[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Many see it as an issue of education from pre-school through higher education and as an investment in the future of our state

By Frank D. Russo

They came by the busloads to Sacramento from all across the length and breadth of the state of California and marched to the state Capitol for a rally. Not only were there numbers large—perhaps as large as 2000 in Sacramento in addition to those taking part in rallies in other locations—but they were loud and energized. Folks working inside their offices three blocks away could hear students chanting as could those inside the Capitol.

The Governor was out of town, but the message was clear. After the rally and throughout the day, students roamed the hallways of the legislature talking to their representatives. They represented 3.2 million students—who have registered to vote in record numbers—and will be looking closely to see what is done after the May Revise of the budget is available in about three weeks. There will be a huge backlash if the cuts go through.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi:

"Our state and its people cannot prosper in the 21st century if we force our schools to live on a fiscal starvation diet," Garamendi said Thursday at Sacramento City College.

Assemblymember Dave Jones:

However, in doing so my Republican colleagues in the State Assembly decided that while they were prepared to cut education funding and health care for the poor, they just couldn't stomach closing the yacht tax loophole. Too painful, apparently, to the Thurston Howell IIIs of the world. So they refused to provide the 2/3 vote necessary to close the yacht tax loophole. In doing so they robbed the poor to help subsidize tax avoidance by rich yacht owners. Are those the values we want reflected in our state budget? Those aren't my values, that's for sure.

Jack O'Connell, who is nominally in charge of education for the state, should find something else to emphasize.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By John Garamendi
Lieutenant Governor
State of California

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Over the flip you will find the full text of the Governor's State of the State.  Hat tip to Capitol Alert. Very shortly, the Governor's site will have video.  Also, over the flip you will find the Democratic response. I think that will be up on Cal Channel soon as well.

So, flip it.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Sharon Kyle and Dick Price

Speaking before supporters in Altadena this week, Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi tiptoed lightly around talk of running for governor of California next time around. “We’ll have an announcement about that in January,” he said, though the reception was titled “Garamendi—2010” and nobody present stuck their fifty bucks in the envelope to support his run for anything short of California’s top spot.

Instead, Garamendi spoke about four issues that have consumed his first year as lieutenant governor: the environment, transportation, education, and health care.

“Europe took Kyoto seriously. They made major changes,” he said, regarding the Kyoto Climate Change Conference he worked on as Deputy Secretary of the Interior Department during the Clinton Administration in the mid 1990s. “Germany now gets 25% of its energy from renewable sources, up from almost nothing 10 years ago.” In the meantime, the United States—which has not adopted the Kyoto Accords—has fallen behind even China in average gas mileage.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Well, it appears, unsurprisingly, that Sen. Don Perata was/is at the center of the "Dump Denham" movement. From Matier and Ross:

Armed with $250,000, Perata launched a recall drive aimed at clipping the Central Valley lawmaker's wings just as he was getting set to run for lieutenant governor.

Now, not only is that run in doubt, but Denham is also fighting just to hold onto his seat - all because of his vote against the state budget. (SF Chron 11/11/07)

Perhaps this gets us one seat closer to 2/3? I know some people will get all upset about using the recall process, but the fact remains that the tool exists. We can't unilaterally disarm; if they use it, so should we.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Garamendi also calls for UC and CSU meetings to be scheduled on different days to allow for full participation by ex-officio members

By Frank D. Russo

Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi sent a strongly worded letter yesterday to California State University (CSU) Chancellor Charles Reed and Board of Trustees Chair Roberta Achtenberg opposing any executive pay raises.

He communicated by letter because he could not simultaneously attend tomorrow's CSU Trustee's meeting and that of the University of California Board of Regents, part of an ongoing scheduling conflict where these two bodies frequently meet on the same day in opposite ends of the state. Garamendi is an ex-officio member of both boards (by reason of his election as Lieutenant Governor) as is the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Speaker of the Assembly, and the Governor. He has taken an active role in both the CSU and UC meetings and wants to attend both to participate in person and vote on important issues impacting higher education in California.

In his letter, he outlines seven reasons why CSU should not to proceed with a pay increase and urges his fellow board members to vote against any such proposals. He states: