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Uber, Lyft gain $10 billion in value following passage of Proposition 22 gig-work measure -- Proposition 22 turned out to be a good investment. Carolyn Said and Owen Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
Voters allow several Bay Area school districts to increase property taxes -- Bay Area voters largely agreed Tuesday to increase their property taxes to pay to build better school facilities and would pass parcel taxes to cover costs for art, music, libraries, salaries and other purposes. Jill Tucker and Tatiana Sanchez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
From George Gascón to jail diversion, criminal justice reform got a big boost in California -- The racial reckoning in America this summer brought protests to the streets of California and a major push for criminal justice reform. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Affirmative action ballot measure fails, but these students are still fighting to diversify their universities -- Proposition 16 failed, but students at public colleges and universities in California have been trying to increase minority representation at their campuses for years and will continue their efforts. Kayleen Carter CalMatters -- 11/4/20
GOP hopes for California House comeback rest on tight races -- A handful of U.S. House contests in California appeared headed for close finishes as Republicans sought to gain ground after losing a string of seats to Democrats in a 2018 rout. Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 11/4/20
Walters: California voters like Biden, unions not so much -- Voters in blue California are favoring Joe Biden and other Democrats but unions are faring poorly vis-a-vis corporations. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 11/4/20
Fox: Unions Struggle with Ballot Measures -- As often noted by political observers, public and private sector unions are strong political forces in California. While they may have once again supported candidates to their liking up and down the ballot, as this is written they have not been as successful wielding their influence on voters through ballot measures. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 11/4/20
Federal judge slams USPS for failing to complete sweep of missing mail-in ballots -- A federal judge harshly criticized the U.S. Postal Service on Wednesday, saying that the agency had failed to comply with his order to sweep postal facilities for leftover mail-in ballots in battleground states where election officials continue to count votes. Maya Lau, Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Darrell Issa leading in the race to take over the 50th congressional district -- Republican Darrell Issa has claimed a nearly 11,700-vote lead over Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar in the race for the 50th congressional district after initially trailing in the first set of unofficial returns released Tuesday night by the California secretary of state. Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/4/20
Kevin McCarthy gears up to run for Speaker in 2022 -- Surprising GOP gains in House races Tuesday and the addition of women to their caucus appears to have cleared the field of challengers to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House leadership sources tell Axios. Alayna Treene Axios -- 11/4/20
Virus
California’s seven-day averages for new COVID-19 cases nudging higher -- The number of new COVID-19 cases in California continued to tick slightly higher in the latest reporting numbers for the past seven days, and hospitals are gradually becoming more crowded, too. Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/4/20
San Jose’s new outdoor dining program will last until Summer with late-night hours -- In an effort to help businesses ride the ebbs and flows of the pandemic, San Jose is extending a new program allowing businesses to operate in public and private outdoor spaces through next spring and summer. Maggie Angst in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/4/20
Sludge isn’t freight — that means shippers have to pay property tax in California -- Shippers in California waters are exempt from property taxes on their boats if they’re carrying freight or passengers. But sludge isn’t freight, a state appeals court says, so a construction company will have to pay taxes to Contra Costa County on its barges, tugs and scows. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
California Policy & Politics This Morning
California voters embrace special rules for app-based drivers, reject rent control plan -- California’s most expensive ballot measure campaign season ended Tuesday with a split decision on the year’s most high-profile proposals, with voters granting companies such as Uber and Lyft the right to keep their drivers as independent contractors but rejecting a plan to expand rent control to more homes and communities. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Brian Melley Associated Press Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
California voters reject new rules for dialysis clinics -- California voters have rejected a ballot measure to require a doctor or highly trained nurse at each of California’s 600 dialysis clinics. Olga R.Rodriguez Associated Press Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Proposition 19, which modifies Prop. 13 property-tax breaks, maintaining its lead in California -- Proposition 19, which would expand one property tax break for seniors but narrow another for transfers of real estate between parents and children, was ahead 52% to 48% for most of Tuesday evening as votes were tallied. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
Prop. 25, which would abolish California’s cash bail system, trails in early returns -- Proposition 25 would replace the use of money bail as a condition for getting out of jail while awaiting trial with a system allowing release by judges based on a determination of public safety or a defendant’s flight risk. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
Prop. 20, which would have toughened sentencing in criminal cases, is rejected by California voters -- Proposition 20, a California initiative that would have toughened sentencing in criminal cases and reduced the number of prison inmates eligible for early parole, was rejected by state voters on Tuesday. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Don Thompson Associated Press -- 11/4/20
Californians once again reject bid to expand rent control in the state -- California voters have again decisively rejected a bid to expand rent control statewide. The failure of Proposition 21 means that, once again, landlord groups have convinced voters that stricter limits on rent hikes are not a solution to California’s housing affordability problems. A statewide ban on most new forms of rent control will remain in effect. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Prop. 16: Voters rejecting a measure to restore affirmative action in government agencies and public universities -- California was poised to retain its ban on affirmative action for government agencies and public universities, with voters rejecting a ballot measure that would again allow the consideration of race and sex in state hiring, contracting and admissions decisions. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Thomas Peele EdSource-- 11/4/20
