Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
Monday, October 4, 2010 – 09:30 a.m.
What a disgrace!
State leaders in Sacramento announced another “sham” budget deal over the weekend. And this year is proving to be no different than others.
If this is the outcome of a 100-plus day budget delay, then why was there this big hold out?
Sunday, October 3, 2010 – 12:25 p.m.
Sources are telling InlandPolitics.com that the head of San Bernardino County’s pension fund has tendered his resignation.
Timothy Barrett, executive director and chief investment officer for the San Bernardino County Employees Retirement Association (SBCERA) reportedly resigned Friday to take a higher paying position with an undisclosed employer in New York State.
Measure L is not about preserving benefits for widows and orphans. It’s a union ploy to keep billing taxpayers for lavish retirement payouts
05:46 PM PDT on Saturday, October 2, 2010
By BOB BUSTER
Every year — $4.2 million.
That’s the total in dues and fees the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association union collects from 3,000 deputies, correctional and probation officers, and district attorney investigators. The union routinely unleashes its war chest against anyone who tries to protect taxpayers from its unreasonable demands.
The union bosses are digging deep into their bank vault to promote the union’s initiative, Measure L. If approved on Nov. 2, Measure L puts a stranglehold on Riverside County taxpayers by guaranteeing the current high pension levels for law enforcement personnel hired in the future.
10:00 PM PDT on Sunday, October 3, 2010
By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise
Bail bond companies would no longer get free advertising at San Bernardino County jails under a proposal the Board of Supervisors will consider Tuesday.
Sheriff Rod Hoops is proposing that the county charge bail bond companies a fee to have their services listed at county detention facilities.
Mary Bono Mack
Erica Felci • The Desert Sun • October 4, 2010
Drawing sharp contrasts to the GOP’s position just two years ago, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said “anger” is now “fueling conviction” that the faithful must harness in this November’s election.
“Guess what? A funny thing happened on the way to our funeral,” said Steele, referring to pundits’ dismissal of the Republican Party after the Democratic push in 2008.
10:23 PM PDT on Sunday, October 3, 2010
By DUG BEGLEY
The Press-Enterprise
Riverside’s new Police Department leadership will have 15 more positions to work with as they evaluate where best to put resources, officials said last week.
The Police Department was among the 8 percent of applicants that received a Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice. Riverside will receive $5.1 million to train, equip and pay the officers.
10:00 PM PDT on Sunday, October 3, 2010
By ERIN WALDNER
The Press-Enterprise
A decision on whether to extend a moratorium on medical marijuana facilities in Calimesa likely won’t be made tonight.
The Calimesa City Council was scheduled to hold a public hearing on the matter tonight, but according to a staff report, city administrators are advising the council to open the hearing and then continue it to Oct. 18. The report says additional notice of the public hearing is required.
Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/03/2010 04:47:51 PM PDT
SAN BERNARDINO – The City Council soon may have a chance to revise the town’s sometimes controversial law for municipal code fines.
San Bernardino started issuing Administrative Civil Penalties, frequently abbreviated to ACPs in mid-2008. The law makes it possible for city officials to impose $1,000 fines for any violation.
James Rufus Koren, Staff Writer
Created: 10/03/2010 09:15:13 PM PDT
He believes in smaller government, lower taxes and more personal freedoms.
That statement could apply to at least two of the candidates running for the 59th District State Assembly seat: Libertarian Tony Tyler and Republican Tim Donnelly.
Mediha Fejzagic DiMartino, Staff Writer
Created: 10/03/2010 07:03:10 AM PDT
The La Verne City Council this week will decide whether to adopt an ordinance prohibiting smoking in city parks and facilities.
The ordinance includes smoking in any public park, facility, skate park, community center, trail, bikeway or any other area, building or structure operated or owned by the city.
Las Vegas tops the list with $11.8 million spent at casinos or taken from ATMs, but transactions in Hawaii, Miami, Guam and elsewhere also raise questions. Officials say budget cuts hinder investigations.
By Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times
October 4, 2010
Reporting from Sacramento —
More than $69 million in California welfare money, meant to help the needy pay their rent and clothe their children, has been spent or withdrawn outside the state in recent years, including millions in Las Vegas, hundreds of thousands in Hawaii and thousands on cruise ships sailing from Miami.
Meg Whitman
California Watch
A Project of the Center for Investigative Reporting
Money and Politics
October 4, 2010 | Chase Davis
New allegations this week that Meg Whitman employed an illegal immigrant housekeeper for nine years have sent reporters and political operatives scrambling to find foot-in-mouth moments from her vocal, hard-line stance on immigration.
You can read more about the allegations here.
Boxer
By Rob Hotakainen
rhotakainen@mcclatchydc.com
Published: Monday, Oct. 4, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 1A
WASHINGTON – Few would deny that Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer is a polarizing figure in Washington and a power broker in Congress.
As she navigates her most difficult race in years, however, her record is on trial.
ARRESTED REDEVELOPMENT
City agencies meant to improve blighted areas are rife with problems that cost the public millions.
By Kim Christensen and Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times
October 1, 2010
It was a redevelopment deal with an unusual form of payment: plain white envelopes stuffed with cash and delivered to a go-between at a preschool.
And that was only part of what developer Randy Wang said he paid to Temple City officials who “repeatedly solicited bribes” in return for their support of his $75-million Piazza mall project.
Rank-and-File Lawmakers Express Doubts About Proposal From Governor, Legislative Leaders to Close $19.1 Billion Gap
By VAUHINI VARA
(See Corrections & Amplifications below.)
California lawmakers from both parties said Sunday they had serious concerns about how a budget proposal from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state legislative leaders seeks to fix California’s expected $19.1 billion shortfall for the current fiscal year.
Any haggling could threaten the scheduled Thursday vote on the budget—already three months late—leading to the kind of delays that put California on the brink of crisis during last year’s budget negotiations.
Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
San Francisco Chronicle
Sunday, October 3, 2010
(10-03) 04:00 PDT Sacramento – —
The deal to solve California’s budget deficit could result in a spending plan by the end of the week, but it won’t be known for months how much the crippling impasse and the proposal to end it will cost taxpayers.
Even with a budget in place, though, the state still faces the prospect of issuing IOUs.
By ALAN ZIBEL
AP Real Estate Writer
Published: Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010 – 4:11 pm
Last Modified: Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010 – 6:22 pm
WASHINGTON — A Wells Fargo executive has acknowledged that he verified only the dates on up to 150 foreclosure documents he signed daily.
The executive made his admission in a May deposition involving a Washington state homeowner. He said he relied on co-workers to ensure that other information in the documents was correct.