Poizner's Statement on Meg Whitman’s Central Valley TV Ad

SACRAMENTO - Team Poizner Communications Director Jarrod Agen issued the following statement today in response to Meg Whitman’s television ad in the Central Valley.

“Meg Whitman’s millions cannot hide the fact that she fought for the delta smelt over farmers when she contributed $300,000 to the liberal Environmental Defense Fund and when she supported Barbara Boxer in 2004. Despite this latest ad, voters won’t be fooled because they already know Meg Whitman is no friend to the Central Valley.”

Whitman Gave $300,000 To EDF, Which Opposes Waiving The Endangered Species Act And Allowing Water Flows Into The Central Valley:

In 2008, Whitman Gave $200,000 To The Environmental Defense Fund, Specifically To The Center For Rivers And Deltas. “She gave $200,000 to the Environmental Defense Fund for a project aimed at rescuing the Delta, but as a candidate she has sided against environmentalists in the debate.” (Ken McLaughlin, “Latest Tax Returns From Meg Whitman’s Foundation May Raise Further Questions About Her Environmental Record,” The [San Jose] Mercury News, 11/18/09)

* Whitman Already Gave $100,000 To The Environmental Defense Fund’s Center For Rivers And Deltas In 2007. “Whitman in June joined farming interests in calling on Congress to suspend the Endangered Species Act to give more water to farmers and less to the endangered Delta smelt, a finger-sized fish seen as an indicator of the overall health of the Delta. But in 2007, her foundation contributed $100,000 to the Environmental Defense Fund for its Delta project.” (Ken McLaughlin, “Latest Tax Returns From Meg Whitman’s Foundation May Raise Further Questions About Her Environmental Record,” The [San Jose] Mercury News, 11/18/09)

The Fresno Bee’s News Blog: “The EDF is one of the groups involved in limiting water deliveries from the Delta for agriculture to protect endangered species.” (Tim Sheehan, “Whitman Brings Her Campaign To Fresno Chamber,” The Fresno Bee’s “News” Blog, www.fresnobeehive.com, 2/9/10)

EDF Headline On Website: “Water Is Too Cheap And Supply Is Limited.” (Environmental Defense Fund, “A Water Crisis in the West, www.edf.org, 8/4/09)

* NOTE: “The problem with water in the West is not just that supply is limited, but that it is too cheap.” (Environmental Defense Fund, “A Water Crisis in the West, www.edf.org, 8/4/09)

EDF Criticized The Wall Street Journal, Arguing That It Was Not A False Choice Between Fish Versus Jobs. “The Wall Street Journal’s editorial ‘California’s Man-Made Drought’ (Sept. 2), buys into the false choice of fish versus jobs. It is disappointing that the Journal, given its financial focus, fails to address or even acknowledge opportunities for market-based solutions to improve water use efficiency. The editorial also ignores many salient aspects of water management in California.” (Spreck Rosekrans, “The Wall Street Journal Buys Into A False Choice,” Environmental Defense Fund’s “On The Water Front” Blog, blogs.edf.org, 9/3/09)

EDF’s Cynthia Koehler And Center For Rivers And Deltas’ Laura Harnish Said Waiving The Endangered Species Act For Fish Would Not Secure The Economic Health Of The Central Valley. “The premise behind the waiver proposal — that problems facing San Joaquin agriculture will be resolved if the massive pumps that move water from the Delta to the Valley are turned back on and the water flows again — is an appealing one. Putting aside the question of whether pumping more water would mean the demise of our salmon and other fisheries; would ending endangered fish protections secure the economic health of the San Joaquin Valley’s agricultural sector? The answer is no.” (Cynthia Koehler and Laura Harnish, Op-Ed, “The Water Debate We Are Not Having,” Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com, 6/3/09)

