Political News

Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin to run for state controller
Swearengin – who has three years left in her second and final mayoral term — filed paperwork and paid her fees Tuesday afternoon at the Fresno County Elections Office, said Tim Clark, her campaign consultant. John Ellis in the Fresno Bee Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ — 3/5/14

Morrison: Toni Atkins, the Assembly’s speaker to be
Term limits mean she will have to vacate the premises not much more than two years after she takes over the gavel in June. But she’s nothing if not prepared. Patt Morrison in the Los Angeles Times

Panel to consider whether to give raises to governor, lawmakers
Three months after Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers received a 5% pay raise, a state panel is set to meet next week to begin considering whether to provide further increases, and the chairman of the group says data from counties indicates California elected officials are underpaid. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times

Poll: Lot of early love for ballot measure capping CEO pay
A while back we told you that while DC TALKS about income equality, Californians are likely going to get the chance to VOTE on it in November. And we just got a peek at what might be in store should one measure that would cap the pay of hospital CEOs make it to the ballot. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle

Report: California’s cost for state workers’ pay to increase $500 million next year
In a far-ranging assessment of how much California pays its help, a nonpartisan report on Tuesday said the state government will spend a half-billion dollars more on employee compensation next year, but most workers’ take-home wages will continue to lag behind inflation. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee