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Lawmakers want to tap special funds to prevent shortfall -- Lawmakers voted Thursday to increase the state's ability to borrow from dedicated funds to cover day-to-day expenses, part of a strategy to keep California from falling into the red. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 'Millionaires tax' plan to hit streets with nurses union's support -- A "millionaires tax" initiative spearheaded by the California Federation of Teachers and the Courage Campaign received petition language today, as well as backing from the powerful California Nurses Association. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/2/12 Worn tubes found San Onofre nuclear facility after leak -- Nuclear regulation officials said Thursday that extensive wear had been found on the tubes inside a unit at the San Onofre nuclear plant, where another unit was placed off-line after a leak earlier this week. Rick Rojas in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 California teacher fund lowers investment projections -- The board overseeing California's teacher pension system on Thursday lowered the fund's investment forecast for the second time in 14 months in a move that acknowledges the financial strain of lower market returns in the years ahead. JUDY LIN AP -- 2/2/12 Nearly half of California jobless workers considered 'long-term' -- Not only does California have more than 2 million unemployed workers, but nearly half of them have been jobless for 27 weeks or more, according to new data assembled by the state Department of Employment Development. Dan Walters SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/2/12 Jerry Brown's about right about drop in California factory jobs -- Gov. Jerry Brown told a television interviewer this week that California has lost manufacturing employment "at about the same rate as the rest of America, so this is a national problem." True or false? It depends on one's definition of "about." Dan Walters SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/2/12 Brown appointee to lead high-speed rail board -- The Democratic governor appointed Dan Richard to the California High-Speed Rail Authority board last year to help turn around a project that has come under intense criticism for its cost, ridership and route plans. JULIET WILLIAMS AP -- 2/2/12 California lawmakers send budget-related bills to Jerry Brown -- California lawmakers sent bills to Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday that would allow the state to borrow $865 million from earmarked state accounts and K-12 districts to continue busing their students this school year. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/2/12 As Romney lands Trump nod, Gingrich says: 'I like hiring people' -- Newt Gingrich, clamoring to remain in contention for the GOP nomination, slapped at Mitt Romney or Donald Trump on Thursday as he visited a manufacturing plant here hours before the real estate magnate was supposed to endorse the former Massachusetts governor. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Gay marriage trial video will remain sealed, appeals court rules -- A federal appeals court refused Thursday to make public the video of the Proposition 8 same-sex marriage trial, a victory for opponents of gay marriage. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times Howard Mintz in the San Jose Mercury Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 NFL owners allocate $200 million for 49ers stadium -- NFL owners on Thursday allocated $200 million in funding for the future 49ers stadium, according to team owner Jed York. Lisa Fernandez and Mark Gomez in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/2/12 Santa Clara suit seeks to block second 49ers stadium vote -- As promised, the civic leaders behind the new San Francisco 49ers stadium in Santa Clara have filed a lawsuit trying to block opponents from putting the project back on the ballot. Mike Rosenberg in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/2/12 Lawmakers' switch preserves school bus funding -- Parents, especially in rural parts of the state, can breathe easier after state lawmakers changed their minds and decided not to target school bus service in a midyear cut to education. DON THOMPSON AP -- 2/2/12 Refusal to fund California prison construction could delay end of federal oversight -- For six years, a federal receiver has been in charge of fixing California’s broken-down prison medical system. Julie Small KPCC -- 2/2/12 Not everyone opposes high-speed rail -- Dozens of union construction workers and college students rallied in support of the embattled California High-Speed Rail on Thursday in Sacramento, touting the jobs it’ll create and the congestion it’ll alleviate. BRIAN JOSEPH in the Orange County Register -- 2/2/12 L.A. ethics panel could raise limits on campaign donations -- The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday on a plan to lift the limits on campaign contributions for the first time in 27 years, increasing the size of donations city candidates can accept by more than double. