Capitol Roundup: Calderon Responds...Sort Of; October Cash Report

Democratic State Senator Ron Calderon is lashing out at a California lawmaker who’s called for his resignation.

It’s Calderon's first response of any kind in the 10 days since Al Jazeera America posted a leaked FBI affidavit accusing him of taking bribes in an undercover sting.

Calderon’s statement does not address any of the allegations against him.  Nor does it criticize Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, who’s moving to strip Calderon of his committee assignments.

Instead, it’s directed at Assembly member Cristina Garcia, who’s repeatedly called on Calderon to resign.  Calderon says Garcia is “making a mockery of the presumption of innocence” for “political gain.”  He says Garcia should review “her notes from her eighth grade civics class.”

Garcia’s Assembly district includes Calderon’s Senate district – and Garcia defeated Calderon’s brother Tom to win her Assembly seat last year.

October Revenues Exceed Calif. Budget Projections

Fears that last month’s federal government shutdown could hurt the California budget have turned out to be unfounded.

The state controller’s office reported Friday that California revenues came in more than 10 percent above budget projections for the month of October.

The gains were led by sales and personal income tax.  Corporate tax proceeds fell short of expectations.

Four months into the current fiscal year, the state has now taken in $600 million more than the conservative projections in the budget Governor Jerry Brown signed earlier this year.

But that doesn’t mean the state has extra money to spend.  Lawmakers have already set spending levels - and they’re in recess until January.