by Joe Piasecki
Pasadena Sun
Staffers for Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) gained some job security Tuesday, as the battle between their boss and Assembly Speaker John Pérez (D-Los Angeles) took a new turn.
Pérez on Tuesday recalled orders requiring Portantino staffers to take furloughs later this month. All 11 people working in Portantino’s Sacramento and Pasadena offices had been told to take furloughs between Oct. 21 and Nov. 30.
The Assembly Rules Committee initially ordered the furloughs in July, accusing Portantino of overspending his member budget.
Portantino denied overspending and said the cuts were punishment because he refused to support a state budget proposal by the Assembly’s Democratic leadership in June. He has since pushed for public disclosure of all Assembly members’ budgets.
In a statement, Pérez said Tuesday the furloughs were cancelled after two Portantino staffers left their jobs and two others asked for leaves of absence – reducing the amount of money Portantino was spending.
