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California Policy and Politics Friday
Becerra leads governor’s race, with Hilton and Steyer in tight contest for second spot, poll finds -- A new poll shows former Biden Cabinet member Xavier Becerra narrowly in the lead of a volatile race with Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer also in contention in the June 2 primary. Democrats’ unusually slow ballot returns hint at either strategic last-minute voting or voter fatigue, despite record-breaking campaign spending. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ John Woolfolk in the Orange County Register$ Jeremy B. White Politico -- 5/29/26
Xavier Becerra is fending off oil cash criticism in the California governor’s race -- Oil companies are making a cash splash to back Xavier Becerra in the final stretch of California’s race for governor. And Tom Steyer wants you to know it. Noah Baustin Politico -- 5/29/26
Newsom signs emergency bill safeguarding ballots from unauthorized inspection -- Citing Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of election ballots last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Wednesday curbing law enforcement’s access to California voter rolls ahead of next week’s gubernatorial primary. Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/29/26
Here’s what the latest California governor polls show — and what they mean for your vote -- Just a few days before the deadline to submit their ballots, plenty of Californians remain stuck on whom to vote for, perhaps because they aren’t pleased with their eight major-party options. Aseem Shukla in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26
Garofoli: Critics say Tom Steyer bought off progressives in California governor race. The truth is more complicated -- Billionaire Tom Steyer’s attempt to reshape himself into a populist, in part by racking up endorsements from a host of progressives, has been one of the many eyebrow-raising twists in the California gubernatorial race. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26
Newton: Will Californians pick candidates who are government outsiders or ones with governing experience? -- A few years back, in one of our many conversations for the biography I wrote of him, Gov. Jerry Brown told me that he never put much stock in political experience — until he had some. Jim Newton Calmatters -- 5/29/26
Harvey Levin’s latest project: Spencer Pratt for LA mayor -- Harvey Levin is a lot of things. Is California political kingmaker one of them? An answer to that question may be rendered in Tuesday’s mayoral primary in Los Angeles. Daniel Miller Politico -- 5/29/26
Should California insurance commissioner really be an elected position? Here’s what candidates for the job say -- Some current candidates for the job think the position, charged with safeguarding the health of one of the largest insurance markets in the world, should not be left in the hands of voters. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26
California’s Tax-Weary Billionaires Seek Refuge on Lake Tahoe’s Nevada Shore -- Amid surging demand for prime Tahoe property in Nevada, a recent string of megadeals reflects the premium buyers are willing to pay for a lower tax bill—and the widening price gap between the two sides of the lake. E.B. Solomont in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/29/26
Landmark California bill to ban social media for teens under 16 passes crucial hurdle -- Social media companies would be barred from allowing children under 16 to create accounts on their platforms under a bill passed by California lawmakers Thursday in a dramatic rebuke from the home state of the country’s tech industry. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/29/26
Workplace
Meta’s mass layoffs hit nearly 3,200 Bay Area workers, among region’s worst job losses in years -- Meta’s 10% workforce reduction affected at least 3,196 Bay Area workers, according to additional state filings that showed one of the region’s biggest job losses in years. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/29/26
Of AI, Paul Schrader says Hollywood is ‘barely keeping a step ahead of the monster’ -- At Culver City’s AI on the Lot conference, more than 2,400 filmmakers and executives wrestled with how artificial intelligence is remaking Hollywood’s identity. Veteran screenwriter Paul Schrader, facing backlash for keynoting the event, described his experience after ChatGPT generated an eerily on-brand Paul Schrader script. Josh Rottenberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/29/26
A.I. Doesn’t Have to Mean Layoffs -- A French multinational, Schneider Electric, decided to use artificial intelligence in manufacturing to make workers more productive, rather than to replace them. Patricia Cohen, Alexis Pazoumian in the New York Times$ -- 5/29/26
Housing
Thousands are leaving Los Angeles year after year. This is why we still have a housing crunch -- Los Angeles is shrinking — nearly 10,000 city residents and 62,000 countywide left last year — yet home prices and rents remain among the nation’s highest. Experts say the paradox stems from smaller households, decades of underbuilding and owners reluctant to sell, so even population loss hasn’t eased L.A.’s longstanding housing shortage. Jack Flemming in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/29/26
MLB Sacramento
