Today's Fresh Meat

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Senate Pro Tem Don Perata's carjacked vehicle was found in Richmond today, with the Democratic leader joking that "at least it was in mydistrict," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Perata was accosted atgun-point and had his car stolen yesterday, but the Senator was fine,calling the car "immaterial." 

Calls for a balanced approach to reining in the deficit are likely to fall on deaf ears in the Republican caucus, as GOP hard-liners keep their elected officials on a "no tax pledge,"according to the Bee. Indeed, all but one of the Legislature's 47Republicans have taken the pledge and fear a primary challenge if theychange course. It's going to be a long budget year.

A tast force's recommendations signal a way forward on addressing thereliability and environmental concerns associated with the San JoaquinDelta, and it is time for Governor Schwarzenegger to step up and lead, the Bee editorializes today. The task force report is in danger ofbecoming a political orphan, as it contains provisions offensive bothto environmentalists—a call for additional water storage—and businessinterests—conservation. But we're going to need to meet in the middle.

There's more...

Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle.