Tag Archives: Tom Berryhill

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Berryhill Loses Chairmanship Over Case of Foot-In-Mouth

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In the comments to this post, stevefromsacto mentioned that Tom Berryhill (R-Central Valley) said that the budget deficit was not “their” (meaning Republicans) problem. So, no reason to do anything that would endanger them in electorally of course.

Well, funny thing about that.  Berryhill also happens to be one of two GOP committee chairs. the one member of the GOP Senate minority with a chairmanship.  Or, well he used to be anyway:

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg has penned a letter asking Rules Committee members to approve handing off the Oakdale Republican’s gavel to newly elected Sen. Anthony Cannella, R-Ceres.

“Each member of the California State Senate represents nearly one million people and we have a duty, regardless of party or philosophy, to actively engage in the serious work necessary to address the challenges confronting California,” Steinberg wrote in the letter.(Capitol Alert)

I guess that shoe leather is mighty tasty. Check the letter from Steinberg over the flip.

Budget

Budget Games Playing to Appearances, Not to Reality As Cuts Deal Moves Forward

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So, this is apparently the “easy part”?

Democratic state senators pushed the first budget cuts of 2010 through a key committee Wednesday, slicing government payroll costs by 5% and cutting $811 million from the prisons’ healthcare budget.

The votes were the first on budget matters since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called a special session last month to address California’s roughly $20-billion deficit. Lawmakers deferred decisions on how much to cut from California schools and social services — the state’s costliest programs — until summer budget talks. (LA Times)

The easy part apparently involves going to the federal prison receiver and begging for help, because if they haven’t done that already, they better start doing it now.  As the healthcare system has been the center of the prison receivership, you don’t just cut money from under a federal court’s nose.

Meanwhile, the Assembly spent their time hamming it up “for appearances,” don’t you know? Like the waste of having safe airports, and the waste of having serviceable state vehicles. The airports one is my favorite.

The Department of Transportation was asked about a single-engine plane it bought for nearly $1 million. Mike Miles,  operations director, said the plane is needed for inspections of public airports and other required aerial duties. It will replace one that is more than 40 years old, and, because of the fiscal crisis, delivery is not planned until 2010-11.

Oh, did the Assembly Panel nail them or what?! Can you believe they want to replace their 40-year-old single engine plane? Why, they don’t make them like they used to back in 1970. It is clear that the DOT is just “tone-deaf” to the people!

“We’ve got to answer to our constituents – and they’re screaming at us,” Assemblyman Tom Berryhill, R-Modesto, said of state spending.

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“They need to realize that to the general public and to us, the Legislature, they sound a little tone deaf,” Assemblyman Hector De La Torre, a South Gate Democrat who chairs the committee, said of the millions spent for seemingly routine items. (SacBee)

So, as I have it, the public is “screaming” for unsafe airports and dangerous state parks, is that right Assemblymen?  How’s about this for an answer to your screaming constituents, Asm. Berryhill: We spend this money to protect public safety.

Perhaps the reason the public is screaming is that nobody has bothered to tell them why the state budget is so important. Or perhaps done anything to address why we are paying near usurious interest rates rather than increasing revenue to provide for ongoing services.

So, we’re taking care of the “easy” part, but be prepared for a long, hot summer.

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Falling Dominoes?

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So, remember how John Garamendi was elected to Congress out of the LG’s office? Well, that election will change the course of many others. Interestingly, many of the dominos are falling in the Fresno area, far from the Congressional district. A rough guide from the Fresno Bee:

The first domino to fall was Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s selection of state Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, as his nominee to replace former lieutenant governor John Garamendi, who left the post when he was elected to Congress.

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Denham’s options grew last week when Assembly Member Tom Berryhill, R-Modesto, announced he was running for the state Senate seat of Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, who is leaving after his first term. Some Valley Republicans want Denham to remain in the Legislature and think he would be a good match to replace Berryhill, the source close to Denham said. Denham would have to move however, because he lives just outside the district. (Fresno Bee

Now, much of this is to do with some hand-wringing in the Republican party over a primary fight for the LG race. But whether Denham runs or not, Sam Aanestad is still in the LG race, and has not indicated whether he would be willing to step aside for Arnold’s handpicked LG, Abel Maldonado. If there is a single conservative candidate in the Republican primary, Maldo is in even worse position. A split vote amongst conservatives could allow St. Abel to cruise through. If there’s only one conservative, Abel is in for more of a dogfight. Of course, Arnold would like to clear the field for Abel, but it isn’t like Arnold has much sway in the GOP these days.

You have to love (or not) the twisted game of musical chairs in Sacramento these days.