CONTENT--California Politics--6/11/97
Brad Rourke
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C O N T E N T
Brad Rourke's California Political Digest
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**********JUNE 11, 1997**********
IT WORKED WHEN I WAS SPEAKER
AP reports that erstwhile-Assembly-Speaker-now-San-Francisco-Mayor
Willie Brown is taking heat for the financing arrangements for a
recent trip to Paris. By way of background, when Mayor Brown was
Speaker Brown (in the heady days before Prop. 208 limits on
contributions to state candidates), he was known for his lavish "field
trips", financed by donations from supporters expressly for the
purpose. One such trip was an annual jaunt by the entire Assembly to
Washington, DC for meetings and frolic. Last year, as Da Mayor, Bown
embarked on a similar trip to Paris. The San Francisco Host Committee
(an entity created in 1982) handled the $1,500-each payments from
local businesses to cover staff expenses. Problem was, the Host
Committee's bylaws limit its activities to San Francisco. Someone
evidently noted that fact, because three months after Paris, the
bylaws were amended to allow such money-funnelling. It's the
amendment that's raising eyebrows--makes it look like the Brown
Administration was trying to cover it's you-know-what.
IT'S OFFICIAL. KIND OF.
Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) has *almost* made
his run for Attorney General in 1998 official. He filed papers
creating a committee that would be authorized to fundraise for the
position, and deposited his unexpended campaign funds into the
committee's account. Still, Lockyer is leaving the door open for a run
for re-election to his Senate seat if an appeals court strikes down
the California term limits law. In other words: why run when you can
walk?
HAVE YOUR CAKE BUT DON'T EAT IT, TOO
Back a ways (May 30, actually) the Assembly Appropriations Committee
killed a popular idea by Republican Assemblyman Brooks Firestone.
AB13 would have created a tax-exempt college savings program for
parents, run by the state. Seems ol' Brooks (yes, he is heir to the
tire fortune) is pondering running for Lieutenant Governor, and such a
popular piece of legislation with his name on it would be a nice
feather in his cap come campaign time. So the Democratic leadership
killed it. But then (long about June 9) the leadrship had a change of
heart and realized they had killed a good idea--so they kindly
resurrected "Scholarshare." The only catch: Firestone doesn't get to
have his name on the bill--the new "author" will be the Assembly
Higher Education Committee.
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