Pass the California DREAM Act

California Reintroduces Its Own Dream Act
The DREAM Act is back, in California at least. Today Assemblyman Gil Cedillo re-introduced the DREAM Act which would allow undocumented youth who are accepted to college the ability to apply for institutional Financial Aid and state grants from the state’s public universities, state and community colleges. Cedillo’s new strategy is to split the bill in two. The San Jose Mercury News reports that one bill would allow undocumented immigrant Students who are California residents to appl...

California lawmaker revives bill to give undocumented students access to financial aid
A bill that would grant undocumented California Students access to Financial Aid is being revived in the State Legislature this week. The California DREAM Act would allow Students who are Illegal Immigrants to benefit from the same Financial Aid as other California Students attending the state's public colleges and universities. Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, introduced the bill Tuesday based on one he first proposed as a State Senator in 2006. The previous version passed in the state S...

New bid launched for college aid to undocumented students
A new push to allow longtime California residents who are undocumented immigrants to receive college financial assistance was launched today by a Los Angeles lawmaker. Assemblyman Gil Cedillo is counting on new Gov. Jerry Brown , a Democrat heavily supported by Latino voters last year, to be more receptive to the issue than former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger , a Republican who vetoed similar measures last year. Cedillo's bills would apply to undocumented immigrants who have attended California ...

An older, bolder Gov. Jerry Brown deserves kudos for his budget plan
Gov. Brown is showing a willingness to take big risks in his share-the-pain plan to close the Budget gap It's a different Gov. Jerry Brown we're seeing these days — a subtle but significant difference between Brown I and Brown II. The Brown who was Governor at age 36 would not have been as bold — as calmly willing to stick his neck way out — as the 72-year-old version. The contrast—along with a stark stylistic difference between Brown and predecessor Arnold Schwarzenegger...

Can Maryland afford in-state tution for illegal aliens now?
State Sen. Victor Ramirez (D-MD) says he will introduce a bill to provide immigrant Students in-state Tuition rates for Higher Education. He was the lead sponsor of the Legislation when it passed the House of Delegates in 2007. Ramirez’ office made the announcement in a Dec. 27 Press Release. A request sent that same day for details of the bill were ignored. When introduced, the proposal would grant in-state Tuition to Students that have attended and graduated from Maryland High Schools an...

Gov. Brown strips cell phones from state employees
(01-11) 18:40 PST Oakland -- Gov. Jerry Brown issued his first Executive Order Tuesday, taking aim at a convenience that wasn't in vogue the last time he was the state's Top Official: cell phones. The Governor ordered state agency and department heads to collect half of the approximately 96,000 state-issued cell phones used by Public Employees, a move he said will save California at least $20 million a year. Brown also plans to return his own state-issued cell phone, said Evan Westrup, a spok...

Public Transit Funding Slightly Better in Jerry Browns Proposed Budget
For the first time in three years, California public transit agencies could see a full dose of funding from the State Transit Assistance (STA) fund, thanks in large part to the passage of Proposition 22, which prevents legislators from raiding Local Government funds, and Governor Jerry Brown, who announced his “painful” Budget plan yesterday. The Brown administration said state funding for local transit agencies would amount to $329.6 million for Fiscal Year 2011-12, significantly mo...

Gov. Brown offers gimmick-free budget, experts say
(01-12) 04:00 PST Sacramento - -- Gov. Jerry Brown promised Californians that his Budget proposal would avoid gimmicks, and Budget experts who reviewed the plan said Brown has mostly stuck to his word. In tackling the projected $25.4 billion Deficit, Brown has proposed $12.5 billion in cuts and an additional $12 billion in taxes and avoided relying on solutions that have little chance of materializing, the experts said. Such gimmicks used to balance the Budget in the past have merely pushed t...

Jerry Brown May Rescue Muni
Muni may get a slight nudge from Jerry Brown, but even if it happens, the emphasis will be on the "slight." Brown's new Budget gives transit agencies access to Money that they've been promised for years, but couldn't access under policies enacted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Even though the State Supreme Court ruled that Schwarzenegger's policies were illegal, he kept trying to use the Money for his own projects instead of for transit riders. Over the last few years, transit service has b...

Calif. state workers: Turn in cellphones
SACRAMENTO, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Half of California's 96,000 Taxpayer-funded cellphones for state workers must be turned in -- and thousands of cars and vans may be next, Gov. Jerry Brown said. "It is difficult for me to believe that 40 percent of all State Employees must be equipped with Taxpayer-funded cellphones," Brown said Tuesday in ordering 48,000 state workers' phones turned in by June. "The current number of phones out there is astounding," said Brown, a Democrat, who took over last week fr...

AM Alert: It's the analyst's turn
Looking for more Budget charts and graphs? You don't have to wait long. Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor is holding a Press Conference this afternoon to present his office's latest report, titled rather succinctly, "Overview of the Governor's Budget." The report will be available on the LAO's website at 11:30 a.m. The Press Conference is set for 1:30 p.m. Just in time: The Budget committees in both the Senate and the Assembly are scheduled to start considering Brown's proposal tomorrow. As colle...

Gov. Brown offers gimmick-free budget, experts say
(01-12) 04:00 PST Sacramento - -- Gov. Jerry Brown promised Californians that his Budget proposal would avoid gimmicks, and Budget experts who reviewed the plan said Brown has mostly stuck to his word. In tackling the projected $25.4 billion Deficit, Brown has proposed $12.5 billion in cuts and an additional $12 billion in taxes and avoided relying on solutions that have little chance of materializing, the experts said. Such gimmicks used to balance the Budget in the past have merely pushed t...

