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California Policy and Politics Friday
CA governor candidates focus on corruption, abortion and climate in final debate -- Democratic rivals for governor continued to hammer new frontrunner Xavier Becerra in a final televised debate in San Francisco ahead of the June 2 primary. Becerra’s sharp rise in the polls — and record spanning more than three decades in office — made him a top target, continuing a theme from four other debates over the last month. Ben Paviour in the Sacramento Bee$ Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$ Linh Tat in the Orange County Register$ -- 5/15/26
Arellano, Barabak and Chabria: Who won and who lost in Thursday night’s California gubernatorial debate? Our columnists weigh in -- Times columnists Gustavo Arellano, Mark Z. Barabak and Anita Chabria absorbed the rhetorical blows, followed the heated back-and-forths and took in each and every one of the candidates’ myriad policy prescriptions. Here’s their assessment: Gustavo Arellano, Mark Z. Barabak and Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/26
Newsom says Dems have 'break-the-glass' contingency plan for California gov's race -- Gavin Newsom said he’s confident at least one Democrat will advance from California’s June gubernatorial primary, hinting at a “break-the-glass” contingency plan as he declined — yet again — to endorse in the race. Melanie Mason Politico -- 5/15/26
Ex-Newsom aide pleads guilty in scheme to siphon campaign funds from Xavier Becerra -- Dana Williamson, the former aide, entered her plea at the federal courthouse in Sacramento. She faces a maximum sentence of 38 years in prison, according to the plea agreement. Raheem Hosseini, Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Jeanne Kuang Calmatters -- 5/15/26
Steyer campaign staffer linked to video of rival Katie Porter berating staff -- A briefing memo obtained by The Times appears to support former Rep. Katie Porter’s accusation that a Tom Steyer staffer leaked a video of her yelling at an employee, an outburst that tainted her gubernatorial prospects when the video became public. Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/26
Newsom tries to balance California’s books — and head off 2028 liabilities -- For one of his final acts as governor, Gavin Newsom is working to make some of his biggest political liabilities disappear. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 5/15/26
AI boom helps erase California’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit -- A tax revenue windfall for the state is unlikely to offset billions of dollars in federal health care cuts. Ethan Varian, Grant Stringer, Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/26
Newsom’s last budget: Cut California spending now, save for the AI bubble to burst -- California tax revenue is soaring thanks to tech stocks. But Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing more cuts, warning that the boom won’t last and Trump cuts will hit the state hard. Yue Stella Yu Calmatters -- 5/15/26
Gov. Gavin Newsom says his last budget is fiscally sound. Some see trouble ahead -- During the presentation for his final budget proposal, Gov. Gavin Newsom said leaving a $0 deficit for the next few years was in the “spirit” of his predecessor, Jerry Brown, who left him an $8.9 billion surplus and a bolstered rainy day fund. Kate Wolffe in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/26
California legislators kill new spending programs and blame Trump for funding cuts -- Down the hall from where Gov. Gavin Newsom bragged about his balanced two-year budget proposal, California lawmakers went on a rapid-fire spree culling their colleagues’ pricey proposals. Maya C. Miller and Nadia Lathan Calmatters -- 5/15/26
Workplace
CEO tells staff LinkedIn will cut jobs: ‘We need to reinvent how we work’ -- LinkedIn plans to lay off employees across several teams as the Microsoft-owned professional networking company reorganizes and cuts costs. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/26
Federal workers sue in S.F. over Trump agriculture secretary’s ‘proselytizing’ emails -- President Donald Trump’s agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, is unconstitutionally pressuring her 100,000 employees to adopt her religious views in a series of messages, such as an Easter email urging them to “celebrate the greatest story ever told,” a group of workers charged in a lawsuit Wednesday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/26
ICE
Work begins on planned ICE detention facility near Gilroy as Santa Clara County threatens lawsuit -- Work is already underway at the site of a planned ICE detention facility just outside Gilroy, setting up a legal and political fight between Santa Clara County and the federal government over what could become Northern California’s newest link in the federal government’s expanded deportation system. Caelyn Pender, Ethan Baron, Luis Melecio-Zambrano in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/26
Green Card Holders Targeted for Deportation by New ‘Removal Apparatus’ -- The Department of Homeland Security recently formed a unit tasked with revetting thousands of immigrants with permanent residency. Madeleine Ngo in the New York Times$ -- 5/15/26
Housing
S.F. wants to stop housing projects from being blocked over shadows -- A San Francisco official wants to throw some shade on the city’s housing approval process. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/26
Wildfire
Will Her Daughter Be Safe at Pali High After the Wildfire? -- It’s a nightmare faced by families all around Los Angeles: After wildfire smoke blanketed homes, schools and offices with toxic chemicals, when is it OK to go back? Emily Baumgaertner Nunn, Jenna Schoenefeld in the New York Times$ -- 5/15/26
Breathe
Ten times worse than benzene — California updates its science on two chemicals in everyday air -- The announcement comes as the Trump EPA rolls back ethylene oxide standards to industrial users, while California independently strengthens its own environmental protections. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/26
