Rough & Tumble ®
A Snapshot of California Public Policy and Politics
 
   
 
 
 

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California Policy and Politics Thursday

More extreme heat + more people = danger in these California cities. ‘Will it get as hot as Death Valley?’ -- Inland communities with big population booms will experience the most extreme heat days under climate change projections. The combination puts more people at risk — and many cities are unprepared. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and Arfa Momin CalMatters -- 9/5/24.

Newsom lifts drought declaration for most Californians, yet measures remain in some areas -- At the same time, Newsom decided to keep the drought state of emergency in effect in 39 counties where state officials say significant effects of the severe 2020-22 drought have persisted, including depleted groundwater supplies and threats to native fish. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

One person stands between Silicon Valley and a banner year in Sacramento -- All eyes turn to Gov. Gavin Newsom in a final battle with Big Tech in California Democrats’ backyard. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 9/5/24

California lawmakers got tougher on crime this year. What will Newsom decide? -- In response to growing worries about crime in California, the Democratic-controlled Legislature has passed a set of stringent crime bills, marking a significant change in its approach to criminal justice reform compared with previous years. Anabel Sosa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

Don’t know what to do with your old clothes? California may require the fashion industry to take them back from you — for free -- First-in-the-nation rules head to Newsom, as millions of tons are dumped in developing countries or end up in landfills. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/4/24

Barabak: Kamala Harris embraces Oakland — and this time the feeling is mutual -- The first time she ran for president, Kamala Harris launched her candidacy with a splashy rally that filled downtown Oakland with more than 20,000 cheering supporters. It was a wholehearted embrace of her birthplace and a nod to the city’s aspirational history. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

Newton: Will the 2028 Olympics create lasting benefits for Los Angeles? -- One important place to look is transportation. Planners have boasted about creating a “car-free” Olympics in 2028, which sounds like a tall order for a city notoriously dependent on its freeways. Jim Newton CalMatters -- 9/5/24

Walters: California has spent billions on homelessness but lacks hard data on outcomes -- California has allocated more than $20 billion to alleviate the state’s homelessness crisis since Gavin Newsom became governor in 2019, but there’s precious little data on how the money was spent and what effect it’s had, other than the number of unhoused people has continued to climb. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 9/5/24

Workplace

Oakland sues Southwest Airlines over employees’ right to take sick leave -- Oakland says Southwest Airlines continues to violate its employees’ right to take paid sick leave in order to care for themselves or family members, despite a settlement the airline reached with the city in 2020. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/5/24

California lawmakers want to ban anti-union meetings at work, but will Newsom go along? -- A bill passed by the Legislature on its last day is a top priority for California labor unions, who say “captive audience” sessions intimidate workers. Business groups say the bill violates employers’ free speech rights. Jeanne Kuang CalMatters -- 9/5/24

Intel announces first round of layoffs. Here’s how many Bay Area employees were affected -- Intel has announced the first round of layoffs, affecting dozens of workers in the Bay Area, as part of its plan to reduce its global workforce by 15%. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/4/24

The Hot Labor Market Has Melted Away. Just Ask New College Grads -- Unemployment is still low, but job seekers are competing for fewer openings, and hiring is sluggish. That’s a big turnaround from recent years. Talmon Joseph Smith in the New York Times$ -- 9/5/24

Downtown San Diego

San Diego’s largest office landlord sells Symphony Towers for cheap -- The biggest office landlord in the region has offloaded one of downtown San Diego’s most recognizable buildings at a bargain-basement price in a transaction that will have a ripple effect on property values around town. Jennifer Van Grove in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/5/24

PG&E

Another PG&E rate hike is in the works for Californians -- Pacific Gas and Electric Co. bills could jump another $6 per month before the end of the year if California regulators vote next week to allow the company to recoup electricity expenses paid during a series of bad storms that brought widespread power outages. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/5/24

Dream Keeper

Audit requested for $45 million Breed program focused on S.F.’s Black community -- The top city official overseeing Mayor London Breed’s Dream Keeper Initiative has asked the Controller’s Office for a full audit of the program, which has pumped tens of millions of dollars toward addressing systemic racism against the city’s Black population. St. John Barned-Smith, Michael Barba in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/5/24

Housing

California settles affordable housing lawsuit with Elk Grove -- As a part of the settlement, Elk Grove agreed to pay $150,000 to the state, identify an additional site for low-income housing and provide a copy of all the city’s future housing development applications that include affordable or supportive housing to the Department of Housing and Community Development. Marcus D. Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/5/24