According To EDF And Center For Rivers And Deltas, “Protections For Endangered Fish Are Not The Major Cause Of Farmers’ Water-Related Pain.” “Protections for endangered fish are not the major cause of farmers’ water-related pain. Officials estimate that without restrictions on pumping to protect endangered fish, farmers who receive water from the State Water Project might see their irrigation allocations reach 35 percent this year instead of 30 percent, while allocations for south-of-Delta farmers using the federal Central Valley Project would see an increase in their allocations from 10 percent to 15 percent.” (Cynthia Koehler and Laura Harnish, Op-Ed, “The Water Debate We Are Not Having,” Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com, 6/3/09)

EDF And Center For Rivers And Deltas Reiterated That Eliminating The Endangered Species Act Protections Would Not Restore Economic Vitality. “So while we acknowledge that protecting fish somewhat reduces the amount of water available for San Joaquin farming, and that this has economic impacts, the question remains: would eliminating endangered species protections restore economic health to the Valley? Again, the answer is no.” (Cynthia Koehler and Laura Harnish, Op-Ed, “The Water Debate We Are Not Having,” Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com, 6/3/09)

EDF Argued That The Farmers Had No Right To Sue In The Case As Individuals. “A direct action by petitioners against the United States is inconsistent with the exclusive exchange of performance obligations between the bureau and the district.” (Brief for Natural Resources Defense Council, et al. as Respondents, Orff v. United States, 545 U.S. 596 (2005) (No. 03-1566))

Whitman Campaign launches new television ad

CUPERTINO - The Meg Whitman for Governor Campaign today announced the launch of a new, 60-second television ad highlighting Meg's support for California's $36 billion agriculture industry and the issues important to California's farmers and ranchers. The ad features former California Secretary of State Bill Jones and California Farm Bureau Federation President Paul Wenger. The California Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization, endorsed Whitman last month. The ad will be broadcast on television stations throughout the Central Valley.

In the ad, Jones says, the Farm Bureau endorsement of Meg shows "a strong sentiment across the entire industry."

Wenger says, "We're looking for a candidate who understands some of the challenges that we have in our industry today and Meg, she met with our board of directors, she had open ears, and she's about solving problems and coming up with solutions."

The Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce, California Citrus Mutual, the California Farm Labor Contractors' Alliance and Nisei Farmers League have also endorsed Whitman.

To view the ad, click here.

Poizner Charges Whitman Profited from Creating Site for Pornography Sales

SACRAMENTO - Steve Poizner for Governor today released the following web video highlighting Meg Whitman’s business history of creating a special site for the sale of pornography and sex paraphernalia.

“Do Republicans want a governor who directly profited from selling pornography and sex paraphernalia? Meg Whitman oversaw the creation of a special website just to sell pornography and amassed millions in profits from it,” said Press Secretary Bettina Inclan. “If Californians wanted a governor who made a fortune off pornography, then Larry Flynt would now be in office.”

Whitman Oversaw The Growth Of Pornography Sales On EBay:

Meg Whitman Oversaw The Growth Of EBay’s Adults Only Section, “Linking Buyers And Purveyors Of Porn And Sex Paraphernalia.” “The reason that’s uplifting news is that the woman ultimately responsible for these offerings is now the frontrunner in the Republican gubernatorial primary. During her 10 years as CEO of eBay, Meg Whitman oversaw the growth of the auction site’s Adults Only section, linking buyers and purveyors of porn and sex paraphernalia.” (Matt Smith, “Republican Meg Whitman’s Secret Past As A Porn-Peddling CEO At EBay,” SF Weekly, 1/13/10)

Whitman Touts Her EBay Success, But Neglects To Mention How Porn Has Contributed To E-Commerce. “On the campaign trail, Whitman has touted herself as a business whiz able to bring jobs to the state. ‘We must overcome our challenges by counting on the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that is a hallmark of California,’ she said in a statement last week. But she didn’t note that California’s modern entrepreneurial spirit often involves selling sex. After all, since its inception, the Internet’s success has been aided by porn.” (Matt Smith, “Republican Meg Whitman’s Secret Past As A Porn-Peddling CEO At EBay,” SF Weekly, 1/13/10)