Sacramento bid for MLB expansion team looks beyond A’s multi-year stay -- Three years of the Athletics in Sacramento and the appetite is whetted, and a push for a major-league expansion team is on. Susan Slusser in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Graham Womack in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/29/26
Education
Oakland schools say their finances are suddenly stable. Parents aren’t buying it -- Oakland’s top education officials expect the district to be financially stable and meet all its fiscal obligations this year and the next two. It would be a miraculous turnaround if true. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26
Major California university to open medical school in the Central Valley -- The University of the Pacific plans to open a medical school at its main campus in Stockton, one of the only institutions to issue a doctor of medicine (M.D.) degree in California’s Central Valley. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26
Street
To combat copper thefts, L.A. city agency seeks its own armed police force -- The Department of Water and Power is seeking authorization to create its own armed security force. Officials say the change is needed to protect the city’s infrastructure and guard against copper thieves. Gavin J. Quinton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/29/26
Los Gatos ‘party mom’ who got teens drunk, pressured them to have sex gets maximum prison sentence -- 52-year-old Shannon O’Connor, the Los Gatos “party mom,” was sentenced to 35 years and 10 months for hosting alcohol-fueled teen parties and orchestrating sexual encounters among minors. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/29/26
Also
Trans Athlete Could Repeat as State Champion at California Meet -- A year after being awarded two gold medals at the California state track and field championships amid protests over her participation as a transgender girl, a high school athlete will return to the meet this week to defend her titles — and maybe claim a third, or more. Juliet Macur in the New York Times$ -- 5/29/26
Will President Trump be at U.S. men's World Cup opener? Paraguayan officials say he will be -- According to Paraguayan officials, Donald Trump has invited the president of their country to join him for the U.S. vs. Paraguay World Cup match on June 12 in Inglewood. Noah Furtado in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/29/26
More than 40 lawsuits filed against GKN Aerospace after chemical threat in Garden Grove -- The filings came after a malfunctioning storage tank containing volatile, flammable methyl methacrylate prompted evacuation orders across parts of Garden Grove and nearby cities amid fears of a catastrophic explosion. Sydney Barragan in the Orange County Register$ -- 5/29/26
Walters: Gavin Newsom’s rosy painting of California’s economy leaves out its darker undertones -- As Gavin Newsom makes his increasingly frequent appearances outside the state — seemingly preparing for a 2028 presidential campaign — one of his stock messages is that California’s economy is soaring. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 5/29/26
The Secretive Billionaire Who’s Conquering the World’s Richest Sports Leagues -- Arsenal and Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke explains in a rare interview why his teams can’t stop winning. Andrew Beaton and Joshua Robinson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/29/26
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Judge pauses Trump administration’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund -- U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said the restraining order was meant to ensure that no funds are “irreversibly disbursed” before the legal fight over the newly announced fund has a chance to play out. Kyle Cheney, Hassan Ali Kanu and Josh Gerstein Politico Louise Radnofsky and Lydia Wheeler in the Wall Street Journal$ Zach Montague in the New York Times$ Salvador Rizzo in the Washington Post$ Michael Kunzelman Associated Press -- 5/29/26
No solace: Inflation rises and the economy slows as the Iran war drags on -- Inflation is running hotter than at any point since President Donald Trump returned to office, and the economy grew at a slower pace in the first quarter than previously estimated, the latest disappointing news for the administration on the issue that’s at the top of voters’ concerns. Sam Sutton Politico -- 5/29/26
Putting Trump’s Face on $250 Bill Faces Hurdles -- The Trump administration has been holding talks about putting President Trump’s face on a newly created $250 bill, though Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday the idea would need to be approved by Congress first. Brian Schwartz in the Wall Street Journal$ Alan Rappeport in the New York Times$ -- 5/29/26
Trump Clears Way for Corporate Tax Dodge Hidden in the Fine Print -- A year ago, the Trump administration withdrew from a global effort to curb offshore tax-dodging by multinational companies. That decision has been a huge gift to corporate America, enabling companies to avoid at least $40 billion in income taxes since the beginning of 2025. Jesse Drucker and Dylan Freedman in the New York Times$ -- 5/29/26
California Policy and Politics Thursday
Poll shows Becerra opening lead in California governor’s race -- Xavier Becerra has opened a sizable advantage over his closest Democratic rival in the California governor’s race, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California poll, positioning him as the favorite heading into the final week of the primary. Jeremy B. White Politico John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/28/26
