Nicole Parra has a new gig.

The former Hanford Assemblywoman has been operating her own consulting firm for a couple months and is launching a new public relations/consulting/lobbying LLC, she said Tuesday.

For the LLC she’s partnering up with a former Republican legislative leader to be named later and two lobbyists, Parra said.

It’ll be called Capitol Policy Advisors.

Parra said for now, she’ll be sticking to PR and consulting; lobbying requires registering and identifying clients and she wants to protect the people for which she’s working. That could change down the line if she gets interested in lobbying.

Parra is and will be based in Fresno, she said, and the firm will take on a variety of issues and types of clients. She plans to announce her partners and other details about the company at the end of October.

Over the last two months she’s been a consultant operating her own company, NMP Consulting - short for Nicole Marie Parra. She said she’s had seven valley clients, including in the engineering, education and developer fields, and mainly been advising them on dealing with government.

She stressed her desire to stay in the heart of the valley.

“Many people pay money to Sacramento firms and don’t see them,” Parra said.

A few months ago Parra left her controversial job in the Schwarzenegger administration helping coordinate economic development initiatives in the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. (Controversial because the new, $128,000 job was created as the state was grappling with a projected $42 billion budget deficit).

Parra said Tuesday that she left for a couple reasons.

She’d finished her chief task at the time - helping develop a regional economic recovery work plan that included identifying valley projects worthy of federal stimulus money - and had an opportunity to be a partner in the type of company for which she’s been interested in working.

Parra represented the 30th Assembly District from 2002-2008.

- Californian government editor Christine Bedell

The effort to recall state Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, from office has been abandoned for lack of needed signatures on the eve of a key deadline.

Organizer Michael Moore, a Bakersfield businessman, said Friday he needed to amass 46,000 signatures by a few days from now. He declined to say exactly how many signatures were collected - just that it wasn’t enough.

Moore sought to recall Ashburn primarily because of his vote in February for a state budget deal that included tax increases. He said he’ll find other ways of trying to keep Ashburn out of public office such as raising opposition and opposition money to the state senator’s 2010 Board of Equalization run.

“We’re going to do what we can to make sure people remember his actions in Sacramento,” Moore said.

Read the rest of the story here.

- Government editor Christine Bedell

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Governor hopeful Meg Whitman hasn't voted much, as the Sac Bee reported today.

Her campaign just sent out a press release in response; here ya go in full:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2009

MEG WHITMAN STATEMENT ON HER
VOTING RECORD

“Voting is a precious right that all Americans should exercise. I have repeatedly said that my voting record is inexcusable. I failed to register and vote on numerous occasions throughout my life. That is simply wrong and I have taken responsibility for my mistake.

California needs leaders who are accountable for their actions. I take responsibility for mine, while my opponent, Steve Poizner, runs from his. On everything from his position on taxes to his political contributions, Steve hides behind others or misrepresents himself.

I look forward to a vigorous campaign and to a discussion of the issues that matter to the people of California.”

Paid for by Meg Whitman for Governor 2010
20813 Stevens Creek Blvd, Suite 150 Cupertino, CA 95014
www.MegWhitman.com

 The Bee's in-depth report found no record of Whitman ever registering to vote until 2002.

Her Republican competitors, Poizner and Tom Campbell, meanwhile, have been regular voters all along.

OK, have at...what do ya think?

-- Gretchen Wenner, staff writer

... and down here, to a lesser extent.

Some folks aren't happy with my column Saturday that mostly ranted against the boooing -- near the point of drowning out -- Congressman Jim Costa at Sean Hannity's program on the valley water crisis last Thursday.

I clearly don't understand Fresno-area water issues, they said, nor Costa's obstruction finding a solution.

OK, I'll cop to not being a Fresno water expert. It doesn't really change my position that 1., Costa was invited onto the show and should have been allowed to speak, and 2., it's just not true (as I quoted local water experts as saying) that Costa has done NOTHING on water as Inga Barks says she's been hearing.

But in the interest of fairness, below in the comments section are the lumps I'm taking.

-- Government editor Christine Bedell

I'm no water expert so I can't really opine on the quality of the policy discussion about California's water problems that was on Sean Hannity's "The Valley Hope Forgot" program Thursday night.