In 2000, Experts Estimated That Pornographic Materials And Items Make Up To 5 Percent Of EBay’s Overall Transactions, Earning Millions Of Dollars. “While eBay insists that adult sales represent less than 1 percent of its overall transactions, online porn and auction experts put the percentage higher, somewhere between 1 percent and 5 percent. With eBay’s gross revenue at roughly $2.8 billion a year, that means up to $140 million in extra cash…” (Deborah Picker, “X-Rated EBay,” LA Weekly, 3/16/00)

* The EBay Adult Section Would Be “Considered Quite Successful” Based On The Amount Of Activity. “‘If [the adult section] were a Web site alone, it would be considered quite successful, judging from the amount of activity it gets,’ says Mark Dodd, co-founder of AuctionWatch, a San Bruno–based company that tracks online auctions.” (Deborah Picker, “X-Rated EBay,” LA Weekly, 3/16/00)

Whitman Oversaw The Creation Of The Adult Only Section Dedicated Exclusively To The Sale Of Pornography. “Prior to the company’s 1998 IPO, Whitman oversaw the creation of an eBay section, Adult Only, dedicated exclusively to the sale of pornography, rather than simply including porn items in auctions for more mainstream movies, magazines, or toys. The move was couched as a way to sanitize the overall site. But it was also prescient marketing…” (Matt Smith, “Republican Meg Whitman’s Secret Past As A Porn-Peddling CEO At EBay,” SF Weekly, 1/13/10)

EBay’s Adult Sales “Quickly Displacing Adult Bookstores As The Favored Spot To Buy Used Men’s Magazines.” “And while these sales haven’t exactly rocked the porn industry, Frederick S. Lane, author of Obscene Profits, a study of pornography in the cyber age, feels eBay is quickly displacing adult bookstores as the favored spot to buy used men‘s magazines. Lane also notes that eBay is part of the broader $2 billion adult e-commerce boom that ‘has wiped out at least half of the existing adult mail-order sales over the last three years.’” (Deborah Picker, “X-Rated EBay,” LA Weekly, 3/16/00)

Whitman Herself Has Admitted That Pornography Was On Her Managerial Radar. “Whitman herself revealed in a February 2008 sworn declaration for the Kepas case that porn was indeed on her managerial radar. ‘Certain proposals concerning eBay’s mature audiences policies were presented to me,’ she wrote.” (Matt Smith, “Republican Meg Whitman’s Secret Past As A Porn-Peddling CEO At EBay,” SF Weekly, 1/13/10)

“‘I Have To Believe, At Least In A Subterranean Way, There Are People Who Will Start Talking About It And Be Concerned About It,’ Said Henry Brady, Dean Of The Goldman School Of Public Policy At UC Berkeley.” (Matt Smith, “Republican Meg Whitman’s Secret Past As A Porn-Peddling CEO At EBay,” SF Weekly, 1/13/10)

Board of Supervisors to Address $223 Million Shortfall During Budget Workshops

WHAT:

At budget workshops beginning Tuesday, the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors will review proposed budget recommendations for Fiscal Year 2011. County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith is recommending that the Board adopt a budget that addresses the County’s $223.2 million General Fund deficit. FY 2011 is the 9th year for which the County has had to balance a projected deficit.

The County Executive is recommending a total County budget of $4.2 billion, of which the General Fund share is $2.2 billion. The $223.2 million deficit applies to the General Fund, which supports services which do not have fully dedicated funding, such as the Sheriff, District Attorney, jails, hospitals and clinics, mental health, and public health to name a few. Funds for operations such as Parks and Roads and Airports are not included in the General Fund.

Recommended reductions do not include reductions which may be required once the FY 2011 State budget is approved sometime in the summer.

WHEN:

May 18, May 19, and May 20, 2010

WHERE:

Board Chambers, County Government Center, 70 W. Hedding Street, San Jose

WHO:

County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors
County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith
Agency/Department Heads

BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 1:30 p.m.
• Budget Overview
• Children, Seniors and Families: Department of Child Support Services, In Home Supportive Services
• Health and Hospital: Children’s Shelter and Custody Health Services, Alcohol and Drug Services, Community Health Services,
Valley Health Plan, Public Health and Mental Health.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 6:30 p.m.
• Children, Seniors and Families, continued: Social Services Agency
• Health and Hospital, continued: Valley Medical Center

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 1:30 p.m.
• Finance and Government Operations: Special Programs and Reserves, Contingencies, Board of Supervisors, Clerk of the Board,
County Executive’s Office and LAFCO/ Affordable Housing, Assessor, Procurement, County Counsel, Registrar of Voters,
Information Services Department, Three Year Technology Plan, County Communications, Facilities and Fleet, Capital Programs,
County Library, Employee Services Agency, and Finance Agency.

Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 1:30 p.m.
• Public Safety and Justice: Office of the District Attorney, Office of the Sheriff, Medical Examiner-Coroner, Office of the Public Defender,
Office of Pretrial Services, Department of Correction, Probation Department, and Criminal Justice System-wide Costs.
• Housing, Land Use, Environment and Transportation: Measure B, Planning and Development, Agriculture and Environmental Management,
Department of Environmental Health and Vector Control District, Parks and Recreation, and Roads and Airports Department.

Budget hearing meetings to make final decisions on the FY 2011 Budget will take place June 14, 15, 16 and 18, 2010.

San Jose Employee Unions Offer Alternative Budget

SAN JOSE - Working with $25 million in ongoing concessions from City employee unions, an alternative community budget was unveiled today that provides a global solution to San Jose’s budget crisis with no cuts in City services.

City Councilmembers Nancy Pyle, Madison Nguyen and Kansen Chu accepted a ceremonial $25 million check from seven unions representing their voluntary contributions to closing the City’s $116 million budget gap. After $71 million in savings identified by the City Manager, the alternative community budget closes the remainder of the deficit through measures such as elimination of vacant City jobs, elimination of a reserve for laid-off workers that no longer would be necessary and use of reserve funds.

"We refuse to give up on San Jose. We're looking for solutions, not scapegoats," said Bob Brownstein, research and policy director for Working Partnerships USA, which provided research and analysis assistance for the community budget.

Press conference speakers included union and community leaders who helped develop the alternative community budget and urged the City Council to adopt it.

"This is a serious time in San Jose and the participating unions have offered serious concessions that support a fiscally responsible community budget protecting the safety of our residents and keeping libraries, parks and community centers open," said Randy Sekany, president of San Jose Firefighters, Local 230.

Reed Issues Statement on Fraudulent Mailer in Council Distrct 5 Electioni

SAN JOSE – Mayor Chuck Reed today released the following statement regarding a campaign piece mailed to voters in the District Five City Council race that falsely used the campaign address and FPPC identification to misrepresent the campaign of candidate Magdalena Carrasco:

Misleading the public with false addresses and pretending to be a candidate is a new low in San Jose campaigns and should be condemned by everyone, including all the candidates for District 5. This kind of behavior will not be excused or tolerated in San Jose. The bogus mail piece sent out pretending to be from Magdalena Carrasco is a clear violation of state and city laws and the perpetrators should be found and prosecuted.

The fraudulent use of a candidate's campaign ID is illegal. I am calling immediately for an investigation by the City of San Jose Elections Commission, Santa Clara County District Attorney, Fair Political Practices Commission, and the U.S. Postal Service.

I urge anyone with knowledge of this mail piece and how it was developed to call the San Jose Elections Commission at 408-975-2666.

Carrasco Denounces Illegal Campaign Mailer and Demands Immediate Investigation

SAN JOSE - Magdalena Carrasco, District 5 candidate for the San Jose City Council, today denounced a negative campaign mailer attempting to scare members of the Vietnamese community. Using the communist flag, the mailer is hand stamped; hand labeled and falsely lists paid disclosures coming from her campaign.