Follow the money: Who’s backing California’s next governor — and why -- Billionaires, Big Oil and other interests are spending big to influence the California governor’s race, making for the most expensive primary campaign in state history. Jeanne Kuang and Jeremia Kimelman Calmatters Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/28/26
Poll shows Bass, Raman and Pratt locked in tight race ahead of Tuesday’s mayoral primary -- The latest UC Berkeley-L.A. Times poll in the L.A. mayor’s race has Mayor Bass at 26%, Nithya Raman at 25% and Spencer Pratt at 22% among likely voters. Raman and Pratt each surged by eight percentage points since March survey; Bass stayed flat. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ Lindsey Holden Politico
Newsom endorses Bass days before L.A. mayoral primary -- Newsom’s endorsement comes just days before Tuesday’s primary, in which Bass is in a close race with Councilmember Nithya Raman and former reality TV personality Spencer Pratt. In his endorsement, Newsom cited Bass’ work in reducing homelessness and street crime. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Batman, AI and the LA mayor’s race: Pratt videos spark backlash and legal debate -- AI-generated videos depicting Pratt as a superhero and Bass as a villain have taken off online, drawing criticisms from opponents and raising questions about California election law. Teresa Liu and Linh Tat in the LA Daily News -- 5/28/26
A bitter slugfest in Central Valley exposes divisions in the Democratic Party -- In California’s southern Central Valley, Democrats are locked in a bitter primary over who will challenge vulnerable Republican Rep. David Valadao in a redrawn, Latino-majority swing district. Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Newsom vows 100 percent tax on DOJ ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ payouts -- Gavin Newsom vowed Wednesday to tax any payouts that California residents receive from a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that President Donald Trump secured in a settlement with his own Justice Department. Tyler Katzenberger Politico Iris Kwok in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/27/26
Newsom seeks to shield California elections from federal interference before Tuesday primary -- The law, which took effect immediately and came days before next Tuesday's primary, prohibits any person — including federal agents — from accessing voter rolls or election technology without a court order. Law enforcement officers are restricted from disrupting election workers, except in public safety emergencies. Hannah Schoenbaum Associated Press Laurel Rosenhall in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
New California law bans law enforcement from interfering in state elections -- Law enforcement officers will be banned from interfering with California elections under a new law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Wednesday, just in time for the June 2 primary election. Maya C. Miller Calmatters -- 5/28/26
What would get Gen Z to vote in California’s primary? These candidates are trying -- Historical voter turnout data show that voters aged 29 and younger disproportionately sit out primary elections in California compared to the general voting population. Still, a few governor candidates have been targeting young voters in their campaigns, particularly through social media and college organizations. Kahani Malhotra and Chrissa Olson Calmatters -- 5/28/26
Trump plan to target ‘sanctuary city’ airports ahead of World Cup likely illegal, experts say -- A plan floated by the Trump administration to cut off international air traffic to and from sanctuary cities as thousands of travelers head to California for the World Cup might violate the travelers’ constitutional rights, several legal experts told the Chronicle. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/28/26
O.C. chemical crisis prompts safety-record review, Newsom says -- Gov. Gavin Newsom said California officials are starting to review safety records of the aerospace firm whose pressurized tank nearly exploded with a toxic chemical over the Memorial Day weekend, as well as other similar chemical plants. Iris Kwok and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Aerospace company behind Garden Grove chemical leak scare faces court cases, supply disruption -- Evacuation orders have lifted after the Garden Grove chemical scare, but GKN Aerospace now faces class-action lawsuits and questions over negligence that displaced roughly 50,000 residents for days. The Garden Grove plant is a rare global supplier of fighter-jet canopies and airliner windows. Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Arellano: O.C.’s most overlooked city weathers chemical crisis -- Wearing scuffed brown shoes, wrinkled slacks and a polo shirt dotted with sailboats, Stanton City Councilmember Donald Torres looked like someone who had put on whatever clothes he found at the top of the laundry hamper. That’s because he basically had. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Workplace
‘It was a bloodbath’: S.F. startup Webflow announces abrupt round of layoffs -- San Francisco startup Webflow on Wednesday became the latest tech company to announce layoffs, abruptly notifying workers that their jobs were another casualty in an industry that is restructuring around artificial intelligence. Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/28/26
