Updating . .
More California Democrats say they won't vote to keep government open without fix for DACA -- Half a dozen California Democrats joined House colleagues Wednesday to say they won't back a bill that allows the federal government to spend money unless Congress passes the Dream Act to address the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people who were brought to the country illegally as children. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Jerry Brown blasts climate change ‘denialists in the room’ at European Parliament -- Gov. Jerry Brown, arriving in Brussels after collegial events in Germany, sparred publicly with British politicians when confronted over his climate change record at the European Parliament on Wednesday. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/8/17
CHP officer says agency harassed him for serving in National Guard -- Lt. Col. Christopher Lutz joined the California National Guard in 1996, eventually ending up as a pilot in the Air Guard and deploying to missions fighting wildfires, providing hurricane relief and serving in combat to rescue wounded soldiers overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/8/17
Sen. Dianne Feinstein reintroduces assault weapons ban legislation -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation Wednesday to ban the sale and possession of military style assault weapons. The push comes after two mass shootings in six weeks, including a shooting at a church in Texas on Sunday that killed 26 people. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ Filipa Ioannou in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
On election night, Democratic voters erect “big blue wall” on the West Coast -- On an election day when Democratic candidates unseated their Republican rivals in races from Virginia to Maine to New Jersey, delivering what the Seattle Times called the “GOP’s most significant day of defeat in the young Trump presidency,” Dhingra’s victory in Washington state over Republican Jinyoung Englund means the West Coast is now the solid center of the resistance, with Democrats controlling legislatures and governorships from Seattle down to San Diego. Patrick May in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/8/17
GOP candidate for governor Travis Allen donated to Gavin Newsom and other Democrats -- State Assemblyman Travis Allen, an Orange County Republican running for California governor, has built his political brand by railing against the policies of Gov. Jerry Brown and state Democrats. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/8/17
Democratic candidates for governor declare support for California's signature education reforms -- The four leading Democratic candidates vying to be the next governor of California say they are committed to continuing landmark education reforms initiated by Gov. Jerry Brown, who will be termed out of office next year. Louis Freedberg EdSource -- 11/8/17
As ‘Only the Brave’ firefighter drama hits theaters, science works on life-saving shelters -- As Hollywood rolls out a blockbuster drama about the 19 firefighters killed after crawling inside their protective emergency shelters during a raging 2013 wildfire, the federal government is wrapping up a real-life bid to improve the nation’s standard-issue fire shelter — by going space-age. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
Lopez: It takes a special arrogance to steal a parking place from a disabled person. And this cop is out to bust you -- If you have a disabled parking placard in your car, but it was issued to someone who isn't along for the ride, here's a tip: Someone's watching. Not every day, not everywhere. But you run the risk of getting caught and having an extremely bad day. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Schnur: California Republicans have to choose between their philosophy and their constituents -- There are fewer Republicans in the California congressional delegation than there are players on the roster of the Los Angeles Lakers. Dan Schnur in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Milllennial legislator who turned a red district purple is now a prime target -- Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes had held elected office just a few short months when she was summoned to the Governor’s Mansion earlier this year. Many lawmakers go their entire career without ever negotiating face to face with Gov. Jerry Brown. And yet there was Cervantes, the Capitol’s youngest legislator—just 29 at the time—squaring off with a governor fifty years her senior. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters.org -- 11/8/17
Walters: Legislative employees should be in civil service -- Eric Bauman, the state Democratic Party’s newly elected chairman, made an appearance before the Sacramento Press Club last week and, of course, the blowup over sexual harassment in and around the Capitol was a hot topic for questioning journalists. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/8/17