What did strike me was just how badly people were treated, especially Congressman Jim Costa, who, frankly, is in a good position to help the situation as he's in the majority party.

Costa, D-Fresno, was booed during his introduction and later as he answered questions. Candi Easter, head of the local Democratic Party, said he was made to look like a fool.

She was peeved he even went on the show.

OK, OK, at this point you’re laughing at me for making an issue out of people behaving badly on a political talk show. Happens all the time. (Though I’m not really blaming Hannity, he treated Costa fine).

It’s just so annoying because it gets in the way of learning something.

And just what was so objectionable? Costa started out thanking Hannity for highlighting the issue of water shortages devastating farmers (and we can all debate how much is man-made versus the effects of a natural drought); pointed out the state’s water system needs updating; and argued ammonia dumping is also killing fish.

Boooo. Boooo. Boooo.

What struck the rest of you?

- Government editor Christine Bedell
 

The city of Tracy is clarifying its rules for allowing prayers at City Council meetings in response to a national organizattion fighting for the separation of church and state, according to the Stockton Record.

The same organization, Wisconsin-based nonprofit Freedom From Religion Foundation Inc., recently sent a letter to the city of Tehachapi saying its pre-meeting invocations are "illegal."

Here's part of the Record story:

"Participating Tracy churches will receive a letter that encourages prayers to be 'accessible' to people of various backgrounds and faiths, while other congregations will receive a letter also inviting them to take part in the invocation tradition.

"The city took action after receiving a notice from the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, urging the council to discontinue invocations that reference Christianity.

"The foundation's letter to Tracy is one in a series to city halls across the nation that hold invocations with specific religious references."

Check out this pretty scathing  press release from the chairman of the Fair Political Practices Commission, the state's campaign finance watchdog, who today rounded up how much fundraising state lawmakers have been doing. Here are excerpts:

"Incumbent lawmakers solicited a combined $1.26 million—per contributor—at more than 325 political fundraisers held in Sacramento during 2009, according to information released today by the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

“Sacramento is home to the confluence of three great rivers: the American, Sacramento and L Street—where the State Capitol is located,” said Chairman Ross Johnson. “When the Sacramento or American Rivers overflow their banks they call it a ‘natural disaster,’ but when L Street floods the downtown area with campaign cash they call it ‘business as usual.’”

"More than 25 percent of all fundraisers held, and more than 25 percent of all money solicited, in Sacramento during 2009 occurred in the final three weeks of the Legislative session. During August 24 through September 11, 86 political fundraisers were held in the Capitol City, soliciting nearly $340,000 in campaign contributions.

“Greater than 20 percent of fundraising events held in Sacramento during 2009, were for something other than races held in 2010,” continued Johnson. “This new trend of holding fundraisers for offices three to five years away, and for candidate-controlled ballot measure and officeholder committees, has to make you wonder how they have time to do anything but fundraise.”

"Information gathered to create this list was compiled by reviewing items listed in the Daily Bread Section of The Capitol Morning Report.

"The list of fundraisers held and the maximum amounts solicited is available here.

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn may run for lieutenant governor on the Democratic side, according to this L.A. Times story.

State Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, is in that race now. His other main challenger at this point is Alan Lowenthal of Long Beach. Florez is waaaay out in front in the campaign-finance race among the Dems.

The lieutenant governor race is next year; Florez will be termed out of the state Senate then.

A number of readers have called and e-mailed asking if the under-fire ACORN organization has activities in Bakersfield.

So far I'm not finding much. Anybody else know?

Here's what I do know:

The ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) Web site shows its closest office to Bakersfield is in Fresno.

The Fresno office Web site doesn’t say much other than its address, phone number and e-mail address.

A message left at the office today hasn't been returned.

The other California offices listed were in Contra Costa, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Orange County, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Fernando Valley, San Francisco, San Jose and San Mateo County.

- Government editor Christine Bedell
 
 
 

This must be true. I have an invitation for a fundraiser and the cost is different depending upon what type of criminal you are.

But it's so judicious because the cost goes up based on the severity of the crime.

A petty thief can attend this fundraiser for $50. A misdemeanant $100. A felon $250, and a capital criminal $500.

But really, is it judicious? Just think of what those criminals have to pay for their defense.

