[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Hannah Beth Jackson

Bill deadlines, budget cuts, Assembly leadership struggles and ever-increasing bad news on the State's burgeoning deficit are the hallmarks of this week's update. Simply put: The news continues to be dreary.

The leadership vacuum in the Assembly has yet to be resolved, although the Dems have agreed that there will be no transfer of power until after the budget is finalized so that the four-time budget negotiator Fabian Nunez will be able to represent the lower house in the budget negotiations, rather than a newer and more untested replacement. With that deal made (and assuming it isn't broken), the rest of the battle continues. It's still pretty much inside baseball. Most of those who are watching Sacramento at all are interested in whether there will be significant cuts in programs in which they are personally or professionally involved. For those interested in this leadership power play, Dan Walters in the Sac Bee this week has a summary handicapping several of the key players. And while the game of palace intrigue continues, the legislature has started to address the real challenges of major budget decisions and legislative priorities for this, the second half of the legislative session.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Well, that didn't take long.  Yesterday, we pointed out a Capitol Weekly story indicating that Sen. Steinberg was planning to run to be the Senate Leader. Today, it appears to be a done deal.  The CA Majority Report is now citing "several legislative sources" that Senator Perata has "orchestrated" a smooth transition to Senator Steinberg, a fairly progressive Sacramentan. Sen. Steinberg will take over as leader on August 21, a few months before Perata is termed out of office.

Now, I guess we're left with watching the Assembly for all the "palace intrigue."

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

According to legislative sources, Senate President Don Perata managed to orchestrate today what he said he wanted all along: an orderly and certain leadership transition at the end of the year. Today, the Senate Democratic Caucus agreed overwhelmingly to support Sacramento’s own Senator Darrell Steinberg as Senate President-designate, which is expected to occur on the August 21 date Senator Perata has already specified. In the meantime, Senators will be able to focus on issues, instead of palace intrigue. A formal announcement is expected later today.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

• The good news for Fabian Nunez is that there are at least 8 who would like to succeed him
• Calderon trying to put a deal together with Assembly Republicans
• Steinberg has inside track in Senate

By Frank D. Russo

It started before the votes were counted on Proposition 93, whose defeat means both Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Nunez and Senate President pro Tem Don Perata, have 9 months remaining on their terms in office.

Scuttlebutt had it that Don Perata might be stepping down anyway, even if Prop 93 had passed. One capitol denizen asked me before the election, "What makes you think he'll be Pro Tem even if Prop 93 passes?" Senator Darrell Steinberg, who has had his eye on Perata’s leadership position has the whip hand on getting the job—sometime this year. By all accounts, he strengthened his chances here by not making an all-out effort to campaign for the job until after Tuesday’s election. Those under the dome tell me that it is his to lose.