Assembly

1) California faces projected budget deficits of close to $20 billion annually for the next several years. What specific steps must the state take to achieve a balanced budget? To paraphrase Winston Churchill, the next few years are likely to bring more financial “blood, toil, tears, and sweat” to California. This is the result of years of bad policy. I have already taken what I believe is the most significant step towards a balanced budget: The establishment of an enhanced “Rainy Day Fund,” a savings account for the state.

The Japanese drummers paced themselves, and delivered each strike with precision and flair. In the audience, Verdugo Woodlands Elementary School first- and second-graders let loose, air drumming, heads bobbing and shifting side to side with each beat. The school hosted a taiko, or Japanese drum, gathering Wednesday, a cultural assembly designed to tout diversity across the school, organizers said. The assembly had a particularly relevant theme for the school's three new dual language immersion classes, officials said.

1) California faces projected budget deficits of close to $20 billion annually for the next several years. What specific steps must the state take to achieve a balanced budget? We must be realistic on several fronts. Much of the state’s tax receipts are restricted due to a multitude of special interest legislative impacts to the budget (public employee pensions, education, bond repayment, etc.). There is very little left of every dollar the state takes in after the mandated spending is funded.

R.D. White Elementary School students added a new chapter to the "Star Wars" legacy on Friday. With Darth Vader in tow, kindergarten through third grade students impressed upon their classmates that The Force was with them. "Focus on reading comprehension every day," they said in unison, adding a past-tense "D" to the word "force. " The Sith lord had something to say and leaned into school Principal Suzanne Risse's ear. "He's saying you must read to comprehend," Risse told the assembled crowd of about 600 students, parents and teachers.

Sunder Ramani failed to properly file fundraising reports earlier this year during his campaign for the 43rd Assembly District, but the state Fair Political Practices Commission did not issue a fine after concluding his campaign manager was unaware of the rules. In a letter to Ramani and campaign manager Pamela Corradi, the commission's enforcement division chief, Gary Winuk, wrote that they did not file 33 electronic reports of contributions of $1,000 or more electronically within the required 24 hours.

GLENDALE — A bill by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino that would require law enforcement agencies to analyze rape kits in a timely manner must still clear two legislative hurdles before becoming law. Assembly Bill 558 received bipartisan support from the Senate, which passed it 33 to 0. "The reality of this is: This is a heinous crime," said Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge). "We have physical evidence; we need to process it. " The bill and its amendments must pass the Assembly a second time before returning to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk for his signature.

Republican Sunder Ramani is again setting his sights on Mike Gatto and a seat in the Assembly, saying Monday that he planned to run in the November election. Ramani — who since losing to Gatto in the special June election has remained mum on whether he would actively campaign for the regular election — said he will raise funds and spread his message of fiscal restraint and job creation. Gatto (D-Silver Lake) handily beat Ramani in June, 59% to 41%. The special election determined who would finish the six months left in the term of Paul Krekorian, who left the Assembly after being elected in December to the Los Angeles City Council.

Joe Gatto said he knew this day would come. Standing in the courtyard of the Autry National Center of the American West in Griffith Park on Monday afternoon, the longtime arts teacher said he knew his son, Mike, was headed for elected office 22 years ago. That's when the teenage Mike Gatto sat with his father to closely watch the Republican and Democratic conventions on television. Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) was sworn in Monday at the Autry National Center to represent California's 43rd Assembly District in front of 120 people after a brief official oath in Sacramento last month.

Residents affected by the Station fire and subsequent winter debris flows could receive significant tax relief under a bill by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino that passed a key committee this week. The so-called "Disaster Relief Bill" — co-authored by Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) and Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries (R-Lake Elsinore) — would provide state property tax breaks to homeowners who have to repair or rebuild in the wake of natural disasters. "When people suffer property loss in their homes, that's an emotional assault on one's place for safety," Portantino said.

State election officials are investigating claims that Republican Sunder Ramani, a candidate for the 43rd Assembly District, violated campaign finance laws by failing to file campaign statements within 24 hours of receiving contributions. Roman Porter, executive director of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, on Monday confirmed the investigation into Ramani, but declined to provide specifics about the breadth of the probe. The complaint alleges 33 reporting violations.