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California Policy and Politics Friday
Californians split on proposed tax on billionaires, sour on voter ID requirement, poll shows -- California voters are sharply divided over a ballot measure to impose a one-time tax on billionaires to help fund healthcare programs, a proposal already triggering a fierce and expensive political fight as the November election approaches, according to a poll released Friday. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/26
The left’s California problem -- Even national progressive leaders have yet to fully embrace a ballot measure to tax billionaires. Dustin Gardiner and Jeremy B. White Politico -- 8/14/26
AI
California fair official has key link to firm trying to put data centers on fairgrounds -- With state fairgrounds in desperate need of funds for long-sought improvements, the California official who oversees them has become a prominent ally of an audacious plan to provide land to a new company seeking to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/26
Data center might get tucked away inside downtown Oakland office site -- A data center and artificial intelligence complex might appear on one of the floors of a downtown Oakland office building under a plan that seeks to launch the tech hub without gaining a key city permit. George Avalos and Kyle Martin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/14/26
Inside Meta’s push to put open superintelligent AI on your devices -- In a sweeping 6,500-word manifesto published Monday, Zuckerberg declared that the biggest risk for AI is that one government or a few companies have too much control of the technology. Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/26
AI giants stay quiet on climate as California prepares to force disclosure -- California’s law SB253 begins to go into effect in November, requiring companies with more than $1 billion in revenue doing business in the state to report their Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions. These measures account for the planet-warming pollution caused by a company’s operations and energy usage — and California’s regulations apply to activity outside the state. Olivia Raimonde and Summer Maxwell Bloomberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/26
The unexpected issue dividing parties and midterms candidates -- Across the United States, political candidates are grappling with an issue that has never before featured widely in American political life: artificial intelligence. You can see it in candidates of both major parties trying to one-up each other with crackdowns on data centers. Shira Ovide, Clara Ence Morse and Kevin Schaul in the Washington Post$ -- 8/14/26
Trump’s top California prosecutor promised election fraud charges. Two months later, there are none -- Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said his office would charge people after California’s June primary. He has yet to file any cases and won’t say why. Raheem Hosseini in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/26
Trump wants fewer childhood vaccines. California says ‘nothing is changing’ here -- California is not changing its childhood vaccination recommendations, or its requirement to have health insurers cover the inoculations, after President Donald Trump’s executive order that calls for reducing the number of vaccines U.S. children receive, state health officials say. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/26
El Niño continues to strengthen. What does that mean for flood risk this winter -- But while El Niño increases the odds of wet winters in California, it doesn’t mean what many people assume: That flooding is imminent later in the year for residents who live along rivers and creeks. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/14/26
Giants’ Oracle Park to host 2028 All-Star Game as Mayor Lurie makes an assist -- Major League Baseball has decided to award the 2028 All-Star Game to San Francisco — without waiting to determine whether big-league players will participate in the Olympics in Los Angeles. Susan Slusser, J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/26
California’s bid to outlaw “glow-in-the-dark rabbits” and “unicorn horses” fails -- Proposed legislation to protect animals from “Frankenstein”-like medical experimentation died in the state Senate on Thursday, and supporters blame election year politics for its demise. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/26
Flock
Flock puts new ‘guardrails’ on license-plate cameras after breaches in S.F. and other cities. Critics are skeptical -- Facing a torrent of criticism and decisions by a growing number of California cities to drop their surveillance technology, Flock Safety on Thursday announced new “guardrails” the CEO said would better secure the system’s 120,000 cameras from misuse by law enforcement. Abigail Vân Neely in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/26
Workplace
Hollywood unions split: DGA, IATSE seek settlement while WGA fights to block Paramount-Warner merger -- Citing Hollywood’s already struggling production economy, two influential industry unions have jointly called on Paramount Skydance Chairman David Ellison and California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to settle their antitrust fight. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/26
Twist cap maker announces layoffs as California’s wine industry struggles -- Modesto-based packaging firm G3 Enterprises will lay off 66 workers at its wine closure plant this fall, the latest manufacturing hit as California’s wine sector struggles. Iris Kwok in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/26