California unveils a $1 billion rebate program for electric trucks -- The rebates run $7,500 to $120,000 and can be applied toward the purchase of new electric medium‑ and heavy‑duty commercial vehicles, including drayage trucks, electric semis, box trucks, delivery vans and other fleet vehicles. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 5/15/26
Education
What Newsom’s proposed budget means for education in California -- Public school districts would receive $2.4 billion in ongoing special education funding, what Gov. Newsom calls the largest such investment in California’s history. Los Angeles Unified would likely be able to afford recent union salary raises thanks to increased state education funding and cost-of-living adjustments. Howard Blume, Jaweed Kaleem and Kate Sequeira in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/26
Also
Bay to Breakers will shut down San Francisco roads this weekend. Here’s how to get around -- Bay to Breakers is the once-a-year opportunity for San Francisco residents to don their Spandex shorts and chug up Hayes Hill, maneuvering around people dressed as bananas or fluffy birds, or those braving the elements in no clothes at all. But it’s also a massive, bright, and famously obnoxious street party for revelers swarming in from the suburbs. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/26
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Trump Was Flattering, Xi Was Resolute. The Difference Spoke Volumes -- At every turn, at least as he began his two-day trip to China, Mr. Trump sounded conciliatory, the exact opposite of his portrayals of China in public appearances back home, where during his presidential campaigns he has talked about the country as a job-stealer and national security threat. Mr. Xi, while smiling and welcoming to Mr. Trump, was quietly more confrontational — especially on Taiwan, where he delivered an unequivocal warning. David E. Sanger in the New York Times$ -- 5/15/26
California Policy and Politics Thursday
White House cuts $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments to California -- The Trump administration is withholding $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California for failing to combat fraud, escalating a feud with the state over its management of hospice care. Robert King Politico Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ Sarah Kliff in the New York Times$ -- 5/14/26
200,000 Californians create as much power as a nuclear plant to help the grid. Now that’s up in the air -- California has one of the most successful “virtual power plants” in the world, but it’s on the chopping block. Blanca Begert in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/26
Karen Bass, Xavier Becerra top new poll for L.A. mayor, California governor -- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass continues to hold the lead among likely voters in her bid for reelection, but not by a big enough margin to avoid a likely runoff with either Spencer Pratt or Nithya Raman, who are battling for second position, a new poll found. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/26
Poll: Democrats rally around Becerra, Steyer as Republicans consolidate behind Hilton -- Former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra has continued his surge in the California governor’s race as a new independent poll shows him at the top of the leaderboard followed closely by former Fox News host Steve Hilton and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer. Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/26
Why the Migrant Child Crisis Is Roiling the California Governor Race -- The Times broke the story that has become a dominant line of attack against Xavier Becerra, the Democratic front-runner. Here are five things to know about it. Hannah Dreier in the New York Times$ -- 5/14/26
How to watch California governor candidates’ live TV debate on Thursday, May 14 -- They’ll go toe-to-toe, with the event to be broadcast on CBS stations across the state, including KCBS Channel 2 and KCAL Channel 9 in the Los Angeles area, and streamed on the stations’ digital platforms. The program will kick off at 5 p.m. with a pre-debate segment, followed by the live debate from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Linh Tat in the LA Daily News -- 5/14/26
California governor frontrunner Xavier Becerra’s playbook: Never say you’re sorry -- Democratic frontrunner for California governor Xavier Becerra has dodged weeks of criticism about his record. His dismissals reflect a confident position near the top of the polls. Jeanne Kuang Calmatters -- 5/14/26
The race for lieutenant governor has resurfaced a years-old sexual harassment scandal -- In the low-profile race for lieutenant governor, Treasurer Fiona Ma has the most name recognition and has been collecting a wide array of endorsements. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/26
Newsom offers early peek at rosy budget projections -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is touting a projected $16.5-billion revenue windfall over three years, offering an upbeat fiscal outlook. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/26
Food Bank Rush
Amid surging inflation, L.A. food giveaway draws thousands — and runs out of supplies -- Angelenos are feeling the pinch of ongoing gas and grocery price spikes amid the U.S. war on Iran. A food distribution event in Baldwin Hills ran out of supplies Wednesday, sending scores of families home empty-handed. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/26
Workplace
UC strike averted as tentative agreement reached with 40,000 service and hospital workers -- 40,000 unionized University of California workers averted a strike Thursday after reaching an early morning tentative deal with the University of California. The now-canceled strike by AFSCME Local 3299 was expected to disrupt medical appointments and campus dining. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/26