A capital criminal could pay tens, or hundreds of thousands of dollars to be spared from the needle, whereas it might cost a petty thief only a few hundred dollars to cover his shoplifting.

So perhaps the petty thief would have more money left over to pay the potential top prosecutor in Kern County.

Right now Lisa Green is the only one in the race for District Attorney in 2010. With this kind of backing, who else could afford to run?

— Steve E. Swenson

The Sacramento Bee, bless 'em, has created an online database of gifts to California lawmakers and their staffs during the recession.

Assemblywoman Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield, was the only Kern County state legislator that made the Bee's list of top 25 gift-takers (at 25th), but the goodies our four got are still fun to look at.

Here are links to our reps' lists:

Assemblywoman Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield

Assemblyman Danny Gilmore, R-Hanford

State Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter

State Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield

I'm still sifting through the lists for interesting tidbits.

-- Government editor Christine Bedell

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NOW UPDATED WITH REX BABIN'S EDITORIAL CARTOON...

I was just talking to Ken Mettler, president of the conservative Californian Republican Assembly, about a different issue (Tehachapi City Council prayers) when we wandered off topic...to Mike Duvall, the (resigned) Republican state Assemblyman from Orange County whose sexual braggadocio was caught on a live mic...

Anyway, Duvall had been among 13 state legislators who earned the CRA's "perfect" score for fiscal/socially conservative voting.

Had the CRA taken a stance?

Yes: The group sent a press release yesterday calling for Duvall's resignation, about a half-hour before he resigned. It was among a flood of such calls, so Mettler doesn't think it caused the resignation.

Mettler says he's pleased to see some solid folks eyeing the open spot, including Chris Norby.

Here's the text of the release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ken Mettler
Sept. 9, 2009

CRA Asks for CA Assemblyman Duvall Resignation

The California Republican Assembly as the “conscience of the Republican Party” call upon Assemblyman Mike Duvall to resign immediately if the allegations of moral turpitude while serving in elected office are valid.

Ken Mettler, president of the CRA stated, “We appreciate Assemblyman Duvall’s public voting record but these alleged private actions undermine the public trust. It is imperative that an untarnished Republican pick up the banner for conservative fiscal and social principles and carry it forward.”

###

Duvall, meanwhile, is denying the sex he described so gleefully ever took place... (one of the women was a utility lobbyist...he was on the energy committee)

And the lawmaker who listened to his accounts has been taken off the ethics committee that will investigate...

- Gretchen Wenner, staff writer

I'm really curious what everybody thinks about Rep. Joe Wilson's shouting out of "You lie" during President Obama's health care speech last night. 

All the punditry I heard last night condemned the incident and Wilson apologized, so I figured there wasn't much to debate.

But when I was driving to work today I heard a local talk radio host applaud it, saying we need to call out politicians that we believe aren't leveling with us. And, the host said, these politicians work for us, we don't need to treat them like royalty.

What do you guys think?

- Government editor Christine Bedell

This past week in Sacramento has been focused, particularly for myself and fellow members of the Joint Conference Committee on Water, on reaching bi-partisan agreement on a plan to address the state’s water crisis.

As valley fields lie fallow for lack of water deliveries, pushing unemployment in some rural communities above 40 percent, we don’t have time to waste.

As I laid out in my Senate Bill 301, what we need is a comprehensive bill that addresses increased underground and surface storage, as well as improved conveyance, while putting in place solid ecological policies that provide strong assurances of continued conveyance in the long-run.

Like any good business plan, we need to finalize the policy before we can structure the financing. The goal of our committee is, by this Friday, to have this comprehensive package in place for consideration of the full legislative body.

We worked through the holiday weekend to move us toward that goal and will continue the focused work needed to get us there. 

A common sense measure I authored to bring equity to no-burn rules imposed on valley residents was approved by the Legislature last Thursday and now awaits the governor’s signature.

Senate Bill 382 says that on days where the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has deemed it unhealthy to have a fire in a fireplace, agricultural operations will also be prohibited from open-field burning of agricultural waste. 

Two measures to protect the public health also reached the governor’s desk last week. 

Senate Bill 212 will lead to guidelines for preventing communicable diseases in schools. This is particularly important as we have seen a rise in antibiotic-resistant infections spread through contact with gym equipment and the like, and as we prepare for an expected fall surge of the H1N1 virus.

