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Budget tweaks could help Gov. Jerry Brown make his case for tax hikes -- Two days before California lawmakers were scheduled to vote on a new state budget, details emerged Monday on new provisions that could help Gov. Jerry Brown's tax initiative at the polls. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/26/12 Legislative budget slog slowly coming to an end -- If all goes as now planned, the final details on a new state budget will be sent to Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday of this week -- a full twelve days since the first bills made their own way to the governor's desk on the Capitol's first floor. John Myers News10 -- 6/26/12 California budget: Pay cut for union, tuition freeze -- As a vote nears on the final details of a 2012-13 budget, Gov. Jerry Brown has persuaded leaders of the state's largest public employee union to agree to a key portion of his plan to reduce state spending, a nearly 5 percent pay cut. Marisa Lagos and Wyatt Buchanan in the San Francisco Chronicle JUDY LIN Associated Press Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/26/12 Walters: New rules will reflect a more pessimistic pension risk for California -- A few days ago, the Pew Center on the States released a report on the nationwide gap between promises made to public employees for pensions and what states are spending to close the gap. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/26/12 Fox: Legislative Democrats Want to Game the System (Again), this Time to Help Gov’s Tax Initiative -- Democrats in the legislature plan to add language to SB 1039 that would rearrange the order propositions will appear on the ballot. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 6/26/12 Bill would shield churches from performing same-sex marriages -- Supporters of Proposition 8, the 2008 initiative that banned same-sex marriage, said they were concerned that churches would be forced to perform the ceremonies or face losing their nonprofit status. Hannah Madans in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/26/12 Prison staffing firms connected to Orange County senator accused of not paying subcontractors -- Orange County pharmacist Larry Drechsler says companies owned in part by state Sen. Mimi Walters and her husband David owe him $4,900 — and he’s got a case in small claims court to provide it. BRIAN JOSEPH in the Orange County Register -- 6/26/12 Buy Here Pay Here auto sales bill gaining ground -- Legislation to regulate the sale of high-mileage cars to credit-risky motorists breezed through a key committee of the state Assembly, despite growing opposition from so-called Buy Here Pay Here auto dealers. Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/26/12 Five warning signs about political consultants -- We've just come through a California primary where the ballots were filled with neophyte political candidates. Kevin Roderick LA Observed -- 6/26/12
Global visions of bullet trains -- In the international race to build bullet trains, California is not only getting crushed by the likes of France and Japan, but also Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. Mike Rosenberg in the Contra Costa Times -- 6/26/12
Tech Boom Hits San Francisco Rental Prices -- The latest technology boom is helping to stem a decadelong exodus of residents from San Francisco, but the influx of well-paid workers is driving up already-high housing costs and straining public resources. SHIRA OVIDE in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 6/26/12 Chinese Target U.S. Homes -- Lennar Corp., one of the U.S.'s largest home builders, is in talks with the China Development Bank for approximately $1.7 billion in capital to jump-start two long-delayed San Francisco projects that would transform two former naval bases into large-scale housing developments, according to people familiar with the discussions. DINNY MCMAHON and ROBBIE WHELAN in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 6/26/12 Home sales rise at quickest pace in two years -- A big jump in U.S. new-home sales volumes - mirroring a recent upswing in Southern California sales volumes - is the latest sign the ailing housing market may be returning to health. Andrew Edwards in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 6/26/12 Call center to hire 500 in Sacramento this year -- In a weak economy, even jobs that start at around $9 an hour represent progress – and Sacramento is about to get hundreds of them. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/26/12 Farm workers prepare to push Jerry Brown on overtime rules -- Two years after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that would have given California farm workers the same overtime benefits most other wage earners receive, the United Farm Workers union is preparing to try again with Schwarzenegger's successor, Gov. Jerry Brown. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/26/12
Emmerson bill gets cold shoulder from many in Assembly GOP -- Legislation by state Sen. Bill Emmerson that would let counties raise recording fees on certain real-estate documents didn’t get a warm welcome Monday from many of his fellow Republicans in the Assembly. Jim Miller in the Riverside Press -- 6/26/12 Assembly approves bill for higher fees to fight real estate fraud -- California counties could bolster fees for real estate fraud prevention and enforcement under legislation passed Monday by the Assembly. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/26/12
Fensterwald: Not one, but two 160-day minimum years -- Call it a last-minute clarification or a June surprise, another piece of bad news: A trailer bill that the Legislature will vote on Wednesday permits districts to slash the school year by an additional three weeks for the next two years, if voters reject Gov. Brown’s tax increase in November. John Fensterwald educatedguess -- 6/26/12 LAUSD board to vote on $6.3B budget Thursday; after-school care for 50,000 kids nixed -- The Los Angeles Unified board is poised Thursday to approve a $6.3 billion budget for 2012-13 that salvages some adult and early-education programs but shortens the school year, eliminates thousands of jobs and wipes out after-school care for at least 50,000 youngsters. Barbara Jones in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 6/26/12 Audits removed from illegal school fees bill -- Proposed legislation aimed at ending illegal fees in public schools will no longer require superintendents to audit their schools to ensure compliance. Corey G. Johnson California Watch -- 6/26/12 Scrutiny of Oakland church school grows -- Scrutiny of a West Oakland church school accused of abuse by parents and students is growing, with BART officials now questioning the school's right to solicit for donations in stations and state officials investigating whether federal funds should have gone to school leaders. Will Evans California Watch -- 6/26/12
