BUDGET & TAXES
GAO bashes bailout

GOVERNORS
Remembering Gov. Reagan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

State Recaps available this week on the State Net website: 

AK, AL, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, MD, ME, MN, MO, MS, NE, NM, OK,SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
 

End nearing for Connecticut governor?

The CONNECTICUT House committee investigating whether to impeach Gov. John G. Rowland (R) commenced public hearings last week without its star witness: the governor himself. But with or without Rowland's testimony, the case against him is gaining momentum, leading to speculation that the three-term Republican governor might be ready to step down. 

        The 10-member House Select Committee of Inquiry, which began its investigation in January after Rowland admitted he'd accepted gifts from state contractors, had subpoenaed the governor on May 18 as its first witness. But Rowland challenged the subpoena in court, primarily on the grounds that it violated the constitutional separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of government. The governor lost the first round of that legal battle last Monday when a superior court judge rejected his case. "The Legislature is not categorically barred under the separation of powers doctrine from compelling the Chief Executive to testify," stated Judge John J. Langenbach in his four-page ruling. 

        Although the decision came the day before Rowland was supposed to appear before the impeachment committee, the governor's office immediately requested and obtained a temporary stay while it appealed the case to the state Supreme Court. Consequently, despite the initial legal defeat, Rowland's lawsuit has allowed him to forgo appearing at the public impeachment hearings and possibly incriminating himself in a federal criminal investigation of his administration that is also under way, which some observers believe is the primary reason for the suit.

        In spite of Rowland's court-approved absence, the House committee forged ahead with its public hearings last Tuesday, focusing on new evidence of a scheme that allowed Rowland to reap thousands of dollars through inflated rental and purchase agreements on a condominium he owned in Washington D.C. The evidence showed that Robert V. Matthews, a New Haven businessman and longtime friend of Rowland who did considerable business with the state, bankrolled his niece's rental of the Capitol Hill condo at three times the going rate and later purchased the unit through another intermediary for $68,500 -- more than double its worth.

        The testimony of Pam Kristof, the real estate agent who sold Rowland the condominium in 1989, provided one of the few light moments during the proceedings. Kristof said that at the time Rowland sold the condo in 1997, it was worth $25,000 or $30,000 "on a good day," and that considering how much he actually got for it, she'd definitely "hire him as a real-estate agent." In fact, observers said the proceedings, which involved hours of examination of rental and sale documents, were generally were empty, flummoxing committee members and Capitol police who'd expected a media crush. But Steven F. Reich, special counsel to the impeachment committee -- and advisor to Congress during the impeachment of President Clinton in 1998 -- said he intended to present the best case he could, given the lack of cooperation from witnesses. His reference was not only to Rowland but several others, including Matthews, who'd taken the Fifth to avoid incriminating themselves in the criminal investigation.

        Rowland has remained defiant throughout the entire affair, repeatedly refusing to resign, despite polls showing residents overwhelmingly support that move. But that may be changing soon. The Hartford Courant reported last week that Rowland's chief of staff, Brian E. Mattiello, has been quietly talking during the last two months about the possibility of the governor resigning. According to the paper's sources, Mattiello contacted former chief of staff/communications director Dean Pagani in late April for assistance in planning the logistics of a potential resignation, as early as this month. (Pagani declined the request.) It was not clear, however, whether Rowland had authorized the conversation or had actually been considering resignation himself. One of the sources indicated that the talk of resignation may have just been a momentary consideration, which has since passed. 

        Barring Rowland's resignation, the House committee will make its recommendation to the full House by June 30. If it recommends impeachment and the House agrees, the governor could be tried in the Senate as early as next month. (NEW YORK TIMES, HARTFORD COURANT, NEW HAVEN REGISTER)

KEY REDISTRICTING BATTLE ENDS IN CO: One of the nation's most closely watched redistricting cases ended last week when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a COLORADO Supreme Court ruling handed down last December. That case revolved around a congressional redistricting plan Republicans passed after taking control of the Colorado Legislature in 2003. The mid-decade redistricting was actually part of a larger GOP effort to leverage newly-acquired majorities in a few state legislatures to solidify control of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Colorado case was unusual because Republicans had drawn the map to replace one created by a judge after the 2000 census because lawmakers had failed to agree on new districts. But the state's Supreme Court struck down the replacement plan on the grounds that the state Constitution only allows congressional redistricting once per decade. The justices' decision to let that ruling stand means there will not be a precedent -- which some had feared -- encouraging state Legislatures to engage in bitter redistricting battles any time a power shift occurs. (NEW YORK TIMES)

