Updating . .
California should link carbon market with Europe, Jerry Brown says -- Gov. Jerry Brown, speaking at a joint conference of the European Parliament on Tuesday, urged leaders here to explore linking their cap-and-trade system with California. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ Catherine Stupp in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/7/17
Mental health care a high priority -- According to a poll by the Institute for Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley, Californians are strongly supportive of insurance plans that cover mental health care. The survey, commissioned by the California Healthcare Foundation, reported that three in four Californians (74 percent) feel it’s very important for insurance plans to cover treatment for mental health conditions. Nik Bonovich Capitol Weekly -- 11/7/17
Doug Ose taking ‘real look’ at California governor’s race -- Ose, a Trump delegate at the 2016 national convention who said at the time he was finished with electoral politics, told The Sacramento Bee he has grown tired of watching on the sidelines as politicians fail to tackle homelessness, under-performing schools, high taxes and housing markets across the state that have become out of reach for many Californians. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/7/17
Republicans thrown on defensive after study shows tax hike -- Republicans are on the defensive after a new analysis shows some middle-income people would see tax increases under their plan to rewrite the tax code. Brian Faler Politico -- 11/7/17
Tom Steyer's campaign to impeach Trump hits nerves -- Billionaire Democratic donor Tom Steyer has pulled off a rarity in this hyper-charged partisan age: He raised the ire of both President Trump and the president’s Democratic nemesis, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/7/17
Orange County congressional candidates wade into Trump impeachment territory -- Plenty of California congressional challengers have invoked the name and face of President Trump in their early ads, but not many have waded into the debate over whether the president should be impeached. That's starting to change. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/7/17
San Francisco supervisors stick to their guns on geographic limits on cannabis stores -- The Board of Supervisors continues to wrestle with legislation to govern recreational marijuana when sales become legal in California on Jan. 1. After facing round criticism from state Sen. Scott Wiener, several San Francisco supervisors doubled down on restrictions they’d proposed for the cannabis industry. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
California proposes armored cars to transport pot tax money -- California should use armored cars to transport hundreds of millions of dollars in cash tax payments expected next year with the state's legal marijuana market, the state treasurer said Tuesday. Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 11/7/17
Knight: Expected San Francisco teacher raises aren’t enough to stem exodus from costly city -- Sarah Prensky-Pomeranz is the kind of teacher any city would be lucky to have. The 28-year-old San Francisco native has a master’s degree in education and a teaching credential from Harvard, a pedigree that would surely earn her her choice of teaching gigs. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
A year after Trump’s election, H-1B visa holders’ hope dwindles -- The day after the election, worries about what the new president would do to the H-1B visa program manifested in different ways: One H-1B holder from India put off buying a house. Another immediately filed for citizenship in Canada. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
These 500 interests spent the most influencing California lawmakers this year -- The end of California’s legislative session in September saw lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown make a deal on a housing stimulus package, extend California’s cap-and-trade program and hammer out legislation some say makes California a “sanctuary state” for undocumented immigrants. Dan Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/7/17
Dog and cat flea treatments suspected of polluting San Francisco Bay -- An insecticide found in commonly used over-the-counter flea treatments like Frontline Plus and Pet Armor appears to be washing down pet owners’ drains and flowing through sewage treatment plants into the bay, new research shows. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/7/17
GOP candidate John Cox launches attack against Democrat Gavin Newsom in California governor's race -- Rather than critiquing the record of the other main Republican in the race, Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach, Cox is blasting Democratic front-runner Gavin Newsom in a fundraising plea. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/7/17
Asian investors pour more than $300 million into Silicon Valley buildings -- Multiple investors based in Asia have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in recent months on an array of commercial real estate properties in Silicon Valley, this news organization’s review of county property records shows. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/7/17
