State of California

This is the Worst Possible Budget Deal But It Needs to Pass

This is the Worst Possible Budget Deal But It Needs to Pass

By David GreenwaldFebruary 14, 200921 comments
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Given the fact that this is the bicycle capital of the world, I risk a lot by saying this, but the priorities of people are a bit off in this country. Originally the state legislature was going to meet at 9 am this morning to vote on the budget agreement.

However there is one problem. Tomorrow in Davis there will be the Amgen Bike Tour. In Sacramento that will be today from 1 pm to 4 pm. There will be 100,000 people in downtown Sacramento today. Not of course to watch the budget vote, but to watch Lance Armstrong.

And Still We Have No Budget

And Still We Have No Budget

By David GreenwaldFebruary 8, 200928 comments
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I rarely comment in this space about comments to other posts, but given that I am trying to bring together multiple threads into a single article, it actually works quite well.

The anonymous commenter said:

Lt. Governor Garamendi Speaks in Davis

Lt. Governor Garamendi Speaks in Davis

By David GreenwaldDecember 31, 200818 comments

Last night, Lt. Governor John Garamendi spoke at the Davis home of UC Davis Law Professor John Oakley and County Clerk Freddie Oakley. Garamendi who formerly served as a State Senator for the City of Davis is a Democratic candidate for Governor in 2010. Thank you to my wife Cecilia who took the photos and recorded the speech in my stead as I was under the weather. Here are some of the Lt. Governor’s remarks.

We’re in the process of making some absolutely crucial decisions about the future of California. I don’t think we really understand how important this period is that we’re living.

Dispute with UC Lingers; Senator Calls For Mediated Settlement

Dispute with UC Lingers; Senator Calls For Mediated Settlement

By David GreenwaldDecember 21, 200836 comments
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In July, roughly 8,500 University of California (UC) service workers went out on strike in protest of poverty wages. At this point there is no agreement between the workers and the UC Regents. Now, a mediated settlement has been presented to the UC administration. Senator Leland Yee, who joined workers represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME 3299) on the picket lines in July, is calling on the University to accept this new proposal.

AG Brown’s Surprising Friday Evening Announcement on Prop 8

AG Brown’s Surprising Friday Evening Announcement on Prop 8

By David GreenwaldDecember 20, 200816 comments
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In my new job, I get a lot of press releases from statewide officials. On a Friday evening I was not really expecting big news, although it has been an unusual week in the Capital with the budget battle waging. Still you have to believe that if the Attorney General is sending out a Friday at 5 pm press release, he’s hoping to bury the news.

In General the Attorney General defends statewide propositions that get challenged in the legal system, regardless of his personal beliefs. And there might be some wiggle room here since you have two conflicting aspects of the California constitution.

Electoral College: California Selects Obama

Electoral College: California Selects Obama

By David GreenwaldDecember 16, 20080 comments


On Monday, California formalized what the voters had done on November 4, casting its 55 electoral votes to President-Elect Barack Obama.

The ceremonial procedure took place on the floor of the California Assembly where electors gathered from across the state along with numerous elected officials. The media turnout for the event was somewhat lower than normal because the Republicans chose the same time slot to announce their budget priorities.