GORE STIRS UP FL SENATE RACE: A relatively low-key FLORIDA Senate race drew national attention last week when former Vice President and 2000 presidential runner-up Al Gore attacked one of the four Democratic candidates running for that office. The Miami Herald reported Gore had called Miami-Dade County Mayor and Senate-hopeful Alex Penelas "the single most treacherous and dishonest person" he dealt with during the 2000 presidential campaign. The comment stems from Penelas' lack of support for Gore during the closing stage of the election because of Gore's unpopularity among Florida's Cuban community. Gore's disfavor was the direct result of the administration's handling of the affair of Elian Gonzales, the 5-year-old Cuban refugee who was taken from his relatives in the state and returned to his father in Cuba. But Gore's diatribe doesn't appear to have had the effect he was hoping for, as Peneles said the comment has resulted in a rally of support for him. "A lot of people think Al Gore has gone over the top," he said. Some observers added that the remark could even hurt the Democratic Party at a time when it needs all the Florida votes it can get. (NEW YORK TIMES)

POLITICS IN BRIEF: TEXAS Gov. Rick Perry (R) stated in a private meeting that he is confident a lawsuit challenging the state's school finance system will fail because he knows his appointees to the state Supreme Court won't force the Legislature to rewrite the school law. Perry's spokeswoman said the governor's remarks had been "totally misconstrued," that Texas has a "fair and very independent judiciary," and that Perry meant he merely appoints judges "who do not legislate from the bench" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE). * The NEW YORK Assembly and Speaker Sheldon Silver (D) specifically are being sued by a young woman who accused Silver's former chief legal counsel, Michael Boxley, of raping her last year. The lawsuit accuses the co-defendants of allowing a work environment that encouraged harassment and abuse of young women. The woman who filed the suit had worked for Assemblywoman Susan Johns (D) prior to accusing Boxley of repeatedly raping her in June 2003, a crime for which Boxley was criminally charged but which was later pled down to the misdemeanor of sexual abuse (NEW YORK POST).

-- Compiled by KOREY CLARK

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Budget & taxes

GAO KNOCKS CONGRESS' $10 BILLION STATE BAILOUT: The General Accounting Office, a congressional watchdog organization, released a report last week criticizing Congress' $10 billion state budget bailout last year. The GAO said the bailout was ill-timed, as the U.S. economy was already rebounding when Congress approved it. "[It] is doubtful these payments were ideally timed to achieve their greatest possible economic stimulus," the report stated. The GAO also knocked Congress for distributing the money on the basis of population instead of funneling it to the states that were hardest hit by the recession. As a result, states like WYOMING, which was relatively unscathed by the national economic downturn, received more money per capita than states that suffered far more, such as INDIANA, KENTUCKY and MICHIGAN. The congressional investigators, moreover, questioned the efficacy of sending a message to the states that the federal government will come to their rescue in the event of tough economic times, providing little incentive for the states to save money for rainy days themselves. Not everyone agreed with that sentiment. Raymond Scheppach, Executive Director of the National Governors Association, which pushed hard for the federal relief package, said, "This clearly was the worst fiscal situation [for states] in 60 years." And Molly Ramsdell of the National Conference of State Legislatures added that the bailout "was critical in stopping additional cuts in programs and avoiding tax increases." (STATELINE.ORG)

2ND TIME'S CHARM FOR IOWA CASINO CASE: The U.S. Supreme Court refused last week to hear an appeal of an IOWA Supreme Court decision declaring the state's two-tiered method of taxing racetracks and riverboat casinos unconstitutional. It was actually the second time the case had been appealed to the nation's highest court. The first time, after the Iowa Supreme Court had initially struck down the state's two-tiered tax system, the U.S. justices ruled that it did not violate the federal Constitution's equal protection clause and sent the case back to the Iowa Supreme Court. But the state court stood by its initial ruling, which led to last Monday's decision to let that judgement stand. The state law which taxed riverboat casinos at a 20% rate but land-based casinos at 36% was addressed by the Legislature this spring and new rates will now go into effect. (OMAHA WORLD-HERALD)

