Politics, Government and Business in Southern California's Inland Empire
Tuesday, October 26, 1010 – 05:16 a.m.
Just as previously forecast, dark clouds are closing in on San Bernardino County’s budget.
InlandPolitics.com has learned San Bernardino County’s current fiscal year budget deficit may have actually grown from the previously projected $90 million-plus figure to somewhere in the area of $130-$160 million.
An amount that most certainly will involve deeper budget cuts with pretty much no magic tricks left in the bag.
Gutierrez
Tuesday, October 26, 2010 – 05:14 a.m.
Jury deliberations in the re-trial of former San Bernardino County Assessor employee and Rancho Cucamonga city councilman Rex Gutierrez have reached their fourth day this morning.
The process has been ongoing since last Thursday.
By PE Politics
on October 25, 2010 5:02 PM
The fight over measures L and M on Riverside County’s ballot continues to get more expensive.
The Riverside Sheriff’s Association pumped another $200,000 into the Yes on Measure L campaign on Oct. 5 and Oct. 16, bringing total contributions to $738,660 so far this year, newly released records show.
By PE Politics
on October 25, 2010 12:01 PM
The Tea Party Express this morning endorsed more than two dozen congressional candidates in California, including Reps. Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands, and Ken Calvert, R-Corona.
But noticeably absent from the conservative group’s list is any endorsement in the 45th Congressional District, where Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, is facing a stiff challenge from her hometown’s mayor, Democrat Steve Pougnet.
10:33 PM PDT on Monday, October 25, 2010
By RICHARD K. DE ATLEY
The Press-Enterprise
The California Supreme Court on Monday turned down Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco’s bid to use specialized courts such as family law, juvenile, and probate to hear criminal cases at risk of being dismissed because of speedy trial guarantees.
The 7-0 decision was written by Chief Justice Ronald George. He said that while the disputed statute cited by the district attorney does give criminal cases precedence over civil matters, it is not absolute.
Martinez
Jesse B. Gill, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/25/2010 09:12:08 PM PDT
REDLANDS – The City Council could fire City Manager N. Enrique Martinez in an emergency, closed-session meeting scheduled for Wednesday afternoon – less than a week before Election Day.
“Dismissal of a public employee is the subject (of the meeting),” Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Bean confirmed Monday. “We will be discussing dismissing the city manager.”
Ryan Carter, Staff Writer
Created: 10/25/2010 04:50:49 PM PDT
The local home construction industry had its worst September in four years last month, according to a statewide report released Monday.
In September, builders pulled only 303 single-family home permits in the Inland Empire – an 83 percent drop from when the market was booming in September 2006 and 1,811 building permits were pulled, according to the California Building Industry Association.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Created: 10/25/2010 03:56:21 PM PDT
FONTANA – Officials here face a mixed-bag of economic news heading into Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, where they are scheduled to approve first-quarter budget changes recommended by the Management Services Department.
The city has plenty of reserves in place to manage a $1.224 million deficit created by an $848,000 General Fund shortfall to end fiscal 2009-10, plus additional audit adjustments of $376,000.
October 25, 2010 1:32 PM
Natasha Lindstrom
Government salaries:
SACRAMENTO • As probes continue into the exorbitant salaries of city officials in Bell and Vernon, State Controller John Chiang unveiled a new website Monday that details the compensation of local government officials statewide.
Two Victor Valley municipalities — Apple Valley and Victorville — are listed on the state website as “failing to file salary and compensation reports” and could face $5,000 penalties, according to the Controller’s office.
10:00 PM PDT on Monday, October 25, 2010
By DAVID DANELSKI
The Press-Enterprise
U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar on Monday approved plans for a solar plant on 10 square miles of public land near Blythe in eastern Riverside County over objections from Indian tribal members worried about losing sacred sites.
Salazar said the solar array would be the largest in the world and provide enough power for about 700,000 average American homes. “We are opening a new chapter in renewable energy,” he said.
Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau
San Francisco Chronicle
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
(10-26) 04:00 PDT Washington – –
The Republican woman who has the best chance to win in California on Nov. 2 is not billionaire Meg Whitman, who has spent more than $140 million of her own money to make sure every living thing knows who she is. It’s Carly Fiorina, another former Silicon Valley CEO with thinner pockets but a looser campaign style who has drawn incumbent Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer into a dead heat.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
October 25, 2010 | 4:55 pm
Republican gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman would not appoint judges who oppose the death penalty, her campaign spokeswoman said Monday.