“I had no doubt this would be a tough campaign,” Carrasco said, “but I didn’t expect my opposition to make vile claims that purportedly came from me.”

Targeting the Vietnamese community in this is manner is extremely predatory and disrespectful. It ignores the sensitive and deep history of the Vietnamese people as well as the rich contributions they offer to San Jose.

“I have a profound respect of and I am strongly supportive of the Vietnamese community. I am proud that I have run a positive campaign for this important office,” Carrasco said. “My opposition apparently does not believe in doing that, and in this act of desperation, their activities are sinking into the realm of criminality by employing these tactics. I will file complaints against the mailers and demand investigations from the San Jose Elections Commission, the Fair Political Practices Commission as well as the Santa Clara District Attorney.

“These kinds of campaign tactics are disgusting and I promise that if the voters elect me, I will serve our District and our City with distinction, honor and integrity,” Carrasco said. “This type of smear campaign should have no place in our City or in our politics.”

This negative mailer comes after Carrasco’s winning of several pivotal campaign endorsements including Mayor Chuck Reed, Vice Mayor Judy Chirco, Councilmember Sam Liccardo, the San Jose Mercury News, the Metro Silicon Valley Weekly Newspaper and the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Lofgren Endorses Rosen for DA

SAN JOSE - This Friday morning Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren held a press conference to announce that she is endorsing me for District Attorney.

She is the only Member of Congress who has made an endorsement, and I am honored to have her support.

Watch the KTVU Channel 2 Fox News story

Here is a portion of Congresswoman Lofgren's speech:

"Jeff is a well informed, no-nonsense prosecutor with a proven moral compass and ethical standards. He will provide experienced leadership and thoughtful management."

"The most important function of the DA is to lead and inspire a staff of talented
attorneys to protect public safety while doing justice, not just winning at all
costs...I am proud to join the Deputy Sheriffs' Association, the County Bar Association, and a host of others in urging a vote for Jeff Rosen for District
Attorney of Santa Clara County."

The press conference was held in front of Santa Clara County's Hall of Justice. San Jose City Councilman Sam Liccardo introduced Congresswoman Lofgren. After her speech, I spoke about how I will restore public trust in the DA's office by focusing on public safety and fairness.

Whitman announces California Grand Jury on Waste, Fraud and Abuse

CUPERTINO - Meg Whitman today announced her plan to create the first California Statewide Grand Jury on Waste, Fraud and Abuse.

"As Governor, I'm going to prosecute fraud, clean up waste and stop abuse in state government. We are facing a huge budget deficit and there's no better time to root out fraud and waste and I will be appointing California citizens to sit on the grand jury,'' Meg Whitman said.

"This grand jury will have the powers to subpoena, indict and hand over cases for civil and criminal prosecutions," said Whitman. "The bottom line is, when I'm Governor, there will be consequences. I want to be able to look taxpayers in the eye and tell them their tax dollars are being well spent."

In addition to the Grand Jury, Whitman will make the Inspector General a cabinet-level job and give the inspector real teeth to investigate how taxpayers' dollars are being spent and hand over the worst cases for the Grand Jury to investigate, and then to the Attorney General to prosecute.

As Governor, she will use her line-item veto authority to cut waste from government and appoint department and agency heads who have real-world experience managing budgets, demanding efficiencies and doing more with less.

Throughout her campaign, Whitman has outlined dozens of reforms and initiatives in her plan to "Build A New California" to ensure that the state government lives within its means.

San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed Endorses Magdalena Carrasco

SAN JOSE - Magdalena Carrasco won a major endorsement from San Jose’s Mayor Chuck Reed today.

"Magdalena’s commitment to place the residents of her District first in the budget decisions, her commitment to the City’s financial future and her understanding for the need for a two-tier system for new employees convinces me that she is the best person to represent District 5”.

