Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/239554
FRIDAY Elks Students of the Month JANUARY 10, 2014 Playoff Preview Education Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 4A SPORTS 1B DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Mostly sunny 62/44 Weather forecast 8A TEHAMA COUNTY DAILY 50¢ T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 California budget surges to record high SACRAMENTO (AP) — A robust economic recovery and surging revenue propelled by voter-approved tax increases have sent California's general fund spending to a record high, marking a dramatic turn-around from the state's days as the nation's poster child of fiscal dysfunction. Yet Gov. Jerry Brown, in releasing his budget proposal Thursday, pledged to take a somber approach in spending the windfall. He said California must begin paying down what he has called its massive ''wall of debt,'' a stew of unfunded liabilities, bond debt and borrowing that is estimated at $355 billion. His somewhat cautious approach will run afoul of some of his fellow Democrats in the Legislature, many of whom already are clamoring for higher spending on pet programs. ''When you're at this level of long-term liability, it isn't time to just embark on a raft of new initiatives,'' Brown said in announcing details of his budget during a Capitol news conference. The news conference was moved up a day after copies of his budget proposal were leaked to media outlets late Wednesday. He was scheduled to promote his budget plan later Thursday in San Diego and Los Angeles. The governor's budget proposal for the 2014-15 fiscal year ded- Supes' seats challenged By RICH GREENE See SEATS, page 7A Fire crews continue making progress on the Campbell Fire burning in the Ishi Wilderness Area on the Lassen National Forest, north of the community of Campbellville in Tehama County. As of Thursday morning, the Campbell Fire has burned about 865 acres, was 90 percent contained and 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 PG&E warns of scam emails, calls See SCAM, page 7A Garton Johnston Bruce Drury Price Williams Campbell Fire 90 percent contained DN Staff Report See BUDGET, page 7A Pacific Gas and Electric Company has learned of an email scam targeting residents across the United States. The utility has received calls from people, both within its service area and outside of it, reporting that they have received suspicious emails that appeared to be bills sent by PG&E. This is similar to email and phone scams that have been happening recently throughout the country involving several utilities. "It's unacceptable that someone is trying to take advantage of our customers and others," said Helen Burt, senior vice president and chief customer officer. "We take our customers' security very seriously and under no circumstances would we email anyone to request that they provide personal information without first logging into My Energy or calling us." If a customer receives one of these emails requesting information about their account, they should delete it. DN Staff Writer Challengers have filed Candidate Intention Statement forms in all three Tehama County Board of Supervisor races. In District 2, 22-year-old small business owner Mitchell Drury is set to challenge Supervisor Sandy Bruce for the remaining 2 years of her appointed term. In District 3, Pat Johnston, a 59-year-old small business owner and journalist, is challenging Dennis Garton. In November Susan Price, a former Red Bluff city manager and Corning City Councilwoman, announced her candidacy to challenge Bob Williams in District 4. Williams said he planned to file a Candidate Intention Statement Thursday afternoon. Declaration of Candidacy forms are due March 7. Drury is a 2010 Red Bluff High School graduate, who manages and co-owns CD Bullseye Bullets, a business that sells reloaded and factory ammunition. "As a local business owner, I am aware of the great task it is to maintain a profitable business and of the regulations and laws that are in place that needlessly make that task even greater," Drury said of why he is running. Drury said he has aspirations to one day represent Tehama County at the state and federal levels and cites President John F. Kennedy's 1961 Inaugural address as inspiration. Bruce was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown in April 2013 to the District 2 seat to replace George Russell, who passed away shortly after winning reelection. The appointment was to fill Russell's term until the next county election. The seat will return to its regular 4-year term with the 2016 election. Bruce had been an account clerk at the Tehama County Department of Social Services since 1984 before taking over as supervisor. Johnston has ran twice unsuccessfully for supervisor, once in the late 1990s and again as a write-in candidate in the early 2000s. Johnston has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Information and Communication and an Associ- icates $11 billion to paying down debts and liabilities, including $6 billion in payments that had been deferred to schools and nearly $4 billion to pay down the so-called economic recovery bonds left over from the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. remained about two miles from Campbellville. Handline construction was complete on the south, west, and east sides of the fire, although the fire was expected to continue to slowly back down the north side until it reaches Deer Creek. With the fire mostly contained, significant downsizing of resources took place Wednesday and was expected to continue Thursday. Remaining on the fire will be three hand crews and two See FIRE, page 7A Brown meets with drought task force, pledges help SACRAMENTO (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown said he would meet Thursday with his recently formed drought task force to determine if an emergency declaration is necessary as California faces a serious water shortage. He said he would ''do everything that is humanly possible'' to make sure the state's water reserves are used efficiently but noted that even a formal drought declaration has its limits. ''Governors can't make it rain,'' he told reporters during a briefing on his state budget proposal. Reservoirs in the state have dipped to historic lows after one of the driest calendar years on record. The first Sierra snow survey of the year last week recorded just 20 percent of average water content for this time of year. State water managers have said they expect to deliver just 5 percent of the water sought by agencies that supply more than 25 million Californians and nearly a million acres of irrigated farmland. Several communities already have imposed mandatory water reductions. This week, Mendocino County became the first to request state drought assistance, citing an imminent threat of disaster. Farmers also are taking steps to prepare for a severe reduction in water during the summer growing season, conditions that could force them to fallow crops and sell off livestock. That has the potential to affect the nation's food supply because California's Central Valley is one of the country's most important food-producing regions. Brown, a Democrat, said he is aware of the problems caused by the dry conditions, noting that he dealt with the state's last major drought, in 1976 and 1977, during his first tour in the governor's office. ''We'll take whatever steps we can, in collaboration with the state's farmers, to deal with water, and also the urban people have to do their part,'' he said. ''But don't See BROWN, page 7A Mayors cleared to get pension reform signatures SACRAMENTO (AP) — San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and four other California mayors were cleared Tuesday to start gathering signatures to get their proposed statewide pension reform initiative on voter ballots in November. The move comes a day after Attorney General Kamala Harris issued a summary for the initiative, which would allow cities across the state to renegotiate public workers' future pension and retirement benefits, the San Jose Mercury News (http://bit.ly/1fdbpXv ) reported. Pension reform supporters now have until June 5 to collect more than 800,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot. Both supporters and opponents feared Harris would use loaded words that could lead voters down one path or another since her title and summary is seen on petition sheets and other official voter guides. Instead, she kept the title, ''Public Employees. Pension and Retiree Healthcare,'' vague. However, both groups expressed disappointment with Harris' description. Harris' summary said the proposal would ''eliminate constitutional protections'' for public workers such as teachers and peace officers. It also said the initiative would allow government employers to cut benefits and increase worker contributions during hard times. Those details were mentioned too low for union leaders who have called the proposal extreme by letting public employers cut the retirement benefits promised to workers. ''The title should have promi- nently noted the elimination or cuts to pensions and retiree health care that this measure authorizes,'' David Low, chairman of the opposition group called Californians for Retirement Security, said in a statement. Reed, who is spearheading the initiative, called the summary bogus and maintains it would not take away public workers' constitutional rights. ''Voters deserve to have an accurate description of the initiative free from poll-tested words and phrases that confuse and distort the specific language of the initiative,'' he said in a statement. In addition to Reed, other mayors behind the initiative include Bill Kampe of Pacific Grove; Pat Morris of San Bernardino; Miguel Pulido of Santa Ana; and Tom Tait of Anaheim.