Drone “drug drop” worries spur push to restrict air above South Bay jails -- Two county supervisors are pushing to restrict drone activity in the airspace above county jails to prevent airborne “drug drops” to inmates in open jail yards. Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/7/17
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Silicon Valley's great wealth bypasses its working homeless -- In the same affluent, suburban city where Google built its headquarters, Tes Saldana lives in a crowded but tidy camper she parks on the street. She concedes it's "not a very nice living situation," but it also is not unusual. Janie Har Associated Press -- 11/7/17
Trump wrong to blame mass killings on mental illness rather than guns, experts say -- “He’s wrong on two counts,” said Michael Stone, professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University and author of “The Anatomy of Evil,” who has studied 360 of the most notorious mass murders of the past century. “It is a gun issue. And there are very few mass murderers who are certifiably crazy.” Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
Lawmakers ‘can’t police themselves’: How statehouses are confronting sexual harassment -- Sacramento will be among the next batch of capitals to reassess its sexual harassment policies when the Assembly on Nov. 28 holds a hearing prompted by the “We Said Enough” letter that dozens of female political leaders and staff members have signed. Like the other capitals, women here say they’ve been subjected to sexual harassment and deterred from reporting it. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/7/17
Legislature to summarize – but not fully disclose – its sexual harassment history -- Both houses of the California Legislature say they are preparing a summary of “information concerning sexual harassment related matters.” Amy Chance in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/7/17
3-person carpool lanes may be extended on Bay Area highways -- For decades, traffic-clogged Interstate 80 has been the only Bay Area freeway to require that vehicles contain at least three people to legally enter the carpool lane. But it could lose that distinction. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
California Legislative Staff Might Finally Get Whistleblower Protection -- For four straight years, the California Senate has quietly shelved an Assembly bill that would have provided whistleblower protection to legislative employees. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 11/7/17
California homeowners could get a tax break to capture rainwater in their backyards -- It was raining and Judy Adler had a broken gutter. What could have been a simple repair turned into an effort to capture rain and use it for her backyard pond. Since late 2009, Adler has collected up to 11,000 gallons of rain annually at her Walnut Creek home. Mina Corpuz in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/7/17
Gov. Jerry Brown traverses Europe on a climate ‘crusade’ -- Imagine hosting a large gathering of supremely important people. Protocol is taken seriously. there are at least two complications with the arrangements: One longtime leader has lost interest in the meetings but cannot be shunned outright. Julie Cart Calmatters.org -- 11/7/17
Politifact CA: George Runner was right: California now has the highest gas prices in the nation -- Republican George Runner predicted in April that California’s gas tax hike would catapult the Golden State’s already high fuel prices to the "highest in the nation," after the increase went into effect on Nov. 1, 2017. It appears his prediction was spot on. Chris Nichols Politifact CA -- 11/7/17
Taylor: East Bay officials to explore jailed immigrants’ complaints of conditions -- State and congressional officials in the East Bay are promising to take a close look at a Contra Costa County jail that houses federal immigration detainees who told me last week that they are routinely denied access to the restrooms and forced to go in plastic bags. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
Fox: Three Californias? California Independence? How about Simply: California Classic! -- Venture capitalist Tim Draper’s new quest to break up California into smaller states will face legal challenges, political obstacles and even the hindrance of confusing names. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 11/7/17
Self-driving cars could save lives even before they’re perfected, report says -- Putting self-driving cars on the road sooner rather than later could save hundreds of thousands of lives, according to a report released Monday by Rand Corp., a Santa Monica policy research nonprofit. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
