In response to the announcement from Senator Bob Dutton that he has secured commitments from his colleagues to be the next Senate Republican Leader, the current Leader, Dennis Hollingsworth, provided the FlashReport with this statement:

"In order to ensure an orderly succession of leadership, it is necessary that our caucus be thinking about a new leader. I am happy that Senator Dutton appears to have the support of the caucus to be the next leader. With that in mind, we will hold an election and provide for a smooth transition later this year."… Read More

Yesterday conservative GOP Assembly candidate Paul Hegyi emailed his supporters with the news that he would be suspending his campaign for the GOP nomination for the State Assembly in the Central Valley’s ___ Assembly District. Last year, Hegyi came in second to former San Jouquin County Supervisor Jack Sieglock, who went on to (barely, like by around 500 votes) lose to Democrat Alyson Huber, resulting in an unfortunate and unexpected Dem pickup in the Assembly. Last year Hegyi and Sieglock both announced that they would again be seeking the GOP nomination in AD __, setting the scene for a showdown this June — with the winner going up against Huber.… Read More

One of our loyal FlashReport Blog readers is apparently Ana Matosantos, Governor Schwarzenegger’s Director of Finance (who has a featured column on our main page today). After perusing the blog, she sent this submission over for your reading pleasure… Setting the Record Straight Ana Matosantos – Director of Finance In the debate over California’s spending on prison versus higher education, the following facts may be helpful.… Read More

Text of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s State of the State Speech Prepared text of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s State of the State address:

I want to begin with a true story from which we can draw a worthwhile lesson.

As you might guess, the Schwarzenegger household is something of a menagerie.

An Austrian bodybuilder, a TV journalist, four children, a dog, the normal goldfish and hamsters and so forth — and in recent years we added a miniature pony and a pot-bellied pig.

It’s not unusual for me to look up from working on the budget or something to find a pig and a pony standing there staring at me.

Now, the dog’s food, which we keep in a canister with a screw-on lid, sits on the top of the dog’s kennel.

The pony has learned to knock the canister off the top of the kennel, and then he and the pig wedge it into the corner.

There’s this ridge on the lid… Read More

The first place anyone heard there was a new successor GOP Senate Leader was on our Twitter feed. If you aren't following us, you're missing out on lots of tidbits and insights!

If you're on Twitter, search for FlashReport!… Read More

I just got off of a brief appearance on KQED’s California Report coverage of the State of the State Address. I followed Senate President Darrell Steinberg. Here’s what I had to say… (I’m being interview by KQED’s Capitol man in the building, the irrepressible John Myers… I also talk briefly about the Anthony Adams retirement.

… Read More

Here’s some "instant, lightning round" response to some of the statements of the Governor in his State of the State Address. Excerpts from the Governor’s speech are in quotes, and boldface. My comments follow each quote… "The Schwarzenegger household is something of a menagerie."

No doubt.

"Just last night the Assembly passed major educational reform, reform that once seemed impossible, but now will become law as soon as it hits my desk." Some good reforms. Governor should have noted that it should not have taken federal incentives dangled from 3,000 miles away to get them, and that the federal government should not be crafting state-level policy with payoffs.

"And now we must work to pass the 11 billion dollars in water bonds that will be on the ballot in November." This package… Read More

Today, during the annual State of the State speech, the Governor claimed that California spends 45 percent more on prisons than on higher education.

That’s not true.

In fact, the 2009-10 budget spends 7.3 percent on prisons and 9.7 percent on higher education – and that doesn’t include the billions of private dollars that are invested in our public colleges, universities and junior colleges.

Not only were the Governor’s numbers incorrect, his ideas for reducing prison spending are off the mark. Don’t get me wrong; I strongly champion trimming government spending, but let’s discuss real solutions not feel-good ideas that will never gain traction.

So what should California do to spend less on prisons?

Let’s begin by removing the federal receiver who has been instrumental in costing taxpayers $17,000 per inmate per year for just for health care. This could result inan approximate$2 billion savings per year. It’s a genuine solution that deserves the Legislature and Governor’s attention.… Read More