Los Angeles Times

L.A. disasters test Villaraigosa's crisis management skills
A string of emergencies -- starting with the Metrolink collision and ending with the recent Sylmar fire -- has showed the mayor as an informer and comforter for the city.
By David Zahniser and Phil Willon
In three months, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has become a continual crisis manager, as his city has been buffeted by one disaster after another.

CSU may cut future enrollment by 10,000
For the first time, the system might turn away qualified students. Minority and low-income groups would probably be hardest hit by the cuts, which could amount to a 10% drop in freshman enrollment.
By Gale Holland
The California State University system for the first time in its history is proposing to turn away qualified students due to a worsening state budget crisis.

Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown urges high court to let Prop. 8 take effect
His office, which has the responsibility of defending the initiative, also asks justices to review the lawsuits against the measure 'to provide certainty and finality.'
By Maura Dolan
Reporting from San Francisco -- As more lawsuits against Proposition 8 landed before the California Supreme Court, Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown and the anti-gay-marriage campaign urged the court Monday to review the suits but allow the measure to remain in effect during that review.

Editorial: Burning through money
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says Californians shouldn't worry about firefighting costs, but the state's fiscal situation indicates that we should.
As fires continued to engulf homes and threaten more Los Angeles and Orange County neighborhoods over the weekend, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Californians shouldn't worry, for now, about the $11 billion that the state has to find in taxes or program cuts in the current fiscal year. Despite the almost incomprehensible budget problem, he said, California won't have to skimp on fighting fires because of a $1.7-billion reserve built into the budget for exactly this kind of emergency. That's enough to keep the water-dropping aircraft flying and the firefighters on the front lines fully equipped.

The Sacramento Bee

Lawsuit puts prison overcrowding center stage
By Denny Walsh
More than 21 years ago, California prison inmate Jay Lee Gates, representing himself, filed a lawsuit in Sacramento federal court quarreling with the quality of his health care behind bars.

Jerry Brown files response to Prop. 8 challenge
By Aurelio Rojas
State Attorney General Jerry Brown on Monday urged the California Supreme Court to review legal challenges to Proposition 8, but declined to express an opinion on the gay marriage ban measure approved by voters.

Dan Walters: California high court to revisit gay marriage
Every so often, we California voters do something that reverberates far beyond the state's borders.

Schwarzenegger orders faster push for renewable energy
By Jim Sanders
California utilities, already struggling to meet a law requiring more renewable energy, saw the bar raised even higher Monday.

Schwarzenegger ups energy goal
By Jim Sanders
Calling it the most aggressive target in the nation, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order Monday calling for utilities to provide one-third of their power from renewable resources by 2020.

Capitol Alert: Dem leaders plea to Congress for budget help
California Democratic legislative leaders are asking the federal government for a helping hand as the state faces a massive budget deficit in this "historically challenging economic time."

Capitol Alert: The Schwarzenegger-Stephanopoulos transcript
On Sunday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on ABC News This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

Peter Schrag: True leadership needed for 'loyal opposition'
Last week, the state Chamber of Commerce sent another unsurprising "don't" letter to the governor and Legislature: Don't raise taxes on oil extraction; don't increase taxes on the sale of wine and beer; don't impose sales taxes on services and entertainment. Don't, don't, don't.

Editorial: Prison health care: Building consensus
The California prison health care receiver appointed by a federal judge to bring the state's prison medical system up to constitutional standards met with The Bee's Editorial Board on Monday.

The San Francisco Chronicle

Jerry Brown seeks legality of Prop. 8
Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer
The likelihood of a final California Supreme Court showdown over same-sex marriage increased dramatically Monday when Attorney General Jerry Brown and the pro-Proposition 8 campaign urged the justices to decide whether the voter-approved ballot measure is constitutional.

CSU to turn away 10,000 students
Jim Doyle, Chronicle Staff Writer
About 10,000 fewer students will be allowed to enroll next fall in the California State University system than are currently attending its 23 campuses, Chancellor Charles Reed said Monday.

Editorial: Civility needed as Prop. 8 debate continues
Despite the Nov. 4 vote, the decision to ban same-sex marriage is not in the best interests of our society and the future of our state. A highly charged court challenge is headed for a clarifying ruling by the state Supreme Court.

The Mercury News

Economic meltdown raising questions about South Bay stadium plans for A's, 49ers, Earthquakes
By Denis C. Theriault and Elliott Almond
The nation's economic free-fall could be undercutting plans for three multimillion-dollar South Bay sports stadiums — plans, in some cases, that have been years in the making.

In late vote count, BART sales tax now appears headed for passage
By Gary Richards
A week and a half after Measure B backers all but abandoned hope, a stunning surge in late yes votes for the one-eighth-cent sales tax to bring BART to San Jose now has the precise approval level it needs to pass — 66.67 percent.

Attorney general urges state Supreme Court to act quickly on Prop. 8
By Howard Mintz
There is scant common ground when it comes to Proposition 8, but all sides in the fight over the future of gay marriage in California now seem to agree on one thing — the state Supreme Court needs to step in and resolve a series of legal challenges that are growing by the day.

Herhold: Prop. 8 foes are wrong on boycott
By Scott Herhold
You can understand why the advocates of the right to gay marriage are furious. The passage of Proposition 8, which eliminates that right, has erased a significant legal achievement. A piece of their anger is directed at their own leaders, who they believe did not run a very good campaign.

Editorial: Supervisors' secret meeting on Prop. 8 lawsuit doesn't help cause
The Santa Clara County Supervisors also have stoked the backlash against gay marriage advocates by voting in closed session — the day before the election — to join other cities in a lawsuit challenging Proposition 8 if it passed.

Editorial: Vandalism, coercion are counterproductive to fight for gay marriage
Had supporters of gay marriage shown as much fervor for their cause before the Nov. 4 election as they have since, they probably would have defeated Proposition 8. But they will surely fail in their campaign to repeal the ban if threats and coercion continue to be among their tactics.

Contra Costa Times

Jerry Brown: Court should review Prop. 8
By Josh Richman
California Attorney General Jerry Brown urged the California Supreme Court on Monday to review whether Proposition 8's ban on same-sex marriage should stand, but he opposed delaying the ban's effect while the court considers the case.

The Orange County Register

Another dilemma for gay Republicans
Unlike most of their party, many opposed Proposition 8 and now want the courts to overturn it.
Martin Wisckol
Laguna Beach Republican and gay activist Frank Ricchiazzi was not among those pushing for gay marriage when the state Supreme Court ruled in May that a voter-approved ban was unconstitutional.

Editorial: No more 'no new taxes'?
Cracks showing in previously unified GOP front in Sacramento budget battle
For Californians who believe their money belongs to them, and that state government already has squandered enough of it, there was a bad sign last week.

The San Diego Union-Tribune

State's utilities must get greener
Region Update
SACRAMENTO – California utilities, already struggling to meet a law requiring more renewable energy, saw the bar raised even higher yesterday.

The Press-Enterprise

Editorial: Ducking pain?
California's state employees cannot realistically expect to escape any consequences from the state's enormous budget shortfall. Workers might dislike the governor's plans to save money on state employee compensation. But California cannot afford to rule out any potential savings -- and state employees would still be better off than many private-sector workers.