If LA County health department can shut down restaurants, why not air polluters? Leaders want to know -- Does Los Angeles County’s public health department have the authority to shut down a facility that emits toxic substances into the air? That’s the question two members from the Board of Supervisors want answered Tuesday as they ask county department leaders to look into the public health director’s role when it comes to companies that produce unhealthy chemicals. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 11/7/17
Valley LAPD captain says department underreported violent crime stats despite her sounding alarm -- A San Fernando Valley Los Angeles Police Department captain on Monday publicly detailed what she alleges is the department’s systematic pattern of underreporting crime statistics. The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 11/7/17
Two inmates escape from Palo Alto courthouse in ‘orchestrated’ getaway -- The whereabouts of John Penn Bivins, 47, and 46-year-old Tramel Leon McClough, both of East Palo Alto, were unknown as of Monday afternoon. They apparently broke free from a bailiff who was escorting them about 9:30 a.m. to an elevator of the courthouse at 270 Grant Avenue. Tracey Kaplan and Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/7/17
Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds
Republican Plan Would Raise Taxes on Millions -- Nearly half of all middle-class families would pay more in taxes in 2026 than they would under current rules if the proposed House tax bill became law, and about one-third would pay more in 2018, according to a New York Times analysis, a striking finding for a bill promoted as a middle-class tax cut. Ben Casselman and Jim Tankersley in the New York Times$ -- 11/7/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Paradise Papers spotlight Apple tax strategies amid GOP push to cut corporate rates -- For years, Apple and other multinational firms have faced inquiries from government authorities about tactics they employed to lower their tax bills. Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/7/17
Russian billionaire Yuri Milner's early backing of Facebook, Twitter had Kremlin ties -- Russian billionaire Yuri Milner gained fame and wealth as an early backer of Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc. and other Silicon Valley start-ups. James F. Peltz and Tracey Lien in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/7/17
Supreme Court lets decision stand in EA’s $11 million Madden copycat case -- The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to reinstate a San Francisco federal jury’s verdict of $11 million in damages and interest to the programmer of the original “John Madden Football” video game, who accused the marketer of copying his work in later versions of the best-selling game. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
The Withering California Dream, by the Numbers -- The California dream isn’t dead. It just upped and moved to South Dakota. Matt Levin Calmatters -- 11/7/17
How white TV writers decide the stories Hollywood tells America -- Hollywood prides itself on its progressive politics. Celebrities sported blue ribbons on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards to signal their resistance to President Trump. Winners mocked him onstage. They’ve routinely lambasted a White House that they view as hostile to immigrants, women and minorities. Tracy Jan in the Washington Post$ -- 11/7/17
Orange County to finalize plan for Great Park condo, retail development as Irvine threatens lawsuit -- Orange County is set to finalize its plan to develop 108 acres just south of the Great Park into a massive commercial and residential complex – a move that could initiate a legal showdown with Irvine, where officials claim it could prevent the development of a public amphitheater, museum and other facilities. Jordan Graham in the Orange County Register -- 11/7/17
Homeless
Hepatitis A outbreak continues to grow, but more slowly -- Though the case count in San Diego’s ongoing hepatitis A outbreak increased again Monday, officials said that the number of new infections continues to slow. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/7/17
Council members push for homeless housing at vacant Chargers Park -- San Diego City Council members David Alvarez and Lorie Zapf called on the city Monday morning to convert the old Chargers headquarters on Murphy Canyon Road into temporary housing for homeless people, including a growing number who are camping along the nearby San Diego River. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/7/17
Wildfire
Report: Insurers hired private firefighters for wealthy clients amid Wine Country fires -- Wealthy homeowners whose properties were threatened during last month's Wine Country fires were able to enact a lesser-known perk in their insurance policies. A private firefighting service. Dianne de Guzman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
Destructive Canyon 2 fire in Anaheim Hills caused by ember from earlier wildfire -- A wildfire that burned dozens of structures in Orange County last month was sparked by an ember from a fire that erupted days earlier in roughly the same area, authorities said Monday. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/7/17
Education
