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L.A. city attorney's office warning 439 marijuana shops that they must close by June 7 -- Los Angeles city prosecutors are sending letters to 439 medical marijuana dispensaries warning them that they must shut down by June 7, when an ordinance to control pot shops will finally take effect after years of debate and delay. John Hoeffel in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 Agency finds hundreds of ethics violations among politicians and administrators, issues few fines -- The state's ethics watchdog agency last year found hundreds of California politicians and bureaucrats had violated campaign finance and conflict of interest laws – and then let most of them off with a slap on the wrist. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 -- 5/4/10 Healthcare is a headache for GOP candidates in California -- To win the Republican primary, the three Senate hopefuls must bash the plan signed by Obama. Against Boxer in the fall, the nominee will have to adopt a more moderate stance. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 Consumer Watchdog: New Prop. 17 ad deceptive -- The Mercury Insurance Company’s ballot initiative, Proposition 17, officially began its air campaign Tuesday with a statewide 30-second TV spot, and it’s predictably raising hackles from its opponents. Steven Harmon Political Blotter weblog The item is in Capitol Weekly -- 5/4/10 Ban on affirmative action in California contracts debated by state Supreme Court -- The California Supreme Court on Tuesday considered whether to limit the reach of Proposition 209, the 1996 ballot measure that ended affirmative action in government contracting. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 California can use $2 billion in local money to balance budget, judge says -- A Sacramento Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday that California can take $2 billion from local redevelopment agencies for state budget relief, avoiding for now a pitfall that had threatened to exacerbate the state deficit. Loretta Kalb and Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 Jerry Brown's Tax Pledge Takes Heat from Fellow Democrat -- But after talking to California Assembly Speaker John Perez (D) in Washington on Monday, it’s clear that Brown has some work to do with a fellow Democrat. Teddy Davis ABC News -- 5/4/10 California film tax credit helping keep Hollywood at home -- Producers of films costing up to $75 million are offered a tax credit of 20% of qualified expenses if they film locally. Steve Carell's latest movie, for one, is getting a $5-million credit. Richard Verrier in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 Carly Fiorina picks up endorsements from moderate, conservative groups -- The New Majority California, an influential group formed by moderate Republicans in Orange County a decade ago, is backing former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina in the three-way Republican race to replace U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer. Maeve Reston in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 How Senate Republican contenders stack up against Boxer -- With the economy sputtering, unemployment stuck in double digits and anxiety running high over the nation's staggering debt, this is not a good year for an incumbent U.S. senator to be up for re-election. Mike Zapler in the Contra Costa Times -- 5/4/10 Whitman Latino aide wants to debate Poizner rep in Spanish -- Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner had their debate in English. Now it's time for a mano-a-mano duel on Spanish-language television, Whitman aide Hector Barajas said today. Susan Ferriss SacBee Capitol Alert -- 5/4/10 Comedian says guv will pick him for powerful water panel -- Comedian Paul Rodriguez said today that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to appoint him to the California Water Commission, a currently inactive panel that would take on a powerful role handing out money for dams if voters approve the $11 billion water bond in November. EJ Schultz Fresno Bee News Blog -- 5/4/10 Amber's dad wants law boosting search efforts -- The father of abducted and murdered Escondido teenager Amber Dubois is working with lawmakers to develop a series of measures, mostly to help authorities respond quickly when children are snatched off the streets. Michael Gardner in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 5/4/10 Borenstein: Exorbitant price tag on Measure C -- Mt. Diablo school officials never provided voters key information that would reveal the tremendous cost of the district's bond proposal on the June ballot. Daniel Borenstein in the Contra Costa Times -- 5/4/10 Harris continues to face tough questions -- The week started off so well -- endorsements from the Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee and San Francisco Chronicle where she was heralded for her "germane and impressive experience," and her "focused vision." Marisa Lagos Chronicle Politics Weblog -- 5/4/10 San Francisco cops' pasts could jeopardize convictions -- More than 80 San Francisco police officers have criminal histories or misconduct records that the Police Department withheld and prosecutors did not disclose to defense attorneys in cases in which officers testified, a failure that could put hundreds of felony convictions in jeopardy, The Chronicle has learned. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/4/10 Fox: World Problems Affect California Politics -- Certain images and situations developing around the world recently directly and indirectly play on the politics in the nation-state of California. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds weblog -- 5/4/10 Boxer pleas for Iran's release of California hikers -- Sen. Barbara Boxer joined other Democrats today in demanding that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on a visit to the United States, release Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, from custody. Carolyn Lochhead Chronicle Politics Weblog -- 5/4/10 Apple's restriction on programming tools prompts antitrust inquiry -- U.S. officials will examine the company's requirement that software developers use only its tools to create apps for the iPhone and the iPad. AP -- 5/4/10 Poll: Americans like Arizona immigration law -- A new Gallup poll shows that of the 78 percent of Americans who have heard about Arizona’s new tough immigration law, 51 percent say they approve of it and 39 percent oppose it. Dena Bunis in the Orange County Register -- 5/4/10
