Don Perata

Redistricting reformers in Arizona said Wednesday that a redistricting measure in their state didn't achieve what it was supposed to and Proposition 11 in California has the potential to be even worse.

In a conference call hosted by anti-11 group Citizens for Accountability, Andi Minkoff, vice chair of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Committee, said political consultants hijacked the process in her state and, as a result, creating competitive districts became an afterthought.

The supporters of redistricting measure Proposition 11 called this week on outgoing state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) to debate them about a "hidden agenda" that a campaign opposing the measure - and funded by Perata - has accused the measure of concealing.

"It's our opinion that Senator Perata's backroom deals and attempts to raise money to defeat this reform is what constitutes the real hidden agenda," said Jeanine English, president of the 11-supporting California AARP, in a press release.

A bill that would pour $5 billion into badly need California courthouse construction and repair was signed into law Friday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The legislation, SB 1407, was authored state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata will provide public bond funds to finance the construction of approximately 40 major capital court projects throughout the state. The bonds would be funded by increased fines and court fees and therefore does not impact the state's general fund.

Both the state Assembly and Senate passed the state budget and associated legislation Friday afternoon, putting the long-delayed state budget with sight of completion.

In both chambers, the necessary votes came in just over 30 minutes with a minimum of debate. Lawmakers were voting on not only the budget itself but related reforms that had to do with how revenue would be collected under the 2008-09 budget and establishment and use of a rainy-day fund.

SACRAMENTO -- Senate President pro Tem Don Perata said Thursday that he stands behind a new proposal that is expected to bring to an end the longest budget impasse in state history.

The Senate has scheduled a 4 p.m. Friday vote on the spending blue print.

"I am glad it's over," Perata said. "As I said before, I don't think any of us would put this on our highlight reels. It's 80 days late, and real people are getting hurt."

Perata's full press statement:

A group seeking to defeat Proposition 11 took comfort in a state Fair Political Practices Commission decision last week to reject a complaint against state Senate Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) from the proposition's backers.

The letter stemmed from an Aug. 28 complaint against Perata by Jeanine English, California president of the AARP, one of the Proposition 11's principal supporters.

Backers for Proposition 11 have created a web video to spread the message that state prison guards and outgoing state Sen. Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) are waging a shadow campaign against the redistricting reform measure.

The 51-second video specifically criticizes a $577,000 donation the California Correctional Peace Officers Association made last month to a campaign fund controlled by Perata, with the intent that the money would be used to defeat Proposition 11.

Legislators of both parties in the state Capitol were disappointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's vow Tuesday to veto the 2008-09 state budget when it reaches his desk and some went so far as to say that the flaws in the budget were the governor's own fault.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) pointed out that previous budget proposals with reform measures the governor backed died because he couldn't get any Republican legislators to support them.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: Governor's Office PhotoState lawmakers approved a compromise budget proposal late Monday, but that proposal appeared to lack the budget reforms necessary for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's approval.

With a combination of more than $9 billion in cuts and more than $7 billion in new revenues - mostly through tweaks in tax withholdings and fees charged to corporations - legislators closed a $17 billion deficit.

SACRAMENTO - State Senate and Assembly leaders late Sunday afternoon announced that they have brokered a spending plan agreement, thus bringing to a close the longest budget impasse in state history.

The deal was closed when Democrats backed away from their push to increase the state's sales tax to help close a whopping near $16 billion budget deficit.

"It was time to end this," Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) told the Los Angeles Times in this story.

Details of the final budget package were not released Sunday. Both the Senate and the Assembly are expected to vote on the final plan sometime Monday night.