The capital-punishment litmus test comes as Whitman, who is trailing in the polls despite spending more than $140 million of her own money on her campaign, sought to gain an edge with time running out before election day.
11:01 PM PDT on Monday, October 25, 2010
By DARRELL R. SANTSCHI
The Press-Enterprise
The city’s handling of recent scandals, luring business and developing programs for young people are among the top issues in the race for mayor of Grand Terrace on the Nov. 2 ballot.
Four candidates are seeking the seat being vacated by Mayor Maryetta Ferre, who did not seek re-election. They are Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz, Planning Commission Chairman Doug Wilson, Chamber of Commerce President Sally McGuire and real estate associate Denise “De De” DeCenty-Steinberg.
October 26, 2010
LONG BEACH — When Gov. Schwarzenegger, Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown join Matt Lauer, host of the “Today Show,” for a four-way here today at Maria Shriver’s star-studded Women’s Conference, it’s supposed to be a civil, genteel, collegial discussion of the problems facing the Great State of California titled “Who We Are, Where We Are Going.” Isn’t that nice?
But for eMeg — who is trailing in all the public polls just one week before the election — it’s a last chance to squeeze off a big, fat, juicy sound bite that gets played all over the state and the country. And maybe — if Krusty sticks his smug, condescending foot in his mouth — she could put Brown on the defensive.
More borrowers are taking banks and loan servicers to court, alleging they were misled when they tried to renegotiate the terms of their loans.
Jean C. Wilcox of Irvine says EMC Mortgage Corp. strung her along for three years, repeatedly changing the rules as she tried to modify her nearly $800,000 loan. Her suit alleges breach of contract, deceptive business practices and fraud. (Francine Orr, Los Angeles Times / October 26, 2010)
By E. Scott Reckard, Los Angeles Times
October 26, 2010
Financially strapped homeowners struggling to obtain mortgage modifications are taking their frustrations to court, accusing banks and loan servicers of misleading them or breaking promises to help them hold on to their homes.
The lawsuits go to what U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan has described as the heart of the government’s anti-foreclosure efforts: ensuring that banks work in good faith from the start to help borrowers.
By Diana Lambert
dlambert@sacbee.com
Published: Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
The new state budget looks like one that would make California school officials happy.
State legislators restored $1.7 billion to schools, cut by the governor in his May budget revision.
But lawmakers deferred payment until next July, and education leaders – weary from years of cuts – don’t trust that the money will make it to schools.
Debra J. Saunders
San Francisco Chronicle
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Here’s a handy way to figure out which party expects to lose big in the next election: If its leaders are complaining about the unfairness of the other side raising buckets of money, that party is in trouble.
If party big-shots can’t help but exaggerate the other side’s money advantage, well: Whoa, Nellie.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
October 25, 2010 | 8:04 am
With outside groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce already pouring in millions to defeat California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, the National Republican Senatorial Committee announced a $3-million independent expenditure for television ads in the final week of the campaign.
The committee, which rarely makes major expenditures in California, had already spent the maximum allowed — $4.8 million — in coordinated expenditures with GOP nominee Carly Fiorina’s campaign in what it views as a highly competitive race.
Published: Oct. 25, 2010
Updated: 3:49 p.m.
By MARTIN WISCKOL
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
This article is part of a special report, in which we hope to examine California’s broken dreams and lost status as a model state, and to try to find solutions – answers from experts and you, our readers.
Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown both boast of big plans for the state’s biggest issues, but their approaches differ broadly.
By Josh Richman
Monday, October 25th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
We’ve eight days to go until Election Day, and so it’s time for the last big money push – and all the righteous indignation that comes with it.
Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for state attorney general, is miffed that the Virginia-based Republican State Leadership Committee has sunk $1.3 million into an attack ad that started airing Sunday in Los Angeles:
Published October 25th, 2010
Besides a projected budget shortfall of $21.3 billion in their first year in office, California’s next governor also faces an unemployment insurance fund that will end 2011 at least $13.4 billion in the red, according to the state Employment Development Department.
The insolvency of the fund, which is financed through employer contributions, will have an impact on the state’s cash-starved general fund next September when the state owes the federal government $362 million in interest on loans from Uncle Sam that have allowed the fund to keep issuing checks to out-of-work Californians.
Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
October 25, 2010
Something stinks in the 47th Congressional District contest.
Republican candidate Van Tran has sent voters a scratch-and-sniff mail piece taking aim at Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez.
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