Saturday, December 6, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the Los Angeles Daily News

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García's attempt to oust LAUSD's Brewer: gaffe or gutsy?

Rick Orlov
Staff Writer - Los Angeles Daily News
December 6, 2008

To anyone who knows her, it is no surprise that Mónica García is in the middle of a political firestorm.

As president of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, García has emerged as the force behind efforts to remove Superintendent David L. Brewer III in the middle of his four-year contract.

Supporters say García is a fierce advocate for the Latino community and the disenfranchised, who has never shied away from a fight. But critics say her political ambitions have made it difficult for her to act independently of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a longtime ally.
The Mayor's Office said he had nothing to do with last week's failed attempt to oust Brewer, when Garcí a could not bring together all seven board members to vote on his contract. But some school district watchers say the mayor, who is widely thought to favor hiring a new superintendent, has considerable influence with the current board.

"Had the mayor not been in favor of wanting Brewer to retire, then the board majority, starting with Mónica García, would likely not have moved to oust the superintendent," said Jaime Regalado, executive director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles. ...

A lot of times, these endorsements are strategic, but hers are heartfelt and can only help her in the future," Regalado said.

Born and raised in East Los Angeles, Garcia attended Ramona Convent in Alhambra and went on to Berkeley, where she received bachelor of arts degrees in Chicano studies and political science.

Later, she earned a master's in social work from the University of Southern California.
Outside East Los Angeles and its climate of Chicano activism, García said she became aware of privilege, class and culture while a Berkeley student.

At a speech earlier this year to the Studio City Chamber of Commerce, she was quoted as joking that it was at Berkeley that she realized, "I was a person of color, which I had no idea. (I was) shocked that my life was so much in peril" growing up as a Latina in a working-class family in the barrio.

Those experiences, say her advocates, resonate in her work, including the recent attempt to remove Brewer.

Noting that the Daily News and the Los Angeles Times have editorialized for the removal of Brewer, Casillas said García's move should be welcomed by the press. But the timing, many have said off the record, was poor.

With the district facing the most severe fiscal crisis in recent history, the bond committee's Folsom said Brewer is a leader among education officials in fighting budget cuts in Sacramento. To remove him now will only take district attention away from the impending budget crisis.
"I have not seen true leadership from García on the budget and this is a huge diversion from where the board's focus should be," Folsom said. "Real leaders lead from the middle and build consensus. That hasn't happened here."

Read more.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the Los Angeles Daily News

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Life as Sacramento lawmaker has gotten a lot tougher

Rick Orlov
Staff Writer - Los Angeles Daily News
December 5, 2008

A message to the 36 freshman lawmakers who were sworn in this week at the state Capitol: Don't get too comfortable.

Once the euphoria of being elected to state office and moving into Sacramento wears off, reality will set in: a terrible economy, a massive budget deficit and new rules to redraw district boundaries and make elections more competitive, even for incumbents.

"What I would tell the freshmen is, 'Hold your breath; you're in for a pretty steep ride,'" said Jaime Regalado, director of the Pat Brown Institute at California State University, Los Angeles.

"They will have this exhilarating feeling coming in, but then they will all be deflated by the reality of what they're facing."

So far, anyway, the area's November winners of new-to-them legislative roles appear undaunted.

They include Assemblyman Steve Knight, R-Palmdale; Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills; Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, D-Van Nuys; Sen. Carol Liu, D-La Cañada Flintridge; and Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Westlake Village.

Read more.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass Calls on Federal Government to Address California’s Budget Shortfall

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RELEASE

Wednesday, November 12, 2008
For Immediate Release

Media Contact(s):

Joey Furutani
Nakatomi & Associates
310.914.5000, Joey@nakatomipr.com

Edward Headington
Headington Media Group
818.720.7181, Edward@HeadingtonMedia.com

In Keynote Address at Pat Brown Institute’s 16th Annual California Policy Issues Conference, Bass says Infusion of Cash is Needed to Avoid “Devastating Cuts to Education”

LOS ANGELES, CA—In her keynote address today at the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute’s 16th Annual California Policy Issues Conference, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass urged the federal government to address the budget crisis in California and called on President Bush to take action in the final days of his Administration.

The theme is year was “California’s Future on the Horizon: Implications of the 2008 Elections” and Bass said legislative analysts have placed California’s projected budget shortfall at $27.8 billion.

With its large population and economy, “California is really unique,” she said. “Our budget is over $100 billion and approximately one‐third of the nation’s foreclosures occurred in our state. This is not just a California problem, so it can’t just be a California solution.”

