governor

| | |

What’s in a name?

Byuclafaculty

A prior post on this blog noted that Governor Brown had submitted an initiative for temporary taxes entitled “The Schools and Local Public Safety Act.” (That may not be the title that appears on the ballot which is set by the attorney general.) It was also noted that perusing the text of the act suggested it was aimed at K-14 funding, i.e., higher ed was in it only at the community college level. However, to get the initiative on the ballot – and then run a campaign to get it passed – Brown will need a lot of money. The…

| | |

Rosy Scenario on State Budget Likely to Be Ending Soon

Byuclafaculty

The Sacramento Bee points out today that the process of re-examining the rosy scenario budget forecast on revenues will soon be coming to an end. As readers of this blog know, the governor was unable to get GOP support for putting tax extensions on the ballot. But under new procedures approved by voters, only a simple majority was needed to pass a budget even though 2/3 was needed for the taxes. So extra revenue was assumed and the budget was passed. However, a trigger mechanism was included to cut expenditures if revenue assumptions were not met. Since then, it has…

| | | |

Details on Governor’s Pension Plan?

Byuclafaculty

CalPERS has released (or someone has leaked) a draft set of comments about the governor’s 12-point pension plan. Much of what is questioned is not relevant to UC which has its own problems with the plan. (See prior posts on the legislative hearings on the plan and other aspects of it.) However, the CalPERS draft makes it clear that there is much more to be resolved than just okaying the governor’s proposed 12 points. The fact that the proposal has different implications for the various plans that CalPERS administers – something clear from the document – opens the door to…

| | |

What’s the right headline?

Byuclafaculty

The California Field Poll produced the table above. But what is the right headline? The news release from Field says PLURALITY OF VOTERS SEES PUBLIC PENSIONS AS TOO GENEROUS. MOST REACT POSITIVELY TO BROWN’S REFORM PROPOSALS, WANT PENSION CHANGES TO APPLY TO BOTH CURRENT AND NEW PUBLIC EMPLOYEES But the headline could have been that despite all of the bad PR public pensions have had, 49% of voters think public pensions are about right or not generous enough. The news media will follow the Field headline. Keep the alternative in mind if some proposition on pensions gets on the ballot….

| |

The Governor’s Open (Electronic) Letter on His Tax Initiative

Byuclafaculty

Governor Jerry Brown has sent out a mass email regarding plans – that have been reported in the news media – to file a tax initiative. The same message was posted on his official website. The key word is “initiative” since – as last year’s budget process indicated – he would be unlikely to get a two-thirds vote in the legislature to put the proposition on the ballot. He is planning to go the signature route, which means he has – or expects to have – the $1-$2 million needed to pay signature gathering firms. The initiative would go on…

| | |

More pension hearings?

Byuclafaculty

We posted audios from the legislature’s public pension hearings on December 1. Apparently, according to the State Worker blog of the Sacramento Bee, there will be more hearings to come. Although the special pension committee was supposed to have concluded its work by January, …”This cannot be a two-hearing answer,” said Democratic Sen. Gloria Negrete-McLeod, co-chair of the panel. A spokeswoman for Democratic Assemblyman Warren Furutani, also a co-chair, said the committee will probably end up holding at least four hearings in all “in order to get through all of the information.” … Whatever the motives of the committee, if…

| | | |

Faculty Association Sends Report on UC Pension to Legislative Committee

Byuclafaculty

The UCLA Faculty Association has submitted a report to the members of the legislative committee studying the governor’s proposals for public pensions. (See an earlier blog post.) The cover letter to the committee members is reproduced below. Below that is a link to the report which details the history of the UC pension system. ===== To: Members of the Conference Committee on Public Employee Pensions AB 340/SB 827 From: Faculty Association at UCLA Date: Dec. 1, 2011 Subject: Examining the Governor’s Twelve Point Pension Reform Plan Dear Representative Furitani, On behalf of the Faculty Association at UCLA, an independent association…

| |

Update: Brown on Pepper

Byuclafaculty

Jerry Brown says he’s ‘seriously concerned’ about protest response (excerpt) Capital Alert blog of Sacramento Bee 11-28-11 …”I am seriously concerned that the rules governing the use of force, in particular the use of pepper spray, are not well understood in the context of civil disobedience and various forms of public protest,” Brown wrote to Paul Cappitelli, director of the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. “The recent ‘occupation’ protests in cities throughout California and on campuses of the University of California underscore the urgency of articulating guidelines that are crystal clear and comport with constitutional requirements.” Brown,…

| | | | |

Regent Crane Leaves an Unhelpful Message

Byuclafaculty

Departing Regent David Crane, a last-minute appointment to the Board of Regents by Governor Schwarzenegger, would have had his last Regents meeting in November, since he could not get legislative confirmation. But the Regents’ meeting was canceled due to a fear of Occupy-type demonstrations. However, Crane has left behind a missive of sorts – a press release on state budget and pension matters in which he a) endorses the pension proposals by Governor Brown and b) wants to take those proposals further. No reference to the changes already adopted by the Regents for UC is made in the release. No…