CalWatchdog Morning Read – October 28

28 Oct, 2016 by CalWatchdog Staff

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Senate leader’s Prop. 63 endorsement is conditional
Post-election transportation session in Sacramento?
2012 pension reforms haven’t paid off
Pentagon stops demanding payback of enlistment bonuses
State government pays women 80 cents on the dollar compared to men

Good morning. TGIF. Lots of good stuff this morning, so let’s dig in.

When Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon endorsed Proposition 63 last week, he didn’t mention the endorsement was conditional.

This summer, the Los Angeles Democrat ushered through the Legislature a measure that substantially amends in advance the ballot measure’s ammo regulation provisions — a move a Prop. 63 spokesman at the time called “sickeningly cynical.”

For about a year now, de Leon has been in a political feud with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Prop. 63’s primary proponent. The two fought over who had better ideas for gun and ammo control and what lawmaking avenue was more appropriate: the Legislature or the Ballot Box. And at least for now, de Leon won.

None of this was mentioned in the endorsement.

“Earlier this year, our Legislature passed the most sweeping and important package of gun safety laws in the nation, increasing nationwide momentum and grass-roots outcries for common-sense safeguards against gun violence,” de Leon wrote in a statement. “I endorse Proposition 63 because we must send a powerful and united message to the national Gun Lobby that California will not capitulate to political bullying or compromise the public safety.”

CalWatchdog has more.

In other news:

“After a year of stalled negotiations on a multi-billion dollar transportation plan, Democratic legislative leaders are privately discussing reconvening the state Legislature after the Nov. 8 election to take up road funding in a special session, legislative sources said.” Politico has more.
“Jerry Brown touted his pension reforms as a game changer. But they’ve done little to rein in the costs,” writes the Los Angeles Times/Calmatters.
“Reeling from outrage over a costly bureaucratic misstep, the Pentagon has halted its efforts to force California National Guardsmen to personally repay salary bonuses that should not have been approved in the first place,” writes CalWatchdog.
“California’s path-breaking bid to end workplace pay disparities faces one of its widest gender wage gaps among the state’s own employees. A new report from the California Department of Human Resources shows that women in the state workforce earn about 79.5 cents on the dollar compared to men.” The Sacramento Bee has more.