Bass called on the federal government to provide an immediate infusion of discretionary cash to California so that legislators can avoid what she termed would be “devastating cuts to education and to health and human services.”

Additionally, to avoid the budget impasse that has become an annual event in California, Bass called for a state Constitutional amendment that would reduce the number of votes required in the legislature to pass a budget from two‐thirds to a simple majority. She also called for an end to term limits in the state legislature, saying they create an environment in which some elected office holders are leery of voting to raise revenues before they run for higher office.

“We suffer from term limits as a state,” she added.

Bass represents the 47th Assembly District. She became Speaker of the Assembly in May 2008.

The Assembly Speaker’s speech was one highlight of a conference that brought together elected officials, civic leaders and experts from the political arena, academia and the business community, to discuss and debate the implications of the Nov. 4, 2008 elections and what they mean for California.

On Election Day, “voters overwhelmingly indicated their willingness to invest in California’s future—an idea our namesake, former Governor Pat Brown, understood so many years ago,” said Dr. Jaime A. Regalado, Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs, citing the approval of major infrastructure funding and school bonds statewide.

Attendees heard from experts from the media, voter organizations and local and state government. In one panel on “Youth Organizing, Mobilization and Turnout,” experts discussed social networking tools and their effects on voter turnout. Another panel, on “The Role of Race, Class and Gender in the 2008 Elections,” looked at the significance of these issues and their impact on California.

“Overwhelmingly, panelists agreed that a byproduct of the 2008 elections was an electorate that is engaged and involved like never before,” said Regalado.

Bass echoed that sentiment in her keynote speech, saying she hopes to take advantage of the huge network of voters who mobilized to elect Barack Obama: “As an organizer, I wonder how do I tap all that energy to get and sustain their involvement.”

Held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, the PBI’s 16th Annual Policy Issues Conference was supported by Kaiser Permanente—with additional sponsorship from AT&T, Sempra Energy, the James Irvine Foundation, SEIU Local 721, the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, Sony Pictures, the California Federation of Teachers, IBEW Local 47, Verizon, Chevron, and the California Faculty Association and Southern California Edison.

For almost three decades, the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs has focused on state and community issues—dedicated to the quest for social justice and equality of opportunity, enlightened civic engagement, and enhancing the quality of life for all Californians.

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The Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs, a presidentially chartered institute at California State University, Los Angeles, is a non-partisan public policy center dedicated to sustaining vision and legacy of former California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown through convening public policy forums, engaging multi sector stakeholders and diverse communities, and conducting timely policy research and community driven initiatives. For more information, go to http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/.

PBI‘s 16th Annual California Policy Issues Conference is Today!

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ADVISORY

Wednesday, November 12, 2008
For Immediate Release

Media Contact(s):

Joey Furutani
Nakatomi & Associates
310.914.5000, Joey@nakatomipr.com

Edward Headington
Headington Media Group
818.720.7181, Edward@HeadingtonMedia.com

“California’s Future on the Horizon: Implications of the 2008 Elections”

Keynote addresses by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Patt Morrison of KPCC 89.3 FM and the Los Angeles Times

WHO: Panelists will include elected officials, civic leaders and experts from the political arena, academia and the business community, who will discuss and debate the implications of the 2008 elections and what they mean for California. For the full conference program, visit http://patbrowninstitute.org/events/235.

WHAT: PBI 16th Annual California Policy Issues Conference on “California’s Future on the Horizon: Implications of the 2008 Elections”

WHEN: Wed., November 12, 2008; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Lunch keynote at 12:30 p.m.)

WHERE: Millennium Biltmore Hotel @ 506 South Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. Valet parking is located at the hotel entrance on Grand Avenue. Self parking is available at the Pershing Square garage, across the street from the hotel; the lot entrance is located on Olive and 6th Street. The Pershing Square Metro Station is located across the street from the hotel.

WHY: For almost three decades, the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs (PBI) has focused on state and community issues—dedicated to the quest for social justice and equality of opportunity, enlightened civic engagement, and enhancing the quality of life for all Californians. Hear from the experts on the implications of the 2008 elections and what it means for our state and the nation.

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The Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs, a presidentially chartered institute at California State University, Los Angeles, is a non-partisan public policy center dedicated to sustaining vision and legacy of former California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown through convening public policy forums, engaging multi sector stakeholders and diverse communities, and conducting timely policy research and community driven initiatives. For more information, go to http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the Contra Costa Times

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Caruso rules out run against Villaraigosa

Rick Orlov
Contra Costa Times
November 7, 2008

Leaving Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa with a clear path to re-election, billionaire developer Rick Caruso announced Friday that he will not run for the city's highest office in the March election.

Caruso, developer of the popular Grove shopping center in the Fairfax District as well as the Americana at Brand in Glendale, cited the effect such a campaign would have on his family.

"I think I could have won," Caruso said in a telephone interview. "And I really am disappointed that I came to this decision. It all came down to family. I have four great kids and a great wife and they were all for it.

"But I've been around local officials, and I've seen the impact on their families. I know I disappointed a lot of people, but maybe sometime in the future."

Caruso, who reportedly said he was willing to commit some $10 million to the race, has been active in civic affairs for nearly two decades. He served in appointed positions for former Mayors Tom Bradley, Richard Riordan and James Hahn.

Among his posts was president of the Police Commission and the Board of Water and Power Commissioners.

"The mayor is in," said Jaime Regalado, director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles. "Rick Caruso represented the only real challenger he would have faced. Even if he was running only for a one-year term, the mayor should easily win re-election."

There has been wide speculation that Villaraigosa is looking to run for governor of California in 2010. He has not issued a declarative statement that he would serve out a full term as mayor.

...

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the Los Angeles Times

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New L.A. County supervisor brings ambitious agenda

Mark Ridley-Thomas wants to raise pay for employees and reopen King-Harbor hospital. He easily defeated L.A. Councilman Bernard C. Parks for the seat.

Garrett Therolf and Molly Hennessy-Fiske
Staff Writers - Los Angeles Times
November 6, 2008

Mark Ridley-Thomas will become Los Angeles County's newest supervisor Dec. 1, joining colleagues who stayed mum or actively opposed his campaign and owing more to a single special interest than any supervisor in recent memory.

Yet a resounding victory over Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard C. Parks and a reputation for shrewd consensus-building was expected to aid Ridley-Thomas in an ambitious agenda, including better compensation for county workers and a pledge to reopen Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital by January 2010.

Ridley-Thomas prevailed with 61% of the vote to Parks' 39%. Parks, who was planning his father's funeral Wednesday, made no public statements. His son and chief of staff, Bernard Parks Jr., said his father plans to serve the remaining three years of his council term and will run again in 2011.

Meanwhile, Ridley-Thomas awoke Wednesday to face myriad public policy challenges. That reality was reinforced at a morning news conference where he was greeted by Sheriff Lee Baca, leaders of the sheriff's deputy unions, representatives of small businesses, environmental activists and Maria Elena Durazo, chief of the labor federation that spent $8.5 million to elect him.

The first item of business, he said, would be to build momentum for King's reopening.

"There has been some trepidation on the board when it comes to setting timetables, but I don't know how you get things done if you don't have benchmarks," Ridley-Thomas said.

The facility near Watts closed in August 2007 and much of its funding has been diverted to other programs. Ridley-Thomas said he hoped the debate over its fate could be reframed as one that also affects people in areas outside his district who might need the hospital in an emergency or whose local facilities could be overcrowded in King's absence.

Those at the news conference appeared eager to cash in on their support for the new supervisor, seeking a slew of political favors. They asked Ridley-Thomas to work for raises for tens of thousands of county workers whose contracts expire in coming years and to help persuade the Sheriff's Department to staff squad cars in Lynnwood with two officers rather than one.

"I called my city manager this morning and said we finally have a friend for Lynwood," said city Mayor Pro Tem Aide Castro.

Ridley-Thomas also signaled that he might reopen some long-settled controversies in the county, where his four colleagues have worked without turnover for 12 years in what they call the "county family." Although he is generally more liberal than the person he replaces, Yvonne B. Burke, he said he hoped to form alliances on law enforcement issues with the board's two Republicans, Mike Antonovich and Don Knabe.

For instance, the supervisor-elect said it was likely that he would consider enhanced retirement benefits for public safety officers that would allow them to retire at age 50 with 3% of their salary for each year served. The plan was deemed too expensive by the current board.

Personal relationships were sure to come into play, however, and it was unclear how Ridley-Thomas would engage Antonovich and Gloria Molina, the supervisors who campaigned against him.

Antonovich released a statement saying that he looked forward to working with his new colleague and Molina said in an interview that she can "work with anyone."

The relationship with Molina seemed especially frosty, however. She acknowledged that there "might be some personal animosity there," and he said playfully, "We'll see," regarding how the two would get along. Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who did not endorse a candidate in the race, said he was looking forward to working with Ridley-Thomas, whom he called inclusive.

Dermot Givens, a political consultant who has worked for Ridley-Thomas but was not involved in his latest campaign, said the new supervisor had no obvious allies on the board.

