Which Way, L.A.?
Elections and Big Money in the California Primary
Two years ago, California voters passed Proposition 34, which set limits for individual contributions to candidates and campaigns. Although it was supposed to reduce the amount of money in statewide elections, it may have increased it by accelerating the creation of independent expenditure committees. In last week's primary, Gray Davis and Bill Simon averaged 5,000 dollars per donation, and special interests had no trouble spending ten times what the law allows for legislative races. We join Democratic and Republican consultants and the executive director of the government watchdog organization, California Common Cause, for a look at public financing, special interest money and what it portends for future elections. Newsmaker: School Board Likely to Vote to Finish Belmont The LA School Board is about to take yet another vote on the Belmont Learning Complex, one that may finally seal the fate of America's most expensive unfinished high school. Howard Blume, who's covering the story for the LA Weekly, voices amazement at the amount of energy Superintendent Roy Romer has invested to ensure the completion of the project. Reporter's Notebook: Trinity Church and St. Paul's Near the WTC Today in Battery Park, just blocks from ground zero, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg asked for two moments of silence at the exact times that two hijacked airliners slammed into the World Trade Center. KCRW's Paddy Hirsch sampled the mood in Lower Manhattan, six month's to the day since September 11.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readTwo years ago, California voters passed Proposition 34, which set limits for individual contributions to candidates and campaigns. Although it was supposed to reduce the amount of money in statewide elections, it may have increased it by accelerating the creation of independent expenditure committees. In last week's primary, Gray Davis and Bill Simon averaged 5,000 dollars per donation, and special interests had no trouble spending ten times what the law allows for legislative races. We join Democratic and Republican consultants and the executive director of the government watchdog organization, California Common Cause, for a look at public financing, special interest money and what it portends for future elections.
School Board Likely to Vote to Finish Belmont
The LA School Board is about to take yet another vote on the Belmont Learning Complex, one that may finally seal the fate of America's most expensive unfinished high school. Howard Blume, who's covering the story for the
LA Weekly, voices amazement at the amount of energy Superintendent Roy Romer has invested to ensure the completion of the project.
Trinity Church and St. Paul's Near the WTC
Today in Battery Park, just blocks from ground zero, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg asked for two moments of silence at the exact times that two hijacked airliners slammed into the World Trade Center. KCRW's Paddy Hirsch sampled the mood in Lower Manhattan, six month's to the day since September 11.