East Coast Republicans pushed back against Trump's tax plan. Why didn't California's GOP? -- When the House GOP released a plan last month that eliminated a popular tax break, some Republican representatives from high tax states like New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania were outraged. Republicans from California quietly voiced concerns about the end of a tax break that 1 in 3 Californians use. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Rohrabacher says future homebuyers hurt by tax plan don't represent a large number of voters -- Rep. Dana Rohrabacher downplayed the effect of the lower mortgage interest deduction in the GOP tax bill Tuesday, saying that people who buy homes in the future will make up a small number of voters. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Darrell Issa says he'll vote 'No' on current tax bill: 'We can do better than this' -- While some of the other 13 Republicans in the California delegation have said they are still reviewing the bill, Issa was the first to indicate he would vote no on the tax overhaul championed by leaders of his party unless changes are made. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Santa Clara County officials fear 2020 Census count will miss many here -- Santa Clara County leaders Tuesday raised alarms about the upcoming 2020 Census, fearing many people in crowded, culturally diverse cities like San Jose won’t be tallied in the once-a-decade count that determines federal funding and representation in Congress. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
California congressman walks out during moment of silence for church shooting victims -- Lieu said to his Facebook followers that while he respected the show of support, he couldn't participate in good conscience. "I can't do this again. I've been to too many moments of silences," Lieu said. "In just my short career in Congress, three of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history have occurred. I will not be silent." Alix Martichoux in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Gubernatorial candidate Eastin reveals tax returns; opponent Villaraigosa’s awaited -- Former state schools chief Delaine Eastin released six years of tax returns Tuesday, leaving former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as the only one of the four leading Democratic candidates for governor not to open his financial books to public view. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Casey Tolan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
East Oakland consolidates ‘political muscle’ in single group -- Called the East Oakland Congress of Neighborhoods, its members say they are tired of potholes, rampant prostitution and sex trafficking, illegal dumping, gun violence, homelessness and a lack of affordable housing. They say the city’s investment priorities and policies have disadvantaged their schools, air quality and parks, and made difficult their access to healthy food and good-paying jobs. Kimberly Veklerov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
Nancy Pelosi fundraising a double-edged sword for 2018 Democrats -- Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan tried to unseat Nancy Pelosi as House minority leader last November, after Donald Trump’s presidential victory left Democrats reeling. But even Ryan acknowledges Pelosi has a critical role to play in House Democrats’ bid to regain the majority in the 2018 midterm elections, which requires them posting a net gain of 24 House seats. Emily Cadei and Alex Roarty McClatchy DC -- 11/8/17
Remove ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ as national anthem, California NAACP urges -- When California lawmakers return to the Capitol in January, the state chapter of the NAACP will be seeking their support for a campaign to remove “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the national anthem. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/8/17
Oakland police chief under fire for response to raid by federal agents -- Oakland’s police chief is facing a complaint from a city commissioner and questions from City Council members over her department’s assistance in an immigration-related operation by federal agents that resulted in deportation proceedings against a West Oakland resident. Kimberly Veklerov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/1
'They are damn lies': LAPD chief lashes out after captain accuses department of phony crime statistics -- Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck forcefully denied Tuesday that his department had falsified violent crime statistics and dismissed the allegation by a captain that the LAPD misled the public as "not only untrue, but outrageous." Kate Mather and Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
With 13,000 gang members in Orange County, the push is on to curb crime and recruitment -- Santa Ana police Cpl. Rick Velasquez asked the room of about 60 parents how many knew a gang member. More than half of the hands shot up. Denisse Salazar in the Orange County Register -- 11/8/17
Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds
Can utilities make customers pay wildfire costs? Regulators delay decision -- California regulators have delayed — again — a closely watched vote on whether electric utility companies can make their customers pay some of the costs of wildfires sparked by their equipment. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/8/17
Senate Republican tax plan may eliminate property tax deductions and delay corporate cut -- As they prepare to unveil their own sweeping tax plan, Senate Republicans are revisiting key provisions of the GOP House proposal, including possibly eliminating property tax deductions as well as state income tax deductions, increasing the size of child-care credits, offering more help to small businesses and having corporate tax cuts phase in or expire, according to those familiar with the negotiations. Lisa Mascaro and Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