Gov. Brown strips cell phones from state employees
(01-11) 18:40 PST Oakland -- Gov. Jerry Brown issued his first Executive Order Tuesday, taking aim at a convenience that wasn't in vogue the last time he was the state's Top Official: cell phones. The Governor ordered state agency and department heads to collect half of the approximately 96,000 state-issued cell phones used by Public Employees, a move he said will save California at least $20 million a year. Brown also plans to return his own state-issued cell phone, said Evan Westrup, a spok...

Gov. Jerry Brown begins wooing GOP support for tax plan
Reporting from Sacramento — Before Gov. Jerry Brown can ask voters to ratify the multibillion-dollar tax plan he says will rescue California's finances, he must win over a handful of Republicans with a combination of charm, arm-twisting and Compromise — a task he's already begun. The Democratic Governor needs as few as four GOP votes to place a measure on the ballot that would extend $9 billion in recent tax hikes — levies Republicans have opposed. "I will … go into th...

Gov. Brown offers gimmick-free budget, experts say
(01-11) 04:00 PST Sacramento - -- Gov. Jerry Brown promised Californians that his Budget proposal would avoid gimmicks, and Budget experts who reviewed the plan said Brown has mostly stuck to his word. In tackling the projected $25.4 billion Deficit, Brown has proposed $12.5 billion in cuts and an additional $12 billion in taxes and avoided relying on solutions that have little chance of materializing, the experts said. Such gimmicks used to balance the Budget in the past have merely pushed t...

Hilarious! California Healthcare Protesting Students Give California Budget Protesting Union Leaders The Bums Rush!
So Many Budget Cuts! So Many Protests! When Do They All Find Time To Work Or Do Whatever It Is That They Do? This is hilarious.  The union thugs leaders had the stage ripped right out from under their little union feet by the protesting morons Students. From the LA times: If today’s budget protests are any indication, Organized Labor needs to get, well, organized. After Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled his budget, a handful of Labor Leaders gathered on the north steps of the Capitol to talk about ...

Gaston Caperton: Trends in College Pricing
If there's one thing I've learned as the president of the College Board, it's this: every person is born with the fundamental capacity to learn. The only question is whether that capacity is neglected or nurtured. Unfortunately, even at the outset of the 21st century, lower income Students remain underrepresented in Higher Education because of socioeconomic barriers like cost and unequal access to high quality schools. Five decades after the Supreme Court struck down "separate but equal," hig...

USA Funds Helps Families Apply for Financial Aid for College
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- USA Funds®, a nonprofit organization that helps American families benefit from postsecondary education, advises families planning to send Students to college during the 2011-2012 Academic Year to take advantage of free help in applying for Financial Aid. USA Funds is sponsoring College Goal Sunday in 10 states during the next several weeks to help Students and families navigate the financial aid process. The events will provide free assistance wi...

California slashes official cell phone use
Stumble This! Los Angeles — New California Governor Jerry Brown ordered Tuesday the confiscation of half of the cell phones used by Public Employees in the state, as he slashes its Budget to rein in a huge Deficit. Brown, a Veteran Democrat who took over from Republican former film star Arnold Schwarzenegger this month, said far too many Civil Servants had their Mobile Phones provided from the public purse. "It is difficult for me to believe that 40 percent of all State Employees must be ...

California slashes official cell phone use
New California Governor Jerry Brown ordered Tuesday the confiscation of half of the cell phones used by Public Employees in the state, as he slashes its Budget to rein in a huge Deficit. Brown, a Veteran Democrat who took over from Republican former film star Arnold Schwarzenegger this month, said far too many Civil Servants had their Mobile Phones provided from the public purse. "It is difficult for me to believe that 40 percent of all State Employees must be equipped with Taxpayer-funded cel...

Father of slain man says Schwarzenegger apologized
The father of Luis Dos Santos , the College Student who was killed in a fight that involved the son of former Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez , has told a Los Angeles Radio Station that he received a letter of Apology from former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger . On Jan. 2, his last day in office, Schwarzenegger reduced the Prison sentence of Esteban Núñez from 16 years to seven. Esteban Nunez pleaded to Manslaughter in the killing of Dos Santos and assault with a deadly w...

Governor Brown appointment January 12 2011
Governor Jerry Brown today announced the following appointment. Karen Ross, 59, of Alexandria, VA, has been appointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. She has been Chief of Staff with the United States Department of Agriculture since 2010. Previously, Ross served as President of the California Association of Winegrape Growers from 1996 to 2009. She was the Vice President of Government Relations for the Agricultural Council of California from 1989 to 1996. Ross serv...

Brown names Karen Ross as food and agriculture secretary
Gov. Jerry Brown today announced the appointment of Karen Ross as secretary of the State Department of Food and Agriculture. Ross, who most recently worked as Chief of Staff to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is the former president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers . She has also worked for the Agricultural Council of California and served on the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. The 59-year-old Democrat's experience in state agriculture i...

At Obama Speech, Students Lift Low Spirits
The memorial service for the Victims of the Arizona shooting was given a more uplifting tone by the presence of thousands of College Students at the University of Arizona Wednesday night. More than 14,000 people crammed into the McKale Memorial Center to pay tribute to the injured and dead and to hear President Obama speak. About 13,000 more stood in an overflow area. And while the event was somber in purpose, the sad purpose was broken repeatedly by applause and even cheers that helped give th...

Amid Sadness, Applause and Cheers
The memorial service for the Victims of the Arizona shooting was given a more upbeat tone by the presence of thousands of College Students at the University of Arizona on Wednesday night. More than 14,000 people crammed into the McKale Memorial Center to pay tribute to the injured and dead and to hear President Obama speak. About 13,000 more stood in an overflow area. And while the event was somber in purpose, the sad purpose was broken repeatedly by applause and even cheers. The audience membe...