“I’m proud and honored to receive Mayor Reed’s support as I continue my campaign to represent the hard working people of the 5th Council District,” Carrasco said. “My candidacy has always been about ensuring that the citizens of District 5 have a strong and effective voice at city hall. The endorsement of the Mayor is one step closer toward that goal.”

Mayor Reed joins a growing list of significant and important San Jose leaders supporting Magdalena including: San Jose Vice Mayor Judy Chirco, Councilmember Sam Liccardo, the San Jose Mercury News, the Metro Silicon Valley Weekly Newspaper, Santa Clara County Association of Realtors and the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce.

More information about Magdalena's run for City Council can be found at her campaign website at www.votemagdalena.com.

Poizner Blasts Whitman for Supporting Abortion Funding

SACRAMENTO - Meg Whitman isn’t just a radical abortion-rights advocate – she’s also disingenuous and misinformed. And she will say or do anything to get elected, including smearing Steve Poizner.

Let’s set the record straight. Whitman currently supports taxpayer-funded abortions and refuses to endorse this year’s Parental Notification initiative. We’re not talking about positions she took four years ago, or even two years ago. These are positions she has taken during her current campaign for governor.

Yesterday, a misinformed Whitman surrogate suggested that Meg Whitman was against taxpayer-funded abortions, yet, in a personal conversation I had with her not too long ago, Whitman told me that she thought that abortions were a “right” and that the government was entitled to provide all women with the funding necessary to exercise their “right” to abort an unborn child.

Radical abortion-rights advocate Whitman also stated that same sentiment in an interview with Jon Fleischman, saying that she supports public funding of abortions because it would be, “…unfair to women who cannot afford an abortion.”

That’s right – Meg Whitman said, “I support public funding” and she also said in the same interview that an abortion “needs to be available to all women, and whether you are rich or poor.” She again, in that interview, called taxpayer-funded abortion a “right.”

Simply put, Meg Whitman isn’t just pro-abortion rights, she’s a radical advocate who does not share the values of social conservatives in California. She’s out of touch and out of step with the vast majority of Republicans in our state.

In contrast, Steve Poizner is opposed to taxpayer-funded abortions. He opposes partial-birth abortions. And he has enthusiastically endorsed the Parental Notification initiative currently being circulated for voter approval. His position on abortion is crystal-clear and while I may not agree with all of his positions, past or present, I can say in good conscience that Steve Poizner is committed to driving the number of abortions in our state to zero and opposes forcing taxpayers to fund abortions. Steve shares our values and will work with social conservatives as governor to ensure that these values are protected.

Meg Whitman should be ashamed of herself for smearing Steve Poizner with tens of millions of dollars in negative advertising. She should also be ashamed of her efforts to cover up and misinform voters about her radical pro-abortion positions. How can a candidate take such a “principled” stance in favor of taxpayer-funded abortions only to claim to believe something completely differently just a few months later? She has lied to voters about her beliefs, and those of her opponent. And we must do everything we can to stop her from being our party’s nominee for governor.

I’m endorsing Steve Poizner for governor because I believe he’s the only candidate who is committed to opposing the public funding of abortion and to standing up for the values that social conservatives believe in.

SJECCD Selects Three Finalists for Chancellor

SAN JOSÉ, CA — The San José/Evergreen Community College District has selected three finalists for chancellor of the district with two colleges, making up approximately 26,000 students. The finalists are: Dr. David Wain Coon, President, Evergreen Valley College; Dr. Rita Cepeda, President, San Diego Mesa College; and Dr. Raul Rodriguez, President, San Joaquin Delta College. A series of public forums have been scheduled to learn more about each candidate and to ask questions:

Finalist
Dr. David Wain Coon

Thursday, May 13, 2010
12:30-1:30
Evergreen Valley College
3095 Yerba Buena Rd.
Montgomery Hall

San José City College
2:30-3:30
2100 Moorpark Ave.
College Theater

FINALIST
Dr. Raul Rodriguez

Monday, May 17, 2010
12:30-1:30
Evergreen Valley College
3095 Yerba Buena Rd.
Montgomery Hall

San José City College
2:30-3:30
2100 Moorpark Ave.
College Theater

FINALIST
Dr. Rita Cepeda

Tuesday, May 18, 2010
12:30-1:30
Evergreen Valley College
3095 Yerba Buena Rd.
Montgomery Hall

San José City College
3:30-4:30
2100 Moorpark Ave.
College Theater

It is anticipated that the new Chancellor will be appointed with the employment start date of July 2010.