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Fox: Facebook IPO to Enrich State Treasury. LIKE -- There is no certainty when or how much the IPO will bring in. Building budgets around an anticipated flood of revenue could put the state in the same fix as the current budget that was balanced on a supposedly miraculous new $4 billion in revenue that did not appear. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/2/12 Valley Voice: Why viewers should care about KPSP, KESQ consolidation -- There was a telling, nervous moment at the top of KPSP's Channel 2 newscast Tuesday evening, when KESQ reporter Marc Blaine introduced his story about the merger of the two local TV stations. Looking at anchors Kris Long and Brooke Beare, Blaine blurted out, “Nice to meet you.” Hank Plante in the Desert Sun -- 2/2/12
California to reap taxes from Facebook IPO, but unclear when -- California stands to gain hundreds of millions of tax dollars after Facebook goes public, but fiscal analysts say it's hard to predict when that money will flow into state coffers. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert JUDY LIN AP -- 2/2/12 Facebook IPO triggers California budget fracas -- Moments after Facebook filed its IPO on Wednesday, California legislative Republicans used it to take a swipe at Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed tax initiative. It's an indication of how the public offering will dominate not only the business blogs, but discussions among budget wonks in the state Capitol in coming weeks. Nicholas Riccardi in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Budget Dreams and Dangers of Facebook's IPO -- In the world of state budget writing, the past is often prologue. And that's why news of a tech company's dazzling initial public offering is nothing new in Sacramento, and why there's both hope... and caution. John Myers Capitol Notes -- 2/2/12 Temple: Facebook IPO filing has a downside, too -- Even in a region famous for cranking out business marvels, Facebook is something to behold. James Temple in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 In filing, Facebook outlines its vulnerabilities -- Many of Facebook's most serious concerns arise from a tension at the core of its business: ensuring the privacy of its customers while also using what it knows about them to court advertisers. David Sarno in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Jerry Brown's tax initiative rivals not backing down -- Despite warnings from Gov. Jerry Brown that too many tax initiatives on the November ballot could cause voters to reject all of them -- including his own -- proponents of two efforts to raise revenue from California's taxpayers are not backing down. Nicholas Riccardi in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Tobacco tax backers launch campaign with swipe at opponents -- Supporters of a tobacco tax slated for the June primary ballot launched the opening salvo today of what is expected to be a multimillion dollar campaign, framing their effort as a battle to beat moneyed "big tobacco" interests. Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/2/12 California court reorganization bill hits snag in state Senate -- Although it squeaked by in the Assembly this week, controversial legislation to revamp budget decisions for state courts has been shelved for the immediate future in the Senate. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Skelton: Ruling on redistricting a wake-up call for California GOP -- The 7-0 court decision shows how out of sync the party has been. Its problem is not the shape of new districts but the size of a shrinking membership. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 End of redevelopment agencies traps $4B in local government loans -- More than 400 redevelopment agencies were officially shuttered yesterday, leaving a trail of uncertainty – and a potentially staggering debt load. Kendall Taggart California Watch -- 2/2/12 Stanton to push on with buying blighted area -- Though state law shut down redevelopment agencies across California, including Stanton's, the city plans to continue buying up properties in the blighted Tina Way and Pacific Avenue neighborhood. In 2009, city officials began the process of buying properties in the area, citing high crime, rundown conditions and over-crowding. MARK EADES in the Orange County Register -- 2/2/12 Gov. Brown names panel to dismantle L.A. redevelopment agency -- The three people will unwind hundreds of millions of dollars in assets, complex land deals, employee obligations and loans overseen by the agency. Ari Bloomekatz in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Judge issues injunction blocking healthcare cuts; state to appeal -- A federal judge has agreed to block cuts in Medi-Cal payments, making her temporary ruling earlier this week permanent. Chris Megerian LA Times PolitiCal -- 2/2/12 Grappling with the water bond -- An $11 billion water bond facing voters on the November likely will be rewritten, downsized or delayed two years – or even all three — to reflect political realities and a weak economy, says the leader of the Senate. Grappling with the water bond -- John Howard Cal Water Wars -- 2/2/12 Brown names Burton’s daughter to state board -- Gov. Jerry Brown today nominated Kimiko Burton – daughter of California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton – to the State Personnel Board. Josh Richman Political Blotter -- 2/2/12 Brown's 'vision for greatness'? Newsom can't see it -- Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who pops up from time to time to snipe at Gov. Jerry Brown, suggested Wednesday that his fellow Democrat lacks a "vision for greatness" and is "not necessarily the most collaborative executive," and he criticized social service cuts Brown has proposed. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/2/12 Jerry Brown: California no worse than elsewhere in manufacturing losses -- Gov. Jerry Brown said this evening that California is losing manufacturing at a rate no faster than the rest of the country, telling the TV show host and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm the problem is a national one. David Siders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/2/12 Linda Halderman decorates her cramped Capitol 'doghouse' -- Constituents are pitching in to make Assemblywoman Linda Halderman and her staff members feel right at home in the Capitol's doghouse. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/2/12 California sees record lobbying -- more than $285 million spent -- Education, healthcare, assistance to a proposed NFL stadium in Los Angeles and a proposal to dissolve the troubled city of Vernon were among the top issues drawing attention from lobbyists in 2011. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times Dan Smith in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/2/12
Challengers raise more cash than incumbents in some California congressional races -- Some challengers are out-raising incumbents, while one is flipping loans to his own campaign like hot cakes, as millions of dollars pour into California congressional races. Michael Doyle in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/2/12 Media moguls headline California super PAC giving -- The giving was headlined by DreamWorks executive Jeffrey Katzenberg and former Univision CEO Jerry Perenchio, both prolific campaign donors who each gave $2 million – Katzenberg to a super PAC supporting Obama and Perenchio to American Crossroads, a group led by Republican strategist Karl Rove. Chase Davis California Watch -- 2/2/12 Pro-Romney super PAC rakes in cash from California donors -- If super political action committee dollars were votes in the Republican presidential primary, California would already have voted resoundingly for Mitt Romney. Will Evans California Watch -- 2/2/12 Berman, Sherman among those reporting campaign funding -- Rep. Howard Berman raised more than $1 million in the last three months of 2011, according to campaign reports, for a total of $2.9 million. His opponent, Rep. Brad Sherman, reports having $3.7 million on hand. Jean Merl and Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12
Planned Parenthood supporters denounce Komen's funding halt -- He won't be sporting that pink tie anymore. California state Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) has volunteered for years as one of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure "Pink Tie Guys," who wear the ties at public events to raise awareness about breast cancer. Amina Khan in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 California lawmakers cut ties with Komen over funding decision -- Several California lawmakers are severing ties with Susan G. Komen for the Cure over the breast cancer foundation's decision to stop providing breast cancer exam funding to Planned Parenthood. Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/2/12 Fury over Komen decision to withhold cancer funds -- Lisa Augustine raised more than $3,000 and walked 60 miles for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure fundraiser shortly after undergoing surgery and radiation for breast cancer in 2010. Victoria Colliver in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 Lawmakers decry action vs. Planned Parenthood -- Some Bay Area House members are going bananas over the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation’s decision to stop funding breast-cancer exams through Planned Parenthood health centers. Josh Richman Political Blotter -- 2/2/12 Planned Parenthood to keep Orange County Komen dollars -- Planned Parenthood in Orange County will be able to continue providing mammograms and breast health education this year with $120,000 in local Susan G. Komen for the Cure funds, despite a national flap tied to abortion. COURTNEY PERKES in the Orange County Register -- 2/2/12
