[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzengger and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg have been fast friends over the past few years, tapping each other's fundraising lists and posing for meaningless photo op's. But there's one major difference: Bloomberg's job approval is at record heights, while Schwarzenegger's is plummeting. This comes despite an ugly mood of voters in both New York City and California.

According to the New York Times yesterday, 67 percent of New Yorkers approve of Bloomberg's job. Just 28 disapprove. Schwarzenegger's, on the other hand, is 41/48 in the latest Field poll.

But here's something the two still have in common: legacy-less tenures. Says an analysis of the poll in the gray lady, "The Times poll showed that even though residents like Mr. Bloomberg’s leadership, many are hard pressed to point to any particular accomplishments of his administration, a troubling signal as people inside and outside City Hall begin to assess the mayor’s legacy."

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

As legislators consider proposals in conference committee to reduce the amount of budget cuts to schools from the Governor’s proposed $4.3 billion in cuts, this week’s Field Poll showed that 80 percent of Californians oppose ALL cuts to schools --confirming what parents, teachers and other educators have been saying all along -- "no cuts to schools and students."
 
The Field Poll showed that education ranked at the top of the thirteen major categories voters would most like to protect from cuts.
 
California already has some of the most overcrowded classrooms and the greatest shortages of librarians, counselors and other critical support staff in the nation. According to Education Week, California already ranks 46th out of 50 states in per-pupil funding. The Governor’s budget proposal keeps California at the bottom of those rankings.
 
The Governor’s May Revision budget fails to include a cost-of-living adjustment for schools and all education programs, despite the steadily increasing operating costs for local districts. It also severely underfunds critical programs like class size reduction, and shows that schools and students are once again being asked to do more with less.
 

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Stop the presses: a new Field Poll shows voters would prefer not to pay higher taxesbut are vague when asked what programs might be cut. The poll does showthat voters "expect" to see some taxes go up, according to the SanDiego Union Tribune, indicating at least there is some recognition ofthe need for more revenue.

A seven-member commission rejected, by a 3-2 vote, a motion to cut payfor California's elected officials, eliminating one option for loweringthe deficit, albeit a very small one, the Associated Press reports.

The San Francisco Chronicle story today on "ghost voting" in theAssembly is kind of spooky, especially the bad pun of a line that says the practice has "haunted" the chamber for some time.

The Chronicle also reports, in an unrelated story, that political contributions in Northern California (and throughout the state) are at record highs,due in part to small donors, but more prominently to many of bundlersand the affluent who have dropped in the thousands for Barack Obama,Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

There's more... 

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

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

So, ‘what if’, the California primary election had not been the subject of political meddling this year? California moved the presidential portion of its primary into February to have more of an impact on the process. (Or was it to allow California politicians the ability to ingratiate themselves to the probable nominee, Hillary Clinton?)

Clinton won that February event – to no avail. Had the primary date been left for June 3rd, the latest Field Poll shows that Barrack Obama would trounce Hillary Clinton 51-38 and would be the uncontested nominee of the Democratic Party for President.

This would have provided Democratic politicians with the opportunity to ingratiate themselves to President Obama. So much for foresight.

The Field Poll also finds that Obama will kill McCain in California – bringing the accuracy of the Los Angeles Times poll, which showed a more narrow Obama win, into question in yet another election. (Is the Times pollster a relative of the editor?)

by Dante Atkins (hekebolos) [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Field,  5/16/08-5/27/08 (1/08):

Obama (D): 52 (47)

MccAin (R): 35 (40)

Clinton has opened up a similar 53-36 lead, up from 45-43 in the January field poll.  Yeah...about that "John McCain will carry California" garbage we've had to hear so much about?  Don't buy it.

California Democrats are also coalescing around Obama as the Democratic nominee (no trend lines)

Obama (D): 51