Back In Charge

By Mark Paul Arabo Leave a Comment
Jerry Brown is back in charge as California's newly elected Governor

On January 4th, 2011, Governor Jerry Brown was sworn in for an unprecedented third term as California's governor, taking the reins of a state battered by the national economic downturn and a seemingly endless budget crisis. Twenty seven years after he ended his first round as governor, Jerry Brown handed Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman a sizeable defeat despite her spending more than $140 million in her quest for the governor’s office. Governor Brown is the son of the late former Governor Pat Brown. He first became governor in his own right in 1975, when the Golden State economy was vibrant and the envy of the nation. Stating that he has “not come here to embrace delay and denial," the Governor has called upon Democrats and Republicans in the oft-gridlocked state legislature to work together in making the tough choices needed to get California back on a strong economic footing. Much has changed in Sacramento between the tenures of Governor Brown, who held the governor's post before term limits were instituted, as he works toward that goal. In the decades since he left office, state officials and legislators lost flexibility on budget matters in large part due to the property-tax cap instituted by Proposition 13, the strict school funding mandates resulting from the passage of Proposition 98, and a host of other voter-approved ballot measures.  Those fiscal constraints, coupled with a dramatic increase in spending on permanent programs, have created an unsustainable dynamic that the new Governor has pledged to permanently unwind. Confronting a state with high unemployment and a record deficit, Governor Brown used his inaugural speech to pledge fiscal austerity, job creation and a broad effort to rebuild public trust in state government. In the speech, the Governor referred to Californians’ intrepid spirit as he outlined the monumental task ahead: closing the multi-billion dollar budget deficit and getting the California economy moving again. “From the native peoples who survived the total transformation of their way of life, to the most recent arrival, stories of courage abound. And it’s not over,” As he acknowledged the magnitude of the state’s problems, he stated that California was up to the challenge, and that innovators in Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and in small businesses throughout California “give hope to an even more abundant future up ahead,” On behalf of the members and Board of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: California News, Issue 48,2011, News, Publication Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

New Director of ABC

By Bianca Zeto
CAabclogo.png

STATE OF CALIFORNIA — BUSINESS, TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AGENCY Edmund G. Brown Jr., Governor DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL  3927 Lennane Drive, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA  95834 (916) 419-2500 January 28, 2011 Governor Brown Appoints Jacob Appelsmith as Director of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (Sacramento) - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the appointment of 47 year old Jacob Appelsmith of Sacramento as Director of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). Appelsmith began his career as a lawyer with Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro in San Francisco, where he worked for six years as a commercial litigator.  He joined the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, in 1994. He began working in the Employment Law Section.  He eventually became the Department of Justice’s general counsel for personnel and equal employment opportunity matters, as well as the statewide head of the employment law section. In 2008, Appelsmith was promoted to Special Assistant to then Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. on matters pertaining to law enforcement and the criminal justice system, and was also appointed Chief of the California Bureau of Gambling Control.  As Chief of the Bureau, Appelsmith oversaw regulatory and criminal enforcement relating to California’s 60 tribal casinos and 90 card rooms. Appelsmith graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1985.  He was Phi Beta Kappa and was awarded the History Department’s highest honor award.  He returned to his native Berkeley to attend law school, graduating from the University of California Boalt Hall School of Law in 1988.   While at Boalt, he worked as a student clerk to California Supreme Court Justice Allen Broussard. Appelsmith was an Associate Editor of the Industrial Relations Law Journal, and clerked at law firms in New York and Portland, Maine. In his new capacity at ABC, Appelsmith will oversee a Department that is responsible for the administration, licensing and regulation of businesses that manufacture, distribute and sell alcoholic beverages in California.  In addition, Appelsmith will be a Senior Advisor to the Governor. ABC is a Department of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: California News Tagged With: , ,

Counterfeit Coupons!

