Assembly Speaker John A. Perez says his "California Jobs Budget" will solve the budget deficit while creating jobs and preventing harmful cuts.

An excellent report from the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education estimates the governor's proposed budget would result in a loss of 331,000 full-time-equivalent jobs and increase the state unemployment rate by 1.8 percentage points. An alternative that mixes spending cuts with $5.5 billion in revenue increases would save 244,000 jobs.

From The State Worker blog: State worker retirements have risen sharply since the economy's downturn. The Assembly Committee on Accountability and Adminstrative Review is looking to plan for the turnover in the workforce. The "backgrounder on the issues" is especially interesting; more than 70 percent of state supervisors and managers are eligible or nearly eligible to retire, yet there is no succession plan.

From the Capitol Weekly: The state is moving ahead with its plan to sell several state buildings for a hoped-for $2 billion. The state plans to lease the buildings back. The Legislative Analyst's Office calls the idea "poor fiscal policy."

Watch for discounts for state workers this summer! One we've heard about is free admission for any state worker and one friend on the following Fridays: June 11, 18, 25 and July 2. You need to show your stae ID or paystub at the main fair entrance. Fair information: www.sdfair.com.

From The Sacramento Bee: The California Supreme Court has ordered union and government attorneys to argue a case that Schwarzenegger lost even though no one had asked the court to review it. The ower courts ruled the governor violated a narrow provision of the state insurance code when he furlough 500 legal staff at the State Compensation Insurance Fund. ACSS had joined a similar lawsuit that ruled the furloughs were illegal for about 7,500 other SCIF workers. The opening arguments must be filed by June 9.

The CalPERS board yesterday voted to support SB 1425 (Simitian), which would prohibit practices that inflate or "spike" public employee retirement benefits. In other CalPERS news, the pension fund postponed asking for a $700 million increase in taxpayer contributions, at least until next month. The Legislative Analyst's Office reports that postponing the increase will likely end up costing the state more.

From the sleuthing of the intrepid State Worker blogger: A report released by the Bureau of State Audits yesterday contains buried within it the conclusion that paying the leave balances for the furlough credits correctional officers have accrued could cost as much as $563 million.

The director of the California Budget Project, a nonpartisan research group, offers sound suggestions to increase state revenues by billions of dollars without decimating the state's education system and social services. Eliminating tax loopholes is a start.

From The Sacramento Bee: More details on the governor's proposal to cut state workers' pay while requiring them to work more hours. Click headline to read an uplifting reader comment.

Ben Stein, the curmudgeonly and cerebral comedian -- conservative to the core -- told CBS "Sunday Morning" that government workers are the "muscle and bone" of the nation. A refreshing viewpoint and one you can draw from in your legislative contacts.

Gov. Schwarzenegger's May Revise today worsened, if that's possible, state employee compensation for the next year. In addition to the 5 percent wage cut and 5 percent increase in health care premiums, the governor is proposing state workers be reduced one day's pay each month in exchange for a day of leave credit. According to one source, unused leave credit would not be paid if the employee leaves state services. If you want to protest these cuts, you can easily email them using our "Contact Your Legislators" button at left. This information will be updated. A May Revise pdf is here.

ACSS has added a new button to its home page: "Legislation and Politics." With this site, you can now follow ACSS' political activity, the bills we're monitoring and hearings and other meetings we or our lobbyist will attend.

Gov. Schwarzenegger will release his "May revise" for the 2010-2011 budget today at 1 p.m. With a $20 billion deficit, the governor's office has warned of "absolutely terrible cuts." Democrats want to consider tax increases to close the gap; Republicans say "no way."

State Worker column: CalPERS is set to consider a $600 million hike in what California pays next year to cover state worker pensions.