Mixer: Building for Supervisor and Speaker

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MixerBannerPaul Pringle writes for the Los Angeles Times, and Jeremy White reports for the Sacramento Bee.

Pringle’s story that work had been done by county workers on LA County Supervisor Mark-Ridley Thomas’s house caused the politician to lash out this week on Which Way LA?

The Times story reported that all the work went beyond permissible security improvements. Ridley-Thomas says allegations that he allowed taxpayers to foot the bill for extra work are untrue.

He says Pringle didn’t have all the facts.

But Pringle says he can’t get any facts because there’s been stonewalling going on for more information on the work. And Ridley-Thomas won’t comment to the Times about the story.

We talked about Ridley-Thomas’s argument that the Supervisors are entitled to home security systems provided by the county, and whether it could fall underneath those protections.

Democrats in Sacramento have chosen Toni Atkins to be the next Speaker of the Assembly.  Atkins will be the first San Diego lawmaker ever to lead the state Assembly, but her selection is historic in other ways too.

Atkins is openly gay, and she would be the first Speaker of the Assembly who is a lesbian.

Indeed, she will replace John Pérez, who is also openly gay.

Atkins has an amicable relationship with Governor Jerry Brown. Both are Democrats. Both have similar agendas. Our panel doesn’t seem to think there are any roadblocks ahead in Sacramento.

Toni Atkins is also from Southern California. As is the incoming Senate president pro tem, Kevin De León (who hails from the LA area).

Does that mean there will be extra attention on the agenda to our part of the state? Stay tuned as the Legislature continues its work.