Last ditch effort to block plan to dissolve Healthy Families -- Advocates on Monday made a last ditch effort to persuade Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders to back down from a plan to eliminate Healthy Families, the medical insurance program that serves children from low-income working families. Steven Harmon in the San Jose Mercury -- 6/26/12 San Diego neighbors oppose veterans treatment center -- A plan for a 40-bed treatment center for military veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering frompost-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury has run into opposition from neighborhood groups and a nearby charter school. Tony Perry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/26/12 EPA study explains link between smog, heart problems -- Smog has been linked to heart problems and even death, and new research by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency begins to explain why. BERNICE YEUNG Bay Citizen -- 6/26/12 Bill to improve dental services for Sacramento County's poor children on governor's desk -- Some low-income children in Sacramento County who have tried but failed to get dental care would have an escape route under a bill awaiting action by the governor. Emily Bazar in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/26/12 Healthcare law credited for big drug savings by California seniors -- Nearly 70,000 Medicare patients in California saved $41 million on their prescription drugs during the first five months of this year under the federal healthcare law, new data show. Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/26/12
Candlestick Point running out of time to avoid closure -- Less than a week before Candlestick Point State Recreation Area is slated to close, no deep-pocketed savior has emerged to keep open the waterfront park, which is located in one of San Francisco's poorest neighborhoods. KATHARINE MIESZKOWSKI Bay Citizen -- 6/26/12 California energy officials plan for life without San Onofre -- As officials make short-term plans to cope while the San Onofre plant is off line, they're also starting to think about the possibility of a nuclear-free future. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/26/12 L.A. County beach pollution case goes to U.S. Supreme Court -- The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear Los Angeles County’s appeal of a lower court decision requiring the county to clean up polluted runoff that flows to the ocean through two urban waterways. Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/26/12 When nature adapts: Pests thriving on Monsanto GMO corn -- While controversy and opinions continue to swirl around the hot-button topic of genetically modified produce, a new report from biotech firm Monsanto sounds like the premise of a Stephen King story. Scott Sterling KPCC LA -- 6/26/12 Condors' comeback imperiled by lead poisoning -- The California condor's return from near extinction is threatened by persistent exposure to lead-based bullets, despite intensive efforts to treat and care for poisoned birds each year, scientists say. David Perlman in the San Francisco Chronicle Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury -- 6/26/12
Consensus scarce in wake of Supreme Court's immigration ruling -- The Supreme Court’s mixed decision on Arizona’s tough immigration law gave both sides an opportunity to celebrate, criticize and, inevitably, point fingers. Above all, it underscored the tricky politics surrounding the emotional issue — for both parties — especially in the midst of a fiercely fought presidential campaign. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/26/12 Saunders: Arizona can't handle immigration, Washington won't -- President Obama hailed the Supreme Court's 5-3 decision Monday that struck down most of Arizona's 2010 immigration law. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/26/12
California bill to regulate medicinal marijuana put on hold -- Assemblyman Tom Ammiano today canceled a scheduled Senate committee vote on Assembly Bill 2312, saying he has decided to allow the Businesses, Professions and Economic Development Committee to hold more committee hearings and issue a report on the issue after the legislative session adjourns. Torey Van Oot in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/26/12 Wife of Lancaster mayor cited for carrying loaded gun at airport -- The wife of Lancaster’s top city official was cited last week for carrying a loaded handgun through a security checkpoint at Burbank's Bob Hope Airport, authorities said. Ann M. Simmons in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/26/12
Obama, Elizabeth Warren rally Boston faithful with populist pitch -- President Obama joined forces with Elizabeth Warren in making a populist pitch before the party faithful at a fundraiser here, saying voters will decide this fall whether to return to policies that benefit a wealthy few or invest in an economy focused on building a more prosperous middle class. Michael A. Memoli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/26/12
State corporate campaign spending limits rejected -- The same five conservative justices in the Citizens United majority that freed corporations and labor unions to spend unlimited amounts in federal elections joined Monday to reverse a Montana court ruling upholding the state's century-old law. The four liberal justices dissented. Mark Sherman Associated Press -- 6/26/12 Mitt Romney mum on immigration ruling -- Mitt Romney traveled to the epicenter of the debate over illegal immigration on the same day the Supreme Court ruled on the state’s controversial law, but he had little to say about the decision. GINGER GIBSON Politico -- 6/26/12 Democrats mulling legislation after immigration ruling -- Senate Democrats are mulling legislation to overturn a key provision of the Arizona immigration law upheld by the Supreme Court on Monday but said they’ll wait to see how it’s implemented. SCOTT WONG Politico -- 6/26/12 |
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