BUDGETS IN BRIEF: CALIFORNIA lawmakers have proposed legislation to block purchasers of yachts and planes from navigating around the state's sales and use taxes. Under current law, buyers of such big-ticket items can avoid paying sales and use taxes by taking delivery of the items out of state and keeping them outside the state's borders for 90 days. The proposed legislation would increase the threshold for out-of-state use to a year (SACRAMENTO BEE). * Many TEXAS lawmakers aren't making summer vacation plans, fearing Gov. Rick Perry (R) may call a second special session of the Legislature in mid-July on school finance. A few legislators, however, including House Speaker Tom Craddick (R), have refused to change their plans after repeatedly canceling trips last year because of three special sessions (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS). * ALASKA Gov. Frank Murkowski (R) has called a special session to address the state's structural budget deficit. Murkowski wants to establish a cap on spending and gain access to earnings from the state's $27.5 billion Permanent Fund. The session is set to begin June 22 (JUNEAU EMPIRE). * A convention center expansion plan recently unveiled by NEW YORK Gov. George E. Pataki (R) contains a hidden provision that would impose a new car rental tax to help finance the project. Pataki aids said the 5% tax on cars rented at the city's airports was added to a previously disclosed $1.50 hotel tax at the insistence of the hotel industry, which felt it shouldn't have to shoulder the burden of the expansion project alone (NEW YORK POST). * Under opposition from Gov. Kathleen Blanco's (D) office, the LOUISIANA Senate rejected a bill that would have phased out the state's gift tax -- a bill the governor had backed in the House just a few weeks ago. Administration officials did not comment on the reason for the change of heart (TIMES PICAYUNE [NEW ORLEANS].
 

-- Compiled by KOREY CLARK

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Governors

REMEMBERING GOV. REAGAN: Few people in the media knew Ronald Reagan better than former Washington Post White House correspondent Lou Cannon, who also is the chief editorial advisor for the State Net Capitol Journal. The author of five books on Reagan, including his most recent, Governor Reagan: The Rise to Power, Cannon last week recalled many of the things that established the former president and CALIFORNIA governor's unique legacy and undying popularity among voters. 

Chief among these was Reagan's ability to elude "easy ideological classification." A former liberal Democrat, Reagan became the darling of and unifying force for conservatives across the country, a mantle that lasted through both the extreme successes and bitter failures in Reagan's political policies. And while most people will remember Reagan for his role on the world stage, Cannon notes the significance of his warm-up part as California governor, which first showcased Reagan's willingness to sacrifice "ideological purity for practical results." 

Reagan, for example, signed off on a $1 billion tax increase, which at that time came to about 20% of the overall state budget. To put that in perspective, a similar percentage of the state budget today would equal $20 billion. He also signed permissive abortion legislation, set aside 145,000 additional acres of California land for state parks and supported welfare reforms that included annual cost of living increases. He also raised spending on the university system by 136% in his eight years in Sacramento, and personally stepped in to stop the controversial Dos Rios Dam Project and the trans-Sierra highway plan. 

All of these actions came in stark contrast to the standard GOP platform, and showed his utter lack of fear in facing down even his own party when necessary. In Governor Reagan, Cannon wrote, "Stopping the Dos Rios dam and the trans-Sierra highway would have been monumental achievements for any governor, let alone one who entered office with a reputation as a foe of the environment... Governor Reagan saved the wild rivers of the North Coast, and he saved the John Muir Trail. It is a valuable legacy."