L.A. moves to delay $30-an-hour minimum wage for hotel, airport workers tied to 2028 Olympics -- The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday moved to potentially delay a contentious $30 hourly minimum wage for hotel and airport workers, saying the action may be needed to stave off a business-backed ballot initiative to eliminate the city’s gross receipts tax. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/26
Silicon Valley tech giant posts record revenue, then cuts 4,000 jobs -- The reductions amount to less than 5% of Cisco’s workforce, CEO Chuck Robbins told employees Wednesday in a message posted on the company’s blog. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/26
Gov. Gavin Newsom to California agencies: Get ready for a four-day return to office -- Despite protests from state employees hoping to preserve their ability to telework, Newsom’s letter indicates that he intends to follow through with his unpopular return-to-office directive that recently led to allegations of labor law violations. William Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/14/26
Google’s Downtown West is paused. Its $1 billion bet on San Jose is not -- Google has placed a billion-dollar real estate bet on what it believes to be a bright future for San Jose, crafting new campuses on the north side of town even as its plans for an ambitious downtown transit village remain paused. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/26
Cannabis
Cannabis retailer charged for not paying $7.1 million in sales tax in Orange, L.A. and San Bernardino counties -- From April 2019 to December 2022, Pin Hsien Hsu, now 46, allegedly operated about 30 dispensaries across Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, failed to report his earnings and failed to pay taxes, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. Nathaniel Percy in the LA Daily News -- 5/14/26
Marketplace
Rivian CEO’s Robotics Company Raises $400 Million -- Mind Robotics, the startup founded by Rivian Chief Executive RJ Scaringe, raised an additional $400 million from investors on Wednesday, the latest bet on an AI-powered bot revolution in manufacturing. Sean McLain in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/14/26
Breathe
Bay Area air regulators split on whether to move forward with ban on gas water heaters that will cost homeowners $3,500 -- A deeply divided Bay Area Air District board of directors on Wednesday decided to move forward with a final vote in October on whether to proceed with sweeping — and increasingly controversial — new rules to ban the sale and installation of natural gas water heaters in homes starting Jan. 1. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/26
200,000 Californians help the grid out in tough times and get paid for it. Now that’s up in the air -- California has one of the most successful “virtual power plants” in the world, but it’s on the chopping block. Blanca Begert in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/26
Education
Lowell High has spent years recruiting Black students. Just 7 plan to enroll as a freshman this fall -- Lowell High School has faced criticism for its lack of diversity for decades, with its academically competitive admissions process leading to a disproportionately Asian American and white enrollment. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/26
Street
Lake Tahoe boat tragedy: Final desperate minutes detailed in police report -- Eight people who drowned when their boat capsized in a storm last June on Lake Tahoe declined requests from one of the passengers, a nurse, to put on life jackets, did not call 911 and tried to bail out water with a beverage cooler as heavy waves increasingly crashed overboard, according to a police report released Wednesday. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/26
Also
New poll shows what San Francisco residents really think about Waymo cars -- The survey of 1,077 registered voters showed that 42% of respondents consider self-driving cars “a good thing,” dwarfing the 18% who react negatively. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/26
Walters: California will make less money from greenhouse gas emission auctions -- Two decades ago, when California got serious about reducing or even eliminating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, its political leaders weighed two potential tactics about industrial emissions. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 5/14/26
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China gains major edge on U.S. amid Iran war, intelligence report finds -- A confidential U.S. intelligence analysis details how China is exploiting the war in Iran to maximize its advantage over the United States across military, economic, diplomatic and other fields, said two U.S. officials who have read the report. John Hudson in the Washington Post$ -- 5/14/26
White House Explores 250 Pardons to Mark America’s 250th Birthday -- The plan is still in preliminary discussions but, if carried out, would expand Trump’s already wide use of the pardon power. AnnaMaria Andriotis and C. Ryan Barber in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/14/26
White House to host 9-hour prayer festival focused on Christian roots of U.S. -- Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio and Mike Johnson will speak at the event, which centers on the idea that the founders wanted the U.S. to be explicitly Christian. Michelle Boorstein, Laura Meckler and Natalie Allison in the Washington Post$ -- 5/14/26
Is Trump Tuned Out to Americans’ Financial Worries? A Remark Suggests Yes --President Trump has never been a fuzzy, feel-your-pain kind of politician. That came through in an especially striking way yesterday, when he answered a question about whether he was motivated by the financial situation of Americans to make a deal to end the war with Iran. Katie Glueck in the New York Times$ -- 5/14/26
Miami Residents Sue Over Trump’s Plan to Make His Library a Hotel -- The suit argues that the development on state-donated land would violate the Constitution’s domestic emoluments clause, which prohibits the president from accepting money or gifts from states. Patricia Mazzei in the New York Times$ -- 5/14/26