Charter schools, LAUSD reach deal to end 'game of chicken' that jeopardized schools' futures -- Now, ahead of that vote on Tuesday, top L.A. Unified officials are prepared to reverse themselves and recommend the board approve 11 of those 14 charter applications after reaching a deal with leading charter school representatives, according to three sources with knowledge of the negotiations. Kyle Stokes KPCC -- 11/7/17
Reported rapes at CSUN nearly tripled in 2016 -- Fourteen rapes were reported in Cal State Northridge’s jurisdiction in 2016, nearly three times the figure reported the previous year, according to the university’s annual security report. Brenda Gazzar in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 11/7/17
Stagnant California test scores pose problem; state board may rejigger how to rate districts -- Stagnant test results on the third year of the Smarter Balanced tests are posing an unexpected challenge for the State Board of Education: Hundreds of school districts may require county assistance because they failed to raise their scores in English language arts and math on the tests they took last spring. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 11/7/17
Castle View Elementary students return to class days after father takes teacher hostage -- As soon as students arrived at Riverside’s Castle View Elementary for the first day of class since Halloween, when a parent held a first-grade teacher hostage for hours until he was fatally shot by police, their nervousness transformed into broad smiles and high fives. Their previous day at school may have been terrifying, but Monday, Nov. 6, was a day of celebration. Ryan Hagen in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 11/7/17
Cal State Fullerton President Mildred García leaving the university in January, will head nonprofit advocacy group -- During her tenure at Cal State Fullerton, the university – which has a record 40,439 students enrolled this year – improved its graduation rate by 30 percent, and its graduation rate for first-time freshmen who stay on campus for four years by 65 percent. Chris Haire in the Orange County Register -- 11/7/17
Immigration / Border
Mexican ambassador: bilateral relationship will suffer without NAFTA -- Mexico’s ambassador to Washington warned that if the United States pulls out of the North American Free Trade Agreement “there will certainly be less willingness in Mexico to engage on other areas.” Sandra Dibble in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/7/17
Health
Medical tourism program launches -- In the heart of San Diego's biomedical community, in a tourist-friendly setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean, civic leaders officially kicked off a program to attract wealthy patients and their families. DestinationCare San Diego unites four local health care systems along with the San Diego Tourism Authority to market the region. Bradley J. Fikes in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/7/17
Also . . .
Harvey Weinstein’s Army of Spies -- The film executive hired private investigators, including ex-Mossad agents, to track actresses and journalists. Ronan Farrow The New Yorker -- 11/7/17
70 pounds of methamphetamine seized in Noe Valley drug bust -- A police raid on a residence in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco led to the arrest of one man and the seizure of about 70 pounds of methamphetamine, two pounds of heroin and more than $46,000 in cash, officials said Monday. Sophie Haigney in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/7/17
Orange County deputies seize weapons from ex-Soka University student who threatened 'killing spree' in YouTube video -- Authorities said they found several loaded rifles and shotguns inside the home of a 39-year-old West Hollywood man who threatened to go on a "killing spree" in a bizarre YouTube rant last week. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/7/17
Two ways natural gas may be escaping at your meter -- The leaks don’t mean you’re in danger of an explosion. But tiny amounts of natural gas escaping from gas meters not only cost you money, they can be the largest single source of leaks for a utility, as they are for San Diego Gas & Electric. Ingrid Lobet inewsource.org -- 11/7/17
POTUS 45
CNN poll: Trump approval hits new low of 36 percent -- The number of those who said they felt the investigation into the Trump campaigns ties to Russia was a 'serious matter' that 'needs a full investigation' rose. Cristiano Lima Politico -- 11/7/17
Beltway
Ross aide served on Navigator's board while working at Commerce -- A top adviser to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross served on the board of Navigator Holdings, a shipping company whose clients include a Russian energy company with Kremlin ties, while she was working in the Trump administration. Lorraine Woellert, Nancy Cook and Andrew Restuccia Politico -- 11/7/17
Republicans Propose Last-Minute Changes to Tax Bill -- Republicans outlined significant changes on Monday to the sweeping tax bill unveiled by House lawmakers last week, moving to tighten restrictions on so-called carried interest, alter rules aimed at preventing American companies from stashing profits offshore and further restrict a tax credit claimed primarily by low- and middle-income individuals. Alan Rappeport, Thomas Kaplan and Jim Tankersley in the New York Times$ -- 11/7/17