"People will be watching to see who is he going to make an alliance with, and is he going to let that alliance control him, or is he going to go in there as a leader and try to push his agenda," Givens said.

Others said Ridley-Thomas' ties to unions will make partnership with the board's conservatives impossible.

"He won't call it a mandate, but his supporters will -- to be a real champion for unions and working families," said Jaime Regalado,who heads the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A.

"Labor very much sees Mark as their champion, and specifically county employees," Regalado said. "They assume that they have somebody on the board now who will be in their corner."

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the Los Angeles Daily News

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Black, Latino voters helped Prop. 8 pass

Tony Castro
Staff Writer - Los Angeles Daily News
November 5, 2008

Latino and black voters whose record turnout helped carry Barack Obama to the presidency proved to be a double-edged sword for liberals in California, where the two groups were credited for the narrow victory of the gay marriage ban.

"Religion trumps politics," said pollster Mark DiCamillo of the Field Research Corp., who said exit polling data show that African-Americans and Latinos abandoned their traditional liberal Democratic coalition to support Proposition 8.

Seven out of 10 African- American voters and more than half of Latinos backed Proposition 8, according to Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International, which conducted the exit polling used by the National Election Pool.

The measure, which constitutionally bans same-sex marriages, was approved by about 52 percent of California voters in Tuesday's election.

Ironically, the record turnout of African-Americans and Latinos helped push Obama to victory in such states as Florida, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. Obama opposed Proposition 8, but not very strongly.

"Traditionally the liberal Democratic coalition consists of African-Americans and Latinos, and you see it in all of the initiatives locally ... all of those it passed with two-thirds (vote) requirement," said Fernando Guerra, director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University.

The outcome was feared by many opponents of Proposition 8, as polls showed the no votes'
commanding lead was quickly evaporating ahead of the vote.

"The fear of those who were against Proposition 8 that this could be the scenario turned out to come true," said Jaime Regalado, executive director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles.

Proposition 8 overturns a May California Supreme Court decision legalizing gay nuptials and rewrites the state constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the Los Angeles Daily News

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Voters may face ballot confusion

Rick Orlov
Staff Writer - Los Angeles Daily News
October 26, 2008

For Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein, it's the campaign of Sen. Barack Obama that is driving him to the polls.

"This is my first election and I couldn't be more excited," said Spitzer-Rubenstein, 18, who also made calls for the Obama campaign in Los Angeles.

But, other than a couple of other items, he said he was unsure how to vote on all the ballot propositions.

"I know about (Proposition) 8, but a lot of the other ones are pretty confusing," he said. "There's no way anyone can really know about some of the issues that are on the ballot."

It's a dilemma facing all voters, a record number of whom have registered for the Nov. 4 election. When they get inside that voting booth, the nearly 30 races, measures and propositions could lead to information overload.

Enthusiasm over Obama's historic candidacy has swollen voter registration rolls, where in Los Angeles County, more than 4.1 million people are registered. Of them, 451,000 are new voters, half of them ages 18 to 25.

Democrats already held a 51 percent to 25 percent edge over Republicans in Los Angeles, with an additional 20 percent registered as independents. Among new voters, however, 56percent are signing up as Democrats, county elections officials said.

Political analysts expect a dropoff in interest as voters, especially the new ones, make their way down the ballot.

"As a rule, there is always a drop-off regardless of the election," said Republican strategist Allan Hoffenblum. "What happens is people get excited about voting for president and then they get their ballot and they see elections for state senators or assemblymen or the ballot propositions and judges. They don't know any of these people, so they just pass and go to issues they are familiar with."

Bob Stern of the Los Angeles-based Center for Governmental Studies agreed, saying it is even more difficult for new voters, who often don't even receive campaign mailings because they haven't voted before.

Among the best known statewide ballot measures is Proposition 8, which would ban gay marriage.

"I imagine there will be some people turning out just for that - on both sides," Stern said.

Jaime Regalado of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles, said it is always a danger that voters pass on certain items.

"At the same time, you get concerned about people voting when they don't know anything about the people or the issue," he said. "With new voters, both parties hope they just vote a straight Democratic or Republican ticket."

Read more.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the Los Angeles Daily News

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Latinos Driving Growth in U.S.

Tony Castro
Staff Writer - Los Angeles Daily News
October 24, 2008

In a historic change with political and cultural implications for the nation's largest minority group, a baby boom has helped Hispanics account for just over half of the overall population growth in the United States since 2000, according to a report released Thursday.

Different from the past, the nation's Latino population growth in this decade has been more a product of birthrate than immigration, according to the report from the Pew Hispanic Center.

