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California Policy and Politics Tuesday
Ex-staffers defend California governor hopeful after viral clips raise conduct questions -- Thirty ex-staffers of California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter (D) are vouching for their former boss in a new letter, pushing back on concerns about her temperament raised by two video clips that show her speaking sharply to a staffer and a reporter. Liz Goodwin in the Washington Post$ -- 4/21/26
In California, Israel is emerging as a defining Democratic test -- California congressional races are turning into a proxy war over the Democratic Party’s bitter divide on Israel as the widening conflict in the Middle East spills into domestic politics. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 4/21/26
Gov. Newsom blasts Trump’s climate rollback: ‘reckless decision’ will cost lives -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted the Trump administration on Monday over its decision to repeal the Endangerment Finding — widely considered the legal foundation for much of U.S. climate policy regulating greenhouse gas emissions for nearly 20 years — asserting that the move will worsen climate-driven extremes. Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/21/26
California blocks Trump administration from withholding homelessness funds -- California for now has prevented the Trump administration from changing priorities in homelessness funding to favor temporary shelters rather than long-term housing. Marisa Kendall Calmatters -- 4/21/26
California judge rebukes Trump-backed plan that bypasses state authority in oil pipeline restart -- In a rebuff of the Trump administration’s push to restart oil pipelines off California’s Central Coast, a state judge has ruled that a recent executive order does not override state regulations concerning oil operations. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/26
Amazon pressured Levi’s, other retailers to hike prices, California A.G. says -- The filing alleges Amazon used three schemes to fix prices: coercing vendors as intermediaries to pressure competitors, directly raising prices and blocking product distribution. Amazon disputes the claims. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/26
Websites break California privacy law at ‘industrial scale,’ survey finds -- Tech companies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft are ignoring data controls mandated under California law, researchers say. Colin Lecher Calmatters -- 4/21/26
Governor’s race wildly unpredictable two weeks before Californians receive ballots -- Xavier Becerra, former secretary for Health and Human Services under President Biden, surged in a governor’s race poll after former Rep. Eric Swalwelld bowed out due to sexual assault and misconduct allegations. Seema Mehta and Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/21/26
How the California Governor’s Race Is Changing Post-Swalwell -- Xavier Becerra, who once struggled to gain traction, has found growing support after Eric Swalwell left the race amid sexual harassment allegations. Laurel Rosenhall in the New York Times$ -- 4/21/26
Walters: With Eric Swalwell’s scandalous implosion, Xavier Becerra surges in race for California governor -- Ten days ago, Congressmember Eric Swalwell was getting very close to becoming the Democratic candidate for governor of California. But then he imploded amidst sensational accusations of sexual harassment and assault. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 4/21/26
Lagging in polls and fundraising, Betty Yee drops out of California governor’s race -- Progressive former state Controller Betty Yee said voters didn’t appear interested in her “experience and competence,” instead flocking toward candidates who made splashier statements. Jeanne Kuang Calmatters -- 4/21/26
Garofoli: Democrats are rallying behind a caretaker in the special election to replace Eric Swalwell -- Democrats are so worried about losing tight votes in the House over the coming months that the candidates running in the special election for Eric Swalwell’s House seat are rallying behind a caretaker candidate, retired state Sen. Bob Wieckowski. But it’s unclear whether the plan can move forward, because one major candidate is not yet on board. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Melanie Mason and Blake Jones Politico -- 4/21/26
Internal emails show how fringe groups fueled Sheriff Chad Bianco’s ballot seizure -- Records reveal that the unprecedented taking of 650,000 ballots was based on the thinnest of evidence, raising alarms over how the November election could be disrupted. Anat Rubin and Jessica Pishko Calmatters -- 4/21/26
She says ChatGPT is responsible for her son’s death. CA lawmakers are listening -- Maria Raine, the mother of the 16-year-old Orange County teen who killed himself last year after discussing his suicidal thoughts with ChatGPT, is appealing to California lawmakers to place additional regulations on AI “companion” chatbots. Kate Wolffe in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/21/26
L.A. Mayor Bass offers a hold-the-line budget, with no layoffs and few big increases -- Mayor Karen Bass is not planning layoffs in 2026-27, in large part due to increased tax revenues, according to her budget team. David Zahniser and Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/26