Oakland affordable housing nonprofit lays off 81 workers across 24 properties -- An Oakland affordable housing and community development nonprofit will lay off its entire property management team and transition to an outside contractor due to rising costs, according to a state filing. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/26
Marketplace
California regulators approve $34.5-billion Charter-Cox merger -- The deal will make Charter’s Spectrum the dominant broadband internet and cable television service in Southern California, with millions of customers scattered throughout Santa Barbara, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Palos Verdes Estates, Newport Beach, Irvine, Riverside and San Diego. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/26
Homeless
Amid fire danger, Malibu declares emergency to clear homeless encampments — fast -- Citing dangerously dry brush conditions, the City Council approved the declaration this week to reduce the risk of fires associated with homeless individuals cooking outdoors or using fire to keep warm at night. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/26
Lakers
The Lakers’ Owner Needed Cash. Then Came a $12.5 Billion Offer to Buy the Team -- With his business empire under scrutiny from federal investigators, Mark Walter was on the hunt for cash when, out of nowhere, he was about to be offered an enormous pile of money. The chief executive of Guggenheim Partners needed liquidity to keep his insurance companies afloat, people familiar with the matter said. Andrew Beaton, Margot Patrick and Kate Clark in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/14/26
COVID
COVID is surging in California. Should you get vaccinated now or wait until fall? -- Californians who didn’t get their COVID-19 vaccine last fall should get it now and not wait for the updated vaccine later this year, state health officials said, because COVID-19 is surging now but is expected to circulate at lower levels this winter. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/26
HSR
CA High-Speed Rail adds delay — and is criticized in review for obscuring new timeline -- The California High-Speed Rail Authority added another year to its overall Central Valley timeline but obscured the schedule change in its latest planning document, according to a recent report by the agency’s own independent review office. Erik Galicia in the Fresno Bee -- 8/14/26
Education
California schools are putting students’ phones out of reach. Even teens see an upside -- As California students head back to school this month, new policies will strip many of them of their cell phones, with the devices off and out of reach for most or all of their time on campus. Jill Tucker, Delilah Brumer in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/26
Street
DHS blames California for a brutal Martinez murder. The truth is more complicated -- President Donald Trump’s administration blamed Gov. Gavin Newsom this week for the brutal Aug. 6 killing of a Martinez man during an attempted home burglary, claiming the state’s sanctuary law shielded the alleged murderer from federal immigration officials. The truth, as always, is more complicated. Hannah Wiley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/26
Also
Who Is a Jew? California Considers a Small Box With Big Implications -- A bill would allow Jews to identify themselves as an ethnic group on state forms. Supporters argue it’s a step toward acknowledging the complex nature of Jewish identity. Yair Rosenberg in the New York Times$ -- 8/14/26
Silicon Valley Loves Jargon—and ‘Hill-Climbing’ Is Its Favorite New Phrase -- A term that describes a computer-science algorithm is the metaphor du jour among AI types—and coming soon to a boardroom near you. Tina Li in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/14/26
California lawmakers kill grizzly bear reintroduction bill -- For now, the only place you’ll find grizzlies in California are in zoos or on the state flag. Ryan Sabalow Calmatters -- 8/14/26
It could soon be harder to see the full price of a plane ticket. Here’s why -- Travelers are accustomed to seeing an all-inclusive price for airfare when browsing flights online, but they may soon need to read the fine print before purchasing as Washington is trying to change disclosure requirements. Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/26
POTUS 47
Trump officials ask Supreme Court to let ballroom construction continue -- The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to clear the way for it to complete the White House ballroom, escalating the months-long legal fight over the president’s controversial project. Jonathan Edwards, Justin Jouvenal and Dan Diamond in the Washington Post$ -- 8/14/26
Trump-aligned board votes to put his name on the Kennedy Center — again -- The board — which is mostly Trump loyalists after the president dismissed Democratic-appointed members on the historically bipartisan body — voted to “honor the President’s contribution with an inscribed recognition on the building,” with the new signage reading: “The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump.” Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico Victoria Albert in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/14/26
Judge Dismisses Federal Government’s Antisemitism Case Against Harvard -- Judge Richard G. Stearns of the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts granted Harvard’s motion to throw out the case, saying that the antisemitic incidents cited in the administration’s March lawsuit were “too isolated and episodic” to show that Harvard is breaking the law. Mark Arsenault in the New York Times$ -- 8/14/26
California Policy and Politics Thursday
