Ron Calderon

Despite the turnover mandated by term limits, one name has remained a constant in California's Capitol: Calderon. Every year since 1983, a brother from this Montebello family -- first Charles, then Tom and now Ron -- has served in the Legislature, each rising to a leadership position. This year, Ron hopes to shift from the Assembly to the state Senate, and Charles aims to be elected to his seat, which Tom held before Ron.

In the year since state Sen. Ron Calderon won election in a vote recount, the legal defense fund he set up to pay his costs in the dispute has gone on to raise $160,000. Using that fund, the Democrat from Montebello has paid $11,200 for a fundraiser at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, $5,880 to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, a $333 tab at Makena Golf Course in Hawaii and $10,000 to private airplane service Tower Aviation.

California Assemblyman Ron Calderon has obliterated his campaign war chest months before he faces an opponent in November, spending the money on Las Vegas hotels, restaurants and cigars, according to campaign spending reports. Calderon, whose 58th Assembly District encompasses southeast Los Angeles County communities, including Whittier, Downey and East L.A.

Despite the turnover mandated by term limits, one name has remained a constant in California's Capitol: Calderon. Every year since 1983, a brother from this Montebello family -- first Charles, then Tom and now Ron -- has served in the Legislature, each rising to a leadership position. This year, Ron hopes to shift from the Assembly to the state Senate, and Charles aims to be elected to his seat, which Tom held before Ron.

In the year since state Sen. Ron Calderon won election in a vote recount, the legal defense fund he set up to pay his costs in the dispute has gone on to raise $160,000. Using that fund, the Democrat from Montebello has paid $11,200 for a fundraiser at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, $5,880 to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, a $333 tab at Makena Golf Course in Hawaii and $10,000 to private airplane service Tower Aviation.

With the field in the Los Angeles mayor's race now whittled down to two, more state legislators from Southern California are taking sides. Councilman Eric Garcetti announced a trio of endorsements Monday from state Sens. Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) and Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) as well as former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. “These three legislative leaders will be powerful voices in this election and will help me build support in neighborhoods throughout our city," Garcetti said in a statement.

A water district that serves southeast Los Angeles County has awarded millions of dollars in contracts to politically connected individuals and organizations, which have helped the district fight critics and avoid outside scrutiny, public records and interviews show. The Central Basin Municipal Water District's relationships with state legislators, a former mayor of Bell and other political insiders have enabled the obscure utility to accumulate clout in Sacramento and in the industrial corridor along the 710 Freeway.

Re "$3.2 million for legislators' cars," June 16 I think a state-provided vehicle is a reasonable allowance that can help a legislator do his or her job effectively. But, as a California taxpayer, I do not like paying for luxury vehicles when basic transportation will do. Particularly galling is Sen. Ron Calderon's (D-Montebello) decision to bill us nearly $40,000 for a Cadillac. Calderon's comment in your story is both evasive and unctuous: "If there is a decision to disallow the use of vehicles in the district, I would happily surrender the vehicle I now drive in commonality with the sacrifices others are making in these difficult economic times."

Re "Lawmakers live well on donor cash," Feb. 9 Excellent article exposing the donation-supported activities of several of our state legislators. I wonder if state Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) truly believes that "no tax dollars are attached to the expenses"? How much of his and his wife's junket money was charged to corporate expenses and therefore an offset against corporate taxes? And did he pay federal taxes on the non-business benefit derived from these extravagances? Furthermore, if these conferences only consume a half-day each day, did the legislators only take a half-day's pay each day?

Congressional contest: An article in the Feb. 2 LATExtra section about campaign fundraising said that state Sen. Ron Calderon had decided not to run against Rep. Linda Chavez (D-Lakewood). The congresswoman's name is Linda T. Sanchez. Don Cornelius: The obituary of "Soul Train" creator and host Don Cornelius in the Feb. 2 Section A said that he lived in Encino. His home is in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood, according to The Times' Mapping L.A. database. Jazz Bakery: An article in the Feb. 1 Calendar section about architect Frank Gehry designing a new theater in Culver City for the Jazz Bakery said that the Jazz Bakery's former location was southwest of the new site.

California Assemblyman Ron Calderon has obliterated his campaign war chest months before he faces an opponent in November, spending the money on Las Vegas hotels, restaurants and cigars, according to campaign spending reports. Calderon, whose 58th Assembly District encompasses southeast Los Angeles County communities, including Whittier, Downey and East L.A.

Election experts testified Friday before state legislators about the problems that surrounded the Feb. 5 presidential primary, particularly voter confusion that stemmed from the so-called double-bubble ballot. About 50,000 votes were initially discarded after independent voters failed to mark a bubble indicating they wanted to vote in the Democratic Party or American Independent Party primary. Acting Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan said this week that he had validated about 80% of those ballots, after elections workers successfully determined voter intent on all but about 12,000 votes.

Over the last 10 years, California's juvenile justice system has begun to emerge from the darkest of its dark days. In settling lawsuits, the state agreed to turn away from inhumane practices and reduce youth prison violence, abide by laws that require educational and mental health and healthcare services, and provide access for the physically disabled. The state was caught physically abusing its wards, sometimes by looking the other way when fights broke out, sometimes by spurring the fights on, sometimes by guards actually beating the wards.