“The LAO says the state is flush with cash and multibillion-dollar reserves loom in coming years. How should we spend the money?”

So what’s Tom Steyer up to? Earlier, he reportedly was going to run for governor or U.S. Senate and he’s been taking lead roles on environmental protection issues. Steyer, who was just named to Politico’s list of the top 50 people to watch, has bankrolled two successful good-government campaigns and fought the Koch Brothers. So

“The FBI raided the Capitol and agents apparently are looking at Ron and Tom Calderon, as well as an LA-area water district’s contracting practices. Is this developing scandal limited in scope or is it the tip of an iceberg in Sacramento?  Thoughts about political implications?”

Follow the money.

The business of the politically-charged Central Water

“Former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg plans to run for the Senate next year, taking Alex Padilla’s seat, and wants to succeed Steinberg as pro tem. Does Hertzberg have a shot? And wasn’t De Leon being groomed as the next pro tem?”

I think most assume that the new Pro Temp will come from this class

“Gov. Brown says federal oversight of the California prison system is a waste of money, sucks up critical state resources and should come to an immediate end.  What do you think?”

The numbers tell the story. The state is spending $2 billion a year on prison healthcare while being forced to cut programs law-abiding Californians.

“Clearly, Gov. Brown is adamant about rewriting the California Environmental Quality Act. But why? What’s he got against CEQA? Other than developers, who is he scoring points with?”

—

It’s the economy, stupid!

He is scoring points with those people that feel environmental regulation has become unreasonable in some areas.  His experience as Mayor of

“A perky Jerry Brown delivered his State of the State Address today. He targeted the education bureaucracy, extolled the virtues of teachers and said overhauling environmental regulation is necessary. Your thoughts?

More notable is that a California governor intentionally quoted Oliver Wendell Holmes, Genesis, FDR, Montaigne, William Butler Yeats, paraphrased Aristotle and described the diet

“Will the Democrats’ super-majorities really make a difference in the Capitol?”

The super-majorities have the greatest impact on shifting the legislation-blocking role away from Republicans and toward the Moderate Democrats. Or put another way, the new Dem supermajority and emboldened Dem governor can now do absolutely anything that Moderates Lou Correa and Michael Rubio will vote

So what’s wrong with a last-minute deal?

On Gavin Newsom and TV