Kennedy Center board votes to close venue for two years, inscribe Trump’s name on building -- The Kennedy Center’s board of trustees on Thursday voted to move forward with President Trump’s plan to close the building for renovations and to inscribe his name on the building to commemorate the upgrades. Jessica Gelt in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
More and more wealthy Californians are seeking ‘golden visa’ residency outside the U.S. -- Wealthy Californians are pursuing residency outside the U.S. at historic rates, using “golden visa” programs to turn capital into second passports and a hedge against America’s political future. Citizenship-by-investment firms report Californians make up as many as one in five clients worldwide, many seeking an insurance policy should “the wheels fall off” America. Audrey McGlinchy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
Becerra holds strong lead over Hilton in race for California governor, new poll shows -- Democrat Xavier Becerra holds a commanding 55% to 37% lead over Republican Steve Hilton in a new Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll ahead of November’s election to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom. Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
How San Francisco’s ridiculous housing prices are defining the race to replace Pelosi -- As San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan and Sen. Scott Wiener fight to succeed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, their track records on affordable housing could be decisive in the tight race for Congress. Maya C. Miller Calmatters -- 8/13/26
Mayor Lurie comes out against S.F. affordable housing measure: ‘Unaccountable slush fund’ -- Mayor Daniel Lurie is teaming up with the San Francisco police and firefighter unions to oppose a tax measure on the November ballot that seeks to steer more money to affordable housing. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/26
Pelosi says Biden’s inner circle should have acted: 4 takeaways from Sacramento summit -- Pelosi denied that she asked Biden to drop out of the race, despite reports from several national outlets that the former speaker played a major role in the pressure campaign for him to exit the race. Instead, she said she met with Biden to “question the polling” and raise concerns about how his campaign was being conducted. Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/13/26
As Americans bet on elections, L.A. officials weigh how to safeguard voters -- Los Angeles County election officials are examining steps ahead of the November midterms to respond to the rising popularity of election trading via prediction markets, including a possible ban on wagering for county election workers. Justine McDaniel in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
Sizing up the 2028 Democratic presidential contenders -- There’s a long list, but some are getting more traction than others. Amber Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 8/13/26
Wildfire
Relentless cycle of disaster has Big Sur in crisis again: ‘You really have to fight to be here’ -- Few places have been more thoroughly battered by the force of climate change and Mother Nature than Big Sur. Epic rains triggered landslides that closed Highway 1 into the famed coastal enclave for three years. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
ICE
ICE Plans to Give Officers Gloves That Can Deliver Electric Shocks -- The Department of Homeland Security described the gloves as a “de-escalation device,” but critics said they could encourage agents to use more force. Madeleine Ngo and Shaila Dewan in the New York Times$ -- 8/13/26
Flock
Police arsenal of Flock cameras in Fresno may soon expand to include private ones -- The use of Flock Safety and other cameras have been in recent months met with hostility as communities rethink their use, but the use of such surveillance could expand in the city of Fresno as a new voluntary community program is in the works. Thaddeus Miller in the Fresno Bee -- 8/13/26
Oil
California offshore fracking could resume after decade-long halt, with push from Trump -- A Southern California oil company is trying to launch the state’s first new offshore fracking project in over a decade, potentially paving the way for more of the controversial extraction work along the coast and setting the stage for a dust-up between California and the Trump administration. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/26
Meta
California and Meta are facing off in a blockbuster trial over kids’ social media addiction -- California and other states seeking more than $1 trillion in penalties and new constraints on the parent company of Facebook and Instagram went to court Wednesday over allegations the social media giant knowingly designed its sites to be addictive to minors. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/26
Workplace
Hundreds of California stonecutters fall ill with deadly disease ‘for a product we do not need’ -- These workers are developing silicosis, a condition in which microscopic silica dust contained in the stone slabs they grind and polish is cutting up the inside of their lungs until the organs fail. Karen Garcia and Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
Inside North Korea’s Operation to Conquer the American Job Market -- Thousands of North Korean operatives are using fake and stolen identities to land remote jobs at U.S. companies—funneling hundreds of millions of dollars back to the regime. Emma Scott, Sam Kessler and Robert McMillan in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/13/26
Boyle Heights fire
