CA State Controller John Chiang has declared that the legislative budget passed was not balanced, and hence does not satisfy the requirements of props 58 and 25. Bottom line — no pay for CA legislators from 16 June until they submit an actual balanced budget…
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/06/controller-chiang-halting-pay.html
Chiang just made a HUGELY popular decision. While it may not stand legal challenge, he has overnight vaulted himself into contention for higher office.
According to polls, with this economy, U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein is quite vulnerable…
http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/
My money says Chiang runs for her job. NOTE: NO ONE has yet suggested this, so this qualifies as yet another wild prediction on my part. Wilder than usual.
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Richard, I agree wholeheartedly that Chiang will run for a more visible, powerful office using this springboard of popularity. When’s the last time a state level official was so universally applauded for anything?
Whatever office he seeks, I believe it will be an interim step before his immediate goal, becoming the state’s first Asian-American governor. And I predict if he plays the electorate as well as he is right now, he’ll succeed.
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Gayle, upon reflection (and the counsel of others), I think that Chiang may indeed have positioned himself for a run at governor rather than U.S. Senate. It’s not likely that geezer Brown will run (or win) a second term, so I suspect Chiang is now lined up for a good shot at the office in 2014.
Of course, that prediction assumes that Chiang is insane — a prerequisite for anyone who seriously wants to be in charge of a failing state. And imagine our “state’s state” in 2014 when next we pick a governor.