[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The New York Times today reports on a troubling new obstacle facing many of the 14,000 homeowners who suffered losses in the Southern California wildfires: that the insurance coverage they have on their homes may not be enough to actually rebuild them.
 
According to the Times: "As Californians recover from another season of devastating wildfires, one of the biggest obstacles is a painfully familiar one. As many as 40 percent of homeowners statewide lack enough insurance to cover their home-replacement costs, according to the California Department of Insurance, and most realize the problem only when it is too late. After past disasters, California state officials tried to raise homeowners’ awareness of their coverage limits by requiring policies to be written clearly and with disclaimers about what is not covered."
 
What sayeth the state official charged with overseeing the Department of Insurance, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, about this serious problem? How will Poizner remedy this problem, for those who are stuck in this dilemma now and in the future? As of yet, he’s said nothing. Apparently this issue isn’t even on Poizner’s radar screen.

There's more...

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, California's only down-ballot Republican, will spearhead the effort to defeat a ballot measure meant to alter term limits, the Sacramento Bee reports. It's a bit ironic that Poizner is probablyusing the term-limits issue to build name recognition for himself, inanticipation of 2010 gubernatorial bid. And, as Lt. Gov. John Garamendiand other have pointed out, shouldn't he be looking after victims ofthe Southern California wildfires, not playing 2010 politics?

Dan Walters of the Bee offers some additional analysis of Poizner's foray into the ballot measure battle. Poizner is doing a political "three-fer," as Walters put: he's raisinghis profile, ensuring Proposition 93 will be competitive and threatensto take away Republican support for the initiative. LIke we said, agreat a way for a moderate to gain some trust in a GOP primary.

Saying he needs to devote his full time and energy to the "baseless " charges filed against himself, Orange County Sheriff Mike Caronna announced hisdecision to take a paid leave from office today, the Los Angeles Timesreports. it's sort of like Congressman John Doolittle, who has taken a"paid leave" from the House but still shows up and votes now and then.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

As the victims of last month's Southern California wildfires begin to rebuild their lives, one would think Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner would be out standing guard against insurance company malfeasance. But with today's pledge to dump $1.5 million of his seemingly bottomless pool of cash into the No on Prop 93 campaign, Lt. Governor John Garamendi is not convinced Poizner's priorities align with the interests of the people of California:

"Today our state is still recovering from last month's devastating Southern California fires where nearly 2000 people lost their homes," Garamendi said. "I would expect that our Insurance Commissioner would be focused on helping our fellow Californians rebuild their lives, not playing politics. Today we must focus on healing California. There will be plenty of time for politics tomorrow."