Since 2000, the nation's Latino population has increased by 10.2 million - 6 million from births in the United States and 4.2 million from immigration.

"What we are now seeing is the secondary impacts of Hispanic international migration from the '80s and '90s," said Richard Fry, a senior research associate at the center, a nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. "Now fertility - natural increase - is driving Hispanic growth."

Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley are a microcosm of the phenomenon, with heavy immigration waves in the 1980s and 1990s leading to more American-born Latino children, Fry said.

Overall, the nation's Latino population has grown by nearly 30 percent, from about 35 million in 2000 to about 45 million in 2007, according to the Pew report. By comparison, the non-Hispanic U.S. population grew just 4 percent over the same period.

Los Angeles County, where the Latino population has increased by about 435,000 so far this decade, ranked first in the nation in Hispanic population, according to the report.
The Latino population growth so far this century is just a small part of the coming population explosion, demographers say.

California Budget Project researchers estimate that the state's Hispanic population will increase by 65 percent in the next 12 years while its non-Hispanic white population will grow by only 2.3 percent.

In California especially, the Latino population growth could change political power in electing more Hispanics and driving changes in public policy.

Already, U.S.-born children of Latino immigrants in the 1980s and 1990s are influencing change.
"There is a very large, young Hispanic second generation, and these are kids who were born to immigrants in the 1980s and '90s," Fry said. "In terms of California politics, now that these kids are all 18 and they can vote, I think about how they are going to influence the outcome in California."

Jaime Regalado, director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute at California State University, Los Angeles, agrees.

"What that means is that there is going to be an increasing demand on ramping up for a fair share and a far more level playing field virtually across the board," he said. "We've heard that in politics. We've heard that in higher education (and) in K-12, making the schools more balanced, parallel and equal.

"But we're going to be increasingly hearing that as well in business and economic pursuits, whether it's small business, whether it's hiring by corporations or in foundations, whether it's in the leadership of the labor movement."

Read more.

Monday, October 20, 2008

10/22 PBI Panel on "Immigrants, Race Relations and the 2008 Elections"

PBI Logo 1


ADVISORY

Monday, October 20, 2008
For Immediate Release
PBI Contact – Jacqueline Ruiz, 323.343.3770
Media Contact – Edward Headington, 818.720.7181
Website – http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/

Los Angeles, CA. For almost three decades, the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs (PBI) has focused on state and community issues—dedicated to the quest for social justice and equality of opportunity, enlightened civic engagement, and enhancing the quality of life for all Californians. This Wednesday night, less than two weeks before the national elections, the PBI hosts a panel discussion on "Immigrants, Race Relations and the 2008 Elections."

WHO: PBI supporters and staff; immigration experts; community leaders and others

Moderator: Jon Beaupre, California State University Los Angeles, KPCC 89.3 FM frequent guest host, and the Los Angeles Press Club

Panelists: Stewart Kwoh - Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California; Rev. Eric P. Lee - Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles; Angela Sanbrano - National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities; and Ira Mehlman - Federation for American Immigration Reform

WHAT: PBI Panel Discussion on "Immigrants, Race Relations and the 2008 Elections"

WHEN: Wednesday, October 22, 2008; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE: City Club on Bunker Hill @ 333 S Grand Avenue, Suite 5450, Los Angeles, CA 90071; (Wells Fargo Center)

WHY: The panelists will consider the following: What roles do immigration and immigrant communities play in the larger arenas of race and ethnic relations in the U.S.? How do these roles affect local, regional and national politics/political processes? How can we situate debates on immigration within the larger framework of social, economic and political justice?

FYI: Hosted by Southern California Edison and the James Irvine Foundation. RSVP today @ www.patbrowninstitute.org/register/227/.

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The Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs, a presidentially chartered institute at California State University, Los Angeles, is a non-partisan public policy center dedicated to sustaining vision and legacy of former California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown through convening public policy forums, engaging multi sector stakeholders and diverse communities, and conducting timely policy research and community driven initiatives. For more information, go to www.PatBrownInstitute.org/.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the Los Angeles Daily News

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Both won, say supporters, but it was no JFK-Nixon game-changer

Tony Castro
Staff Writer - Los Angeles Daily News
October 16, 2008

The Kennedy-Nixon debates these weren't.

The final presidential debate of the campaign Wednesday night, like its two predecessors, likely won't be remembered as a game-changer.

Oh, the supporters of Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain crowed about their respective candidate winning, especially here in the shadows of the entertainment industry where many San Fernando Valley residents witnessed it at television debate watching parties, which had the feel of mini campaign rallies.