State lawmakers seek tougher rules for industrial facilities after Boyle Heights fire -- Two state lawmakers from Los Angeles want tougher penalties for disasters caused by industrial companies after a massive fire in Boyle Heights left neighbors struggling with smoky air and the smell of rotting meat. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
LA28
L.A. reaches deal on cost recovery for 2028 Olympics, amid warnings about financial risk -- The L.A. City Council approved an agreement detailing the process for the city to seek reimbursement for the services it provides during the Summer Games. Some council members warned that L.A. could still shoulder massive costs, especially if the private organizing committee experiences serious losses. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
Lakers
New Lakers co-owner Joshua Kushner is a lifelong Democrat with deep interest in sports -- New Lakers co-owner Joshua Kushner, a lifelong Democrat and venture capitalist, joined Bob Iger in reaching an agreement to buy the Lakers. Kushner has held stakes in NBA, WNBA, MLB and global soccer teams, while his company Thrive Capital also invested in OpenAI. The billionaire has worked to make a name for himself, but he remains shadowed by the Kushner family’s strong ties to the Trump administration. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
How Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner’s Friendship Led Them to the Lakers -- Bob Iger, the former chief executive of Disney, and Josh Kushner, the venture capitalist, are buying the Los Angeles Lakers. Their wives set them up. Brooks Barnes and Tania Ganguli in the New York Times$ -- 8/13/26
Kaiser
Ailing MLK Hospital to receive $25-million grant from Kaiser Permanente -- Kaiser Permanente will give Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital $25 million to expand its emergency department, which has been treating some patients in tents outside. The Willowbrook hospital has received millions of dollars in what amount to bailouts from the state and Los Angeles County as it has faced strong economic headwinds in recent years. Connor Sheets in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/26
Guns
Trump Administration Lets Key Gun Law Lapse Following Court Ruling -- The Justice Department declined to appeal a court ruling that effectively dismantled longstanding restrictions on owning short-barreled guns and suppressors, bowing to pressure from Republicans and gun advocates. Chris Cameron in the New York Times$ -- 8/13/26
Education
Californians voted to spend $1 billion on K-12 arts. Why are schools returning the money? -- Three years after voters passed an ambitious arts education funding measure, California’s K-12 schools were supposed to be awash in dance, music, theater and fine arts. But some schools are returning their arts money to the state, saying the rules on how to spend it are too vague and they can’t find enough arts teachers. Carolyn Jones Calmatters -- 8/13/26
Proposed overhaul could fundamentally change Head Start. Here’s how -- The changes, if approved, would eliminate regulatory requirements governing classroom ratios, group sizes and services for children who speak languages other than English. It would also require English-only instruction. Betty Márquez Rosales EdSource -- 8/13/26
Also
California tool to encourage low-income rentals may suppress new apartment construction -- The state’s chronic housing shortage has its greatest impact on the roughly 14 million Californians either mired in poverty or nearly so. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 8/13/26
Once overrun by all-night raves, famed singer’s former beach property opens as new park -- Huge bonfires. All-night raves. Piles of trash. Drunken parties. Graffiti. Ten years ago, a scenic mile-long beach on the rural San Mateo County coast was notorious for bad behavior. On Monday, the stunning property, once owned by rock singer Chris Isaak, will open to the public as a new oceanfront park. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/26
POTUS 47
Trump Says Hormuz Is Under U.S. Control. Few Ships Are Listening -- President Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. has total control of the Strait of Hormuz. The reality on the water tells a different story. Rebecca Feng and Georgi Kantchev in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/13/26
Trump administration set to spend at least $900 million on White House construction -- The price tag is much larger than what has been previously reported, according to a Post review of confidential contracts, and taxpayers would cover most of it. Jonathan O'Connell and Sarah Blaskey in the Washington Post$ -- 8/13/26
Homeland Security Paid $464 Million for Airplanes. Then It Parked Them -- The agency used a no-bid contract to buy 10 used jets, saying they were urgently needed for deportation flights. But the fleet has largely sat idle for months. David A. Fahrenthold, Andrea Fuller, Julie Tate, Nicholas Nehamas and Hamed Aleaziz in the New York Times$ -- 8/13/26
Close aides, but no Cabinet officials, joined Trump in airport catering truck -- As President Donald Trump secretly left an Air Force One jet on a catering truck last month in response to a potential Iranian assassination threat in Turkey, he was accompanied by some of his most loyal and longest-serving aides but no Cabinet officials. Dan Lamothe and Cat Zakrzewski in the Washington Post$ -- 8/13/26
Lawsuit seeks to ban Trump Media from charging for early access to president’s posts on US policy -- President Donald Trump was sued in federal court Wednesday to stop him from making money off a new, paid service at his Truth Social company offering early, exclusive access to his posts on U.S. policy. Bernard Condon Associated Press -- 8/13/26