Crazyfornia A note about Crazyfornia. I moved to California in 1970, when it was just a silly place.
Examples: The state constitution says the legislature should agree on a budget by July 1st. The legislature would merely cover the clock and continue being silly.
Local news items in the 1970s
Now, 2 generations later, the state legislature we vote for really can't afford to be so silly.
- Someone tried to break into an Oakland school, fell through the gymnasium skylight, got badly hurt, collected $10 million from the school district instead of jail time.
- If you gave 1st aid to someone who needed it, you would likely be sued.
- And the "Twinkie Defense" - some guy got irritated at the San Francisco City Council, went home got a gun came back, and in hippie talk "blew away" two elected officials - the clever attorney defense was that sugar candy made him do it - the jury bought it - he got 7 years for the double murder - called "voluntary manslaughter" - out in 5.
- And the hooker who got hit by a city trolley - claimed the accident ruined her business as she was now so hot that she gave "it" away instead of selling "it" - so sued - and won.
- But the state legislature no longer even bothers to cover the clock.
- The legislature wants to sell $17 billion in bonds, "guaranteed" by future profits from the state lottery, to keep up the spending rate this year. (The state lottery was originally sold to the voters as a method of increasing money for education - but that tale is long forgotten.)
- The legislature is considering making a state legal holiday in honor of just one of the two San Francisco officials "blown away" in the 1970s (above) - only the self proclaimed gay one -
- Sept 2009 - seems the state has passed legislation to tax the cities, so the cities are laying off school teachers and cops. The state is talking about releasing 7,000 prision inmates early because the prisons are so crappy a federal judge is involved. The 7,000 inmates to be released, are facing a job market where there is a reported 11% unemployment. The currently unemployed have better job qualifications and cleaner records. So fewer cops are going to face more desperate crooks. Happy days :-|
I could give more examples - but - who here cares - The rather new California "healthy families" program is still funded.And the folks we sent to congress aren't so great either.
Representative Nancy Pelosi, "the great millionaire fund raiser", sprinkles some campaign funds amongst her fellow representatives, some say it is her family money, and is promptly elected "Speaker of the House". (Who says money doesn't talk?) I think her only talent is screaming at rock concerts.
And the show goes on -
from "The San Diego Union-Tribune" March 13, 2009.pdf of actual article here.
Stem cell institute puts 2 in same post
Joint appointment for vice chairmanBy Terri Somers
Union-Tribune Staff Writer
2:00 a.m. March 13, 2009Job sharing came to the state stem cell institute yesterday when its board appointed two people to the post of vice chairman: San Diego biotechnology veteran Duane Roth and Art Torres, a former state senator and outgoing chairman of the California Democratic Party.
The positions are considered part time. Torres will be paid $75,000 plus health benefits.
...
- from the Argus (Alameda County) August 11, 2008
- my head line would have been "Encouraging corruption of elected officials""BART" is short for "Bay Area Rapid Transit" our subway and elevated train. .pdf of actual article here. 232 K bytes
BART opens race's doors to funding
Four incumbents to run under relaxed rules,
which allow contributions from contractorsBy Denis Cuff
STAFF WRITERFour BART Board members have filed to run for reelection, kicking off the first board race in 12 years in which incumbents can accept campaign contributions from contractors seeking business with BART jobs.
Board President Gail Murray of Walnut Creek, Bob Franklin of Oakland, and Tom Radulovich and Lynette Sweet, both of San Francisco, all filed by Friday's deadline to retain their seats in their districts. Board member Zoyd Luce of Dublin decided not to run. Filing for his seat remains open through 5 p.m. Wednesday. As of late Friday afternoon, Radulovich faced at least one challenger, Peter Klivans of San Francisco, and no one had filed to run against the other three incumbents. But it will take until Monday before election officials in the three BART counties can process candidate paperwork and say whether other hopefuls entered the race. The race could be pricier this year because of relaxed campaign funding rules. The board voted 6-2 in December to scrap a ban on board members soliciting or receiving campaign contributions from contractors bidding on BART jobs or seeking no-bid contracts for specialized work or services. The ban was enacted in 1996 in response to a well publicized FBI investigation that resulted in two board members - Wilfred Ussery and Margaret Pryor - pleading guilty to lying to the FBI about money they took from BART contractors. Both were put on probation and no longer hold office. "I voted for the rule (ban) in 1996 to improve BART's credibility with the public, but this is a different board and different time," said Joel Keller, a BART board member from Antioch. "I trust this board." At Keller's suggestion, the board replaced the ban with a contribution limit of $1,000 from would-be contractors. The limit applies to BART board members throughout their term, and to challenger candidates once they file to run. Board members Sweet and Radulovich said they wanted to keep the ban to prevent even the appearance of undue influence from campaign donors. "I think the ban was a good check," Radulovich said. "I agree with Joel that we have a more responsible board today than in the early 1990s. But I don't want any problem with fundraising to mar the functioning of this board." Keller said the ban served its purpose. But in the last 12 years, campaign costs have soared for mailers and other political advertising, he said. In low-profile special district races such as BART, there often are few donors other than family members, friends and transit contractors who are willing to make contributions, he said. Keller also asserted that the old ban gave an unfair advantage to challengers over incumbents. Board members could not accept contributions from winning bidders until three months after they landed a contract, yet a challenger could accept a contribution from the same firm during that period as long as he hadn't filed to run for office yet. The new rule says the $1,000 contribution limit for a company is lifted once the contract has been awarded. Franklin, the BART board member from Oakland, said he thinks the new $1,000 limit on contractor contributions is a reasonable one to prevent against undue influence. "When I accept a contribution from someone, I'm not selling my vote," Franklin said. Reach Denis Cuff at 925-943 8267 or dcuff@ bayareanewsgroup.com.
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Started August 8, 2008
Updated August 11, 2008