New faces faced with old problems

Dan Logue stood in the center of the state Assembly floor surrounded by his peers in the new legislature for the 2009-10 session.

The former Yuba County supervisor scanned the grand room Monday afternoon, moments before taking the oath of office.

With its pale green pillars, gold trim and crystal chandeliers, Logue looked around in search of his family members in the balcony and mouthed a silent "wow" in the crowded, noisy hall.

"I'm nervous," the Linda resident said before entering the chambers. "But it feels good. I'm looking forward to the challenges."

Logue was elected Nov. 4 to represent the 3rd District in the State Assembly. The district includes Yuba, Lassen, Nevada, Plumas and Sierra counties and parts of Butte and Placer counties. He is one of nearly three dozen new members in the state Assembly and Senate.

His recently vacated seat on the Yuba County Board of Supervisors will be filled by appointment from the governor's office. At least five applications have already been turned in for the seat.

On the floor of the Assembly, Logue was joined by his mother, Kate Logue, at his new desk.

"I'm delighted," Kate Logue said with a southern drawl. "He's well qualified."

Though his office on the second floor of the new wing in the State Capitol still has bare walls and empty shelves, dozens of family members, friends and Yuba County officials were crowded into the tiny four-room suit to share in congratulations.

"I'm very proud of him," Peggy Logue said of her husband's election. "He's been working a long time for this."

From his position on the Assembly floor, another newcomer, Jim Nielsen, to this branch of the legislature is seated three seats to his right.

Nielsen, R-Redding, who was elected to represent the 2nd District, sat quiet and confident as all new members were sworn in and the entire Assembly voted Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, as its new speaker.

The 2nd District includes Sutter and Yolo counties as well as parts of nine other counties north to the Oregon border. Nielsen was elected to the state Senate 1978.

Nielsen said he was looking forward to getting back to governing for the people.

"It feels more like I've been away for a long weekend, not 18 years," he said.

Celebrations for Nielsen's return and Logue's election, though, will be short-lived. The Mid-Valley representatives and the remainder of the 120-member electorate will start work immediately.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called a special session Monday morning to address the $11.2 billion budget deficit. It is one of the first times newly-sworn legislators will begin work only days after taking the oath of office. Legislatures typically begin session in January.

Logue said the time is right for massive reform in state government and he is ready to do his part to encourage the change.

"We have a lot of challenges ahead of us," he said. "We need to fix the things that are broken and get on track."

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Andrea Koskey at 749-4709 or akoskey@appealdemocrat.com