When Gregoire won, so did her donors
Money poured in for a recount in Christine Gregoire's close race against Dino Rossi...those supporters — including unions and a tribal-gambling group — have benefited during the governor's first term
By Ralph Thomas, Seattle Times
In late 2004, when Christine Gregoire's bid to become governor was engulfed in legal challenges, the state Democratic Party sent out a plea for help. The checks started rolling in almost immediately — $250,000 from the state's largest public-employee union, $50,000 from a tribal-gambling group, $25,000 from the state's main teachers union. Major national political groups also weighed in. That money, more so than the millions Gregoire received during her campaign, is what ultimately enabled Gregoire to vanquish Republican Dino Rossi. And those allies have done well under Gregoire. As governor, she gave thousands of state workers the biggest raises they've seen in more than a decade. She approved a major expansion of tribal gambling. She vastly increased education spending and pushed for big pay raises for teachers.

Arizona state budget agreement nears
By Matthew Benson Arizona Republic
The state Senate appeared to reach a bipartisan budget deal that would close a $1.9 billion shortfall in fiscal 2009 and avert any sort of state shutdown a week from today. The details of that plan were due to be unveiled, though sources familiar with the proposal indicated it would include roughly $400 million in agency cuts and $500 million to $600 million in borrowing for kindergarten through 12th-grade construction. Additionally, the plan would pull several hundred million from state fund balances and whatever remains of the state's rainy-day reserve and "roll over" a portion of a state education payment into the next fiscal year.

Chaotic Louisiana session comes to an end
Lawmakers raise their pay, cut everyone's taxes
By Jan Moller, New Orleans Times-Picayune
The Legislature wrapped up a freewheeling three-month session Monday that saw legislators more than double their own pay, approve a historic income-tax cut and end the political honeymoon for Gov. Bobby Jindal. Lawmakers provided new money for education and health care, overhauled the state's worker-training system, bolstered the state's mental health safety net and steered tax dollars to a private school voucher program for poor children in New Orleans. But the session is likely to be best remembered for two items that were not part of the governor's plan: an increase of legislative salaries from $16,800 to $37,500 a year, and a $300-million-a-year tax cut that the administration initially opposed but ultimately embraced.

NEVADA BUDGET: Forum to figure shortfall
By SEAN WHALEY, Las Vegas Review-Journal
For those with more than a passing interest in the state's economic woes, all eyes turn today to a panel of private citizens with the unenviable task of predicting Nevada's financial future. The Economic Forum, with four of the five members brand new, will meet to try to determine just how deep of a hole the state budget is in. Gov. Jim Gibbons issued an executive order setting the meeting to get outside views on the size of the latest shortfall, which ranges according to differing estimates from a little more than $100 million to as much as $240 million. Gibbons will use the estimate generated by the forum as his baseline for again trying to balance the current two-year budget. The second year of the spending plan starts July 1. Spending already has been reduced and other revenue sources tapped to cover a $913 million shortfall. But another round of cuts is now on the table for Gibbons and lawmakers, who are scheduled to meet in a special session starting Monday to make the necessary and potentially painful adjustments.

Jindal urges La. lawmakers 'to undo what they've done'
By Robert Travis Scott, New Orleans Times-Picayune
Gov. Bobby Jindal urged lawmakers Wednesday to reverse enactment of a raise that would double their pay by taking immediate legislative action before the current session ends in five days. But with Jindal repeating a pledge not to veto the measure, lawmakers said they considered the issue closed. "I don't know why he is trying to antagonize the Legislature," House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Algiers, said of Jindal's request. Enough time remains to rush through legislation on an emergency basis before the mandatory finish of the session Monday at 6 p.m. But Tucker said he does not see that happening because new bills are prohibited at this stage of the session and there appear to be no active bills that could be amended to address the pay issue. The pay raise bill landed on Jindal's desk Wednesday, and he has until July 8 to veto it or it will become law. Jindal has said he will not sign or veto the bill. "I'll leave it in his hands," Tucker said.

AZ Legislature OKs revised late-term abortion bill
By Amanda J. Crawford, Arizona Republic
Arizona lawmakers today passed another bill to create state penalties for doctors who perform partial birth abortions, which is likely to be vetoed by the governor. The measure, which now awaits Gov. Janet Napolitano's action, would allow state and county prosecutors to go after doctors who perform the controversial procedure, already barred under federal law. Napolitano vetoed a similar measure earlier this session. Proponents said the newest version seeks to address the governor's concerns, including changes to make the felony penalty the same as in the federal law. The new version also allows doctors to seek an opinion from the medical board about whether the procedure was necessary to save the mother's life, an exception under the law.

Radio ads criticize Gregoire on handling of sex offenders, funding for foster care
A building-industry group is running radio ads statewide that accuse Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire of cutting funding for children
By Andrew Garber, Seattle Times
A building-industry group is running radio ads statewide that accuse Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire of cutting funding for children in foster care and being lenient with sex offenders. One ad features a woman who says her 12-year-old granddaughter was sexually assaulted. "The governor has made it easier for these perpetrators to get away with what they want to do," the woman says in the ad. "I don't know how she can go to sleep at night." The Governor's Office and Gregoire's campaign staff disagree with the ads and say the governor actually has increased funding for children in foster care and cracked down on sex predators. The radio ads, which began running Monday, are paid for by It's Time for a Change, a political-action committee primarily funded by the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW). The BIAW is an ardent supporter of Dino Rossi, the Republican candidate for governor. Rossi narrowly lost to Gregoire in the 2004 election.


Nevada governor's messy divorce is a gossip jackpot
By Ashley Powers, Los Angeles Times
Few things get a state talking like a first lady scorned. Although Nevadans yawn at quickie divorces, drive-through weddings, topless showgirls and legalized prostitution, the divorce proceedings between Gov. Jim Gibbons and his estranged wife, Dawn, have transfixed folks here like a daytime soap opera.


Abbott's large war chest hints at higher ambitions
State AG remains mum despite talk of a run for U.S. Senate or governor
By R.G. RATCLIFFE, Houston Chronicle
Attorney General Greg Abbott's political bank account has him poised for whatever might come: a run for higher office or merely fending off opponents for re-election. Abbott has almost $7.3 million in campaign cash — more money on hand than anyone holding state office in Texas. More money than fellow Republicans Gov. Rick Perry and House Speaker Tom Craddick combined. That money is what remains of more than $20 million Abbott has raised since he gave up his seat on the Texas Supreme Court in 2001 to seek higher office. Many believe Abbott keeps his bank account growing for a possible run for lieutenant governor, governor or the U.S. Senate.