[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Richard Stapler
Press Secretary
Office of Assembly Speaker Karen Bass

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Today, the California State Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, allowing (in 30 days time) same sex couples to wed.
 
It's a joyous occassion for my partner (soon to be my husband!) and myself -- and the millions of LGBT Californians who will be shortly be afforded all the rights and responsibilities of marriage.
 
I heard the news on the Assembly floor this morning from a newspaper reporter -- and fought back tears of joy. I read with glee the opening statement of the court's action to the Speaker of the Assembly and several Members, halting with the overwhelming emotion I felt. Text messages and calls to my partner, friends and family ensued.
 
But there is a sobering reality to all of this. We've won this battle, but the war for our equal rights stretches on until November.
 
An effort to write blatant discrimination into California's constitution is nearing qualification for November's ballot.
 
As California's top ballot initiative strategist said to me in an e-mail shortly after the decision became public "the ante has now gone WAY up."

There's more...

Image courtesy San Francisco Chronicle.

by Bob Brigham [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Tip of the Iceberg in California’s Local Governments Trying to Maintain Public Safety Spending With Federal, State, and Local Cuts

By Robert Cruickshank

After months of wrangling and negotiating the city of Vallejo has voted to declare bankruptcy. And to hear the local media tell it, like the San Francisco Chronicle, it is the fault of public workers, not poor political leadership:

“After about four hours of discussion and public comment from the standing-room-only crowd, the council voted 7-0 to approve Tanner's recommendation to declare Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection as a means to reorganize its finances, which have been shattered by spiraling public employee salaries and the plummeting housing market....

“The city and its public safety unions have been at the bargaining table for about two years. The city is asking for its police and firefighters to take salary, benefit and staff cuts, while the unions say any further cuts would endanger public safety as well as the safety of the police and firefighters.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

It's going to be a long summer—and fall, for that matter— asthe rubber hits the road on this year's budget. The Sacramento Beereports that Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto (left)has reiterated that tax hikes are off the table for his caucus,although he gives some token acknowledgment to closing loopholes.

The San Francisco Chronicle seems to think there is a debate over Proposition 98, but it seems to us that when Pete Wilson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dianne Feinstein and the Sierra Club agree a proposition is bad news, it's probably bad news. It is interesting to note that even inBerkeley, the property owners association supports 98, which would gutrent control and most affordable housing projects.

The city of Vallejo became the first municipality in history to file for bankruptcy, despite last minute pleas from Solano County legislators Pat Wigginsand Noreen Evans, the Oakland Tribune reports. Things had gotten sobad, and the options so limited, that there was hardly a choice.

There's more... 

by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The Sacramento Bee reports that legislators have no fundraising limit for ballot measures, allowing them to skirt a 2000 law limiting campaign contributions."Politicians have used the funds for everything from TV ads featuringthemselves to family Christmas cards to leverage in policy negotiationswith well-heeled special interests."

Peter Stahl reminds us all why Proposition 98 is a bad idea in today's California Progress Report. In contrast, Proposition 99 limits eminent domain without destroying rent control.

The race to replace Rep. John Doolittle is getting ugly, saysthe San Francisco Chronicle. Former Rep. Doug Ose is painting hisopponent Senator Tom McClintock as a carpetbagger, while McClintock forhis part is calling Ose "a Republican that votes like a liberalDemocrat." Grab your popcorn.

There's more...

Image courtesy Sacbee.com