On The Money: Political Payback For Portantino

Are Capitol Staffers Collateral Damage?

One out of every eight Californians is unemployed – but those numbers are about to grow. Close to a dozen Capitol staffers are about to lose their jobs because of what many are calling political payback.

Anthony Portantino's Capitol office will soon be going dark. The Assembly Democrat from Pasadena is expecting his office doors to be locked shut – and his staffers – 11 altogether counting his district office – are about to lose their jobs.

"In my 20 years experience, I've never seen anything like this," said Trent Hagar, Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Anthony Portantino.

Hagar will be out of work come October, caught in the crossfire of a political fight between the Assembly leadership – Speaker John Perez and Rules Chair Nancy Skinner on one side – and Assemblyman Anthony Portantino on the other.

"And now they're going to be laid off for petty political payback reasons," Portantino told CBS 13. "It's unconscionable."

Portantino's staffers have all been placed on leave without pay for six weeks. Portantino calls it direct retaliation for his "No" vote on the budget – in open defiance of his party leaders.

"I got a letter nine days after that vote, telling me that my entire district and Capitol staff were going to be laid off for 40 days," Portantino said. The termed out lawmaker is convinced Assembly leaders are trying to make an example out of him, "because frankly the leadership fabricated an overage of my budget."
http://www.anthonyportantino.com/
Democratic leaders cut Portantino's budget – then told him he was overspending by $67,000.
This reporter asked Assembly Rules Chair Nancy Skinner if Portantino was being punished for voting "No" on the budget.

"I think Mr. Portantino is deflecting the real issue," Skinner told CBS 13. The Berkeley Democrat added, "All of us in the Assembly receive allocations and we have to live within our means."

But Portantino is known around the Capitol as a tightwad. He turned down a state car, said no to a state cell phone and rejected a pay raise. He has asked for proof of the overspending – but says Assembly leaders have refused.

CBS 13 asked the State Assembly to show us the money trail – but instead we received official notification stating those records were exempt from mandatory disclosure.

But California Common Cause insists taxpayers have a right to know.

"Who wants to keep funding state government when they won't tell you how they're spending your money?" asked Derek Cressman, Common Cause's Regional Director.

Rules chair Nancy Skinner insists Portantino is the culprit.

"We're just asking don't be over. We don't want anybody to overspend," the Berkeley Assemblywoman said. "Look we're in a deficit. California is in a recession."

But to good government groups like Common Cause, the issues are accountability and transparency.

"This again is indicative of the attitude in this building that they're in charge, that they're entitled to special treatment - that they don't need to tell us as voters what they're doing - it's unacceptable," Cressman told CBS 13.

CBS 13 requested the spending documents under California's Legislative Open Records Act. Yet ironically, the legislature has exempted itself in many cases dealing with government activities, including this one.

Anthony Portantino has introduced an Amendment calling for all Assembly financial records to be made public. Assembly Speaker John Perez responded by setting up a task force about releasing government records.

This Web site shines a light on some Assembly budgets.

UPDATE: On Monday, August 29, 2011, Assemblyman Portantino's office released a study by Stanford University's California Common Sense group showing the budget numbers released by the Assembly Rules Committee don't add up.