"I thought John McCain won the debate," said Nancy Spero of Tarzana, co-chairwoman of the San Fernando Valley McCain campaign, who had a small get-together at her home. "I thought he scored well in telling Senator Obama that if he wanted to run against George Bush, he should have run four years ago."

"I thought it was the best debate, but all 30 of us here thought Obama won and that nothing will change," said Linda Fidell of Winnetka, a retired professor at California State University, Northridge, who hosted a party at her home. "McCain was just testy and irritable."

But in the end, even Republican Valerie Basham of Mission Hills admitted that she feared that McCain hadn't done enough in this last debate to cut into Obama's lead shown in most national polls.

"I wanted to see him come out with both guns blazing and take him down, but he didn't," said Basham.

Political experts agreed that this debate, like the previous two, had failed to change the dynamics of the campaign - that these debates had not altered the race the way the historic first nationally televised debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960 had.

"There haven't been many game-changers in the history of presidential debates," said Jaime Regalado, director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles. "For there to be a game-changer, somebody needs to hit a home run or commit a balk and neither candidate has done that.

"Everyone talks about JFK-Nixon and that's the mainstay of American politics. Kennedy got it right on the first debate. And even though Nixon did well in the next two debates, nobody remembers them.

"What they remember is a picture of Kennedy straight, unflinching, stoic and in command of issues. Nobody remembers what he said. They remember Nixon looking tired, unshaven with a five o'clock shadow and wearing a gray suit that didn't make him look good."

Read more.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Footage of PBI Panel on Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement

From touch-screen voting to online campaigning, technology is shaping the future of civic engagement. But what does this mean for e-democracy—especially for those individuals and communities without access to the latest technology? This panel considered the promise of technology and how it enables us to acquire and disseminate information.

In debating various notions of e-democracy, the panel looked at the degree to which the digital divide may hinder any aspect of these expectations.

California Agenda Panel Discussion on “Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement”

September 24, 2008

Slideshow of PBI's "Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement"

California Agenda Panel Discussion on “Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement”

September 24, 2008

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the Los Angeles Times

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Unions bet big money on Ridley-Thomas for a labor-friendly swing vote

Seizing a rare opening, unions pour millions into the state senator's L.A. County supervisorial race against Councilman Bernard C. Parks.

Garrett Therolf
Staff Writer - Los Angeles Times
September 14, 2008

Labor unions, whose money already has made this year's race for Los Angeles County supervisor the most expensive ever, plan to spend millions more over the next eight weeks to elect their favored candidate, Mark Ridley-Thomas.

The spending, more than $4.5 million so far, or roughly $65 for each vote Ridley-Thomas won in the first round of the race against Bernard C. Parks in June, reflects how much labor leaders believe they have at stake in the election, which is for the first open seat on the Board of Supervisors in 12 years. Unions have enjoyed strong influence on Los Angeles city government but have had less clout at the county level.

The effort to change that comes amid a scandal that has forced out the leaders of two of the union locals that have been most active in the campaign, both affiliates of the giant Service Employees International Union. In both cases, the local presidents stepped aside after reports in The Times about possible misuse of union funds.

Labor officials say that the problems in the SEIU will not change their plans for continued spending on Ridley-Thomas' behalf using an independent expenditure committee. Such committees can sidestep contribution limits as long as they do not coordinate activities with the candidate.

"Basically, nothing that you've read in the past few weeks has changed who Bernard Parks is," said Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer of the 800,000-member Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. "He is still the man who opposed so many things important to working people, who opposed rent control, who opposed a living wage, who allowed Wal-Mart in."

Although Parks supports Wal-Mart in his district, he was not on the council when the chain got permission to open there.

At the same time, union officials privately concede that they are attempting to recalibrate their political strategy to account for diminished confidence in their own leadership.

"I think you can expect them to try to fly under the radar as much as possible, to not make the leadership of the unions a focal point," said Jaime Regalado, who heads the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A.

Read more.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in the San Jose Mercury News

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Prison guards union plays recall card in high-stakes fight against governor

Edwin Garcia
San Jose Mercury News
September 12, 2008

SACRAMENTO — He stalks the Capitol hallways with the hairy, disheveled look of a homeless man. Mike Jimenez, the leader of one of the state's most powerful public employee unions, vowed to the 31,000 members of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association two years ago that he wouldn't cut his hair until settling a labor contract with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But this past week, with no contract in sight, Jimenez and his union upped the ante considerably by threatening to recall California's governor for the second time in five years.

It's too early to determine if the recall drive launched this week will succeed — many experts call the effort a media spectacle that will fizzle, while others dare not rule anything out because of the organization's tremendous campaign account.

