Legislative leaders on D.C. swing

Here are the critical comments of Fabian Nunez and Don Perata on the governor's D.C. tour: Nunez:“While we are pleased the Governor is finally engaging decision-makers in Washington, we are disappointed that he is returning to California empty-handed. With California Republicans in control of six key Congressional committees and with the Administration’s strong links to President Bush and Vice President Cheney, we were hopeful the Governor would have been able to obtain more than yet another visit by an administration official.” “Billions of dollars of federal cuts to California’s budget are looming, we’re owed millions in reimbursements from the Medicare fiasco, and the Governor is proposing a massive bond that relies on federal matching funds that are evaporating. It would have been nice to see some sign that California would be doing better than getting a 79 cents return on every dollar we send to Washington. The Governor has failed to deliver.” Perata:It’s disrespectful to the governor of the largest state in the nation when all he comes back with from Washington is a vague promise that the Homeland Security Secretary will tour the levees. The governor's bond proposal assumes a massive influx of federal funds, so the Bush Administration could at least have given some sign that that is even possible. The governor can better serve California lining up Republican votes in the legislature for an infrastructure bond. Here he’ll get the opportunity to succeed.