year salary and benefit package to run the small Los Angeles County town of Bell. Now political campaigns are trying to cash in on the ensuing public outrage.
State Attorney General Jerry Brown, the Democratic candidate for governor, has announced a joint investigation with Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley, a Republican candidate for attorney general. They’re looking into possible civil and criminal violations among Rizzo’s team of well-paid cohorts in Bell, where the police chief earned $457,000 a year – more than the president of the United States.
Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
August 13, 2010
Republican gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman has contributed another $13 million to her campaign.
The contribution, reported Friday evening to the secretary of state (listed on page 5 of the report), brings Whitman’s personal investment in her bid to become California governor to $104 million.
By Kim Christensen, Ruben Vives and Evan Halper, Los Angeles Times
August 14, 2010
The city of Bell illegally raised its property taxes in 2007 and must immediately give up $2.9 million it has collected since then, state Controller John Chiang said Friday.
Chiang ordered Bell to immediately reduce the “retirement tax” rate, which its City Council increased in 2007 to cover rising pension costs for its employees. The reductions will apply to the next round of property taxes due in November, said Jacob Roper, a spokesman for Chiang.
John Coté, Chronicle Staff Writer
San Francisco Chronicle
Saturday, August 14, 2010
(08-13) 18:58 PDT SAN FRANCISCO — State Attorney General Jerry Brown filed documents late Friday urging a federal appellate court to allow same-sex marriages to go forward in California on Wednesday, saying there is “overwhelming evidence” that a voter-approved ban on such marriages is unconstitutional.
Brown’s filing comes as same-sex marriage opponents have asked the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to halt implementation of a landmark ruling from Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker until a full appeal is heard.
By Maeve Reston, Los Angeles Times
August 14, 2010
Several thousand union members rallied Friday on the south lawn at Los Angeles City Hall, calling on state and federal leaders to do more to address the state’s 12.3% unemployment rate. But what was billed as a jobs rally was laced with heavy criticism for the Republicans running for governor and senator, Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina.
Most economists still think the U.S. will avoid a double-dip recession, but a long malaise seems likelier.
By Walter Hamilton and P.J. Huffstutter, Los Angeles Times
August 14, 2010
The U.S. economy and stock market ended one of the grimmer weeks of the year, as disappointing retail sales figures released Friday combined with other dismal data to heighten fears that the nation’s nascent recovery is stalling.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) holds a news conference at the Capitol to challenge the charges made against her by the House Ethics Committee. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images / August 13, 2010)
By Richard Simon and Lisa Mascaro
August 14, 2010
Reporting from Washington —
In her most spirited defense against ethics charges, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) denied Friday that she had used her influence to aid a bank in which her husband has a financial interest, and attacked ethics investigators for drawing the wrong conclusion from her lifetime of work to aid minority-owned businesses.