Governor Reagan's willingness to break away from party dogma showed friend and foe alike that he was as much a pragmatist as an ideologue, showing courage not often seen in statehouses and establishing the groundwork for his presidency. He explained his motives at the time, saying "I'm willing to take what I can get. You have to take what you can get and go out and get some more next year; that's what the opposition has been doing for years." This everyday practicality was his trademark from Sacramento to Washington, and was duly fitting for a man self-dubbed as simply a "citizen-politician." (WASHINGTON POST, SACRAMENTO BEE, GOVERNOR REAGAN:THE RISE TO POWER)

GOVS HONOR REAGAN IN DIFFERENT WAYS: Although President George W. Bush opted to give federal workers last Friday off in honor of the passing of former president Ronald Reagan, most state governors did not follow suit. CALIFORNIA, where Reagan served two terms as governor, and ILLINOIS, Reagan's childhood home and birthplace, closed down state government for the day. KENTUCKY, TEXAS, MISSOURI, KANSAS and NEW YORK were also among the 13 states that closed down, while NEVADA, MICHIGAN and OHIO joined those that did not. There was sound reason to shut down, as many states previously opted to close government offices when former Presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Johnson passed away. But many states still struggling with budget deficits also looked at the bill California racked up by closing the government down for the day -- almost $60 million according to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) Finance Department. More than half of all state governors did attend Reagan's funeral services in Washington D.C. (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, COURIER-JOURNAL [LOUISVILLE], ASSOCIATED PRESS, ANN ARBOR NEWS, ALBANY TIMES-UNION, STATELINE.ORG)

"BIG DADDY" BARBOUR? MISSISSIPPI Gov. Haley Barbour (R) came into office with a reputation as the consummate Washington power broker, an image befitting his years as one of the Beltway's most powerful lobbyists and former head of the Republican National Party. Detractors snickered at the thought of Barbour taking over the Magnolia State, which has a constitutionally weak governor's office and a Democrat-controlled Legislature. But the laughter has turned to tears for Democrats as Barbour has turned the tables on his rivals, some say by co-opting the Senate as a means of snuffing out Democrats' populist ideals in favor of big business and D.C.-style power politics. Some Democrats have taken to calling Barbour "Big Daddy" in reference to the domineering family patriarch in Tennessee Williams' stage play, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." Part of the problem, Democrats say, is Barbour's staff, which they claim has been loaded with "true-believer" Republicans who are unwilling to compromise, and who don't have enough life experience to understand any view other than their own. The chief brouhaha of late, however, has not been the social skills of Barbour's young staff, but Medicaid rolls. Barbour recently signed legislation that pushes 65,000 people off the state plan and onto federal Medicare instead. Although both chambers approved it beforehand, the House vowed to stay in special session until the dislodged recipients were reinstated. Barbour responded by ordering the House to adjourn, but two members obtained a temporary restraining order blocking the closing. The governor immediately appealed to the state Supreme Court, which agreed that he had the right to end the special session. Democrats promise the legal fight is not over, with Rep. Jamie Franks (D) saying Barbour was in for "a helluva fight from now on." (SUN HERALD [BILOXI], CLARION LEDGER [JACKSON])
 

-- Compiled by RICH EHISEN

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States in Regular Session: 
CA, DE, IL, LA, MA, MI, NC, NJ, NY, PA, RI, US

States with Projected Special Session: 
KY "a" on TBA
ME "c" on TBA
 
States in Recess: 
CA "d", CA "e"

States in Skeleton Session:  OH

Currently Prefiling:  MT(Drafts for 2005)

States Adjourned: 
AK, AL, AZ, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, MD, ME, MN, MO, MS, NE, NM, OK, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY

States in Special Session Adjourned: 
AR "b", CA "a", CA "b", CA "c", CT "a", CT "b", CT "d"(Senate Only), DE "a", GA "a", LA "a", MD "2003 session", ME "b",MS "a", OR "a", TX "d", UT "c", VA "a", WA "a", WA "b", WA "c", WI "d", WI "e", WI "f", WV "a"

Projected Regular Session Adjournment: NH

Projected Special Session Adjournment: CT "c", CT "d", OK "a"
 
 

Letters indicate special/extraordinary sessions
Compiled By GINA HUMMELL | Data current  as of  6/11/04 | Source: State Net database

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BUSINESS: OHIO Gov. Bob Taft (R) signs legislation requiring those exposed to potentially deadly asbestos to meet a specific medical threshold before being able to sue the company that manufactured the product. The law is expected to be challenged in the courts (TOLEDO BLADE). * NEW JERSEY Gov. James E. McGreevey (D) signs AB 50, legislation that creates a temporary fund to subsidize rising malpractice insurance premiums for Garden State physicians (NEWARK STAR-LEDGER). * VERMONT Gov. James E. Douglas (R) vetoes legislation that would have provided a larger settlement to people injured in car crashes caused by drivers with insufficient insurance coverage. The House will decide this week if they will attempt an override (BURLINGTON FREE PRESS).

