By Pat Keeble, Editor

The Assembly finally has made its committee appointments for the 2007-08 session, giving Contra Costa a member of the powerful Rules Committee and two members on Assembly Transportation. Add to that state Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and it gives the county a powerful delegation.

Mark DeSaulnier , D-Concord, was appointed early in the session to the Rules Committee, unusual for a rookie but it helps to have a veteran like Torlakson working the aisles for you.

He has also been named a member of the Appropriations Committee, through which all bills that would incur costs must pass; and the committees on Transportation, Human Services and Labor and Employment. In other words, he got pretty much what he asked for.
Guy Houston , D-Livermore, the delegation's only Republican, continues on Transportation and will continue working with Torlakson and now DeSaulnier on mutual concerns in the area. He's also vice chair of the Local Government Committee, and was re-appointed to the Banking and Finance Committee.
The county's third Assemblymember, Loni Hancock , D-Berkeley, continues as chair of Natural Resources and as a member of the Smart Growth Caucus, seeking ways to handle future growth in the state.
Back in the Senate, Torlakson was also named to the Education and Transportation and Housing Committees. He's also on several select and sub-committees, including the Horse Racing committee. That's what is known as a "juice" committee -- probably not so important in the overall scheme of things, but one that gets good campaign donations for its members. With the current drive to spread slot machines and other gambling at race tracks, it's juicier than ever.
The county delegation's fifth member, Sen. Don Perata, D-Oakland, is president pro tem of the Upper House. As such, he's over all the Senate's committees.

(posted 2-1-07)