PG&E customers can opt out of SmartMeters -- for $75, plus $10 a month -- Despite a chorus of complaints by SmartMeter opponents, state regulators voted Wednesday to give PG&E customers the right to opt out of having a SmartMeter and keep their old meters -- for a fee. Dana Hull in the San Jose Mercury David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 PG&E finds more gas lines that weren't checked -- Just days after state regulators proposed a $16.8 million fine against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. for failing to conduct required gas leak surveys on 14 miles of pipeline in Contra Costa County, the company said Wednesday that it had found the same problem on nearly 10 more miles of pipeline. Demian Bulwa in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 PG & E agrees to $3.6 million settlement; half goes to Hinkley school -- Pacific Gas & Electric Co. has agreed to pay a $3.6 million fine for violating a regulatory agency's order to contain a plume of chromium 6 contaminated water to the boundaries known in 2008, company and regulatory officials confirmed Wednesday night. Jim Steinberg in the San Bernardino Sun -- 2/2/12 PG&E should pay for gas upgrade, agency says -- Natural-gas users shouldn't be stuck with higher rates to fund Pacific Gas and Electric Co.'s $2.2 billion plan to upgrade pipelines in the aftermath of the deadly explosion in San Bruno, the state agency that advocates for utility customers said Wednesday. Demian Bulwa in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12
Occupy airs complaints, vows to keep up pressure -- Protesters arrested during an Occupy Oakland rally Saturday said they were abused by police, subjected to illegal mass arrests and suffered a litany of human rights violations while held at two county jails - which only strengthened their commitment. Justin Berton in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 Occupy Oakland: Police release video of City Hall break-in -- The surveillance video, taken Saturday, shows a man prying open the front door with a crowbar and a crowd streaming in, dumping garbage on the floor and stealing an American flag that they then burn on the building’s front steps. Lee Romney in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Occupy Healdsburg protesters to target Bank of America -- Chase and Wells Fargo banks in Healdsburg have been picketed recently; now it’s Bank of America’s turn. CLARK MASON in the Santa Rosa Press -- 2/2/12
California government payroll grew by $500 million in 2011 as furloughs eased -- State government payroll increased by half a billion dollars last year, even as California cut thousands of state worker jobs, according to a Bee analysis of new data from the Controller's Office. Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/2/12 Report: California women struggle with job market, budget cuts -- Even as California crawls out of a damaging recession, the state’s women continue to struggle, according to a new report released Wednesday. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Revenue soars for Sacramento-area clean tech firms, report says -- Sacramento's clean tech companies more than doubled their revenue over the past three years while providing job growth in a region hard hit by the economic downturn. Rick Daysog in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/2/12
Students ask UC: Why armed cops on campus? -- Why does the University of California employ an armed police force on its campuses? That question, and the anger implied in its wording, was asked repeatedly Wednesday night by UC Berkeley students and faculty of top UC brass. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 Baron: A push for free college textbooks -- During his nearly four years at UC Berkeley, Lucas Zucker has gone to great lengths to find affordable textbooks. He shopped online for the best deals and often waited weeks into the semester for the books to arrive from across the country; he shared books with classmates; he bought older editions with identical content that was rearranged; and one semester he didn’t buy some books because they were just too expensive. Kathryn Baron TopEd -- 2/2/12 Challenge to schools: Embracing digital textbooks -- Are hard-bound textbooks going the way of slide rules and typewriters in schools? Kimberly Hefling AP -- 2/2/12 Bill Gates Alum Seeks to Thwart L.A.’s ‘End of Days’ School Cuts -- Every Thursday at 7:30 a.m., John Deasy huddles with his top aides in the Los Angeles Unified School District to pore over data tracking everything from English language proficiency to attendance. Christopher Palmeri Bloomberg -- 2/2/12 Students react to SAT inflation at Claremont McKenna College -- Students said they were surprised and embarrassed to learn that since 2004 the school has reported inflated SAT scores to college ranking services, boosting incoming students' math and English scores by 10 to 20 points. Some students feared that Monday's revelation - which has made national headlines - could tarnish the college's reputation and the reputations of all six private Claremont Colleges. Will Bigham in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 2/2/12
