Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation on Friday that moves next year’s presidential party contests from February back to June, to coincide with state primaries on legislative races and ballot measures.

The return to the pre-1996 election schedule is designed to save the state about $100 million and avoid penalties imposed by both the Democratic and Republican parties against states that hold early primaries.

The bill to restore the June primary, AB80 by Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, won Assembly approval without any dissenting votes and passed the Senate 34-3. Opponents, all Republicans, were quoted in published reports as saying the move would deprive California of influence over next year’s battle for the party nomination to oppose President Obama.  ~ Excerpted from SFGate.com

Governor Jerry Brown called the budget plan agreed upon by California lawmakers “unrealistic” and voted the bill on Thursday afternoon. What’s even more aggressive, though, is that he did it on YouTube, publicly demanding the legislators choose between deep spending cuts or significant tax hikes. Finance types hailed second-time democratic governor’s aggressive approach to the issue.

“Today I have vetoed the California state budget,” Brown said in a short YouTube video. “I do so reluctantly but with clear purpose. For a decade the can has been kicked down the road and debt has piled up.”

Gov Jerry Brown has made some appointments to the Public Utilities Commission, and considering the recent tilt towards the businesses they are regulating, it’s a good start.

Attorney Michael Florio, 58, of Oakland has been appointed to the PUC after spending more than three decades representing ratepayers on behalf of the nonprofit consumer advocacy group TURN, The Utility Reform Network. Also named to the commission was Catherine Sandoval, a telecommunications expert and Santa Clara University law professor.

As one of his first actions, Governor-elect Jerry Brown has appointed the Honorable John Laird as California Secretary for Natural Resources. This is a superb decision.

A longtime environmental champion, John Laird served with distinction for six years as an Assemblyman representing the central coast counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey. During this period, John received a 100% score from both the California League of Conservation Voters and Sierra Club California for his votes on environmental issues.

Gavin Newsom, the controversial mayor of San Francisco, abandoned his bid for the Democratic nomination to run for California governor next year, succeeding term-limited Republican incumbent Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Newsom said he made the decision with “great regret” because he “found it impossible to commit the time required to complete this effort the way it needs to — and should be — done.”

The harsh political reality, however, is the real reason is his campaign was getting no statewide traction or much money, despite recent campaign help from ex-President Clinton. Ex-governor, ex-mayor, current Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown remains the invisible 800-pound donkey in the political room. Brown hasn’t even announced as a candidate and has raised in excess of $7 million, several times that accumulated by Newsom.    — excerpt from the LA Times, October 30, 2009

Gavin Newsom, the controversial mayor of San Francisco, abandoned his bid for the Democratic nomination to run for California governor next year, succeeding term-limited Republican incumbent Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Newsom said he made the decision with “great regret” because he “found it impossible to commit the time required to complete this effort the way it needs to — and should be — done.”

The harsh political reality, however, is the real reason is his campaign was getting no statewide traction or much money, despite recent campaign help from ex-President Clinton. Ex-governor, ex-mayor, current Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown remains the invisible 800-pound donkey in the political room. Brown hasn’t even announced as a candidate and has raised in excess of $7 million, several times that accumulated by Newsom.    — excerpt from the LA Times, October 30, 2009

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced on national television today he would not be running for California governor in 2010 after flirting with a bid for higher office for months.

Elected to a second, four-year term in March, the mayor told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that he wanted to devote his full attention to Los Angeles, which is facing its worst fiscal crisis in decades.

Villaraigosa’s decision adds a dash of clarity to the race for the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nomination which, at the moment, appears will be between state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Source:  Los Angeles Times, June 22, 2009

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced on national television today he would not be running for California governor in 2010 after flirting with a bid for higher office for months.

Elected to a second, four-year term in March, the mayor told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that he wanted to devote his full attention to Los Angeles, which is facing its worst fiscal crisis in decades.

Villaraigosa’s decision adds a dash of clarity to the race for the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nomination which, at the moment, appears will be between state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Source:  Los Angeles Times, June 22, 2009

State Attorney General Jerry Brown, the former two term governor, all but announced his candidacy for governor today with a fund raising appeal sent to his supporters. The email included what will likely be his theme. “This state is desperately in need of creativity and new ideas. The state also needs…the know-how and experience to get this impossible job done.”  In these tough times, calling for know-how and experience in the state’s top executive spot is smart — and is certainly nothing that any of the others interested can claim.

Editor Dennis Wyatt says, “Jerry Brown was right. Thirty-one years ago when Brown ended his second term as governor of California he not only had reduced taxes but had built up the largest state surplus ever. On his watch, California created 1 out of every 4 new jobs in the nation. He also was the trailblazer for building and energy appliance standards as well as solar and alternative energy. How did Brown do it? Simple. He refused to spend money like a fleet of sailors on a 48-hour leave after two years on the high seas. If California had continued to move forward at the end of Brown’s first go around as governor using his discipline and out-of-the-box thinking it is doubtful we’d be going through much of the pain that we are today.”

As another writer recently put it, “All you need to know about who California Democrats really are can be found on Jerry Brown’s Wikipedia page. He is us. His values are the sort I grew up with — and, boy, the similarities are uncanny. You see, what we have here is the curious mix of seasoned spirituality, environmentalism, brains and quirkiness — plus that ROGUE fighting spirit that Californians are known for… This is a Californian who could be Steinbeck’s Tom Joad when it comes to agriculture in our state — and believe me he is going to care about water. Jerry Brown is the kind of Californian who would be as comfortable camping in the Sur’s forests as he would be at the swankiest Nob Hill soiree… He’s the real California NEW DEAL.”

For more info:
http://www.jerrybrown.org
http://www.facebook.com/jerrybrown
http://www.twitter.com/jerrybrown2010

State Attorney General Jerry Brown, the former two term governor, all but announced his candidacy for governor today with a fund raising appeal sent to his supporters. The email included what will likely be his theme. “This state is desperately in need of creativity and new ideas. The state also needs…the know-how and experience to get this impossible job done.”  In these tough times, calling for know-how and experience in the state’s top executive spot is smart — and is certainly nothing that any of the others interested can claim.

Editor Dennis Wyatt says, “Jerry Brown was right. Thirty-one years ago when Brown ended his second term as governor of California he not only had reduced taxes but had built up the largest state surplus ever. On his watch, California created 1 out of every 4 new jobs in the nation. He also was the trailblazer for building and energy appliance standards as well as solar and alternative energy. How did Brown do it? Simple. He refused to spend money like a fleet of sailors on a 48-hour leave after two years on the high seas. If California had continued to move forward at the end of Brown’s first go around as governor using his discipline and out-of-the-box thinking it is doubtful we’d be going through much of the pain that we are today.”

As another writer recently put it, “All you need to know about who California Democrats really are can be found on Jerry Brown’s Wikipedia page. He is us. His values are the sort I grew up with — and, boy, the similarities are uncanny. You see, what we have here is the curious mix of seasoned spirituality, environmentalism, brains and quirkiness — plus that ROGUE fighting spirit that Californians are known for… This is a Californian who could be Steinbeck’s Tom Joad when it comes to agriculture in our state — and believe me he is going to care about water. Jerry Brown is the kind of Californian who would be as comfortable camping in the Sur’s forests as he would be at the swankiest Nob Hill soiree… He’s the real California NEW DEAL.”

For more info:
http://www.jerrybrown.org
http://www.facebook.com/jerrybrown
http://www.twitter.com/jerrybrown2010