Sutter

Northern California health care giant charged 30% more than other hospitals, study finds -- New research from University of Southern California health economists has found evidence that Sutter Health began implementing allegedly anticompetitive contracting practices in the early 2000s that resulted in prices 30% higher than at comparable hospitals. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/5/24

Education

Where major California education bills stand after deadline for approval passes -- Several dozen TK-12 and higher education proposals were among the blitz of bills that the California Legislature approved by the Aug. 31 deadline. John Fensterwald, Diana Lambert, Zaidee Stavely, Betty Márquez Rosales, Michael Burke, Amy Dipierro, Emma Gallegos, and Thomas Peele EdSource -- 9/5/24

California schools release a blizzard of data, and that’s why parents can’t make sense of it -- Information about how the state’s K-12 students are performing is located on several sites and is difficult to understand, a new report finds. Carolyn Jones CalMatters John Fensterwald EdSource -- 9/5/24

Street

Sheriff’s deputy facing federal charge over violent incident outside Lancaster WinCo -- More than a year after he was caught on camera throwing a woman to the ground during a violent incident in a WinCo parking lot in Lancaster, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy has been charged with using excessive force. Keri Blakinger in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

Judge signals that federal oversight of Oakland police won’t end soon -- A federal judge on Wednesday indicated that the Oakland Police Department requires further oversight to ensure leaders hold officers accountable for misconduct. David Hernandez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/5/24

Widespread sexual abuse of women in two California prisons draws federal investigation -- The Department of Justice is investigating allegations of rape, groping and sexual harrassment by correctional officials in California women’s prisons. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

‘Pillowcase Rapist’ to be released, could be making his home in L.A. County again -- A proposal to house a violent sexual predator known as the “Pillowcase Rapist” in the Antelope Valley has officials urging residents to voice their concerns. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

Unsanitary, unethical, unprofessional’: San Diego sheriff’s oversight board dismisses complaints due to lack of jurisdiction -- The jails are filthy, often strewn with trash, and people in sheriff’s custody get sick from cleaning up human waste that regularly overflows from aging toilets, complaints filed against the San Diego Sheriff’s Office say. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/5/24

ICE

Study: ICE fails to provide detainees with language interpretation required by its own rules -- A Spanish-speaking detainee at California’s McFarland immigrant detention facility was struggling in May 2023 to tell a doctor, in broken English, that he sometimes bled from his rectum. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

Border

Suspected migrant-smuggling boat lands at famous Laguna Beach locale -- On Monday, though, lifeguards found something they don’t usually see on the sand: an abandoned, broken-down Panga-style vessel stocked with life jackets and fuel cans. Authorities believe the boat was used to smuggle migrants across the border. Terry Castleman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

Landslide

Landslides bring uncertainty, fear to Rancho Palos Verdes. How much worse will it get? -- With less than 24 hours’ notice, Nikki Noushkam learned Sunday that Southern California Edison was shutting off power to her home indefinitely. Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

 

Top of the Ticket

Trump’s 2020 Election Case Is Back in Court -- Lawyers for the special counsel and the former president are offering their views on how Judge Tanya Chutkan should determine which accusations in the indictment stay and which fall to the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling. Alan Feuer in the New York Times$ -- 9/5/24

Harris pulls ahead of Trump in battlegrounds, poll finds -- Harris is polling ahead of Trump in Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin — but her slight lead is either within or just barely outside the margin of error. Irie Sentner Politico -- 9/5/24

The fear factor is now hurting Trump -- Significantly more swing-state voters view Trump as a “threat to the country” than Harris. It wasn’t always thus. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 9/5/24

Trump Questions Fairness of Next Week’s Debate at a Town Hall -- Former President Donald J. Trump, at a Fox News event, insisted without evidence that Vice President Kamala Harris was “going to get the questions in advance.” Michael Gold in the New York Times$ -- 9/5/24

New Hampshire is the latest sign of Donald Trump’s shrinking map -- Donald Trump hasn’t set foot in New Hampshire since he won the state’s GOP primary in January. His campaign hasn’t sent a high-profile surrogate here since the spring. Lisa Kashinsky Politico -- 9/5/24

‘Defund police’ or reimagine safety? Kamala Harris’ record on a historic American issue -- Does Vice President Kamala Harris support “defunding” police? A cluster of interviews from 2020 provides a unique window into her worldview. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/5/24

Trump to Adopt Elon Musk’s Proposal for Government Efficiency Commission -- Former president also to reiterate calls for lower corporate tax rate and steep regulation cuts. Alex Leary and Richard Rubin in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 9/5/24