The following is some additional information on each finalist:

Dr. David Wain Coon: President, Evergreen Valley College since July 2005; Has served as Vice President for Student Success at Cascadia Community College in Washington; Vice President/Dean of Student Services at the Art Institute of Seattle; Director of Student Development at Pierce Community College.

Dr. Raul Rodriguez: Superintendent/President, San Joaquin Delta College since 2002; Has served as President for Los Medanos College; Interim President of San José City College.

Dr. Rita Cepeda: President, San Diego Mesa College since 2005; Has served as Superintendent/President of Compton College in the State Special Intervention Team; President, Santa Ana College; Interim President of Mission College; and Vice Chancellor of Transfer, Curriculum and Instructional Resources at the State Chancellor’s Office.

Public Poll Shows Poizner Surging, Whitman Collapsing

SACRAMENTO - Steve Poizner’s massive momentum in the Republican primary race for governor continues today with a new SurveyUSA poll that shows Steve within two points of Meg Whitman.

Team Poizner Communications Director Jarrod Agen issued the following statement on the latest poll:

“Steve’s message of cutting taxes and ending illegal immigration is clearly resonating with Republican voters. A grassroots candidate like Steve Poizner is what voters are looking for, not an out-of-touch non-voter like Meg Whitman.”

Watch KABC’s news segment on the SurveyUSA poll here.

California Latino Legislative Caucus Endorses Alberto Torrico for California Attorney General

SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Latino Legislative Caucus announced today its endorsement of Alberto Torrico for Attorney General. The Latino Legislative Caucus is comprised of twenty-seven members – including Latino Senators and Assemblymembers – and is one of the largest and most influential organizations within the State Legislature. Torrico, who has already emerged as the candidate with the strongest backing from public safety and from labor, has become the choice of the Latino community to be California’s next Attorney General.

The full Latino Legislative Caucus endorsement follows early endorsements from Caucus Chair Senator Gil Cedillo and Vice Chair Assemblyman Tony Mendoza. Other caucus members who had previously announced their support for Torrico include Senator Lou Correa, Senator Alex Padilla, Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes, Assemblyman Juan Arambula, Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, Assemblyman Manuel Perez, Assemblyman Jose Solorio and Assemblywoman Norma Torres.

“Alberto Torrico’s leadership on pressing issues such as education and prison reform make him the best choice for Attorney General,” said Caucus Vice Chair Assemblyman Tony Mendoza. “His vision for a safer and smarter California based on educating our young people is precisely what the Latino community and California as a whole needs in an Attorney General.”

Alberto Torrico is the author of AB 656 – Fair Share for Fair Tuition – that will generate $2 billion a year for higher education in California through a 12.5% oil extraction fee. He also authored AB 2252 – Universal Access to Preschool – a bill that would allow all children in California to attend preschool and get a head start in life.

“The issues I care most about – prison reform, funding higher education, making preschool available to all our children – are issues that have a direct impact on California’s Latino community,” said Torrico. “As the son of a Latino immigrant, I understand the very real need to champion these important issues, for the Latino community and California as a whole.”