A close race on Proposition 15 to loosen California’s business property tax rules -- The fate of Proposition 15, an effort to remove high-value business properties from the low-tax protections enacted by California voters more than four decades ago, was unclear in early election returns Tuesday, after an expensive and fierce campaign over how much to spend on government services and the economic effects of raising taxes. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ John Fensterwald EdSource -- 11/4/20
Prop. 17, which will let parolees vote in California, is approved by voters -- Californians convicted of felonies but who are on parole will be allowed to vote in elections under a ballot measure, Proposition 17, that appeared to win approval by the state’s voters on Tuesday. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Bob Egelko and Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
Measure RR: Caltrain winning bid for crucial tax increase -- Caltrain, hemorrhaging money during the pandemic, on Tuesday was comfortably winning a bid for a temporary lifeline and long-term financial future with the support of voters in three counties for a sales tax raise. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
Republicans struggle in key US House fights in California -- In the Central Valley, Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, a strong Trump ally, had only a narrow lead over Democrat Phil Arballo. Republican former Rep. Darrell Issa, another prominent Trump supporter, was in a tight fight in his attempt to return to Congress. And in the 48th District in Orange County, Republican Michelle Steel was trailing in her bid to oust first-term Democratic Rep. Harley Rouda. Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 11/4/20
California House races: Democrats holding onto most of 2018’s gains -- In the most closely watched battle, GOP Rep. Mike Garcia of Santa Clarita (Los Angeles County) was losing to Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith, in a seat that swings from the high desert towns of Lancaster and Palmdale west to the Ventura County city of Simi Valley. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
Opponent in LA district attorney’s race takes early lead -- A progressive prosecutor promising major criminal justice reforms for Los Angeles jumped out to an early lead Tuesday in the bitter race to run the nation’s largest district attorney’s office. Former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon led two-term incumbent DA Jackie Lacey with 54% of more than 2.5 million votes counted. Brian Melley Associated Press -- 11/4/20
Update: Sacramento ‘strong mayor’ ballot measure appears headed for defeat -- Early returns Tuesday evening showed Measure A, the so-called “strong mayor” ballot measure, trailing 57% to 42%. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/4/20
Bay Area Police Accountability Measures Draw Strong Support Across the Board -- Bay Area voters delivered strong support to a half-dozen measures that aim to strengthen independent oversight of local law enforcement, many spurred by a national movement demanding police reform. Matthew Green KQED -- 11/4/20
California’s vote counting timeline after election day: Here’s what happens over the next month -- Bay Area voters stressed out by this year’s election will have to hang in there: It doesn’t actually end on Tuesday in California. While the polls close at 8 p.m. and some contests in the state may have clear winners shortly after, the results aren’t certified until a full month later. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
Newsom: Deluge of lobbying for Harris seat 'not something I'd wish on my worst enemy' -- Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’s being deluged with lobbying for his potential appointment to fill Kamala Harris’ Senate seat — but says the process is "not something I’d wish on my worst enemy." Carla Marinucci Politico -- 11/4/20
Mariachi bands and YouTube celebs: Voting at Dodger Stadium on election day -- Their reasons for coming to Dodger Stadium varied from making sure their vote would count to casting a ballot at a highly Instagrammable polling place. Of course, on the final day of anything, procrastination is a factor. Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Orange County investigates report of fake polling site, complete with ‘I Voted’ stickers -- Orange County officials said Tuesday that they were investigating reports that someone established a fake voting center at the headquarters of a City Council candidate in Westminster and accepted ballots and handed out “I Voted” stickers. Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Policy & Politics
California, 3 other states sue to allow new immigrant applications to DACA program -- The Trump administration is ignoring the law and a Supreme Court ruling by slashing eligibility for DACA, the program allowing young undocumented immigrants to live and work legally in the United States, California and three other states said in a lawsuit Monday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/4/20
Lopez: Column: How could a race for U.S. president come down to a referendum on masks? -- We were walking toward each other on a narrow sidewalk in Boyle Heights on election eve, when the young woman stopped, stepped out of the way, and waited for me to pass. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Street
L.A. bans laser pointers at demonstrations and marches, citing eye injuries -- Los Angeles on Tuesday outlawed the possession of laser pointers and laser-style devices during public demonstrations, rallies, protests or picket lines, citing two dozen cases in which police officers and residents suffered eye injuries. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Housing
Southern California house prices see biggest gains in 2 years -- Prices in Riverside and San Bernardino counties jumped 7.7% in September, the largest year-over-year percentage gain since May 2018, according to the index, released Tuesday, Nov. 3. Jeff Collins in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 11/4/20
Virus
Bay Area weighs 2-week quarantine for residents who travel over the holidays -- A group of public health officers from across the Bay Area — including the large cities of San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland — are considering implementing the coronavirus quarantine as pandemic fatigue continues to drive travel outside the area, Marin County Public Health Officer Matt Willis said Tuesday. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Inside an influencer-jammed, masks-very-optional Hollywood Hills Halloween party -- To judge from the shaky cellphone footage posted to Instagram, Wav3Pop’s Halloween party looked like a night that will stick with L.A. rap fans for a long time. August Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
Also . . .
