Brian Leubitz

CGS closes its doors

October 14, 2011 by Calitics

Government reform organization runs out of funding

By Brian Leubitz

Hey, the economy sucks, and all sorts of businesses are going under, and that is certainly true in the non-for-profit good government area.  The Center for Governmental Studies has been around for about theory years, but that doesn't mean it isn't vulnerable to the same economic forces as the rest of us.

The nonprofit Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles is shutting down after 28 years of researching and recommending improvements to political and government processes in California and other states.

Over the years, the center has helped develop reforms of campaign finance laws, state budgeting, ballot measures and higher education, often advising local and state agencies on improvements. (LA Times)

I certainly had my differences with CGS, but they were a valuable resource on any number of government reform issues. As many of the California government nerds said on Twitter last night, we are better off with more people watching our government.

Two approaches to Amazon tax

October 13, 2011 by Calitics

Rep. Speier takes a different tack from Senate legislation.

by Brian Leubitz

Sen. Durbin has already introduced the "Main Street Fairness Act" in the Senate to create something of a national sales tax, but Rep. Jackie Speier is looking for another way.  She's looking to simply authorize states to collect the taxes.

n July, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., introduced a Main Street Fairness Act with support from trade organizations such as the National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association; both groups voiced support for the Womack-Speier bill, as well.
But Speier said her bill is "dramatically different" from Durbin's in that his creates a national sales tax covering all states, while hers authorizes states to collect their own.

Heartless vs. The Dream

October 12, 2011 by Calitics

Brown's signature makes California Dream Act a reality

by Brian Leubitz

The California Dream Act is not quite the major reform that the Dream Act represents at the federal level, but it is a nice place to start.  There was some doubt as to whether Gov. Brown would sign the second piece of legislation, as there was a $14.5 million redirection of funds involved.  However, ultimately the Governor came to the right decision:

"Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking,'' Brown said in a statement. "The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us.''

Under AB 131, illegal immigrants who are accepted into state universities can receive, starting in 2013, Cal-Grant assistance, which last year provided grants averaging $4,500 apiece to more than 370,000 low-income students.

The measure also allows students who are not in the country legally to get institutional grants while attending the University of California and California State University systems, and to get fee waivers in the California community college system.

SB 48, FAIR Education Act Referendum Not Going to Qualify

October 11, 2011 by Calitics

Anti-gay groups aren't able to gather enough signatures

by Brian Leubitz

Quite the day in the gay rights movement today.  First the executive director of Equality California abruptly resigns, which was quite a shock considering he was hired only a few months ago.  But that's just the beginning, as the referendum intended to block the fair education act, which would include the contributions of the LGBT and disabled community in our curriculum, seems to have gone down in flames.

With just one day left to circulate petitions, organizers of an effort to repeal a new law requiring that California students learn about the historical contributions of gay and lesbian individuals have told supporters that they "would need a miracle to qualify this referendum."

The Pacific Justice Institute and an arm of Capitol Resource Institute have been leading an effort to overturn Senate Bill 48, which requires public school instruction to include the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, people with disabilities and members of different cultural groups.

2011 Bills Complete

October 10, 2011 by Calitics

Gov. Brown vetoes high percentage of bills.

by Brian Leubitz

Every year, legislators from each house get a certain number of bills they can carry. It varies from year to year, depending on leadership, but can vary from as little as 10 to well more than double that number.  Every year, legislators basically go shopping for bill ideas. Some of them come in through the normal constituent relationships. Others from lobbyists of sponsoring organizations, and well, various other sources.

The interesting part of this is that legislators typically want to get their total up to the line.  Whether that is to make it appear that they have a lot of accomplishments, or to look busy is a matter of perspective.  However, every year we get a slew of bills at the end of session, many very important. Others, well, less so.

Gov. Brown prefers a less is more approach, and when it has come to vetoing bills that have come across his desk during this bill frenzy, it has shown.

From mid-September to late Sunday night, Brown signed 466 bills and vetoed 97, his office said.

Brown's veto rate for the year overall was slightly lower, at about 14 percent. In the first year of his third term, Brown signed 760 bills, vetoed 128 and allowed one bill to become law without his signature, his office said.