By Bianca Zeto

  ACTION ALERT January 27, 2010 For Immediate Release Contact:Christine Cunnick 703-516-0700 National Grocers Association N.G.A. has received an alert from the Coupon Information Corporation (CIC) about fraudulent coupons currently in circulation. A number of new counterfeit coupons have been identified and can be viewed below. CIC is offering rewards of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of creators of several of these counterfeits. You can also view all counterfeit coupon notices and download an excel spreadsheet of the counterfeit coupon notices by visiting the CIC's website at www.cents-off.com or by clicking this link: Counterfeit Notices Manufacturer Brand Item Value Bar Code Link Post Date Beiersdorf Nivea Body Product $5.00 572140100747   81010126360611 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Reward Beiersdof Nivea January 20, 2011.pdf 1/20/11 Coca-Cola Company Simply Lemonade Any $2.25 525000000831   0025000384756 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Coca-Cola January 13, 2011.pdf 1/13/11 Coca-Cola Company Coke 24 Pack $5.00 549000000745   0049000545991 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Reward Nestle January 5, 2011.pdf 1/19/11 General Mills Yoplait Fridge Pack $3.50 570470000911   0070470071818 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Reward General Mills January 6, 2010.pdf 1/6/11 Hasbro Hasbro Any Tou $5.00 553569544749   8100601389 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Reward Hasbro January 3, 2010.pdf 1/4/11 Hasbro Tonka Strong Arm Garbage Truck $10.00 521664000613   81010188201210 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Reward Hasbro January 10, 2010.pdf 1/10/11 Hasbro Hasbro at Target $10.00 553569000610 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Reward Hasbro January 19, 2011.pdf 1/19/11 Hasbro Magic The Gathering Fat Pack bogo 553569000016   0043695067931 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Reward Hasbro January 19, 2011.pdf 1/19/11 Hormel Hormel Bacon Any $5.00 537600000937   0037600882865 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Reward Hormel January 10, 2011.pdf 1/10/11 Lorillard Newport Any cigarettes $4.00 526100000936   0026100013432 http://www.cents-off.com/doc/Reward Lorillard Newport January 3, 2011.pdf 1/3/11 Lorillard Newport 1 Pack $7.00 526100000684   … [Read more...]

Filed Under: California News Tagged With: , , ,

ABC Announces New Liquor License Authorizations

By davidrabban
CAabclogo.png

ABC ANNOUNCES NEW LIQUOR LICENSE AUTHORIZATIONS Sacramento – Steve Hardy, Director of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, today announced authorization for the issuance of new on-sale general and off-sale general licenses and the inter-county transfer of on-sale general and off-sale general licenses. This year, due to population increases, the following counties will be eligible for additional on-sale general and off-sale general licenses. Please click here for a list of licenses per county From September 20th, 2010, through October 1st, 2010, Department offices will accept applications for new original on-sale general licenses for bona fide eating places and new original off-sale general licenses in those counties where such licenses are available. During the same period of time, priority applications will be accepted for intercounty transfer of on-sale general licenses for bona fide public eating places and off-sale general licenses into those counties where such licenses may be transferred. Only one priority application will be accepted from any one applicant for each type license in counties where original licenses are available.  In counties where both original licenses and intercounty transfer of such licenses are available, an applicant may file one application for each drawing if specifically separate premises are designated for each license application.  Legislation which became effective January 1, 1995, established a fee of $12,000 to be paid when filing a priority application for a new original general license.  A fee of $6,000 must be paid when filing a priority application for an intercounty transfer of a general license.  Only certified checks, cashier’s checks or money orders will be accepted in payment of the application fee.  These should be made payable to Alcoholic Beverage Control. If, at the conclusion of the period for filing applications in any county, the Department finds there are more applications than there are licenses available for issuance, a public drawing will be held.  To participate in such a drawing, an applicant must have been a resident of California for at least 90 days prior to the date scheduled for the priority drawing.  When there are fewer applications than licenses, the Department will proceed with a thorough investigation of each application. By accepting only certified checks, cashier’s checks, or money orders in payment of priority application fees, the … [Read more...]

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California’s Budget Woes Continue

By Brian Rees Leave a Comment
The Sacramento Scene. The latest legislation that affects your business.

Last year, while facing a staggering budget deficit, the Governor and the Legislature increased taxes by nearly $12 billion, cut state spending by a similar amount, and were forced to furlough state workers, freeze spending on infrastructure projects, and issue IOUs to state contractors. Unfortunately, little has changed in Sacramento this year. Lawmakers have already begun budget meetings in an attempt to rein in the latest structural deficit. However, even if significant mid-year progress is made during the emergency budget session, it will not tackle the entire $20 billion deficit that is projected over the next year and a half. These actions will simply deal with the short term cash flow issues associated with last year’s budget. The longer-term funding for core services such as public safety, education and health services will remain in a state of uncertainty, and will inevitably be dealt with later in the budget cycle. Over the past two years, Governor Schwarzenegger and legislators have cut more than $18 billion (nearly 18 percent) from the state’s general fund spending. These cuts have had significant effects on public schools, higher education, and health care, and support services for the state’s disabled population. Complicating the state’s long term ability to deal with the ongoing deficits is the fact that the temporary tax increases enacted by last year’s budget will begin to expire at the end of the year. Additionally, avenues for Sacramento to extract money from local government entities have largely been exhausted. Both of these factors are threatening to widen the state’s budget deficits in the coming years. The Democratic leadership of both houses of the Legislature, have already criticized Governor Schwarzenegger's January budget proposal, and have promised to fight what they consider to be draconian cuts to education and state social services. Conversely, Republicans have pledged to hold the line against any and all new tax proposals, stating that the $12 billion in tax increases implemented by last year’s budget have had a detrimental effect on taxpayers and the state’s struggling economy. In reaction to the Republicans’ stance on tax increases, Democrats – as they have during the last two budget cycles – are searching for ways to sidestep the rule that requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature for tax increases and to pass state budgets. The dynamics that have led to the … [Read more...]

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