The Sacramento Bee
CapitolAlert
Jan. 10, 2008

PM Alert: Slash and budget

In case you missed it: There was some kind of budget announcement today.

Read a compilation of statements, from Democrats and Republicans, electeds and not, issued in response to the state spending plan.

And see what state parks could close down, if the proposal were enacted.

Dan Weintraub blogs his take. And Weintraub notes that Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata all but endorsed the health proposal awaiting action in the Senate.

Also: Rep. John Doolittle announces his is retiring and his would-be replacements issue statements announcing condolences -- and their own intentions.

In tomorrow's Bee: Kevin Yamamura breaks down what the budget means.

If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says "post-partisanship" enough, perhaps some people will actually believe it exists, writes Yamamura. But there's nothing like a $14.5 billion budget shortfall to demonstrate otherwise.

Andy Furillo reports Schwarzenegger made it official Thursday -- he really does intend to open the prison gates next fiscal year to 22,159 lower-risk inmates and enact new parole policies that could result in some 6,249 fewer reincarcerations the year after that.

Peter Hecht and David Whitney write the post-mortem on Rep. John Doolittle's career.

Dan Walters sees shades of Gray Davis in the governor's budget rollout and writes, "What one might term the sheer magnitude of his proposed cuts may also have an unspoken political motive" to lay "the groundwork for some kind of grand budget deal next summer."

The Bee editorial board writes that Republican lawmakers who blocked last year's budget and signed pledges not to raise taxes should be pretty happy this week.

But, the board suggests, "Farsighted Republicans could agree to a one-year hike in taxes as part of a universal deal for long-term reform. Part of this deal would include the governor's plan to set aside revenues during flush years to have funds for down times. That would be quite a prize for the GOP -- something they could really crow about."

The board also writes about a recent California Supreme Court decision upholding free speech in malls. "The court majority understands that if mall owners open up their property to the public in general -- in the same manner as public streets, sidewalks or parks -- they then cannot prevent the public from exercising their constitutional right of expression," the board writes.

Tomorrow's calendar.

See rundowns, scripts and video from Capitol Television News Service.

See The Latest.

Check out Weintraub, Wiegand, and Walters.

Shane Goldmacher
Capitol Alert Coordinator