Legislative
May 14, 2010
The Governor’s May Budget Revision
As you know, the Governor released his May Revision to the budget this afternoon. As in January, the proposal needs to solve an approximately $20 billion deficit. As expected the Governor proposes to solve most of the problem through cuts.
The major action in the corrections budget is to transfer certain “non-serious, nonviolent and non-sex offenders” to local government. Under his proposal, approximately 15,000 inmates would be kept in the counties (forcing a line number of jail inmates to the streets). He would provide the counties with half of the state savings resulting from the transfers. This proposal is a new version of his January proposal to make certain crimes misdemeanors only. The major difference is that under the new plan he is providing locals with money—an element that was not included in the January proposal. Nevertheless, the impact on public safety will be similar—15,000 jail inmates will be forced to be released to make room in the jails for the state inmates...
May 1, 2010
California can’t ditch prison medical receiver, court says
A federal appellate court on Friday rejected the Schwarzenegger administration's attempt to rid itself of the court-appointed receiver charged with bringing prison medical care up to a constitutional standard.
The record of the protracted class action lawsuit supports the trial judge's ruling that, contrary to the administration's argument, appointment of a receiver goes "no further than necessary to correct the constitutional violations, and was the least intrusive means," a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared.
"The state to this day has not pointed to any evidence that it could remedy its constitutional violations in the absence of the receivership," the judges said...
LINK - SacBee.com
May 1, 2010
Schwarzenegger’s early release law modified by Senate, heads to Assembly
State lawmakers moved Thursday to repeal much of a new program that allows the early release of county jail inmates.
The state Senate voted unanimously to roll back the program after lawmakers expressed concerns about its possible effect on public safety. They cited news reports of a Sacramento man who was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape within hours of his early release.
The provision for county inmates was one of many sweeping changes that lawmakers approved last year to save money and address overcrowding. It was put in place as California, under pressure from federal courts to reduce its prison population, began sending to county jails and local reentry programs thousands of offenders who would normally go to state prisons...
LINK - LATimes.com
April 21, 2010
California public employee unions won’t face ballot fights
Public employee unions have dodged a bullet this election year.
Proponents have stopped pushing a measure to prohibit unions from deducting political money from public employee wages.
Supporters of the measure had trouble raising enough money to gather the 694,354 valid signatures they needed to qualify the constitutional amendment for the ballot, said Lew Uhler, president of the advocacy group the National Tax Limitation Committee, which worked with the initiative's proponents...
LINK - SacBee.com
March 25, 2010
More on Whitman support for private prisons
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown has accused GOP challenger Meg Whitman of offering "snake oil" to voters, saying her promises to fully fund education, build prisons and protect law enforcement pensions - while cutting taxes - is a "gross misrepresentation" of California's fiscal crisis.
In his toughest attack yet on the former eBay CEO, the state attorney general and former two-term governor told a gathering of law enforcement officials on Wednesday that with the state confronting its most critical budget problems in decades, "this is not time for glib, scripted, consultant-driven, empty programs."
"Now more than ever, we need to collaborate," he said of the need for all parties in the state to work together on its most-pressing problems. "It's time for straight talk..."
LINK - SFGate.com
March 25, 2010
Whitman supports private prisons, Poizner, Brown oppose
Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman called Wednesday for building new prisons to house some of the state's 150,000 inmates as she sparred with her rivals over the best way to fix the state's costly and overcrowded corrections system.
"(Overcrowding) is a sign that we have not invested in the infrastructure in California," Whitman said in remarks to a gathering of public safety officials in Sacramento. "We are going to have to create some capacity to invest to make sure that we have the infrastructure that we need in the next 50 years."
Whitman, who opposes raising taxes and wants to reduce the state work force, declined to identify a specific funding source for the costly new facilities, saying instead that cash could be freed up by cutting other areas of government...
LINK - SacBee.com
January 11, 2010
BUDGET RESPONSE
In a press release titled, "CCPOA Responds to the Governor's Proposed Budget," and dated January 8, 2010, CCPOA says: "Today the governor released his proposed state budget for fiscal year 2010-11, which fails to include any comprehensive and desperately needed prison reform ideas. Instead, what he has proposed is simply 'business as usual.' Among the many flaws in his new budget is his plan to place out-of-state, for-profit corporations in charge of California's prisons..."
January 3, 2010
Furlough Frustration?
Feeling frustrated regarding having to work for free? Want to let the Governor know how you feel? Well, here is the phone number to the Governors office (916) 445-2841. Please be sure to remain professional and whatever you do don't call from a state phone. Those who have called so far have not been treated with respect, so be prepared to be told that you are "lucky" to make the money that you do. If you feel like it, send an e-mail of your conversation with our loving Governors staff to nichol.gomez@ccpoa.org for possible publication. Also, you may want to take the time to contact your local legislators district office and let them know the hardships this decision by this Governor is causing you and your family. You can find your legislator by clicking on this link leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html and then entering your zip code.
Take Action! Call The Governors Office (916) 445-2841
October 1, 2009
Tax Acceleration Law Information
CCPOA is not in a position to give tax advice, and is providing this notice strictly for your information. As part of the budget "fix" California has enacted a tax acceleration law. Beginning November 1, 2009 the State will be withholding State taxes at a rate 10% higher than the current amount witheld. This is an increase of 10% to your tax withholding amount, but does not increase your annual tax liability, in effect, a loan to the State...
October 4, 2006
Governor Uses Executive Authority to Relieve Prison Overcrowding
Governor Schwarzenegger issued an emergency proclamation for California's prison system today, citing severe overcrowding as a threat to health and safety in 29 of the State's 33 prisons. The emergency proclamation will allow Corrections officials to immediately contract with out-of-state correctional facilities to temporarily house California inmates.
