ARTICLE
There are two separate races for California’s next Governor taking shape as we ring in the New Year. The first question on people’s minds is who will sit in the Capitol corner office in 2019? And the second question, what will Governor Brown do as the lame duck Governor? In a few days Governor Brown will release his 2018-19 budget plan. That will set the stage of our legislature posing extra funding ideas to cater to their constituents, while the Governor focuses on policy and issues to cement his legacy. The race for the corner office is moving from the back room cash for candidates’ events to the front lines. Each candidate is placing their policy plans and ideas before the voters that officially begins when the candidates square off in toe-to-toe debates. On Tuesday morning, January 23, the Chamber will hold our Annual Members’ Meeting at the Dream Inn where I hope you would join us to hear Dan Schnur, a commentator who is one of the most respected political analysts in California talk about the 2018 political in California and Washington DC. This is your first-hand opportunity to get insight about the 2018 election cycle. You can register for the Annual Meeting here. In the governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has dominated fundraising to date, in part because he entered the contest nearly three years ago. State Treasurer John Chiang and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have raised millions too and are hoping to reduce Newsom’s gaping financial advantage. Former state schools chief Delaine Eastin, Assemblyman Travis Allen and businessman John Cox’s reports will also be scrutinized to determine whether they have raised enough money to fund a statewide campaign. There will be an increased focus on the governor’s race as the year moves on with fund raising events and campaign slogans, sound bites and the social media outlets through outlandish promises of which candidate is best for our state. But the real conversation for 2018 will be about Jerry Brown as sitting governor and what he plans to do to make his presence felt. Beyond the expected gubernatorial duties of presenting a budget and signing or vetoing bills, Brown is sure to use the governor’s bully pulpit to continue his crusade on climate change and shoring up the high-speed rail before he leaves office. The June and November ballot will also be packed with initiatives. Will Governor Brown use any of his $15 million of campaign money to defeat a gas tax repeal and leave his successor with the whole budget and not a budget with a hole? Such an accomplishment would be meaningful to Brown. Brown will prepare his last budget based on the estimated $5.2 billion annual revenue expected to come in with the gas and vehicle fee boost. If voters reject the gas tax via a ballot initiative the next governor could see a sizeable hole in the spending plans going forward. When Brown ended his first tour as governor in the early 1980s he left behind a messy budget deficit for successor George Deukmejian. Brown also remembers well that his father, Pat Brown, left new governor Ronald Reagan with a big budget problem. Polling shows support for a potential ballot measure to end the gas tax increase approved this past year. If the measure gets on the ballot you can be sure there will be a well-funded effort to oppose the measure with an unusual combination of construction unions and big business - both holding the shovel to scoop money into the campaign. Expect Brown to throw a few bags of cash and a lot of personal effort at preserving the tax. Brown will do all he can to make sure he leaves the next governor in healthy fiscal circumstances. Join us at the Dream Inn on January 23rd to get an insider’s look at California and national politics. It will be an event you don’t want to miss. Click Here to Register Today!
There are two separate races for California’s next Governor taking shape as we ring in the New Year. The first question on people’s minds is who will sit in the Capitol corner office in 2019? And the second question, what will Governor Brown do as the lame duck Governor?
In a few days Governor Brown will release his 2018-19 budget plan. That will set the stage of our legislature posing extra funding ideas to cater to their constituents, while the Governor focuses on policy and issues to cement his legacy.
The race for the corner office is moving from the back room cash for candidates’ events to the front lines. Each candidate is placing their policy plans and ideas before the voters that officially begins when the candidates square off in toe-to-toe debates.
On Tuesday morning, January 23, the Chamber will hold our Annual Members’ Meeting at the Dream Inn where I hope you would join us to hear Dan Schnur, a commentator who is one of the most respected political analysts in California talk about the 2018 political in California and Washington DC. This is your first-hand opportunity to get insight about the 2018 election cycle.
You can register for the Annual Meeting here.
In the governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has dominated fundraising to date, in part because he entered the contest nearly three years ago. State Treasurer John Chiang and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have raised millions too and are hoping to reduce Newsom’s gaping financial advantage. Former state schools chief Delaine Eastin, Assemblyman Travis Allen and businessman John Cox’s reports will also be scrutinized to determine whether they have raised enough money to fund a statewide campaign.
There will be an increased focus on the governor’s race as the year moves on with fund raising events and campaign slogans, sound bites and the social media outlets through outlandish promises of which candidate is best for our state.
But the real conversation for 2018 will be about Jerry Brown as sitting governor and what he plans to do to make his presence felt. Beyond the expected gubernatorial duties of presenting a budget and signing or vetoing bills, Brown is sure to use the governor’s bully pulpit to continue his crusade on climate change and shoring up the high-speed rail before he leaves office.
The June and November ballot will also be packed with initiatives.
Will Governor Brown use any of his $15 million of campaign money to defeat a gas tax repeal and leave his successor with the whole budget and not a budget with a hole? Such an accomplishment would be meaningful to Brown.
Brown will prepare his last budget based on the estimated $5.2 billion annual revenue expected to come in with the gas and vehicle fee boost. If voters reject the gas tax via a ballot initiative the next governor could see a sizeable hole in the spending plans going forward.
When Brown ended his first tour as governor in the early 1980s he left behind a messy budget deficit for successor George Deukmejian. Brown also remembers well that his father, Pat Brown, left new governor Ronald Reagan with a big budget problem.
Polling shows support for a potential ballot measure to end the gas tax increase approved this past year. If the measure gets on the ballot you can be sure there will be a well-funded effort to oppose the measure with an unusual combination of construction unions and big business - both holding the shovel to scoop money into the campaign.
Expect Brown to throw a few bags of cash and a lot of personal effort at preserving the tax. Brown will do all he can to make sure he leaves the next governor in healthy fiscal circumstances.
Join us at the Dream Inn on January 23rd to get an insider’s look at California and national politics. It will be an event you don’t want to miss. Click Here to Register Today!