Mayor Lurie in Asia: S.F. expanding ties with sister city through arts, science -- San Francisco’s Opera and Ballet will partner with Shanghai’s music and dance institutions under agreements announced as part of Mayor Daniel Lurie’s trip to Asia. Jess Lander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/26
Workplace
Rideshare drivers sue Uber over being kicked off app in new challenge to California law -- Uber has failed to create an appeals system to give drivers due process when they’re kicked off the app, violating the California law it carved out that declared app-based drivers independent contractors, a lawsuit filed Monday alleges. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 4/21/26
College Graduates Are Finally Catching a Break in This Job Market -- Several new signals suggest employers are boosting entry-level hiring this spring after gloomier projections just months ago. Ray A. Smith and Te-Ping Chen in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/21/26
Marketplace
S.F., California tourism spending jumps in 2025 despite $1 billion less from international visitors -- Travel and tourism spending rose last year in both San Francisco and California, despite a $1 billion decline statewide from international visitors amid the Trump administration’s controversial immigration policies. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/26
Develop
S.F. tower once worth $320 million went to auction. Nobody made an offer -- One of San Francisco’s notable office towers was up for auction last week, a 20-story, 360,000-square-foot Class A building on one of the most coveted corridors in the North Financial District. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/26
Education
LAUSD to vote on restricting student screen time, after years of encouraging classroom use -- Student classroom screen time would be cut way back under a proposal expected to win approval Tuesday from the Los Angeles Board of Education, a remarkable reversal of years-long initiatives to equip students with computers and internet access — and a move that comes amid growing parental pushback on devices. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/26
LAUSD seeks to expand affordable child care by using spare classrooms, shuttered centers -- The expansion addresses a critical affordability crisis, with median infant care at a facility costing about $1,800 monthly in L.A. County. Kate Sequeira in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/26
Kaiser SF
Kaiser proposes major new hospital in S.F., its first in the city in 70 years -- The new facility would mark a major expansion in real estate and capacity, with 300 private patient beds in roughly 623,000 square feet, a newly expanded emergency department and a new parking garage at 350 St. Joseph’s Ave. The current facility, which opened in 1954, has 239 semi-private beds in about 367,000 square feet. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/26
Also
Animal welfare groups commit $14 million to improve L.A. animal shelters -- Two animal welfare groups, Best Friends and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, will give a $14-million grant to L.A. Animal Services over the next three years. Sandra McDonald in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/26
Robot named Lightning blows past human runners to set half-marathon record in Beijing -- Slide over, Jacob Kiplimo. The world’s fastest human in the half-marathon is still just that, but the Ugandan’s record time of 57 minutes, 20 seconds, was obliterated Sunday in Beijing by a 5-foot-5 humanoid robot named Lightning. Steve Henson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/26
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Uncertainty Surrounds U.S.-Iran Talks as Cease-Fire Nears End -- Uncertainty clouded prospects for a new round of U.S.-Iran peace talks on Tuesday, ahead of the scheduled end of a two-week cease-fire, as Tehran denounced American threats and President Trump suggested that he did not want to extend the truce without a longer-term agreement. Elian Peltier, Tyler Pager, Farnaz Fassihi, Erika Solomon and Aurelien Breeden in the New York Times$ -- 4/21/26
Iran war accelerates America’s breakup with the world President -- The Iran war is damaging America’s influence around the world and exacerbating tensions with countries already whipsawed by President Donald Trump’s second term — an erosion of power that could be tough to reverse as U.S. adversaries such as China take advantage. Nahal Toosi, Zack Colman and Paul McLeary Politico -- 4/21/26
‘Immediate Results’ vs. ‘The Long Game’: The U.S. and Iran Face Off -- As the United States and Iran make a second attempt at a deal, their negotiating styles are on a collision course. David E. Sanger in the New York Times$ -- 4/21/26
‘Donnyland’? Ukraine Proposes Renaming Part of the Donbas in Trump’s Honor -- The proposal reflects a global reality in which governments appeal to President Trump’s vanity in order to get American might on their side. Anton Troianovski and Andrew E. Kramer in the New York Times$ -- 4/21/26
California Policy and Politics Monday
Former state Controller Betty Yee drops out of the governor’s race -- Former State Controller Betty Yee, a Democrat, dropped out of the 2026 governor’s race on Monday, unable to raise the campaign funds needed to compete in California, home to some of the nation’s most expensive media markets. Seema Mehta and Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/26
