Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 – 10:10 a.m.
It’s time San Bernardino voters put an end to another childish and costly chapter in the ever distracting, politics as usual, maneuvering in city hall politics.
What else but another political attack by way of a charter amendment.
October 11, 2010
by Administrator
Are you listening US Attorney? San Bernardino County is in crisis. The principles our nation were founded on are being undermined by the very person sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States—the person charged with enforcing the Constitution and all state and local laws at the county level.
When one reads the California District Attorneys Association Code of Ethics reprinted in Part One of this series, it is easy to see its President and our county’s District Attorney, Mike Ramos, has broken every concept put forth in that document. He flagrantly violates those ethical standards while claiming to be in the pursuit of “justice.”
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
State Senate Republican Leader Bob Dutton
As I begin my tenure as the Senate Republican Leader, I have three goals that I will make my main focus in this specific order – private-sector jobs, private-sector jobs, private-sector jobs.
With unemployment in California remaining at historic highs (currently at 12.4 percent), more than 2.3 million residents need a job. Many of this state’s current economic problems can and will be cured if we can regain a healthy private sector and put people back to work. To put California’s current unemployment figures in perspective, the total number of those in this state looking for a job is equal to the population of the fifth largest city in the United States.
Rutherford
07:13 AM PDT on Tuesday, October 12, 2010
By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise
Fontana Councilwoman Janice Rutherford, who has made ethics reform a central platform in her candidacy for San Bernardino County supervisor, has a former aide to former county assessor Bill Postmus running her campaign.
Ted Lehrer, a former spokesman for Postmus, testified last week in the criminal trial of Rex Gutierrez, another former assessor’s employee.
11:05 PM PDT on Monday, October 11, 2010
By BEN GOAD
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON – To hear leading Democrats tell it, few things are scarier this Halloween than the prospect of Rep. Darrell Issa, armed with a gavel.
As Democrats fight to hang onto control of the House of Representatives, party leaders and officials are painting the Inland congressman as a GOP bogeyman, ready to pounce on the White House if Republicans win a majority of seats in the chamber on Nov. 2.
Cortes
Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/11/2010 03:57:23 PM PDT
GRAND TERRACE – Bea Cortes’ campaign consultant is considering legal action against the citizen who anonymously posted signs accusing Cortes of stifling free speech.
“We have nothing against free speech, but we will challenge putting out anonymous fliers that include false information,” said Chris Jones, who works on Cortes’ campaign for City Council and with other local candidates.
Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/11/2010 05:43:22 PM PDT
SAN BERNARDINO – A Yes on Measure C mailer makes allusions to recent scandals afflicting San Bernardino County government and the Los Angeles County city of Bell, but Measure C would actually make this city’s organization more similar to those places.
Measure C would amend the City Charter to give San Bernardino’s City Council and mayor authority to select the city attorney, city clerk and city treasurer. Bell and San Bernardino County had appointed legal counsel during the events that have led to former officials in both places being charged with felonies.
Chantal M. Lovell, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/11/2010 05:58:33 PM PDT
Proponents of Measure A are trying to spread the word that the half-cent sales tax increase is necessary in Redlands. Opponents say enough is enough, and now is not the time to raise taxes.
Measure A would increase sales tax in the city of Redlands by one-half cent for the next 10 years. According to the ballot language, it is needed to “prevent further cuts and preserve funding for essential city services.”
Sandra Emerson, Staff Writer
Created: 10/11/2010 10:27:20 PM PDT
Campaign mailers sent to Rancho Cucamonga and Upland residents last week have both contestants for the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors’ 2nd District crying foul.
Janice Rutherford, a Fontana councilwoman, is the target of both mailers, which were sent out by a group called Citizens Against Corruption Opposing Rutherford for Supervisor 2010.
James Rufus Koren, Staff Writer
Created: 10/11/2010 04:52:52 PM PDT
SACRAMENTO – Nearly nine months after he was elected to the post, State Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, took over Monday as the Senate Republican leader.
Dutton, who is two years into his final term in the Senate, takes over as one of the state’s top legislative leaders as California’s economy continues to struggle and as state agencies continue to deal with deep budget cuts. He said those issues top his list of priorities.
By Torey Van Oot
tvanoot@sacbee.com
Published: Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 4A
Republican Meg Whitman isn’t the only one breaking spending records in the gubernatorial contest.
Spending by independent groups seeking to influence the governor’s race has hit a record-breaking $21.3 million this year, according to report compiled by the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer
San Francisco Chronicle
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The two major candidates for California governor head into their final televised showdown tonight with a “woman” problem dogging their campaigns – Republican Meg Whitman for her treatment of her undocumented maid, and Democrat Jerry Brown for a staffer’s use of a sexist slur in referring to his opponent.
Tonight’s debate at Dominican University in San Rafael will be moderated by veteran television journalist and former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com The Sacramento Bee
Published: Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Jerry Brown says Meg Whitman is a billionaire who’s trying to buy the governorship to give herself and other wealthy people big tax breaks while slashing vital public services, not to mention treating her hired help shabbily.
Whitman says Brown is an over-the-hill political retread who’s a captive of public employee unions, wants to raise taxes on recession-hammered Californians, and is insensitive to women to boot.
Pacific Corporate oversaw $2.5 billion in investments by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and had worked closely with Alfred J.R. Villalobos, the former pension fund board member who is now accused of fraud.
By Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times
October 12, 2010
Reporting from Sacramento —
California’s public pension fund severed ties Monday with a major investment manager that had close ties to Alfred J.R. Villalobos, the former pension fund board member who is now accused of fraud.
By David Siders
dsiders@sacbee.com
Published: Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
The recession-battered state said Monday that it will sell 11 office properties for $2.3 billion to a group of private investors based in Texas and Irvine, all but finalizing an agreement between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers to raise cash in the budget crisis.
The state would lease the buildings back for at least 20 years. The deal is controversial because of questions about the long-term costs of renting.
Some banks filed faulty paperwork in the 23 states where the courts handle foreclosures. They ‘might not be complying with other state laws as well,’ says a spokesman for state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown.
By E. Scott Reckard and Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles Times
October 12, 2010
California officials are considering joining a multistate investigation of whether lenders have violated foreclosure laws when seizing houses from delinquent borrowers.
The investigation, which is expected to be publicly announced Wednesday, is spearheaded by Iowa Atty. Gen. Tom Miller. Under his leadership, coalitions of states have won lending-abuse settlements of $484 million from Household International Inc. and $325 million from Ameriquest Mortgage Co.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
October 11, 2010 | 3:19 pm
State Controller John Chiang said Monday tax collections outpaced expectations by $1.1 billion in September, but warned that the uptick is more likely a result of shifting tax laws and deadlines than an improving economy.
October 11, 2010 | Lance Williams and Christina Jewett
A Southern California hospital chain known for its aggressive billing practices and cost-cutting is being investigated by state and federal authorities for an unusually high rate of life-threatening infections among its older patients.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the state Department of Justice are looking into whether a reported spike in septicemia infections at hospitals operated by Prime Healthcare Services reflects a serious health problem or multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud, officials at both agencies said.
October 11th, 2010, 5:04 pm · posted by Jeff Collins
An Irvine-based venture is at the heart of a winning bid to buy 11 California office properties from the state then lease them back to the government for 20 years, the state announced today.
Rich Mayo of Irvine-based Spyglass Realty Partners is leading a consortium of investors that tendered a $2.33 billion bid to buy a portfolio that includes buildings used by the state Public Utilities Commission, Department of Justice, Franchise Tax Board and Emergency Management Agency.