As reported by the Sundial, on Tuesday night, Wilk thought Prop 30 had failed and was envisioning how he could play a role in stopping the automatic cuts to schools that would have triggered as a result:
Yesterday, he was singing a different tune to KHTS:
Cam Smyth was also a member of the minority party, but he was able to influence the agenda by occasionally helping out Governor Brown at substantial risk to himself. That took courage and conviction.
But Wilk is no Cam Smyth. Wilk will do what's in Wilk's best interests. Yet, I wonder if the Republicans' irrelevancy will paradoxically free them up more. They have no power, yet they also will bear little responsibility for what happens. Will that change the way Wilk works in Sacramento?
If the SCV's business and government interests want someone in Sacramento who can actually get things put on the agenda, they better warm up to Fran Pavley.
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Wilk thought Proposition 30 failed
"I’m going up there to represent you,” Wilk said during his victory speech at a post-election party in Valencia. “This is my pledge to you. First thing we’re going to do, because Proposition 30 is going to fail, we need to get rid of those trigger cuts.”Looks like he called that one wrong.
Wilk said the proposed trigger cuts if Proposition 30 fails were a political ploy and that education cannot function properly if California does not invest in it.
Yesterday, he was singing a different tune to KHTS:
Wilk tempered his enthusiasm for his new job with disappointment about how his party faired overall in the state's Assembly race. Early projections had the GOP picking up 32 spots, but the party fell seven short of that.He's depressed with good reason. As I pointed out yesterday, the GOP is largely irrelevant in California. We have a new and skilled Assemblyman, but his & other Republicans' ability to influence the agenda in Sacramento has been undercut by voters. Wilk and other Republicans are like those non-voting members of Congress from Puerto Rico and Guam; they're in the same room as all the power brokers, but they have no power themselves.
"Honestly, I was a little depressed this morning, because we didn't fair as well in the state Assembly," he said. "But as the day has progressed, I'm getting more excited."
Cam Smyth was also a member of the minority party, but he was able to influence the agenda by occasionally helping out Governor Brown at substantial risk to himself. That took courage and conviction.
But Wilk is no Cam Smyth. Wilk will do what's in Wilk's best interests. Yet, I wonder if the Republicans' irrelevancy will paradoxically free them up more. They have no power, yet they also will bear little responsibility for what happens. Will that change the way Wilk works in Sacramento?
If the SCV's business and government interests want someone in Sacramento who can actually get things put on the agenda, they better warm up to Fran Pavley.
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