It’s Budget Time For Lawmakers Too, Except Only Different

On January 10, Gov. Jerry Brown introduced his $119.4 billion spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

On January 10, several dozen lawmakers took the first step in creating the budgets for their fiscal year, which begins immediately.

In what is almost the first act of any consequence in the new year, those legislators sent 40 missives urging lobbyists and interest groups to “save the date” for fundraisers they have scheduled from as early as January 19 to December 1 when Assemblyman Marty Block, a San Diego Democrat, is hosting a “spa event” at Arden Hills Country Club in Sacramento.

Assemblywoman Alyson Huber, a Lodi Democrat, also believes in advance planning. She sent out a “save the date” message on January 10 for an event nine months later – wine tasting in Amador County.

Block also wants lobbyists and contributors to hold the date of October 8 for a “Disneyland event” with his colleague, Assemblyman Jose Solorio, a Santa Ana Democrat.

Assemblyman Ben Hueso, a state lawmaker for about five weeks, has a fundraiser January 19. The San Diego Democrat wants a minimum of $1,000 to join him for brews at Pyramid Alehouse.

Ted Lieu, who is no longer a member of the Assembly, is also hosting a $1,000 breakfast the same day, presumably to retire debt from his campaign for Attorney General last year.

GOP Assembly members Sharon Runner, Jeff Gorell and Brian Nestande show somewhat better manners: Their January 10 notice is for events on January 25. Nestande wants $1,500 but Runner and Gorell settle for $1,000.

Less polite is the usually courtly Sen. Mark Leno. The San Francisco Democrat sent his notice out January 12 for a January 25 event.

Gorell, of Camarillo, is new to the Assembly. So is Betsy Butler, a Marina del Rey Democrat. She has an event on the 26^th of January. She sent her notice January 5, though.

Another freshman Assembly member, Ricardo Lara, waited to schedule a fundraiser until February 2, offering potential donors 23 days of notice.  The South Gate Democrat seeks at least $1,000.

Other new Assembly members off to a running start: Roger Dickinson, a Sacramento Democrat; Luis Alejo, a Watsonville Democrat; Nora Campos, a San Jose Democrat, and Henry Perea, a Fresno Democrat.

All have fundraisers scheduled between now and the end of March.

In fact, Dickinson has two.

Odds are, the list of events will grow.

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