GOP tax bill would have impact on pro, college sports -- The Oakland Raiders decided to move to Las Vegas largely because Clark County, Nevada, agreed to finance a new stadium with $750 million in tax-exempt bonds. Now, that tax exemption could be going away, leaving the county on the hook for even more money. Ben Nuckols in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/8/17
GOP tax bill would end deduction for wildfire and earthquake victims — but not recent hurricane victims -- If the bill becomes law, the deduction would disappear next year, but would be available for victims of the massive wildfires that struck Northern California last month — as long as they can figure out their uninsured losses and include them on their 2017 tax return. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Hotel taxes again eyed for homeless services -- San Diego leaders, and voters, could soon consider a ballot measure that would plow future hotel tax revenues into homeless services. James DeHaven and Lori Weisberg in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/8/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Lack of immigrant workers could hobble racing industry -- Hours before the first ladies in elaborate hats and men in suits began to trickle into the grandstand for the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday, the backstretch filled with the quiet bustle of workers measuring feed, shoveling dirty straw and removing bandages from million-dollar legs. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/8/17
A 1960s Law Blocks Firefighting Contractors From Suing State -- The families of the hundreds of private contractors who help California battle wildfires every year can’t hold the state legally accountable if their loved ones are killed or injured during a blaze. Ted Goldberg KQED -- 11/8/17
Self-driving shuttle hits Las Vegas streets -- Las Vegas’ newest tourist attraction has nothing to do with casinos, neon lights or Cirque du Soleil. It’s a driverless shuttle that will make a half-mile loop all day long on city streets in the downtown Fremont East district, starting Wednesday. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
Look, ma, No driver! Waymo robot cars in Arizona go fully autonomous -- In a major milestone for autonomous vehicles, Waymo has ditched the backup drivers for its robot cars in and around Chandler, Ariz., and soon will offer them to the public as an autonomous taxi fleet. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
Plane in Roy Halladay fatal crash made by Vacaville’s Icon -- The single-engine seaplane involved in the fatal crash that killed Roy Halladay on Tuesday was manufactured by a Vacaville company and delivered to the former baseball star less than four weeks ago. Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
Transit
Glitch may derail BART’s plan to put new cars into service by Thanksgiving -- BART’s 10 new railcars failed to open their doors as designed during an inspection last week, prompting the state Public Utilities Commission to prohibit the transit agency from putting them into service until the problem is fixed. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Erin Baldassari in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/8/17
San Francisco to experiment with Uber and Lyft passenger loading and pick-up zone -- Hoping to address problems with Uber and Lyft drivers double-parking and blocking crosswalks and bike and transit lanes to pick up passengers, Mayor Ed Lee announced an experimental program Tuesday to provide the ride-hailing services designated loading zones. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
Guns
Victims of Texas church massacre may have a case against the Air Force -- Families of victims in the Texas church massacre can sue the Air Force for failing to prevent the shooter from buying his gun, or at least for making the purchase easier than it should have been, legal analysts said Tuesday. But several said a suit would be extremely difficult to win. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
Wildfire
Wildfire victims could see easier utility billing process -- The measures facing a vote by the California Public Utilities Commission would order electric companies to discontinue billing at homes that were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable and waive deposits for displaced residents setting up service at new addresses. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
Education
Cal State faculty caution trustees that deadline to loosen course requirements is too rushed -- Cal State faculty members lined up at the mic at the board of trustees meeting Tuesday to express their concerns about executive orders aimed at helping students graduate sooner by dropping non-credit remedial classes and loosening math requirements. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Agreement paves way for L.A. Unified to approve most old and new charter schools -- Charter school leaders flexed their new muscle with the L.A. Unified School District on Tuesday to win district concessions on some operating rules. But they stopped short of insisting that all their demands be met, which could have led to school closures and an embarrassing public fight. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Cal State trustees face budget challenges amid efforts to lift graduation rates -- About 7,000 more students graduated from Cal State this year than last, and the more than 98,700 earning undergraduate degrees was the highest ever in a single academic year, administrators said. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Cannabis