FBI raids Compton councilman’s home, Baldwin Park city attorney’s office in pot inquiry -- FBI agents served search warrants last week at the home of a Compton city councilman and the law offices of the Baldwin Park city attorney, part of a federal investigation examining Baldwin Park’s dealings with cannabis businesses, according to sources familiar with the probe. Adam Elmahrek, Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/4/20
POTUS 45
Presidential election hangs in balance as Trump falsely asserts fraud and makes a claim of victory -- The presidential election in a country convulsed by crisis was headed toward a potential legal showdown early Wednesday morning, with President Trump prematurely declaring he had won even as Democratic nominee Joe Biden had paths to victory and key states continued to tally votes. Philip Rucker, Toluse Olorunnipa and Annie Linskey in the Washington Post$ -- 11/4/20
-- Tuesday Updates
Newsom: California could permanently mail ballots to all voters -- Gov. Gavin Newsom raised the possibility Tuesday that California could permanently move to its pandemic-driven approach of mailing all voters a ballot after the state saw record early turnout for the November election. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 11/3/20
How not to freak out: A user’s guide to California’s election night results -- If you were looking for the best advice on how to spend the hours after the polls close on election night, here’s the best we have to offer: Go do something else. Turn off your TV, close your computer, put away your phone. Ben Christopher CalMatters -- 11/3/20
Judge orders sweep of postal facilities for leftover ballots -- A federal judge has ordered U.S. Postal Service inspectors to sweep postal facilities on Tuesday in several locations — including in six battleground states — to ensure that any mail-in ballots left behind are immediately sent out for delivery. Maya Lau, Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/3/20
This is how police are preparing for possible election unrest in L.A. -- Law enforcement agencies across California are on heightened alert. Officials stress they are not aware of any election-day plots to disrupt voting or create chaos, but they say they are prepared for protests and other unrest. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/3/20
Boarded-up stores across L.A. reflect an anxious, unprecedented election day -- In this historic year of plague, fire and unrest in California, the notion that the United States electoral process could devolve into disarray and violence has cranked up the anxiety even more, with people hoarding food, some buying their first guns, others stocking up on ammunition. Joe Mozingo, Lila Seidman, Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/3/20
Metro offers free bus, rail and bike fares on election day -- In an effort to encourage voter turnout, Los Angeles Metro is offering free fares on public transit all day on election day. Riders can ride any Metro bus or train free of charge until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/3/20
Virus
11 dead as California senior facility fights second coronavirus outbreak since July -- Nearly 100 combined residents and staff at Alderson Convalescent Hospital in Woodland have tested positive for COVID-19 in two waves of infection occurring three months apart, according to Yolo County health officials. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/3/20
Stranded Workers
California offered a lifeline when their hours were cut — then payments froze -- Delays at the Employment Development Department’s Work Sharing layoff-prevention program have left some struggling workers out thousands of dollars. Economists say that fixing the problems fast could help ease the state’s jobs crisis. Lauren Hepler CalMatters -- 11/3/20
Online Ed
Online cheating surges during the pandemic; universities struggle to find a solution -- Like students everywhere during the pandemic, Aguilar, a junior at San Francisco State University, was attending school and taking a test from home under the watchful eye of no one. It would have been easy to Google the answer, and Aguilar admits he was tempted. But he didn’t. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/3/20
H1B
Silicon Valley braces for new Trump H-1B rules that set $208,000 salary floor -- The Trump Administration’s latest restrictions on workplace immigration will fall on people already working in Silicon Valley and elsewhere on H-1B visas, not just those seeking to enter the country via the prized work permits and pursue new jobs. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/3/20
Policy & Politics
Walters: Incompetence could be GOP’s opportunity -- California’s ever-shrinking Republican Party will receive little, if any, good news from this year’s elections. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 11/3/20
Wildfire
Hiker airlifted out of fire zone arrested on suspicion of starting Fontana blaze -- Mondragon was booked on suspicion of unlawfully causing a fire that causes inhabited structures or land to burn, said Fontana Police spokesman Kevin Anderson, noting that the charge is different from arson because officials do not think the fire was set intentionally. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/3/20
Homeless
‘Losing control.’ Why homelessness is more visible than ever in downtown Sacramento -- Work from home orders that emptied office buildings have helped lay bare just how bad Sacramento’s homeless problem is and how little the city, state and social service organizations have succeeded – despite a decade of attempts to address one of Sacramento’s most vexing social issues. Tony Bizjak, Theresa Clift, and Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/3/20