Did Perata Cave?

The Governor called a surprise Big 5 meeting today, a rare occurrence outside of budget negotiating season. The meeting, which consists of the Governor and the Democratic and Republican leaders of each house of the legislature, was held behind close doors (as it always is) but the legislative leader came out and spoke to the press afterwards. And what they said sure seemed odd. First off, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, who has strongly pushed for a transportation bond—calling it his top priority—sounded like he was resigned to let the session slide away and take up the bond again next year. “I never thought I would get it out of the Assembly,” Perata said to a cabal of reporters in the hall outside the Governor’s office. It was strange to hear such resignation about the centerpiece of his agenda—especially when in the same conversation both he and Speaker Fabian Nunez said that the Big 5 had settled the fact that transportation was the top issue. “Even Kevin McCarthy said we should be doing something and transportation,” quipped Perata, noting that McCarthy’s district overlaps with that of Republican Congressman Bill Thomas, a powerful force in Washington D.C. well-known for bring home the bacon (i.e. pork) for his district. Over the next two weeks, we’ll see what happens to Perata’s “top priority.”