State worker union tries novel legal angle to stop Newsom’s return-to-office order -- A state worker union hopes to use a California environmental law notorious for obstructing the construction of new homes to block a very different kind of project: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s impending return-to-office order. William Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/28/26
Big Studios Are Ditching Hollywood for New Jersey’s Lavish Tax Breaks -- As film and TV production plummets elsewhere, the Garden State is rolling out the red carpet for companies like Netflix. Ben Fritz in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/28/26
ICE
ICE agent who killed L.A. man allegedly threatened criminal charges over being identified -- A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who shot and killed a Los Angeles man on New Year’s Eve allegedly threatened his girlfriend’s ex-husband with criminal prosecution over his name being made public, according to a restraining order application and an audio recording reviewed by The Times. James Queally and Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Housing
Renting in S.F. comes with surprise fees. A new law would force landlords to show them -- With unexpected fees for everything from utilities to pest control to “garbage concierge,” the dirty little secret of renting an apartment in San Francisco is tenants often don’t know how much their pad is going to cost until they move in. The city wants to change that. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/28/26
Develop
Private equity-backed developer in talks to buy Oakland Arena from community group in Coliseum deal -- Oak View Group, co-founded in 2015 by music industry mogul Irving Azoff, is in talks to buy the Oakland Arena as part of the pending sale of the Oakland Coliseum complex, adding a new layer to the yearslong effort to transfer control of the 155-acre East Oakland property. Kate Talerico in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/28/26
Education
Citing ‘severe’ math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM applicants -- A UC San Diego report of soaring math unpreparedness fuels faculty warnings that reliable testing is needed for admissions. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Street
How private money helps bankroll the LAPD and gives boosters access to top officials -- Modernizing the department’s computer systems, outfitting officers with body cameras and purchases of new drones have all been paid for through charitable donations. Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Also
A Nasty Contest to Become Commodore Has Torn This Yacht Club Apart -- The Sausalito club refused to elevate Marisa McArthur. She launched a legal fight that has led to expulsions, suspensions and now a lawsuit. Pamela Paul in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/28/26
These Drivers Found Cheap Gas -- It’s in Valley Center, Calif., on tribal land. Customers relish every penny saved. Corina Knoll in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
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Prices in the U.S. Are Rising at the Fastest Pace in Years -- A measure of inflation closely watched by the Federal Reserve accelerated in April to a three-year high, reinforcing the central bank’s budding support to consider raising interest rates if price pressures do not ease. Colby Smith in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
Trump’s approval plunges among his White working-class base -- The swing is stark: 54 percent of White voters without a college degree disapproved of Trump’s performance in a CBS News poll this month, up from 32 percent in February 2025 and 45 percent in February of this year. It’s a sobering sign for Republicans heading into the midterms and working to turn out the voters who carried Trump to victory in 2024. Hannah Knowles in the Washington Post$ -- 5/28/26
Trump's 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' could carry a big tax bill, some experts argue -- Federal income tax experts tell Politico money from the DOJ's Judgment Fund, which the new $1.8 billion program is drawing on, is generally taxable. Bernie Becker Politico -- 5/28/26
Trump Says He Feels No Political Pressure to Make an Iran Deal -- President Trump on Wednesday held the door open for more negotiations with Iran but insisted he did not feel any political pressure to make a deal to end the unpopular three-month war and lower gas prices. Max Bearak, Erika Solomon, Euan Ward, Luke Broadwater and Michael Levenson in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
Judge Declines, for Now, to Block Mail-In Voting Changes Ordered by Trump -- A federal judge on Thursday declined, for the moment, to block an executive order President Trump signed in March targeting mail-in voting and directing the creation of a federal database of citizens to help guide states on voter eligibility. Zach Montague and Adam Sella in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
Trump appointees push $250 banknote with his portrait -- Trump administration officials have pressed the office responsible for printing the nation’s money to design a $250 bill featuring the president’s portrait, according to four current and former employees, in what would be the first appearance of a living person on U.S. currency in more than 150 years. Jonathan O'Connell in the Washington Post$ -- 5/28/26