Walters: With Eric Swalwell’s scandalous implosion, Xavier Becerra surges in race for California governor -- Ten days ago, Congressmember Eric Swalwell was getting very close to becoming the Democratic candidate for governor of California. But then he imploded amidst sensational accusations of sexual harassment and assault. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 4/20/26
Newsom has spent nearly 20% of his second term out of state, analysis shows -- Gov. Gavin Newsom has spent nearly one out of every five days in his second term traveling outside of California as he builds his national profile ahead of a widely expected presidential run, a Bay Area News Group analysis of scheduling emails sent by his office to reporters shows. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/20/26
Skelton: Swalwell scandal exposed flaws in top-two primary -- California Democrats caught a huge break with Eric Swalwell’s sexual assault scandal. It surfaced in early spring rather than midsummer. Just think of the Democratic debacle that could have occurred. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/20/26
Is California trying to tax retirement savings? New campaign may stir confusion -- Is California really trying to tax your retirement assets? If you received a text or letter sent out by the backers of a proposed ballot initiative called the “Retirement and Personal Savings Protection Act,” you may be asking that question. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/26
California treasurer Fiona Ma tied to Chinese school cited in scathing audit -- Fiona Ma, California’s state treasurer and a candidate for lieutenant governor, has ties to a private Chinese boarding school at the center of a scathing California county audit, according to a post that was on the school’s website. Nicole Einbinder Politico -- 4/20/26
California’s newest solar project isn’t powering homes. It’s powering your water -- A new solar project in Kern County will help power the essential Edmonston Pumping Plant, which connects water to 27 million people in Southern California. The 105-megawatt Pastoria Solar Project is the largest renewable energy project ever contracted by the California Department of Water Resources. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/20/26
Wildfires killed nearly 20% of the world’s giant sequoias. How crews are racing to save the rest -- Five years ago, a tragic and depressing environmental story unfolded when thousands of giant sequoia trees, an iconic California species that tower 300 feet high and can live for 3,000 years, were killed during multiple large wildfires that roared across the southern Sierra Nevada. Paul Rogers in the LA Daily News -- 4/20/26
New COVID subvariant ‘Cicada’ on the rise in California, just in time for summer -- The emergence of the BA.3.2 strain, nicknamed “Cicada,” comes amid broader uneasiness about COVID vaccination rates among seniors — who are especially susceptible to the virus — and whether complacency after back-to-back relatively quiet winters has left the elderly vulnerable. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/20/26
Deregulation might be bearing down on the California Coastal Commission -- Do supporters of a new bill want to help developers make more money in ocean-close, 'urban multimodal communities?' Or could a proposal to limit the commission's power actually help it stay focused on ocean protection? Andre Mouchard in the Orange County Register$ -- 4/20/26
People leaving California are often less rich than their neighbors. New research shows what happens after they move -- Those researchers found that people leaving California have more student debt, more auto loans and lower credit scores than those who stay — but end up being much likelier to own a home within a few years of moving to another state. Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/26
Florida’s Population Boom Fizzles as High Costs Drive Away Middle Class -- Orlando and other Florida cities are either losing domestic migrants or gaining them more slowly, threatening the state’s economic model. Arian Campo-Flores, Paul Overberg, Thomas Simonetti in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/20/26
Big change coming to the high seas off the California coast -- Starting this week, ships traveling along the California coast may be going more slowly. The main reason is whales: California is significantly expanding a program that asks ships to slow down in order to kill fewer of them. Brooke Park in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/26
How San Francisco’s Black population changed, block by block over 50 years -- When Omolara Osinowo-Gaines opened her hair salon on Holloway Avenue 15 years ago, it was one of six catering to Black clients in San Francisco’s Lakeview neighborhood. Today, there are two. Alyce McFadden, Harsha Devulapalli and Yalonda M. James in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/26
Workplace
How a CHP hiring spree started to bend the curve on CalPERS contribution rates -- There’s a surprise in the upcoming budget for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System: The cost of paying for pensions is actually starting to come down. Don’t get too excited. The charges are still high by historical standards. The state expects to spend $9.8 billion on contributions to CalPERS next year, more than double the $4.8 billion cost from 2016. Adam Ashton Calmatters -- 4/20/26
