Archive for the ‘Political News’ category
Minimum Wage, Schwarzenegger & John Chiang
For the latest information on Schwarzenegger’s order to put state workers at federal minimum wage, the court ruling from the Appellate Court and John Chiang’s continued refusal to comply with the governor’s orders, please visit www.ccpoa.org.
ALSO - Watch the NEW video “CCPOA First Watch” with a special message from CCPOA President Mike Jimenez at www.ccpoa.tv.
Poizner backs proposed ballot initiative to weaken public employee unions
Sent in by T. Hammon:
Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has publicly endorsed a ballot measure that would prohibit deducting earnings from public employees for political activities.
In a statement on his gubernatorial campaign’s Web site Wednesday, Poizner stated:
“The Citizen Power Initiative will help break the endless flow of money into the pockets of the special interest groups that have dominated influence in Sacramento and help put us in a budget crisis.
Rank and file public employees in our state should not be forced to fund political machines, and I’m proud to be an active voice to help the Citizen Power Campaign stand up for Californians.
I encourage all voters to support the Citizen Power Initiative and help get it on the ballot this November.”
To read the rest of this report and for more information about the CPI, visit SacBee.com.
2008 CCPOA Election Endorsements
Today the CCPOA website posted the list of 2008 election endorsements. Our area was highlighted as one of two VERY IMPORTANT districts in this upcoming election. Please take a moment and check out the list - which will also be mailed to you as a special election edition of the PEACEKeeper - and read up on the proposition endorsements as well.
ENDORSEMENT LIST | SPECIAL PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Below is a copy of the special district section posted on CCPOA.org, which is also included on the ENDORSEMENT LIST page:
The 80th AD covers several cities in Imperial County and Riverside County, from Indio to El Centro.
The candidates CCPOA chose to endorse understand our issues and have a genuine respect for the profession and our members. Gary Jeandron (80th Assembly District) will stand up for our rights - as peace officers and state employees.
Jeandron is a former police chief with 30 years of law enforcement experience. Jeandron recognizes the important role public safety officers play in keeping communities safe.
Peace officers statewide support Gary Jeandron. CCPOA does too. We urge the membership to choose Jeandron, in the name of public safety.
To view the full list of endorsements go to: www.ccpoa.org/2008endorsements.shtml
Governor Considers Early Release of 22,000 Inmates
Perhaps what is so interesting about this particular report is that the Sac Bee posted it - then removed it… why? At pressure from the Governor’s office? The media was already reporting that Schwarzenegger was mulling over the idea of releasing 20k+ inmates in order to comply with pressure from the Feds to fix California’s growing prison problem… so why remove the article? Good on the SFGate.com to post the AP story which refers to the Sac Bee article…
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is considering the early release of more than 20,000 low-risk prison inmates as a way to save money amid a worsening budget crisis, a newspaper [The Sacramento Bee - article since removed] reported Thursday. The governor’s office told The Associated Press that Schwarzenegger had not decided to release inmates early and that it was premature to say he would propose it to lawmakers when he releases his budget in January…
New Senior Advisor Appointed by Governor to CDCR
According to a press statement released by the office of the Governor, Marisela Montes has been appointed as senior advisor to the Division of Adult Institutions for CDCR. Montes’ previous experience in the field of corrections was as chief deputy secretary of Adult Institutions at CDCR since 2006.
Prior to that position, she served as deputy director for the Department of Transportation from ‘99-’06 and as chief of correctional planning/research at CDCR from ‘98-’99. Between ‘84-98 she held a variety of different positions within CDCR including deputy director of Paroles and as an associate warden at Solano.
Montes has worked for many years within California’s administration services, with additional past experiences including positions at the Department of Social Services and the State Personnel Board. Montes began her career with the State at the California Post-secondary Education Commission back in 1977.
Her new position as senior advisor does not require Senate confirmation and the annual compensation is $147,576. With regard to political affiliation, Montes is currently registered as “decline-to-state,” meaning she has not revealed whether she is a Democrat, Republican or other independent party.
Read the full press statement (including other appointments) at: http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/8103/
House Judiciary Subcommittee Holds Hearing on H.R. 1889, CUSA supported Bill
This update on H.R. 1889 comes directly from the folks at Corrections USA. They need your support! Please read the following update from a recent newsletter sent out regarding this bill - and get active, get involved!
At the request of CUSA, the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security held a hearing on H.R. 1889 on November 8, 2007 in Washington, D.C. H.R. 1889 was introduced by Congressman Tim Holden of Pennsylvania on behalf of CUSA.