CRIME & PUNISHMENT: A LOUISIANA House panel rapidly approves SB 523, which would add up to five years in jail for anyone convicted of using an illegal weapon to commit a crime within 1,000 feet of a parade route. The bill is a response to the killing of a parade-goer caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting while attending a New Orleans parade. The bill moves to the House floor (NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE). * Still in LOUISIANA, a House committee endorses Concurrent Resolution 273, which urges state officials to administer "truth serum" to convicted killers to determine if the person is responsible for other unsolved murders. Such resolutions are not legally binding. It heads to the House floor (NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE). * VERMONT Gov. James E. Douglas (R) signs a bill that makes identity theft a crime punishable by up to three years in jail and a $5000 fine for a first offense (RUTLAND HERALD). * ARIZONA officials announce plans to utilize Web-based technology to allow broadcasters to receive instant Amber Alert updates. The new system can also pinpoint Alerts to areas where suspected abductors might be headed. WASHINGTON is the only other state to use the enhanced system (ARIZONA REPUBLIC). 

EDUCATION: COLORADO Gov. Bill Owens (R) rejects legislation that would have created a commission to study high school graduation rates in the Centennial State. Colorado currently ranks 35th nationwide in the number of students who finish high school. Owens says local school districts should be allowed to find their own solutions to local problems (DENVER POST). * The LOUISIANA Senate passes SB 1408, legislation that would strictly regulate sports agents doing business in the Pelican State. The bill, among other things, requires agents to contact coaches before talking to their players and bans the use of other third-party runners -- or "street agents" -- to initiate contact. It moves to Gov. Kathleen Blanco (D) (NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE).

ENVIRONMENT: The MICHIGAN House gives final approval to a bill that would open up the Wolverine State to mourning dove hunting for the first time in 99 years. The bill flies off to Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D), who has  steadfastly opposed the legislation throughout its controversial existence. She has indicated, however, that she will consider signing the bill (DETROIT FREE PRESS). * CALIFORNIA air quality officials announce new rules that require automakers to reduce emissions of gasses that contribute to global warming by 30% by 2015. The automobile industry is expected to challenge the new standards in court, contending they are actually a veiled attempt at setting new fuel economy standards. Federal law says only Congress can change those requirements (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, LOS ANGELES TIMES). 

HEALTH: A NEW JERSEY Senate committee endorses SB 556, legislation that requires insurance companies to cover the cost of female contraceptives. It heads now to the full Senate (NEWARK STAR-LEDGER). * A PENNSYLVANIA House committee approves a bill that prohibits medical facilities from retaliating against health care workers who report problems pertaining to patient care and safety. It heads to the full House, but will not likely come up for review there until fall (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE). 

SOCIAL POLICY: NEW JERSEY child welfare officials announce plans to cut by almost half the number of children assigned to each caseworker. The plan is set to start in January of 2005 and culminate in 2007 with each worker being assigned no more than 25 children. Workers now carry an average of 40 kids in their caseloads (NEW YORK TIMES). * The MICHIGAN Legislature approves a ban on the controversial procedure known as late-term or partial-birth abortion. The bill was originally passed last year, but vetoed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D). Anti-abortion groups, however, collected more than 400,000 signatures in a successful effort to revive the bill. This time the bill does not need Granholm's signature, although opponents say they will challenge the new law in federal court (DETROIT FREE PRESS, SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE). * The LOUISIANA Senate votes convincingly to place a ban on same-sex unions into the state constitution. The House had already approved the proposal. The change must be approved by voters this fall (DALLAS MORNING NEWS). 

POTPOURRI: The GEORGIA Supreme Court overturns a Peach State law that makes it illegal for motorists to have heavily tinted car windows. The Court tossed out  the law because it only applied to residents' vehicles and not those from out of state (MACON TELEGRAPH). * A LOUISIANA House committee rejects a proposal that would have given immunity from lawsuits to volunteers who help evacuate people during an emergency (NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE). 
 