My Senate Bill 173, approved last Friday, will provide the state’s public health officer with the long-overdue authority to adopt regulations for the voluntary recall of foods that could seriously impact human health.

A fourth measure of mine to reach the governor last week, Senate Bill 172, extends the period of time a registered voter’s name will be kept on a list of inactive voters before his or her registration is cancelled from two federal general elections to four presidential elections.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, D-Shafter, represents the 16th State Senate District. His column appears here weekly.
 

The San Luis Obispo Tribune ran this story about Kevin McCarthy's Town Hall meeting there Wednesday evening.

And don't miss this blog post about DC political coverage of Bako's Town Hall.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez has written a piece for the Huffington Post on the "dreamers" he sees out in the farm fields of his district and how members of his own family once were one of them.

They're just a brown version of those who flocked here from the Dust Bowl, the Shafter Democrat writes, working largely to provide a better future for their children.

"This summer, I find myself wondering what my grandmother would make of this new California: 38 million residents strong; $26 billion dollars in the hole; deep cuts to education and social service programs; the spectacle of big growers and poor farm workers, forever antagonists, marching arm in arm in a protest for more federal water, led not by a Cesar Chavez but by a comedian named Paul Rodriquez," he writes.

You can read Florez's full piece here.

- Government team leader Christine Bedell

Back in January former Kern County Supervisor Steve Perez confirmed he was going to run for his old Board seat in 2010 — facing off against current Supervisor Don Maben's  staffer Mary Beth Garrison.

The Tehachapi News' Tina Forde had a great talk with Perez as he made his candidacy official this week.

Perez told me, in January, that he was "very much" in the hunt for the seat he left in 2002 to launch a failed bid for Kern County Sheriff against former Sheriff Mack Wimbish.

Maben has backed Garrison:

"He had his eight years. It's time for somebody new," Maben said of Perez in January.

Maben's endorsement of Garrison doesn't "matter a hill of beans to me," Perez said in response. "It's not who supports who. It's what the people want in a representative."

So far the money race for the June election has been quiet.

Garrison raised $10,490 in the first six months of 2009. Perez has not started raising money yet according to the Kern County Elections Department — which has no campaign committee for Perez on file.

The Sacramento Bee reported this Monday. We added some local info. to it:

The state's political watchdog agency announced Monday that it will post on its Web site warning letters issued in cases where the subject is found to have violated state campaign laws, but is not issued a fine.

The Fair Political Practices Commission has posted "warning letters" issued between July 1 and Aug. 24. Starting Sept. 1, it will also post advisory letters, which are issued in cases where commission does not have enough evidence to prove a violation, and 'no violation' findings one week after those letters are issued.

There are letters to at least two local folks posted, Kevin McCarthy aide Vince Fong and the Kern County Young Republicans Voting Guide plus former Bakersfield City School District board member Donald Vereen. Both failed to report certain information but filed an amended campaign statement that disclosed the information.

The letters have been available in the past through public records requests, but this is the first time the commission's Enforcement Division has decided to automatically make the documents public, FPPC Executive Director Roman Porter said.

State Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, D-Shafter, was named to a two-house committee Tuesday that will seek to hammer out a comprehensive agreement to deal with the state’s water crisis.

The 14-member Conference Committee on California Water will try to reconcile various proposals being debated in the Senate and Assembly. It has until Sept. 8 to bring a final report to the floor of both houses, according to the office of Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.

The other Senate members are, Steinberg announced: Steinberg; Alex Padilla, D-Pacoima; Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills; Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto; Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley; and Bob Huff, R- Diamond Bar. Steinberg will chair the committee.

“I am encouraged by and grateful for Senator Steinberg’s continued leadership on this critical issue to our state,” Florez said in a news release.  “We have small, rural communities in the Valley where more than 40 percent of residents are out of work because farmers simply cannot plant all of their fields. This is a crisis that will only continue to grow without immediate action that focuses on the long-term.”
Florez said he’ll continue pressing for a thorough plan that includes increasing storage capacity above and below ground, improved conveyance and conservation efforts.

The conference committee was scheduled to meet throughout this week.

UPDATE: Assemblywoman Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield, was also named to the committee late Tuesday afternoon.