While Arnold is putting the moves on President-Elect Obama in Philadelphia, there’s some stuff going on here. So, here are some links:

• Senator Steinberg has named the committee chairs. Of particular note, Fran Pavley was named as chair of the Natural Resources & Water Committee. This is important because Pavley has not been particularly outspoken against the peripheral canal, something the SoCal water nerds were worried about.  Apparently they think there’s a better shot to get the canal through a Pavley led committee. I kind of doubt it.

• Following in the classy footsteps of his father, newly elected Rep. Duncan D. Hunter has decided that Tijuana is more dangerous than Iraq or Afghanistan.  He’s been to all three so we’re supposed to believe him.  Sadly for Hunter, anecdote is not data.  And false assertions are not evidence.

• It’s a good thing the OC Board of Supes has all this money to throw around to lawyers. Oh, right, they have a $32 million deficit. I bet they would love to have this 1.1 mil free to spend.

• It appears that Arnold wants to star in a new version of A Christmas Carol.  At least that’s how I can reconcile his desire to lay off state workers during the holidays.

• The SEIU State Council put out a budget plan of their own. Well, that’s more than the Republicans have done. Peter Shrag also has a (sarcastic) plan: completely de-fund higher ed and the prisons until June. Seems about as reasonable as anything GOP has.

• Another rising cost: Free lunch enrollment at schools has risen dramatically during the current recession.

• The LGBT Legislative caucus is pushing a resolution opposing Prop 8, introduced by SF Legislators Leno and Ammiano.  Sure, it would have been more helpful a few months ago, but it won’t hurt now.