Republicans Seize on False Theories About Immigrant Voting -- Activists, party lawyers and state officials are mobilizing behind a crackdown on a supposed scourge of noncitizens’ casting ballots. Voting rights advocates say the effort is spreading misinformation. Alexandra Berzon in the New York Times$ -- 9/5/24

Inflation has been higher in metros with greater 2020 Trump support -- Metros that had more votes for Trump in 2020 have experienced higher inflation since then. Here’s why and what that means for this election. Alyssa Fowers in the Washington Post$ -- 9/5/24

Liz Cheney says she’s voting for Harris because of the ‘danger’ Trump poses -- The former member of Congress’ announcement comes after she flirted briefly with mounting her own third-party bid. Megan Messerly Politico -- 9/5/24

Harris and Trump Campaigns Agree to Debate’s Microphone Rules -- The microphones at the candidates’ debate next Tuesday will be muted when it’s not their turn to speak. Reid J. Epstein in the New York Times$ Eli Stokols Politico -- 9/5/24

Also

Sulzberger: How the quiet war against press freedom could come to America -- Some foreign leaders have ruthlessly curtailed journalism. U.S. politicians could draw from their playbook. A.G. Sulzberger in the Washington Post$ -- 9/5/24

 

California Policy and Politics Wednesday

Ricky Pearsall shooting: S.F. DA charges 17-year-old suspect with attempted murder -- The 17-year-old boy suspected of shooting 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall in San Francisco’s Union Square over the weekend has been charged with attempted murder, robbery and other offenses, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Tuesday. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/4/24

Gavin Newsom is riding gas prices right into the election -- His move Saturday to call a special legislative session in Sacramento focused on gasoline price spikes is something of a bet that running headlong into the Democrat-led state’s political vulnerabilities will turn them into an asset. Debra Kahn Politico Sophia Bollag, Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/4/24

California poised to become first state where cars must warn drivers when they’re speeding -- The speed governor proposal, SB961, by San Francisco state Sen. Scott Wiener was one of the last bills passed by the California Legislature before lawmakers adjourned for the session. Ricardo Cano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/4/24

Mike Garcia campaign runs misleading ad on the House Republican’s role in Violence Against Women Act -- The race between the GOP incumbent and Democrat George Whitesides in northern L.A. County’s Congressional District 27 is one of the most competitive and consequential in the U.S. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/4/24

Bill to ban solitary confinement for pregnant inmates now allows it. Its backers want a veto -- Advocates for women in California prisons were backing legislation that would have banned solitary confinement of pregnant inmates – until the author, under pressure from prison officials in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration, amended it to allow them to be held in solitary for up to five days. Now many of its former supporters have changed sides. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/4/24

After key reparations bills stall, California lawmakers say they’ll try again next year -- Assembly Member Lori Wilson, the chair of California's Legislative Black Caucus, said she has always thought of reparations as a multi-year effort and that some bills will take multiple legislative sessions to get across the finish line. Molly Burke in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/4/24

Walters: Gavin Newsom returns to his duties in California and finds his status has diminished -- Gavin Newsom’s flirtation with national political status ended abruptly when Vice President Kamala Harris, often depicted as his rival, became the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 9/4/24

Workplace

California companies wrote their own gig worker law. Now no one is enforcing it -- Prop. 22 promised improved pay and benefits for California gig workers. But when companies fail to deliver, the state isn’t doing much to help push back. Levi Sumagaysay CalMatters -- 9/4/24

UC, CSU wary over legislation allowing them to hire undocumented students. Newsom to decide -- State legislation directing the UC and CSU systems to hire students without work permits may violate federal law and has put Gov. Gavin Newsom in a tough spot. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/4/24

Job killer or neighborhood protector? Proposed warehouse rules divide Inland Empire -- Last-minute legislation would limit where distribution centers can go. Supporters say it would shield neighborhoods from traffic and deliver cleaner air. But business groups warn the bill could threaten jobs in a booming industry. Deborah Brennan CalMatters -- 9/4/24

Rancho Palos Verdes

California declares state of emergency over Rancho Palos Verdes landslide -- In the declaration, Newsom said land movement under the city that sits atop the bluffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula has accelerated significantly following severe storms in 2023 and 2024 and “is now sliding at an average of 9 to 12 inches per week.” Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ Scott Dance in the Washington Post$ -- 9/4/24

Housing

Half a house, half a million: A tree-crushed home hits the market in Monrovia -- A few months after being crushed by a falling tree, a Monrovia home is on the market for $499,999. Repairs required. Jack Flemming in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/4/24