Sen. Feinstein backs health insurance rate controls -- A high-stakes ballot measure to give state regulators the power to approve health insurance rates in California has landed a heavyweight supporter: U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 UCSF scientists declare war on sugar in food -- Like alcohol and tobacco, sugar is a toxic, addictive substance that should be highly regulated with taxes, laws on where and to whom it can be advertised, and even age-restricted sales, says a team of UCSF scientists. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 Blue Shield settles autism therapy dispute -- Blue Shield will cover behavioral therapy for autism in accordance with the state's mental health parity law in a settlement with the California Department of Insurance. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/2/12
Meager Sierra snow worries CA officials, farmers -- California's Sierra Nevada snowpack measured a meager 15 inches in some places, officials announced Wednesday, bearing bad news to a state that depends on snowmelt to meet the water needs of 25 million people and more than a million acres of farmland. TRACIE CONE and RICH PEDRONCELLI AP Carl Nolte in the San Francisco Chronicle Molly Samuel KQED Climate Watch -- 2/2/12
Same-sex couple sues military over benefits -- Now that one barrier to gays and lesbians in the military has fallen, a decorated and disabled Army veteran and her wife took aim at another obstacle Wednesday: the denial of spousal benefits and equal treatment for same-sex couples in the armed forces. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 Crenshaw/LAX Light Rail Misses Airport by a Mile -- As they tout a posh redo of the Tom Bradley International Terminal meant to reposition LAX as a travel hub for the new millennium, Los Angeles leaders are creating a potentially hobbling obstacle for the airport. The other big mass-transit infrastructure project nearby, the "Crenshaw/LAX" Metro light rail, will stop a full mile short of LAX. Ryan Deto LA Weekly -- 2/2/12 Speier: Tasing of Peninsula dog walker may be 'excessive use of force' -- Rep. Jackie Speier has waded into the fray over a National Park Service Ranger's use of a Taser on a man walking his dogs off leash in the Golden Gate Recreation Area, asking for an independent investigator to look into what appears to be an excessive use of force. Joshua Melvin in the Oakland Tribune -- 2/2/12 Salinas launches pilot program for peace -- When the homicide rate in Salinas stood at four times the national average in 2009, local leaders decided enough was enough. In January of that year, Salinas joined forces with the county, law enforcement, faith-based organizations and local businesses to take aim at the gang-related violence plaguing the small city. Lynn Graebner HealthyCal.org -- 2/2/12
California Dems wary of President Obama's new housing plan -- President Obama's new anti-foreclosure plan isn't nearly aggressive enough to stabilize the volatile housing market, a long list of California Democrats warned Wednesday. Mike Lillis The Hill -- 2/2/12
Romney: Not focused on poor, they have safety net -- Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, confident after his Florida primary victory, ended up inviting criticism Wednesday when he said he's "not concerned about the very poor" because they have an "ample safety net." KASIE HUNT AP -- 2/2/12 Dana Rohrabacher Zaps Moon Base Plan -- Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (Calif.), a one-time confidant to former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), is no longer starry-eyed about the GOP presidential hopeful and believes his moon base plan is a bust. Warren Rojas Roll Call -- 2/2/12 A wealthy few use 'super-PACs' to wield new clout -- A few super-rich individuals are using their personal and corporate wealth to influence American politics in an unprecedented manner. Matea Gold, Tom Hamburger and Maloy Moore in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 Saunders: Super PACS outspend their own GOP candidates -- "Hell is paved with good intentions," George Bernard Shaw wrote, "not bad ones." And Shaw never wrote about the unintended consequences of American campaign finance law or the Florida GOP primary, which provide ample proof that the more good-government types try to regulate money and politics, the more convoluted campaign finance becomes. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/2/12 As Republicans shift west, attracting Latinos a challenge -- Jesse Gutierrez wants to help Latino voters find their niche in the Grand Old Party. He uses a seven-question survey to peg people as liberal or conservative, believing he will help some Latinos discover they were always meant to be Republicans. Matt O'Brien in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/2/12 McManus: The Gingrich playbook -- Newt Gingrich says he's staying in the Republican presidential race all the way to the GOP convention in August, and that he's willing — even eager — to fight for the nomination on the convention floor. But does he have a chance? Doyle McManus in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/2/12 |
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