Charter school backers try to close the deal for Antonio Villaraigosa
With Election Day less than a week away, charter school advocates continue pumping money into the governor's race, supporting Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, who has so far failed to overtake Republican John Cox for the number-two spot in the polling.
Billionaire charter schools supporters behind the independent expenditure committee Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa gave more than $2 million in campaign cash Tuesday, bringing the total to $20.2 million. Big-money contributors include Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Republican megadonor William Oberndorf and Los Angeles philanthropist Eli Broad.
The group, forbidden from coordinating with Villaraigosa's campaign, is airing advertisements against Newsom.
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KIND WORDS FOR TONI ATKINS: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said the most exciting development in the Legislature this year has been Sen. Toni Atkins taking over as leader of the house.
"We are so simpatico," Newsom said, speaking from a campaign bus touring California ahead of Election Day next week.
Newsom, the frontrunner in polls, said he sees homelessness as a major area on which he could work with Atkins, a Democrat from San Diego. She served on the city council there when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco.
BROWN'S CHIPOTLE COMMENTS: A group of students from the University of California pushing for free college tuition is expected to deliver food from Chipotle to state lawmakers Thursday. The stunt comes after remarks Gov. Jerry Brown made last week suggesting the universities limit their offerings – more like the company – so students can graduate in four years.
"We want to underscore, in light of Governor Brown's comments last week, that we need to invest much more in students and public higher education, not treat it like a fast food chain," said organizer Maxwell Lubin in an email.
NEW SCIENCE CENTER: Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Vice Mayor Steve Hansen will speak at the opening of a new campus of the Powerhouse Science Center in Sacramento. The event is 10 a.m. to noon at 400 Jibboom St.
This story was originally published May 31, 2018 at 5:45 AM with the headline "Charter school backers try to close the deal for Antonio Villaraigosa."