H.R. 1889 would require private prison holding federal prisoners to make the same information available that is required by public sector institutions under the Freedom of Information Act. Congressman Holden testified at the hearing and was accompanied by CUSA Vice-Chair Roy Pinto; Percy Poindexter; Bob Storm; CUSA Lobbyist Mark Singel, CUSA Consultant Erik Milman;CUSA Private Prison expert and PCI Executive DirectorKen Kopcyznski. The hearing was a great success and we have been informed that a Committee mark-up will be scheduled in the near future.
CUSA would like to give a special thanks to Chairman Scott and Congressman Holden for their leadership and commitment.
We need your help! Please contact CUSA’s Washington Lobbyist, Mark Singel at MSingel@wintergrouppa.com if you need assistance in writing letters to members of the House of Representatives urging them to support H.R. 1889. We also need you to ask your Senator to sign on as a cosponsor of S. 2010. S. 2010 was introduced by Senator Lieberman at the request of CUSA and is the Senate companion bill to H.R. 1889.
CUSA will continue to keep you informed or visit our website at CUSA.org
Jim Baiardi
Chairman
CDC in the News (8/24 Update)
CCPOA slams prison pay formula, pulls out of mediated negotiations SacBee.com 8/23
The state made a new contract offer Wednesday to the California correctional officers union, which all but rejected the proposal out of hand…
Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to be cut in half? - SFGate.com 8/23
After years of struggling to reform the state’s deeply troubled juvenile justice system, the Legislature has agreed on a potentially historic realignment that would slash by half the number of youths in juvenile prisons and place the inmates in their home counties…
Three recognized for saving lives at Soledad facility Californian.com 8/22
Just after 9 p.m., Butts and Hill were performing a security check in the Central Administrative Segregation Unit when they saw an inmate hanging by his neck in his cell, the warden said. Shouting the alarm, the cell door opened and both officers ran in…
Prison guards break off contract talks 8/22
The union representing the state’s 33,000 guards has broken off contract negotiations with Governor Schwarzenegger’s administration. The California Correctional Peace Officers Association says the administration has refused to meet face-to-face with union negotiators and appears to have little interest in settling the 14-month standoff…
State Budget Finally Passed LATimes.com 8/22
California’s 51-day budget impasse ended Tuesday when Senate Republicans who had been blocking a spending plan gave up their fight, accepting largely symbolic concessions on a few pet issues…
Agents To Order 189 Sex Offenders To Relocate CBS2.com 8/19
State parole agents plan to order 189 Inland Empire sex offenders, 56 of them from Riverside County, to relocate their residences farther from schools and parks, it was reported Sunday…
California Inmates Sent to Mississippi SacBee.com 8/18
California corrections officials have begun sending hundreds of foreign national inmates against their will to a private prison in Mississippi as part of a stepped-up, out-of-state transfer plan…
CDC in the News (8/17 Update)
28 cows die after prison dairy escape RecordNet.com 8/17
Officials at Tracy’s Deuel Vocational Institution are trying to figure out how a herd of 59 cows escaped from the prison’s dairy early Monday, causing 28 of the animals to be killed when they wandered into the paths of passing vehicles…
Arizona Still Not Sending Inmates to Indiana IndyStar.com 8/15
Arizona is proceeding with plans to send more inmates to private prisons in Oklahoma while transfers to an Indiana prison where a riot occurred remain on hold, the state Department of Corrections said Tuesday…
Rioting Inmates May Face More Time Star-Telegram.com 8/15
Dozens of inmates who were eligible to be considered for parole now face the possibility of more prison time after a disturbance Monday night at a private correctional facility in west Parker County…
Private Prison Still on Lock Down After Disturbance Star-Telegram.com 8/14
Dozens of inmates who were eligible to be considered for parole are facing the possibility of more prison time following a disturbance Monday night at a private correctional facility in Parker County…
Assembly Members File Motion in Prisons Case PE.com 8/13
Assembly Republicans Monday intervened in prisoner class-action lawsuits in an attempt to maintain control over the prison-crowding crisis before a court-appointed panel can impose solutions, such as a limit on the inmate population…
Prison Riot at Susanville Caused by Ignorant Decision NewsBlaze.com 8/12
Sources close to the prison heard the riot started because Black inmates were moved into a dangerous area, controlled by “Nortenos”, a Northern California hispanic gang. Some of the Black inmates protested, refusing to go because they knew it would cause trouble. A Sergeant Correctional Officer concurred, but the Lieutenant who ordered the relocation overruled the Sergeant and the protestors. The black inmates were then forcibly “relocated” to the Nortenos’ area…