State Board of Equalization:
Leonard Resigns BOE Seat to Take Post in Schwarzenegger Administration; Alby Sworn in as Acting BOE Member

Bill Leonard resigned his seat on the Board of Equalization on March 9 in order to take a higher-paying position with the Schwarzenegger administration as secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency. Mr. Leonard was sworn in to his new post by the governor on the same day his appointment was announced, and his chief deputy at the BOE, Barbara Alby, was sworn in as an acting member of the BOE the same day.

Governor Schwarzenegger praised Mr. Leonard as "an experienced leader," and added: "His commitment to serving the people of this state assures me that he will uphold the integrity of his newly appointed position. Bill understands the need to protect consumers so that California will continue to be a great place to live and do business. He knows that protecting consumers means our economy will grow."

The secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency is responsible for the enforcement of civil rights, protecting consumers, the licensing of 2.3 million Californians in more than 230 different professions, procurement of more than $4 billion in goods and services, management and development of state real estate, overseeing two state employee pension funds, collecting taxes, hiring state employees, adopting state building standards and administering two state museums.

Mr. Leonard has represented the BOE's District 2 since 2002, and was ineligible to run for re-election this year due to term limits. Previously, he served in the state Legislature from 1978 to 2002. He was the Assembly Republican Leader in 1997 and 1998.

Although Mr. Leonard has been a vocal critic of the governor's budget decisions, and had criticized the governor's furlough order as a member of the BOE, he praised the governor as he took his new post. "I know the governor and I share a desire to be fiscally prudent during these difficult economic times," he said. "Overseeing the state's purchasing authority will give me the opportunity to make sure state government is running efficiently."

Ms. Alby, who has served as Mr. Leonard's top aide for seven years, said she will "continue his legacy of defending the rights of all taxpayers, and work to make the Board of Equalization more efficient, transparent and just."

Prior to going to work for the BOE, Ms. Alby was a member of the state Assembly and a small business operator. She also has had leadership roles in Republican political groups.

The timing of the job switch was beneficial to Ms. Alby, who is running for the Republican nomination for the District 2 seat against state Senator George Runner and Alan Nakanishi, a former state legislator who currently serves as a staff member for BOE Member Michelle Steel. Ms. Alby, who had until March 12 to file papers to run for the office, now will be able to use the ballot designation of "acting BOE member." Mr. Leonard told The Sacramento Bee that this benefit to Ms. Alby was "a piece of my decision-making process."

Cal-TaxReports, March 15, 2010

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