Beverly Hills is dragging its heels on a new building. The governor says: Build it -- California officials are turning the screws on the city of Beverly Hills, where approval of a new hotel and apartment complex is moving too slowly for state housing bosses and the governor. Roger Vincent and Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/4/24

Homeless

This Bay Area county made refusing a shelter bed a crime. Is it helping solve homelessness? -- So far, no one has been cited or arrested for turning down shelter. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/4/24

San Jose begins clearing part of troubled Columbus Park homeless camp -- San Jose began clearing part of one of its largest and most dangerous homeless encampments on Tuesday in an effort to move around 40 tents, vehicles and makeshift dwellings out of the flight path at San Jose Mineta International Airport. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/4/24

Street

Cars torched, window smashed in pair of South L.A. street takeovers. Neighbors are weary -- Two street takeovers in South Los Angeles veered into vandalism early Tuesday morning as the window of a local car dealership was smashed and cars were set on fire. Jireh Deng in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/4/24

Top of the Ticket

How Kamala Harris’ campaign wrestled the ‘family values’ narrative away from the GOP -- Democrats’ efforts to argue that they’re the true party of family values will reach a new level this week as Kamala Harris’ reproductive freedom tour makes its way into battleground states — and even red states. Shira Stein, Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/4/24

Democrats target Trump’s muddled abortion message -- The Harris campaign launched a bus tour on reproductive rights in the former president’s adopted home state of Florida, where abortion laws are a centerpiece of the forthcoming election. Kimberly Leonard Politico -- 9/4/24

Harris pulls ahead of Trump in battlegrounds, poll finds -- Harris is polling ahead of Trump in Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin — but her slight lead is either within or just barely outside the margin of error. Irie Sentner Politico -- 9/4/24

John McCain’s son says he will support Kamala Harris in November -- Jimmy McCain said he changed his voter registration from independent to Democrat and expressed outrage over an altercation at Arlington Cemetery involving Trump campaign staff. Maegan Vazquez and Mariana Alfaro in the Washington Post$ -- 9/4/24

Harris, Proposing a Tax Break, Makes a Play for Small-Business Owners -- The plan, which Kamala Harris will announce on Wednesday in New Hampshire, would allow new companies to deduct up to $50,000 in start-up expenses, a campaign official said. Andrew Duehren and Nicholas Nehamas in the New York Times$ -- 9/4/24

Plunge in Trump Media Shares Wipes $4 Billion Off Former President’s Stake -- The stock price of Donald Trump’s social media company has often moved in tandem with investor perception of his standing in the presidential race. Matthew Goldstein in the New York Times$ -- 9/4/24

Pro-Trump group attacks Harris for murder that took place 14 years ago -- Harris at the time was the district attorney for San Francisco. The murder took place in Texas. But if viewers aren’t looking carefully at the date of the tombstone depicted at the start of the ad, they could easily conclude that this murder happened during the Biden administration as a result of its border policies. Glenn Kessler in the Washington Post$ -- 9/4/24

Trump Wants to ‘Drill, Baby, Drill,’ but Can He Cut Energy Prices? -- GOP nominee’s anti-inflation pitch focuses on lower costs for gas and electricity, areas where a president has limited control. David Uberti and Jennifer Hiller in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 9/4/24

Trump appears to have misled Gold Star families on troop deaths in Afghanistan -- Trump frequently suggests, as he did in a TikTok filmed at Arlington Cemetery, that an 18-month period without hostile-fire deaths took place entirely in his presidency. Glenn Kessler in the Washington Post$ -- 9/4/24

Trump Says There Was ‘No Conflict’ at Cemetery, Despite Official Accounts -- Speaking to Sean Hannity, Donald Trump contradicted his campaign’s prior statements about a confrontation involving his campaign at Arlington National Cemetery last week. Michael Gold and Chris Cameron in the New York Times$ Mariana Alfaro in the Washington Post$ -- 9/4/24

Biden is suddenly seeing his best polls in years -- Precisely why is a valid question, and there are a number of possibilities. But if the trend holds, it could undercut a key Trump campaign strategy. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 9/4/24

Also

The Mexican Mafia Tapes: Secret recordings reveal greed, betrayal — and a deal with the feds -- Ralph Rocha made secret tapes documenting his tenure as an informant. Were they an insurance policy? A way to blow off steam? An early stab at a screenplay? Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/4/24

Kim Kardashian and sister visit Northern California inmate fire camp -- Kim Kardashian, who in recent years has become an advocate for criminal justice reform, paid a visit last week to a camp in the mountains of Northern California where incarcerated men serve as firefighters, often deploying to the front lines of the state’s biggest blazes. Jessica Garrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/4/24