State budget: Revenues fall -- projected deficit soars

Wed, Oct 10th 2007, 15:06

Assemblyman John Laird, who chairs the Assembly Budget Committee, said projections in the last three budget years have been worse than reality.

"You always have to be a little nervous, but it's too early to tell," Laird said.

http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/424058.html

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House speaker creates task force to study poverty

Wed, Oct 3rd 2007, 09:30

Posted by The Associated Press October 02, 2007 12:40 PM

MONTGOMERY -- A task force formed by House Speaker Seth Hammett to study poverty in Alabama will hold its first meeting next week.

 "We want to look at policies that adversely impact those in poverty and look at new policies that could lift people out of poverty," said Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham, chair of the task force.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2007/10/house_speaker_creates_task_for.html

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Global Warming Commission holds first meeting

Wed, Oct 3rd 2007, 09:14

 Wednesday, Oct 3, 2007

By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK - Protecting the environment and promoting economic development don't have to be mutually exclusive goals when reasonable people seek common ground, Gov. Mike Beebe said Tuesday in convening the newly formed Governor's Commission on Global Warming.

When the goals cannot be reconciled, Beebe said, the environment is his top priority.

On Tuesday, the panel elected the House sponsor, state Rep. Kathy Webb, D-Little Rock, co-chairman of the commission, along with Pearlie Reed of Marion, former chief conservationist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2007/10/03/News/343531.html

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A People Person: Adam Ebbin is emphasizing constituent work in his reelection campaign.

Tue, Oct 2nd 2007, 13:41

 By David Schultz
October 2, 2007

For Adam Ebbin, being a Delegate in the Virginia General Assembly is simple: your first priority is to work for the people you represent.

Ebbin, a Democrat in Virginia’s 49th House of Delegates district who is trying to be reelected to his third term, doesn’t tout his partisan credentials or subscribe to a rigid ideological philosophy. According to him, his strength as a politician is that he knows how to compromise and get things done.

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=88022&paper=60&cat=197

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Gay man named planning chief

Tue, Oct 2nd 2007, 09:44

As Upper Market, the Castro District and other parts of San Francisco face big changes, the city is getting a new planning director.

John Rahaim, who is openly gay, has been Seattle's planning director for four years. He will start his new job in January at a salary of $196,000.

http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=2234

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Removal of transgender protection from ENDA angers gay rights groups

Tue, Oct 2nd 2007, 08:58

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that several gay rights groups have withdrawn their support from the End Non-Discrimination Act after Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Barney Frank pulled language from the bill protecting transgendered individuals. A statement from Pelosi said that House Democratic leaders have decided to postpone a vote on the bill in order to "allow proponents of the legislation to continue their discussions with members in the interest of passing the broadest possible bill."http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/02/MN6QSHRA6.DTL&tsp=1

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Council: All displaced renters must be told of aid

Tue, Oct 2nd 2007, 08:40

By Rebekah Schilperoort

Monday, October 01, 2007

To recognize the effect of condominium conversions on displaced renters, the city council unanimously passed an ordinance last week that penalizes developers and property owners who fail to notify eligible renters of tenant relocation assistance.

Tenants who earn at least 80 percent of median income are supposed to receive notice they are due $500 in assistance and the new ordinance just "puts teeth into that requirement," said Tom Rasmussen, chair of the council's housing committee and sponsor of the bill.http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/articles/2007/10/01/news/local_news/news02.txt

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NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS: Mayor wants city hall to do most planning work

Tue, Oct 2nd 2007, 08:38

Monday, October 01, 2007

By Rebekah Schilperoort

Ballard and Crown Hill have done better than most communities at keeping track and implementation of its neighborhood plan, according to assistant city auditor Mary Denzel.

Nearly 900 residents were surveyed for an audit ordered by Seattle City Council member Sally Clark to review the mid-life progress of the 20-year plans. It included people who had helped craft the plans in the late 1990s and some who did not.http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/articles/2007/10/01/news/local_news/news03.txt

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Feeding The Hungry

Fri, Sep 28th 2007, 16:38

Rep. Kathy Webb of Little Rock has taken the lead in forming a bipartisan caucus to propose hunger-fighting legislation in the next session beginning in January 2009. Her House Republican co-chairman will be Rick Green.

Webb is the first openly gay member of the state Legislature. There were those who thought she would be shunned and, through no fault of her own, ineffective in a legislature dominated by conservative rural males.

Not so.

"Kathy's great," Green told me. "She works hard. And she's solid as a rock. If she tells you something, you can count on it. And that's all you can ask of a legislator."http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/09/20/columns/john_brummett/092007lrbrummett.txt

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Prairie Fest to be held Saturday

Fri, Sep 28th 2007, 16:29

On Saturday, Debra Shore, environmental activist and commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, kicks off the fourth annual Prairie Fest with a keynote address titled "Treating Water Like a Resource, Not as Waste."http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=44880&src=5

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