California treasurer wants the state to study a public bank option for pot businesses -- California Treasurer John Chiang wants the state to consider creating a government-owned bank that could serve cannabis businesses, one of several recommendations aimed at helping bring those businesses into the financial mainstream. James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ Daniel Potter Capital Public Radio Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ Sophie Haigney in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 11/8/17
San Francisco supervisors offer more changes to recreational cannabis legislation -- San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors inched closer to creating a legal framework for the sale of recreational cannabis on Tuesday. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
Immigration / Border
State A.G. slams federal crackdown on immigrants -- U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ “Tough on Crime” program of maximum prison sentences and crackdowns on undocumented immigrants is “absolutely wrong” and threatens to drive the country into poverty, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Tuesday. Chuck McFadden Capitol Weekly -- 11/8/17
Environment
California Approves Rescue Plan For Shrinking Salton Sea -- California regulators on Tuesday approved a plan to spend nearly $400 million over 10 years to slow the shrinking of the state's largest lake, a vital migratory stop for birds and a buffer against swirling dust in farming towns. Associated Press -- 11/8/17
California Ecologists Strike Back Against Invasive Green Crabs -- As far as crabs go, the European green crab might not look like much. They’re small — only about 4 inches wide — and lack the giant claws of fiddler crabs or spindly limbs of king crabs. But don’t be fooled. Green crabs are voracious predators that rank among the world’s worst invasive species. Peter Arcuni KQED -- 11/8/17
California bans use of some farming pesticides near schools -- California has banned farmers from using certain pesticides near schools and day care centers under a new rule announced Tuesday that regulators said is among the toughest in the U.S. Jocelyn Gecker Associated Press -- 11/8/17
Also . . .
As fake news flies on Texas shooting, UC Berkeley students identify Twitter bots fueling the problem -- Now, a pair of computer-savvy UC Berkeley students are trying to do what lawmakers have been begging Twitter to do for months: call out automated bot accounts that spew false, deliberately divisive political propaganda under the dangerous guise of being real people with legitimate views. Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/8/17
L.A. considers making Playboy Mansion a historic monument -- A designation as a historic-cultural monument would put limits on what alterations could be made to the property and also prevent the mansion from being demolished without a review. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Passengers on San Francisco-to-Vallejo ferry stranded on water for nearly 4 hours -- The boat, and its 330 passengers, departed the San Francisco Ferry Building around 5:15 p.m. and should have arrived in Vallejo 45 minutes later. But an engine failure turned the quick commute into a four-hour ordeal, said San Francisco Bay Ferry spokesman Ernest Sanchez. Michelle Robertson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/8/17
POTUS 45
Trump promotes his New Jersey golf course during speech to South Korea parliament -- The world was watching as President Trump stepped to the microphone in the heart of South Korea’s National Assembly to deliver a high-stakes speech to rally fellow leaders against North Korea. What better time for the president to talk about ... his New Jersey golf course? David Nakamura in the Washington Post$ -- 11/8/17
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross faces accusations that he lied about his wealth -- Just a day after defending himself against reports that he failed to disclose his business links to Russian President Vladimir Putin's family, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross came under wider scrutiny Tuesday over his financial holdings and whether he had been forthcoming about his wealth. Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/17
Beltway
Tee times, smoothie diets, and fat paychecks: A look inside post-Trump life -- Steve Bannon now only flies by private plane — and has his own small security team that surrounds him 24 hours a day. John Dawsey and Matthew Nussbaum Politico -- 11/8/17
Trump just made a bad night for Republicans much worse for himself -- By immediately tweeting that Ed Gillespie in Virginia “did not embrace me,” Trump showed, yet again, that he isn’t loyal. And Republicans may also take another lesson: The president can’t deliver a victory for you. Philip Bump in the Washington Post$ -- 11/8/17
-- Tuesday Updates
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