Schwarzenegger pulls support for coastal drilling in wake of oil spill -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger withdrew his support Monday for a new oil drilling project off the Santa Barbara coast in the wake of a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee ANDY BARR Politico Marisa Lagos in the San Francisco Chronicle Denis C. Theriault in the Oakland Tribune -- 5/4/10 exchanges from the debate that Poizner will exploit -- There may not be an exchange between Republican gubernatorial candidates Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner out of Sunday’s debate that will get any more mileage than this one (courtesy of the Poizner campaign, which placed it on YouTube). Steven Harmon Political Blotter weblog -- 5/4/10 Scoop: GOP abortion wars heat up. CA Pro-Life Council to endorse Fiorina over DeVore. She has "the resources to win" -- This is a big deal in conservative circles, as this is California's largest single-issue pro-life group. Joe Garofoli Chronicle Politics Weblog -- 5/4/10 CalBuzz: Yo, AP! What, Exactly, Does Meg Whitman Regret? -- When we read the story by Juliet Williams of the Associated Press in which she wrote: “Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman said [last] Tuesday she regrets taking part in a now-banned stock sale practice at Goldman Sachs . . .” we searched for a quote to back up the statement that Whitman had expressed “regret.” Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 5/4/10 Saunders: Whitman can spend, but can she govern? -- "Meg 2010, Building a New California," the glossy 40-plus page "policy agenda" for former eBay CEO and GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, is so slick that it sat on my desk for weeks before I could finish it. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/4/10 Walters: 'Top two' primary election plan would shift battlefield -- As often recounted in this space, the Capitol's most enduring conflict pits business groups against a "Big 4" coalition of labor unions, environmentalists, consumer activists and personal injury attorneys. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/4/10 Plunge in state revenue dashes hopes of an easy budget fix -- Legislators were hoping revenue would continue to exceed projections, forestalling deeper cuts and further tax hikes. But April's total was 30% below what was expected, leaving them with few options. Shane Goldmacher in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 Paul Rodriguez claims appointment to Cal Water Commission, but gov says no -- Comedian Paul Rodriguez put out a press release on April 30 through his publicist saying he would donate proceeds from an upcoming live show to fight Arizona’s tough new anti-immigrant law. At the bottom of the fifth paragraph of the release is a sentence noting that "he was recently appointed to the California Water Commission." Malcolm Maclachlan in Capitol Weekly -- 5/4/10 Opponents of California global warming law turn in signatures for November measure --Setting up what is expected to be a multimillion-dollar political battle between oil companies and Silicon Valley tech leaders, opponents of California's landmark global warming law turned in about 800,000 signatures Monday for a November ballot measure to suspend the law. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury -- 5/4/10 John Laird, former assemblyman, announces California Senate campaign -- Laird, 60, a Democrat, is running for the 15th Senate District seat vacated by Abel Maldonado, who recently was appointed to lieutenant governor. Nick Wilson SLO Trib -- 5/4/10 Feds set up California water task force -- The Obama administration on Monday set up a new task force to wrangle California water decisions, with long-term hopes of consolidating protections for smelt and salmon. Michael Doyle in the Fresno Bee -- 5/4/10 Man behind California pot initiative's a force in 'Oaksterdam' -- For much of his life, Richard Lee needed neither liberation nor a cause. Peter Hecht in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/4/10 PG&E's campaign tactics are illegal, California regulators warn -- Pacific Gas & Electric is told to stop using phone and direct-mail tactics that could derail competition from the state's first nonprofit group to offer electric service. Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10
Calpensions: Government pay lower than private sector? -- State and local government workers earn less than comparable workers in the private sector, a new study by two economics professors finds, even when pension and other benefits are included. Ed Mendel Calpensions.com -- 5/4/10
