Capitol Alert

Gov. Jerry Brown ordered Health and Human Services Secretary Diana Dooley this week to form a task force to write a 10-year plan for improving Californians' health and controlling health-care costs.

In an executive order Thursday, Brown called for a "Let's Get Healthy California Task Force" to include representatives of patients, providers and labor unions, among others. The group is to report by Dec. 15 on targets for reducing diabetes, asthma, childhood obesity and other chronic conditions, as well as reducing hospital re-admissions and increasing the number of children who receive vaccines.

"Preventable and chronic health conditions are detrimental to every Californian's quality of life, cause disproportionate social and economic burdens, and result in California spending 80% of the state's total healthcare dollars on just 20% of the population," Brown said in his order.

"Let's Get Healthy California" is the name of a Service Employees International Union campaign with similar goals.

Brown slipped out of the state for parts unknown on Thursday, his office declining to say where he is.

An environmental coalition led by hedge-fund manager Tom Steyer is submitting more than 900,000 signatures today to place before voters an initiative to raise more than a billion dollars from out-of-state companies for schools and green building projects.

The measure, pushed by "Californians to Close the Out-of-State Corporate Tax Loophole," needs 504,760 valid voter signatures to qualify for the November ballot.

"We think we're on the ballot for sure," Steyer said in announcing that his group will file its petitions today in all 58 counties.

For the first five years, the initiative is projected to raise about a billion dollars per year, with about half going toward energy conservation efforts at schools and other public buildings. The remainder would go toward the state's general fund.

"With the unemployment in this state, the best thing we think we can do is create clean energy jobs," Steyer said.

After five years, the entire amount raised by Steyer's initiative would go toward the state general fund.

Steyer is teaming with former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz and with Democratic State Sen. Kevin de Leon to push the initiative, which targets a provision of California tax law that was part of the state's 2009 budget deal.

Current law allows companies to choose the more beneficial of two tax formulas - one based solely on sales in California in proportion to sales elsewhere, the other accounting for sales, payroll and property in California.

Steyer's measure would eliminate the choice and require use of the "single sales factor" - the formula tied to California sales. Democratic lawmakers have pushed for the change, while Republicans have branded it a tax increase.

Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, D-Los Angeles, is pushing a two-bill package of legislation, Assembly Bills 1500 and 1501, that also would alter state tax law to require the "single sales factor" -- but his plan would earmark the billion dollars for a different purpose -- college scholarships.

Pérez's proposals are pending in the Assembly.

Proponents of the initiative will "stand down" and step aside in favor of Pérez's bills if they pass the Legislature, Steyer said.

"We'd stop campaigning immediately," Steyer said.

VIDEO: Dan comments on the coming tax shootout between Gov. Jerry Brown and Molly Munger.

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VIDEO: Dan Walters says in today's video report that It "looks like the shootout at the OK Corral" between Gov. Jerry Brown and attorney Molly Munger on their rival tax proposals.

Today's the first day of the 15th annual Speaker's Cup, a two-day golf outing in Pebble Beach to raise money for the California Democratic Party.

Tickets start at $25,000 and top out at $65,000. The higher amount will get you in the door for both days, and includes golf for four, hotel accommodation, dinner for eight people, plus a spa treatment per day for each non-golfer or guest of a golfer. Those prices are even steeper than for the Pro Tem Cup held in March.

The Speaker's Cup is being presented by AT&T, which has sponsored the event for more than a decade. Last year, it spent more than $225,000, and the swag included a new iPad delivered with a thank-you note signed by Democratic Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez and AT&T's chief of government relations, according to this Los Angeles Times report.

Meanwhile, the University of California, in the wake of the UC Davis pepper-spraying and other campus protests, is releasing a report on police protocols and policies. UC General Counsel Charles Robinson and UC Berkeley Law School Dean Christopher Edley will present their report's findings and recommendations at an 11 a.m. presser at the UC Office of the President in Oakland. The report itself will be posted online at 9 a.m. at this link.

Back in Sacramento, the Legislature isn't in session, but UC Merced students will be occupying the Senate floor. Political science professor Nathan W. Monroe is teaching a course in which students recreate the legislative scene, complete with lawmakers, journalists and lobbyists. Their mock session starts around noon.

Younger students are the focus of the Public Policy Institute of California's luncheon briefing, on preschool and school readiness. The PPIC's Jill Cannon will talk about early education and skill development, particularly among youngsters who don't speak English at home. The event runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the CSAC Center, at 1020 11th St. in Sacramento. You can find more information and RSVP to the event at this link.

POT PROTEST: Advocates of repealing laws prohibiting adults' use of marijuana, are protesting at 12:30 p.m. on the Capitol's south steps, then marching to the federal courthouse on I Street. They'll be back on the south steps Saturday at 11 a.m. for this year's Global Cannabis March, featuring drum circles, speeches and bands.

SURPLUS AUCTION: The Department of General Services is auctioning off surplus stuff taken from state offices or confiscated by the California Highway Patrol and the federal Transportation Security Administration. This means desks and computers, cellphones and cameras, plus plenty of saws, box cutters and Swiss army knives. There's even a CD box set of Beatles music. The auction preview runs today from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 to 9:45 a.m. The auction itself starts Saturday at 10 a.m. Everything happens at the state warehouse at 1700 National Drive. Click here for a list of items.

ELECTION 2012: Republican Elizabeth Emken, who's running against U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, is talking about her views on water policy at 12:30 p.m. to agriculture officials participating in an annual event at Duarte Nursery in Hughson, near Modesto

NEW GIG: After working for former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former first lady Maria Shriver and now Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Francisco Castillo is leaving Newsom's press shop and the California state Capitol to take a job as deputy national press secretary at StudentsFirst. Castillo's last day is today.