But one thing is clear: The CCPOA's move has pushed special interest politics to an unprecedented level in Sacramento, part of a continuing saga that shows the tight grip that a handful of labor unions and business groups hold on state government.

"Special interests have either ruled the roost or will continue to try that in the future," said Jaime Regalado, executive director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles. "It's just all about what politics — not only in California but politics in state capitols across the country — has been all about, and that is, money and power."

Unlike the recall drive that booted Gov. Gray Davis from office in 2003, which was started by an anti-tax crusader, the current effort appears more self-serving — coming from an influential union that despises the Schwarzenegger administration because the two sides have been unable to agree on a new labor contract for prison guards and parole agents.

But the union, which collects in excess of $29 million annually in members dues — with much of the money supporting and opposing political campaigns that can make or break candidates — downplays the contract's role in the recall effort.

Read more. (emphasis added)

PBI Announces Fall Schedule of Events on Civic Engagement, Immigration and Annual California Policy Issues Conference

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ADVISORY

Friday, September 12, 2008
For Immediate Release
PBI Contact – Jacqueline Ruiz, 323.343.3770
Media Contact – Edward Headington, 818.720.7181
Website – http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/

Los Angeles, CA. For almost three decades, the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs (PBI) has focused on state and community issues—dedicated to the quest for social justice and equality of opportunity, enlightened civic engagement, and enhancing the quality of life for all Californians. In this spirit, PBI announces its fall schedule of events:

* September 24th – California Agenda Panel Discussion on “Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement” (RSVP @ www.patbrowninstitute.org/events/226/)

8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. @ the Los Angeles Marriott Downtown

From touch-screen voting to online campaigning, technology is shaping the future of civic engagement. But what does this mean for e-democracy—especially for those individuals and communities without access to the latest technology? This panel will consider the promise of technology and how it may enable us to acquire and disseminate information. In debating various notions of e-democracy, the panel will look at the degree to which the digital divide may hinder any aspect of these expectations. Our experts also will address what local, state, and national policy initiatives are designed to address the anticipated problems.

* October 22nd – California Agenda Panel Discussion on “Immigration, Immigrants and the 2008 Elections” (RSVP @ www.patbrowninstitute.org/register/227/)

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. @ the City Club on Bunker Hill

Less than two weeks away from the national elections, this panel discussion will focus on the importance of immigration policy and its role in various campaigns. Do the candidates differ from each other in their immigration policy proposals? If immigration has not been fully debated, what factors may explain that? Will this issue resurface in 2009 as a topic, because of the November elections? And in an exciting departure from typical analysis of immigration policy analysis, this panel will also address the degree to which immigrants may have played a role in the 2008 elections.

* November 12th – “PBI 16th Annual California Policy Issues Conference”

8 a.m. to 3 p.m. @ the Millennium Biltmore Hotel

California’s Future on the Horizon: Implications of the 2008 Elections

Full line up of speakers and breakout sessions TBA

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The Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs, a presidentially chartered institute at California State University, Los Angeles, is a non-partisan public policy center dedicated to sustaining vision and legacy of former California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown through convening public policy forums, engaging multi sector stakeholders and diverse communities, and conducting timely policy research and community driven initiatives. For more information, go to www.PatBrownInstitute.org/.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Jaime Regalado quoted in Sacramento Bee

Governor elected in recall now the target of one

Kevin Yamamura
Staff Writer - Sacramento Bee
Tuesday, September 9, 2008

The correctional officers union announced plans Monday to recall Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and it was difficult to avoid comparisons to the historic election that swept him into office nearly five years ago.

Still, California appears a long way from ousting another governor.

Interest groups and frustrated citizens for nearly a century have threatened California governors with removal, but their efforts ended in a special election only once, in 2003. Schwarzenegger is the seventh consecutive California governor to face a recall threat, and this marks the fourth one against him.

It is, however, the first from a group as well-financed as the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, which has spent more than $17 million on political campaigns since 2005.

"If you spend enough money, you could probably find enough people to sign petitions for a recall," said Sal Russo, a GOP consultant who worked on the 2003 recall of Gov. Gray Davis and dismissed the latest attempt.

"But what we've found is that to recall a governor, people need a reason beyond just disagreeing or being unhappy with his performance in office."

He said voters distrusted and disliked Davis in a way that differs from how they feel about Schwarzenegger.

The guards union has fought with Schwarzenegger over prison policies, and it has worked without a long-term contract since 2006. Lance Corcoran, a union spokesman, said Monday that his group is collecting 65 valid signatures to serve Schwarzenegger a notice-of-intent-to-recall. That would set off procedures culminating in a 160-day statewide signature-gathering drive. During that time, CCPOA would have to obtain 1,041,530 valid signatures to qualify the recall.

