The Bakersfield Californian is reporting that Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, has been named Senate majority leader by Sen. Darrel Steinberg, the incoming president pro tem of the Senate. Steinberg will make a formal announcement of Florez's selection on Monday, according to the Californian.
The Bakersfield newspaper interviewed Steinberg, and this is what he told reporter Christine Bedell about Florez's selection to be his majority leader:
"He's an outstanding leader. He understands the intricacies of solving different problems and making deals happen on the legislative floor. He is smart and I really look forward to working with him."
This a great job for Florez, who plans to run for lieutenant governor in 2010. I hope he uses the post over the next two years to help turn around a Legislature that is out of touch with Californians. Most lawmakers dance to the tune of the public employee unions and others who are big campaign contributors. The needs of everyday Californians are secondary to the needs of the teachers union, guards union. gambling tribes and others. Giving in to them is a key reason the state's budget is upside down.
Even now, with the state bleeding red ink, the special interests don't want to take the cuts they need to take to get the state on a solid financial foundation. The Democratic majority must take responsibility for the state's financial mess.
The irony is that the people Democrats say they represent -- the poor, the elderly and children -- now have to take big budget hits because the Dems have refused to live within their means. Cutting programs for the neediest Californians has been caused by the Democrats' inability to say no to people like the prison guards union.
It's an arrogant view for the Democrats to now say that tax increases are the only way out. There may be a need for tax increases at some point, but that can't come until the Legislature shows that state government is running as efficiently as possible.
If Florez can help turn around the Democratic mindset, that will be quite an accomplishment. It's his party that's giving government a bad name in California. Florez has been a maverick, and I hope he takes that attitude into Democratic caucus meetings. Now that would be a platform to run for lieutenant governor on.
I congratulate Sen. Florez on this appointment and I wish him much luck.
Leftist bloggers should take note to why Jimbo says the budget is upside down...PEU's and spending.Do you really want to pay more taxes when they're not willing to take cuts?Not me.
MOI has never met Senator Florez, but has met with his Office Director, Susan Good, many times and can tell true that Senator Florez LISTENS, and tries to respond to needs of the community.
Part of that is due in no short measure to his having such a person as Susan Good in place, but then one expects the chap at the top to have brilliant folks working for.
MOI is a Republican, that did not stop Senator Florez from providing all of the attention he could, were I a Democrat, MOI could not be better served. In these hard times, it is nice to know that there are still folks in place in Sacramento that are willing to help ALL, and to listen to the community served.
Best wishes to Senator Florez, and hope that he can bring some order in Sacramento.