Brown’s skirting of the tunnels and rail projects, two priorities of his administration, also highlights the shifting field on which the Democratic governor is seeking to push his public works agenda. After securing the Legislature’s authorization for initial construction of the rail project in the Central Valley<http://topics.sacbee.com/Central+Valley/> in 2012, Brown’s problems have mainly shifted to Congress and the courts.
His water plan is to be financed by water users and permitted administratively by state and federal officials. Needing no public vote on the projects – and with his re-election campaign on the horizon – Brown could see little reason to engage.
“If he had his way, he wouldn’t have given the speech at all,” said Tony Quinn, a political analyst and former Republican legislative aide. “He wants this to be a nothing election. He’s running up against two people who nobody’s ever heard of. There is no sign of any political fever in California at all.” Brown’s speech to a joint session of the Legislature, lasting 17 minutes, was shorter than his offering last year. Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, said “Certainly the governor didn’t languish on the podium,” and lawmakers took note of all he left out.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/24/6097229/why-jerry-brown-skirted-high-speed.html