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Anthony Rendon
Anthony Rendon, the state assemblyman from the Paramount and Lakewood area of southeast LA County, takes the oath today to become the next speaker of the Assembly. He joins the recent run of speakers from Southern California, and most have been from the Los Angeles area. Mayor Eric Garcetti is headed up to Sacramento for the proceedings. If it seems like his name has been in the news a long time, it's because Democrats selected Rendon to be next six months ago. He will succeed Toni Atkins, the speaker from San Diego was is termed out and running for the state Senate.
Rendon's ascendancy means that both top elected posts in the state legislature will be held by Latino Democrats from here. State Sen. Kevin de León of Los Angeles is the Senate's president pro tem. What makes Rendon, 48, different than recent speakers is the extended term limits mean he could stay in the post until 2024 and become the longest-serving speaker since the era of voter-mandated term limits began in the early 1990s.
From AP story:
Assemblyman Anthony Rendon of Lakewood will be sworn in as the state's 70th speaker on Monday to lead a chamber of 51 Democrats and 28 Republicans….
He was integral in negotiating a $7.5 billion water bond that voters passed in 2014, but Rendon is best known for his positions on education and the environment.Before running for office, he led a child development program in Southern California and directed the California League of Conservation Voters.
Some of his stances put him at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown, a fellow Democrat. Rendon supports expanded funding for pre-kindergarten, taxes on oil extraction and decreased fracking in urban areas, all of which contradict the governor's views.
Brown vetoed his three bills last year that would have required greater disclosure from California's Public Utilities Commission.
Rendon said he has "serious questions" about the costs and science behind Brown's plan to divert water to Southern California using two massive water tunnels. Rendon also expressed concerns about the Brown administration's revised plan for a $64 billion high-speed rail system, which is now planned to head to the San Francisco Bay Area before heading to Southern California.
Also this take from KQED: Rise of Latino Political Power in Sacramento Could Give New Momentum to Health Care.
Politics notes:
The death Sunday of Nancy Reagan at age 94 in her Bel Air home has brought tributes from all directions. "Nancy Reagan was one of my heroes," said former governor Arnold Schwearzenegger. "She served as first lady with unbelievable power, class and grace, and left her mark on the world." Mayor Garcetti: "We join with the rest of the nation in mourning the passing of Nancy Reagan, a great Angeleno and a great American." The Reagan Library near Simi Valley will remain closed until the day after her funeral, which has yet to be scheduled. NYT obit by Lou Cannon
The prospect of a President Trump is rattling Silicon Valley — even if his fellow Republicans can’t find any trace of his campaign there. SF Chronicle
Trouble for the Democrats in a congressional district that runs from Simi Valley to Lancaster: the party has endorsed LAPD lieutenant Lou Vince, who has been accused of (and denies) beating a black motorist during a traffic stop. LA Weekly
This election year’s first California contest will occur next month in the San Joaquin Valley – and may be one of 2016’s most revealing. Dan Walters/Sacto Bee
A new county report on Los Angeles County's Central Juvenile Hall depicts it as a leaderless operation with "unacceptable" and "deplorable" conditions similar to a "Third World country prison." LA Times
Power grab topples another defender of California's environment: Barry Wallerstein of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Steve Lopez column/LA Times
Mayoral candidate Mitchell Schwartz talks with Jon Regardie at Langer's. Downtown News
A Wilmington neighborhood is an island in a sea of petroleum. LA Times (with a map that does not show the refinery)
Would online voting disenfranchise some in Los Angeles? KPCC
How Asian Americans climbed the ranks and changed the political landscape. LA Times
Primary elections explained on video. SeePolitical
The nuttiest measures gathering signatures to get on the November ballot. LA Weekly
LA Marathon founder Bill Burke discusses 50 years in Los Angeles politics in an interview with publisher Josh Gross. Beverly Hills Weekly