Gilroy Disptach Endorses Rosen for District Attorney

Details available here

Gilroy Dispatch and Morgan Hill Times Endorse Alvarado for Supervisor

Details are available here

Márquez and Herrera win case to restore Medi-Cal benefits to at-risk youths

Lawsuit by Santa Clara County and San Francisco forces State to cover inpatient psychiatric care for youths in custody, end cost-shifting to local governments

SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco Superior Court has ordered the State of California and its Department of Health Care Services to provide Medi-Cal coverage for youths in need of inpatient psychiatric treatment while they are in the custody of a public institution and immediately following their release. The judgment entered late Tuesday comes in response to a lawsuit filed in Oct. 2007 by the City and County of San Francisco and the County of Santa Clara, which alleged that California’s Medi-Cal system was violating federal and state laws by cutting off coverage for all youths who entered juvenile detention facilities, and by refusing to cover certain essential hospital services for which federal funding was available. As a result, at-risk youths with serious medical and psychiatric needs often received no health coverage after their release, forcing counties like San Francisco and Santa Clara to bear the full burden of paying for their care.

“I’m gratified by the Court’s ruling to make the state live up to its obligations to provide adequate coverage for juveniles in custody, and to stop pushing this burden onto local governments,” said San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera. “Youths in custody often suffer from mental illness and severe substance abuse issues. At a time in which our national leaders have begun to address spiraling medical costs and inadequate coverage by enacting comprehensive health care reform, it’s critical for the state to own up to its responsibilities, and provide at-risk youths with the coverage to which they’re entitled under the law.”

“Both the legislative victory and this court decision help ensure that at-risk youths get the consistent psychiatric care they need—before, during and after being taken into custody,” said Miguel Márquez, Acting County Counsel for the County of Santa Clara. “Consistent care is critical if we’re serious about reintegrating detained youths into the community as productive, healthy members of society and preventing entry into the juvenile detention system from becoming a revolving door.”

The lawsuit by San Francisco and Santa Clara also prompted the proposal and passage of SB 1147, which Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law in 2008. That legislation requires the State to suspend—rather than terminate—youths’ enrollment in Medi-Cal while they are in custody. The court ruling provides additional protection to youths who need intensive psychiatric treatment. Such at-risk youths are dramatically overrepresented in juvenile detention facilities.

Funded by both the federal and state government, and administered by Department of Health Care Services, Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program which provides healthcare coverage to low-income minors and their families.

The case is City and County of San Francisco, County of Santa Clara v. State of California, California Department of Health Care Services, Sandra Shewry et al., San Francisco Superior Court Case No. 468-241, filed Oct. 16, 2007. For more information and related documents, visit the San Francisco City Attorney’s Web site.

SJECCD Appoints Acting Chancellor

SAN JOSÉ, CA — The San José/Evergreen Community College District (SJECCD) Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Doug Treadway as the new Acting Chancellor, replacing Jeanine Hawk, who has filled the position since November 2009.

Board President Balbir Dhillon says, “Our district needs stability and we have full confidence in Dr. Treadway’s leadership while we conduct a search for a permanent Chancellor. It is incumbent upon all of us to work together as a district community with courage, compassion, and leadership during a critical period of change and that we remain focused on providing the highest quality of education to our students.”

Dr. Treadway has been serving the district as the Interim President of San José City College since February and brings decades of experience in successfully overseeing education institutions. He has been a higher education consultant specializing in leadership training, international development, and environmental sustainability. He retired from Ohlone College in 2008, where he served as President/Superintendent for five years. He holds a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Northwestern University and pursued postdoctoral study at Harvard University. In addition to his chief executive officer career, he has served on the faculties of Northwestern University, the University of Hawaii and Oregon State University. He is the author of 20 research and scholarly publications in the fields of higher education, community and human development.

“I appreciate the confidence shown by the Board of Trustees in making this appointment. I am eager to work collaboratively with our faculty, classified staff and our students to deliver quality education in a caring and respectful environment”, said Dr. Treadway. Treadway went on to say, “I pledge to foster an open and transparent atmosphere where everyone’s voice will be heard and I look forward to moving the district in the direction of continued academic excellence.”

The District’s Chancellor Rosa Pérez has been on medical leave since November.