Fensterwald: Fact-checking Poizner and Whitman -- Amid all of the arguing over immigration, Goldman Sachs and who’s the phonier conservative, GOP gubernatorial candidates Steve Poizner and Meg Whitman spent only a few minutes talking about education during their hour-long debate in San Jose on Sunday. John Fensterwald educatedguess.org -- 5/4/10 Recession ravaging region's adult education classes -- Many Sacramento school districts are severely cutting adult education classes, while others are eliminating entire programs, leaving thousands of adult students wondering what classes will remain this fall. Melody Gutierrez in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/4/10 Ex-president Carter honored at UC Merced -- UC Merced honored former President Jimmy Carter on Monday with the Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance -- an award that Carter said made him think back to something his favorite high school teacher told him. Jamie Oppenheim in the Fresno Bee -- 5/4/10 UC Berkeley restricts names of student organizations -- Students looking to start organizations at UC Berkeley have to tread carefully when it comes to naming their groups. Erica Perez California Watch -- 5/4/10 UC Berkeley students begin hunger strike -- A group of UC Berkeley students started a hunger strike Monday to demand that the university oppose the new Arizona immigration law, drop disciplinary charges against protesters from the occupation of Wheeler Hall earlier this year, rehire laid-off janitors, and make the campus a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/4/10 Despite loophole, 11 San Bernardino schools to undergo state reforms -- San Bernardino City Unified School District will initiate drastic reforms at 11 schools, becoming the second school district to implement the state's plan for transforming under-performing campuses. Corey G. Johnson California Watch -- 5/4/10
Schwarzenegger vetoes beach smoking ban -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday vetoed a measure that would have banned smoking in state parks and beaches, calling it "an improper intrusion of government into people’s lives.’’ Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert Marisa Lagos in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/4/10 Bald eagles in Channel Islands might start eating endangered wildlife, researchers say -- The warning was based on an extensive analysis of the shifting diets of the opportunistic foragers from the Pleistocene era, about 20,000 years ago, to the late 1960s, when they were decimated by DDT. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 Funeral homes seek to legalize 'bio-cremation' as a green alternative -- A bill headed for an Assembly vote would broaden the definition of cremation to include the use of either fire and water, thus legalizing the alkaline hydrolysis method, which speeds up decomposition. Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 Bay Area transit needs $1 billion a year to survive -- Bay Area public transit is caught in a downward spiral, and fundamental changes must be made to rescue it, according to the region's major transportation planning agency's annual report. Janis Mara in the Oakland Tribune -- 5/4/10 State argues against plan to cut trees -- Flood safety rules requiring that trees be removed from more than 1,000 miles of California levees would be hugely expensive and environmentally destructive without providing significant safety benefits, state officials said. Mike Taugher in the Contra Costa Times -- 5/4/10
Nurses want certain injuries, illnesses to be presumed job-related -- California nurses and hospitals are locked in a precedent-setting fight over injury compensation that could benefit nurses but cost hospitals hundreds of millions annually. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/4/10
Poll Shows Most in U.S. Want Overhaul of Immigration Laws -- The overwhelming majority of Americans think the country’s immigration policies need to be seriously overhauled. And despite protests against Arizona’s stringent new immigration enforcement law, a majority of Americans support it, even though they say it may lead to racial profiling. RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD and MEGAN THEE-BRENAN in the New York Times -- 5/4/10 Santa Ana opposes Arizona immigration law -- City leaders here in one of the most Latino cities in America condemned Arizona's strict new anti-illegal immigration law on Monday, calling it misguided and unconstitutional. DOUG IRVING in the Orange County Register -- 5/4/10
Obama deflects tough calls to Senate -- A day after highlighting the need for immigration reform at an Iowa town hall meeting, President Barack Obama last week raised doubts about whether Congress really had “an appetite immediately to dive into another controversial issue.” JEANNE CUMMINGS Politico -- 5/4/10
Lazarus: Benefits of United-Continental merger are up in the air -- Airline executives say the deal would result in 'best-in-class customer service' for travelers, but passenger advocates have their doubts. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/4/10 Family can't collect damages in prisoner's death -- The family of an illegal immigrant who died of penile cancer after pleading for treatment during 11 months in custody is not entitled to damages from the federal medical officials who supervised his treatment, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/4/10 Public cool on naming street after Willie Brown -- Opposition to Mayor Gavin Newsom's idea to rename Third Street in San Francisco after his political mentor and patron Willie Brown is overwhelming - at least if the initial public feedback solicited by city officials is any indication. Rachel Gordon in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/4/10
Congress turns up heat on BP -- British Petroleum will get the full Washington treatment over the next few weeks, with a series of congressional hearings, demands for documents and calls for punitive legislation in wake of a devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. JAKE SHERMAN & MEREDITH SHINER Politico -- 5/4/10 |