Democrats’ plan to raise pay for security guards would pressure employers into labor deals -- California’s security guards earn low pay and have dangerous jobs. Legislative Democrats are pressuring companies to unionize. Ryan Sabalow Calmatters -- 4/20/26
The CEO Preaching Straight Talk About AI and Job Losses -- For a big-company CEO with big AI ambitions, Verizon’s Dan Schulman doesn’t pull punches about the pain the technology could unleash on America’s workforce. Just months into the job, he has predicted 20% to 30% unemployment within the next two to five years. Chip Cutter and Patience Haggin in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/20/26
Wildfire
They lost their homes to fire. Now they’re rebuilding with all-electric -- California rolled back electric-building requirements for fire survivors, yet some in Altadena and the Palisades are rebuilding all-electric anyway for health and climate reasons. Blanca Begert in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/20/26
What to plant (and what to remove) in California’s new ‘Zone Zero’ fire-safety proposal -- After years of debate between fire officials arguing for the removal of anything that can burn within the first five feet of homes and ecologists backing selective landscaping, California proposed a compromise. Noah Haggerty in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/20/26
Education
One school, nine students. CA pays over $100,000 per kid to keep small schools open -- School closures are an incendiary issue in nearly every corner of California, as enrollment declines and expenses climb. The topic has sparked parent revolts, teacher strikes and school boards’ desperate attempts to keep districts financially afloat. And then there’s Orick. Carolyn Jones Calmatters -- 4/20/26
Nearly $200 million set aside in California to update school HVAC systems remains unspent -- For the third straight year, environmental activists and California lawmakers are locked in a tug-of-war over a pool of state funds created to upgrade heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in schools to curb disruptions and closures attributed to extreme weather. Rachel Fobar in the LA Daily News -- 4/20/26
Auditors say ‘substantial doubt’ Sacramento City Unified schools can stay afloat -- Yet another expert is warning Sacramento City Unified that it faces deeply rooted budget issues and a ticking clock. Savannah Kuchar KVIE Abridged -- 04/20/26
Also
Killion: Stephanie Salter, pioneering sportswriter and S.F. columnist, dies at 76 -- An invisible string ties Salter to Joan Ryan to Gwen Knapp to Susan Slusser and to me. A lineage of women who have covered sports in the Bay Area. There are plenty of others in this line, of course. But Stephanie is widely acknowledged as the first. And being the first is the hardest. Ann Killion in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/26
Some OC City Officials Eye Cannabis to Bail Out Municipal Budgets -- The interest in cannabis comes as officials in Irvine, Santa Ana, Orange and Fullerton are dealing with multi-million dollar budget gaps, with the latter three eying putting tax measures on the November ballot this year to try and get voters to help them out of the hole. Hosam Elattar in the Voice of OC -- 4/20/26
Uproar over mama bear killing could help launch a state wildlife coexistence program -- A mama bear’s death in Monrovia sparked public outcry and prompted state lawmakers to consider legislation mandating nonlethal solutions to human-wildlife conflicts. Katie King in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/20/26
Birds missing, at risk after break-in at Northern California falcon center -- Staff at the falconry — located about 40 miles north of Sacramento in Marysville — found the premises vandalized and all 11 birds set free. The intruder or intruders destroyed equipment and merchandise, and released the birds by cutting gear from their legs and removing them from their enclosures, “leaving them to fend for themselves,” the organization said. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/26
POTUS 47
Trump Administration Takes Steps to Refund $166 Billion in Tariffs -- The government debuted a system to repay importers two months after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs at the heart of the president’s trade policy. Tony Romm and Ana Swanson in the New York Times$ -- 4/20/26
Iran vows swift response after US seizes vessel -- The U.S. says it attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz that tried to pass its naval blockade. Iran’s military headquarters says the attack and seizure marks a ceasefire violation. David Koop, Hrvoje Hranjski, Frank Griffiths, Virginia Alves Associated Press Eric Schmitt in the New York Times$ Mariana Alfaro, Tara Copp, Joyce Sohyun Lee and Sammy Westfall in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/20/26
Oil Prices Jumped and Stock Futures Fell on Renewed Iran Conflict -- Oil prices shot higher and stocks sank on Sunday evening after a weekend of renewed conflict around the Strait of Hormuz dampened hope that the waterway might soon reopen. Rebecca F. Elliott and Joe Rennison in the New York Times$ -- 4/20/26
Canada’s prime minister says economic ties with US are a weakness that must be corrected -- “We have to take care of ourselves because we can’t rely on one foreign partner,” Mark Carney said in a video address. “We can’t control the disruption coming from our neighbors." Jim Morris Associated Press -- 4/20/26