State Treasurer Kathleen Brown last week accused Gov. Pete Wilson of being "out of touch with middle-income families for vetoing legislation to create a "Cal-Loans" program providing low-cost college loans.
Senate Bill 589, written by state Sen. Patrick Johnston, D-Stockton, was designed to leverage $6.5 million in existing funds contained in the California Student Loan Authority to finance up to $200 million in low-cost loans.
In 1991, Wilson vetoed a nearly identical measure, also authored by Johnston and endorsed by Brown.
In a veto message this month. Wilson said federal student loan programs were expanded in 1992 under reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. As a result, Wilson said, "Students and their families formerly ineligible for federal student loans, including middle-income families, will be eligible to participate."
Brown disagreed, saying in a press release that "Washington has been slow to provide Californians with money for everything from immigration to defense conversion. That's why we needed an alternative" Cal-Loans program, which Wilson vetoed.
Political observers expect Brown in December or January to announce her candidacy for the Democratic Party gubernatorial nomination. The primary is scheduled for June.
Gov. Pete Wilson recently signed legislation designed to end a long-running dispute with Britain about how multinational companies are taxed in California.
Senate Bill 671, authored by state Sen. Alfred E. Alquist, D-San Jose, alters California's unitary taxation method a multinational companies. The measure repeals restrictions that had forced most foreign companies operating in California to use the disputed method for calculating their taxes.
The California Supreme Court has upheld the unitary taxing scheme, but British-owned Barclays Bank of San Francisco has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the state court decision.
State officials have said they hope Wilson's signature on the legislation would convince the high court to dismiss the pending challenge.
The Justice Department filed a brief last week saying the Barclays appeal should be denied now that California has ended the unitary taxing method. If the Supreme Court decides to hear the case and strikes down the tax, it could force California to refund $1.3 billion in taxes and lose $2.3 billion in pending tax assessment cases, state officials said.
Gov. Pete Wilson recently signed legislation designed to end a long-running dispute with Britain about how multinational companies are taxed in California.
Senate Bill 671, authored by state Sen. Alfred E. Alquist, D-San Jose, alters California's unitary taxation method a multinational companies. The measure repeals restrictions that had forced most foreign companies operating in California to use the disputed method for calculating their taxes.
The California Supreme Court has upheld the unitary taxing scheme, but British-owned Barclays Bank of San Francisco has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the state court decision.
State officials have said they hope Wilson's signature on the legislation would convince the high court to dismiss the pending challenge.
The Justice Department filed a brief last week saying the Barclays appeal should be denied now that California has ended the unitary taxing method. If the Supreme Court decides to hear the case and strikes down the tax, it could force California to refund $1.3 billion in taxes and lose $2.3 billion in pending tax assessment cases, state officials said.