-- Monday Updates
Sacramento teacher strike averted. Union, city district reach deal ahead of planned walkout -- The Sacramento City Unified School District and its teachers union reached an agreement Monday on a new contract that gives teachers up to an 11 percent raise over the three-year deal and averts a strike for the 43,000-student district. Ryan Lillis, Diana Lambert and Ellen Garrison in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/6/17
California's state flags will fly at half-staff to honor victims of Texas church shooting -- State flags in California will be flown at half-staff Monday in remembrance of those who lost their lives in a shooting at a Texas church over the weekend. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/6/17
LAPD captain accuses department of twisting crime statistics to make city seem safer -- Capt. Lillian Carranza, who oversees the LAPD's Van Nuys station, alleged in a claim filed against the city last week that she began notifying superiors in 2014 about the underreporting of crime in the Foothill area, which includes Pacoima, Sunland and Tujunga — but no action was taken. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/6/17
Why hasn't California cracked down on anti-vaccination doctors? -- A year ago, California officials appeared to be coming down hard on doctors and parents who were reluctant to vaccinate children. Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/6/17
If Jerry Brown can’t sell California on two Delta tunnels, would just one fly? -- Advocates of the twin tunnels say a smaller project would translate into less protection for the endangered fish that live in the Delta and supposedly would be helped by the twin-tunnel setup. Proponents also say a single tunnel, while less expensive as a whole, would likely cost more on a per-gallon basis than a twin-tunnel plan. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/6/17
One homeless person a week dies on the streets in Sacramento County, report shows -- Bob Erlenbusch, executive director of the coalition, said the findings underscore the Sacramento area’s need for more shelter beds for homeless people, and more aggressive outreach toward men and women who sleep in parks, in cars, along riverbeds and in front of churches and businesses. Cynthia Hubert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/6/17
In NorCal fires, weed goes up in smoke -- It’s being called the Wine Country Fire, but the fatal October fires that blackened nearly 200,000 acres across Northern California might also be called the Cannabis Country Fire. Chuck McFadden Capitol Weekly -- 11/6/17
Tests show that lead levels in Bay Area drinking water are not dangerous -- Despite recent alarming revelations that children in 10 San Francisco and Oakland schools had been exposed to lead contamination well above federal safety standards, data from household water quality tests performed this year by the Bay Area’s two major utilities indicate that lead levels remain well below dangerous thresholds in the vast majority of the region’s homes. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/6/17
Meet the startups fighting Silicon Valley’s soaring housing costs -- These founders, intent on disrupting the housing market and bringing down costs, are stepping in as government officials and nonprofits struggle with the enormity of the problem. Some are launching startups focused on creating new housing units, while others are working to help people buy or rent. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/6/17
Qualcomm confirms Broadcom's $100 billion buyout offer -- Qualcomm confirmed Monday that it has received a buyout offer from Broadcom of $70 a share in cash and stock, in the largest deal in the history of the semiconductor industry. Mike Freeman in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/6/17
After a Tax Crackdown, Apple Found a New Shelter for Its Profits -- The tech giant has found a tax haven in the island of Jersey, leaving billions of dollars untouched by the United States, leaked documents reveal. Jesse Drucker and Simon Bowers in the New York Times$ -- 11/6/17
Despite reform, rehired San Diego city official gets to re-enter pension plan -- According to her employment offer, a copy of which was obtained by U-T Watchdog, Michell will be reinstated into the pension plan — a benefit that was closed to most new hires after voters approved a 2012 ballot measure to reform the system. New hires other than police officers are only offered a 401k-style savings plan for retirement. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/6/17
Math festivals help elementary students — and their families — see math as fun -- A dozen parents gathered around veteran math educator Leanna Baker, moments before students show up for what is billed as a math “festival” for students at Allendale Elementary School in Oakland. Ashley Hopkinson EdSource -- 11/6/17