-- Compiled by RICH EHISEN

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HOW MODEST CAN YOU GET? When the dust cleared in the recent GOP primary for governor of MONTANA, Bob Brown's campaign dutifully e-mailed a concession statement to the press, thanking his running mate and supporters for their hard work and dedication. Only one problem, notes the Missoulian. Brown won the election. Apparently, Brown had prepared both an acceptance and concession, and someone "pulled the wrong trigger."

SPICE AND DICE. Apparently, not every hunk of meat served at a northern IDAHO resort comes from a licensed slaughterhouse. In fact, at least some gourmet dishes may have been scraped from the highway. According to The Spokesman-Review [Spokane], undercover Fish and Game agents ordered lunch at the resort in order to accumulate evidence that road-kill moose meat was being served to unsuspecting diners. They subsequently confiscated nearly 300 pounds of moose to be used as evidence in a prosecution against resort owners. Now, however, those same owners have sued the state after a county judge tossed the state's case, ruling that it was legal to salvage road kill. Seems the confiscated meat is missing. Anyone had lunch at the Fish and Game cafeteria lately?

FAMILY AFFAIR. U.S. Rep. Charlie Gonzalez dodged a bullet last week. The TEXAS Democrat will have two opponents come November but, as the Houston Chronicle reports, his ex-wife will not be one of them. Becky Whetstone, who divorced Gonzalez in 2003, had sought to run as an independent but failed to submit the 500 valid signatures required to earn a spot on the ballot. Gonzalez, who was elected in 1999, is the son of the late Henry Gonzalez, who represented the same San Antonio area in Congress for nearly 40 years.

SURROUND SOUND. Libraries in WASHINGTON State are bracing for a flood -- 115,000 compact discs dispensed free to schools, colleges and libraries as part of a consumer protection settlement with the recording industry. According to The Associated Press, the CDs are the result of a price-fixing suit filed by Washington and 43 other states. The total cost to the industry: $76 million. And it isn't throw-away junk, either. The titles were selected by music experts and educators and aren't factory rejects, says a spokesperson for the state attorney general. 

SLOGANEERING. The Dept. of Transportation wants its slogan back. Created in 1986 and first aired during the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 1987, the phrase "Don't Mess with TEXAS" has since been appropriated for everything from tee-shirts to breath mints. But as The Dallas Morning News reports, the slogan was originally designed for the department as an anti-littering message, and Lone Star officials have sent 23 cease-and-desist orders to merchandisers over the past year. Good luck. As one wag noted, the slogan is so widely used these days that "it's rather absurd to think they're going to be able to corral this back in." Among those hit with the stop order, MBNA Bank in DELAWARE, which issues a "Don't Mess with Texas" Visa card.

GOOD SAMARITAN. When a veteran state senator took ill in South America, CALIFORNIA Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, authorized a state National Guard plane to fetch the ailing lawmaker back to his home state -- even though the senator was a Democrat. The cost to the cash-strapped state and its taxpayers? $147,187. Now, that is budget dust to a state that spends $100 billion a year. But as the Los Angeles Times notes, Schwarzenegger could have brought the senator home for half the price by simply hiring a private-sector air ambulance. 
 

-- By A.G. BLOCK

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State Net's data base tracks tens of thousands of bills in all 50 states at any given time. Here's a snapshot of what's in the legislative works:

THIS WEEK

• New bill intros/prefiles this week: 991
• Enacted/adopted: 693

OVERALL

• Total Number of bill intros/prefiles in 2004: 112,069
• Enacted/adopted in 2004: 19,109
• Total Number of measures in State Net database: 179,806

Compiled By GINA HUMMELL | Data current  as of 6/4/04 | Source: State Net database

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Executive Editor: A.G. Block
Associate Editors: Rich Ehisen, Korey Clark
Correspondents: Richard Cox (CA), Steve Karas (CA), 
Bruce McKeeman (CA), Kelli Harvel (FL), 
Linda Mendenhall (IL), Lauren King (MA) 
and Troy Cassel (PA)
Design: Richard Hansen, Heather Conway

Copyright 2004 State Net
ISSN: 1521-8449