Political strategists said the recall effort is only as serious as the amount of money the union pumps into it. The leading 2003 signature-gathering committee, Rescue California, spent more than $3.6 million.

"We are 100 percent committed, and we've never been shy about investing in our commitments," Corcoran said.

California will set a record this year for the longest budget impasse; the state is now in the 71st day of its 2008-09 fiscal year without a spending plan.

Schwarzenegger faces the lowest approval ratings of his second term. A Public Policy Institute of California poll last month showed 52 percent of likely voters disapprove of his performance, compared with 43 percent who approve.

Those numbers are not as dismal as Davis' in early 2003, when the Democrat faced a record budget deficit. A Field Poll in April of that year found that 65 percent of voters disapproved of Davis, compared with only 24 percent who approved.

Jaime Regalado, executive director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles, questioned the union's chances of pulling off a successful recall.

"Davis was far more vulnerable," Regalado said. "It seemed like he was blamed for every bad thing: the budgetary impasses, the record deficits and the paralytic style of government in Sacramento."

...

Monday, September 8, 2008

PBI 2.0: The Pat Brown Institute to Use New Media to Promote Events and Legacy of its Namesake

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RELEASE

Monday, September 8, 2008
For Immediate Release
PBI Contact – Jacqueline Ruiz, 323.343.3770
Media Contact – Edward Headington, 818.720.7181
Website – http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/

Los Angeles, CA. For almost three decades, the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs (PBI) has focused on state and community issues. The PBI is dedicated to the quest for social justice and equality of opportunity, enlightened civic engagement, and enhancing the quality of life for all Californians. It resumes the venerated California Agenda forum series later this month with a panel discussion on "Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement."

The PBI is also proud to announce that pre-event notification and post-event recaps have gone “2.0.” In addition to creating a Facebook group and fan page of the late Governor, the Pat Brown Institute now has a My Pat Brown Institute site for its events and issues as well as a group on LinkedIn, a MySpace page, and also Twitters. In just a few short weeks, Pat Brown’s Facebook friends grew into the triple digits and are expected to grow—especially with the panel discussion later this month on “Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement.”

The remaining events on the PBI calendar are as follows:

* September 24th – California Agenda Panel Discussion on “Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement” (RSVP @ http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/events/226/)

* October 22nd – Distinguished Lecture on “Immigration, Immigrants and the 2008 Elections” (RSVP @ http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/register/227/)

* November 12th – “PBI 16th Annual California Policy Issues Conference”

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The Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs is a non-partisan public policy center dedicated to sustaining vision and legacy of former California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown through convening public policy forums, engaging multi sector stakeholders and diverse communities, and conducting timely policy research and community driven initiatives. For more information, go to www.PatBrownInstitute.org/.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Next Pat Brown Institute event on September 24th "Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement"

PBI Logo 1

Wednesday, September 3, 2008
For Immediate Release

LOS ANGELES, CA - For almost three decades, the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs (PBI) has focused on state and community “public affairs” while sustaining the vision and legacy of its namesake and also promoting social justice, enlightened civic engagement and quality of life issues for all Californians. It continues its long tradition of great events later this month with a California Agenda panel on "Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement."

WHO - Moderator - Pete Manzo with the Advancement ProjectPanelists - Kim Alexander with the California Voter Foundation; Sunne McPeak with California Emerging Technology Fund; and Tracy Westen with the Center for Governmental Studies.

WHAT - Panel Discussion on "Technology and the Future of Civic Engagement"

WHEN - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

WHERE - Los Angeles Downtown Marriott (in the Concourse Ballroom) @ 333 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071

WHY - The panel will address the following: from touch-screen voting to online campaigning, technology is shaping the future of civic engagement. But what does this mean for e-democracy—especially for those individuals and communities without access to the latest technology? It will also consider the promise of technology and how it may enable us to acquire and disseminate information. In debating various notions of e-democracy, the panel will look at the degree to which the digital divide may hinder any aspect of these expectations. Our experts also will address what local, state, and national policy initiatives are designed to address the anticipated problems.

FYI - There is no cost to attend, a light breakfast is served and it is open to the public. Space is limited so please register online as soon as possible at www.PatBrownInstitute.org/register/226/.


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The Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs is a non-partisan public policy center dedicated to the living legacy of former California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown. The Institute is committed to conducting timely public policy research, organizing and participating in policy debates, collaborating on community-driven initiatives, and facilitating educational opportunities for diverse communities. For more information, go to http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/.