California Policy and Politics This Morning

Labor groups blast Brown’s fundraising from the ‘1%’ -- Gov. Jerry Brown has courted a coalition of business and labor groups to back his November initiative that would raise taxes on sales and upper incomes. Now, some on the left are lashing out at the governor’s plan, and his early donors, reaffirming their intent to place a competing tax measure on the ballot this fall. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

California's school funding measure under siege in tough times -- When teachers unions and education groups backed Proposition 98 nearly a quarter-century ago, they told voters it was "a well-thought-out plan for California's schools to once again be among the very best in the nation." Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/4/12

California legislators quickly bump heads -- The Legislature has been back in town for only a month, but it looks like some lawmakers are ready to take their gloves off now. Wyatt Buchanan, Marisa Lagos in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/4/12

Gov. Jerry Brown signs measure to boost state's cash flow -- Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Friday expanding the state's ability to borrow from dedicated funds to cover day-to-day expenses. The bill is expected to make $865 million available to help keep California from falling into the red in early March. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

Major Parties See Voter Registration Shrinkage -- The latest voter registration figures, just released by California’s Secretary of State, show that major party affiliation is shrinking, while the percentage of independent voters continues to rise. Sherry Bebitch Jeffe KNBC Prop Zero -- 2/4/12

California likely to experience the biggest political turnover in 20 years -- California will lose a measure of clout in Congress after November's election no matter which party best exploits the state's freshly redistricted regions and election rules. Jessica Philipps in the Santa Cruz Sentinel -- 2/4/12

Bilbray went to bat for energy aid -- Rep. Brian Bilbray, who said he worried about political pressure on the Department of Energy in approving $535 million in loan guarantees to solar-panel manufacturer Solyndra, himself requested U.S. aid for energy-efficient vehicle companies in San Diego. Christopher Cadelago UT Sandiego -- 2/4/12

Ex-mayor of Rosemead admits guilt in bribery case -- John Tran, 36, admits to shaking down a developer for more than $10,000 while on the City Council. He also resigns from the school board and withdraws from an Assembly race. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

Money not flowing into recall campaigns in Oakland -- Lots of people last year said they wanted Oakland Mayor Jean Quan recalled, but only Len Raphael put his money where his mouth was. Matt Artz in the Oakland Tribune -- 2/4/12

State ethics agency gets acting executive director -- A veteran attorney for the state’s political watchdog agency has been named acting executive director, addressing concern by some good-government activists that the position had long been vacant. Patrick McGreevy LA Times PolitiCal Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 2/4/12

Deputies union warns Baca about release of personnel records -- The union representing the L.A. County sheriff's rank-and-file deputies says he would be violating the law if he releases files to the special panel examining allegations of inmate abuse inside county jails. Robert Faturechi and Jack Leonard in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

Worker at nuclear plant fell into reactor pool last week -- A worker at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station fell inside the plant's Unit 2 reactor pool last week, but officials determined he did not suffer significant radiation exposure. PAUL SISSON in the North County Times -- 2/4/12

   Occupy

Occupy L.A. protesters want city to return murals from encampment -- Occupy L.A. protesters called Friday for the city to return artwork made during the group's two-month encampment outside Los Angeles City Hall. The city's Department of Cultural Affairs has kept the plywood murals in storage since the group's November eviction from the City Hall lawn. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News Ari Bloomekatz in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

   Economy - Jobs

New America's Cup pact troubles critics -- San Francisco may hand over rights to a contentious piece of waterfront property to America's Cup organizers under a new version of the deal to bring the famed regatta to the city, The Chronicle has learned. John Coté in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/4/12

2 Years of Rules and Permits Later, an Ice Cream Shop Opens -- Pries said it took two years to open the restaurant, due largely to the city’s morass of permits, procedures and approvals required to start a small business. While waiting for permission to operate, she still had to pay rent and other costs, going deeper into debt each passing month without knowing for sure if she would ever be allowed to open. SCOTT JAMES Bay Citizen -- 2/4/12

2011 investment returns falter for Orange County public pension plan -- The Orange County Employee’s Retirement System ended 2011 with an investment return of 0.74 percent — that’s 7 percent less than projected. Tony Saavedra in the Orange County Register -- 2/4/12

   Education

Claremont McKenna College removed from magazine ranking -- Amid scandal over inflated reporting of incoming classes' SAT scores, Kiplinger financial publication has dropped the campus from its list of best values in liberal arts colleges. Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

Bilingual classes try to push Latinos toward college -- Four high schools in Southern California are offering math and science courses using online curriculum from Mexico to get more Latino students to meet requirements to go to college. Matt Stevens and Dalina Castellanos in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

   Health Care

Banks: A compassionless crackdown -- The LAPD's Devonshire Division has done a thorough job of closing the area's pot dispensaries. Legitimate medical marijuana patients are the ones to suffer for it. Sandy Banks in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

   Environment

The Unequal Effects of Climate Change -- Low-income communities in CA are more vulnerable to climate change-related health risks. Molly Samuel KQED Climate Watch -- 2/4/12

Court: Sierra logging plan left out impact on fish -- The Bush administration's decision in 2004 to dramatically expand logging in Sierra forests throughout California, as a means of fire protection, failed to analyze the potential impact on numerous species of fish, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/4/12

Renewable energy costs are starting to come down -- The price of renewable power contracts signed by California utilities more than doubled from 2003 through 2011 but has now started to plunge, according to a long-awaited state report issued Friday. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/4/12

   Immigration

Support grows to help Oakland immigrant get kidney transplant -- An effort to save the life of an Oakland father who was denied an organ transplant because of his immigration status has gained a legion of supporters across the country. Jesus Navarro now has a website, an online petition with thousands of supporters, several lawyers and a laundry list of groups organizing on his behalf. Hannah Dreier in the Oakland Tribune -- 2/4/12

   Also..

Candidates mine gold in California -- Political experts call California an ATM or a gold mine for presidential candidates. Ronald Campbell in the Orange County Register -- 2/4/12

U.N. investigator urges Sacramento to provide water, sanitation for homeless -- In 2009, they caught Oprah Winfrey's attention. Last year, they were featured in a lengthy article in Harper's magazine. Now a small but vocal band of homeless people fighting for the right for a legal campground in Sacramento has scored an international coup. Cynthia Hubert in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/4/12

Zuckerberg’s Big Tax Bill May Benefit Facebook -- Mark Zuckerberg plans to exercise stock options with an estimated value of $5 billion ahead of Facebook’s initial public offering, which will translate into a big tax benefit for the company. DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI in the New York Times -- 2/4/12

Facebook shows how privacy is passe -- The willingness of millions of Facebook users to share their lives with others shows how social networking has led many of us to devalue our privacy on the Internet. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

Susan G. Komen for the Cure has long been under pressure -- Antiabortion activists have tried for years to break the foundation's ties to Planned Parenthood. Karen Kaplan, Shari Roan and Eryn Brown in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

   POTUS 44

Bolstered by strong jobs report, Obama tells Congress 'don't muck it up' -- Saying the economy is “growing stronger,” President Obama issued a strong warning to Congress on Friday: “Do not slow down the recovery ... don't muck it up!" Amie Parnes The Hill -- 2/4/12

Jobs report a potential turning point in Obama's reelection year -- If President Obama wins reelection in November, Friday's jobs report may be remembered as the turning point when he shifted from slight underdog to favorite. David Lauter in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12

   Beltway

For GOP candidates in Nevada, stumping is a high-stakes gamble -- In anything-goes Nevada, the Republican presidential candidates must tread a fine line between voters and vice. Michael J. Mishak and Ashley Powers in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/4/12