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Jerry Brown signals support for garbage 'gasification' project -- Jerry Brown's administration says it will support a Canadian company's effort to vaporize garbage and turn it into electricity in Monterey County, despite concerns raised by environmentalists. David Siders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/13/12 California counties oppose Democratic plan to take $250 million -- The California State Association of Counties, whose support Gov. Jerry Brown has relied upon since taking office last year, immediately slammed a Democratic plan Wednesday to take $250 million that had gone to local governments under deals with now-defunct redevelopment agencies. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/13/12 Jerry Brown's history of rifts with state lawmakers over welfare -- The current squabble between Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Jerry Brown over proposed cuts to state welfare programs is not the first time the issue has caused rifts between the governor and his fellow Democrats. Nor have his views always been consistent on the issue. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12 Dozens arrested in Capitol protest over proposed budget cuts -- More than 40 Capitol demonstrators were arrested Wednesday after they and hundreds of others crowded around the rotunda chanting protests against proposed cuts to homecare services for those with disabilities or special needs. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/13/12 Democrats prepare to toss budget to Gov. Jerry Brown -- Here’s what we know about the state of the state’s budget: We now have a clearer idea of where the Legislature's top Democrats stand, and where they differ from Gov. Jerry Brown. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12 CA Democrats say they are closer to a budget deal with Jerry Brown -- In a freshly updated budget plan, legislative Democrats showed Wednesday how they replace more than $1 billion in Gov. Jerry Brown's cuts to programs for the poor with a lower reserve and accounting changes. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/13/12 Democratic lawmakers counter Brown with new budget plan -- With two days left before the deadline to approve a state budget, top Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday released an updated spending plan that reduces cuts to social services by recalculating education funding and lowering the reserve fund. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12 Hoffenblum: If We Did Not Have The Top Two Primary … -- If we did not have the top two Open Primary Election on June 5… Brad Sherman would be returning to Washington, D.C. as David the Giant Slayer. Pete Stark would have been guaranteed at least two more years in Congress. Allan Hoffenblum Fox & Hounds -- 6/13/12 Silva: California Budget Making – Back to the Good Old Days -- The good old days of secret budgeting are back and the primary victim is a transparent government. Fred Silva Fox & Hounds -- 6/13/12 PPIC study says new California primary rules had mild effects -- Two new political reforms - a "top-two" primary election and redistricting by an independent commission - "disrupted established incumbents" in June 5 balloting, the Public Policy Institute of California concludes, and "the political establishment suffered some defeats" but the impacts were not dramatic. Dan Walters SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/13/12 CalPERS OKs 9.5 percent hike in health insurance premiums -- The pension fund's governing board voted unanimously to approve the increase, which will cost the average CalPERS member another $30 a month in premiums. The increase takes effect Jan. 1. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/13/12 California urged to do more to help sexually exploited minors -- California has pioneered legislation to prevent sexual exploitation of minors but a new report urges the state to go even further to help victims, including the clearing of records for young people convicted of prostitution. Patrick McGreevy SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/13/12 Pomeroy: Eliminating second-year science mandate is fast fix with long-term damage -- Governor Brown, what are you thinking? Your proposal, to end the mandate that requires a second year of science for high school graduation, as a way to fix a dysfunctional budget process, makes absolutely no sense. Rick Pomeroy Top Ed -- 6/13/12 Median home price in Southland climbs -- The Southland’s move-up market showed some signs of life as the region’s median home price improved for the second consecutive month in May, new data show. Alejandro Lazo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12 searchable database: 2011 Bay Area government worker salaries, benefits -- In the Bay Area's most comprehensive effort to provide the public with information on how much local government spends on public employee salaries and benefits, details on more than $17 billion spent by 271 local governments in the greater Bay Area in 2011 are now available online. Thomas Peele and Daniel Willis in the San Jose Mercury -- 6/13/12
Gov. Jerry Brown, Democrats divided over welfare cuts -- Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic lawmakers were divided Tuesday over the thorny issue of remaking California's welfare program and whether to allow some parents to receive cash aid without finding work. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/13/12 Jerry Brown says he wants Democrats to cut more from budget plan -- Gov. Jerry Brown demanded Tuesday that lawmakers cut deeper into state spending, and welfare in particular, before they move a budget plan to his desk. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12 Governor, Legislature remain divided on budget -- Gov. Jerry Brown signaled late Tuesday that he and Democrats remain apart on the budget, and chided them for continuing to insist on softening his cuts to the poor, elderly and disabled. Steven Harmon in the San Jose Mercury -- 6/13/12 We're 99 percent in sync on budget, say Democrats -- Legislative Democrats kept their budget train rolling down the track on Tuesday, even as Governor Jerry Brown issued a statement that casts some serious doubt on whether he'll ultimately jump on board with their alternative solutions. John Myers News10 -- 6/13/12 Brown moves to eliminate retiree workers -- As Friday's state budget deadline approaches, a little-noticed provision in Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal would cut off thousands of retirees who return to work for the state. Jon Ortiz and Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/13/12 Walters: California school aid at center of wrangle over tax measures -- California's 6 million-student public school system is not only the largest chunk of the state budget that will be enacted this week – by far – but the major component of Gov. Jerry Brown's campaign for sales and income tax increases as well. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/13/12 online poker: Author pulls bill at first hearing -- Deep differences among members of the state’s politically powerful gaming industry, particularly tribes with casinos, have once again stalled legislation to legalize online gambling in California. JIM MILLER in the Riverside Press Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12 Herdt: Any role for cats in dog vs. dog? -- Back when the reformers who designed California's top-two primary were first promoting their idea, they asked us to imagine a system that would empower Republicans in Santa Monica and Democrats in Orange County. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star -- 6/13/12 California redistricting commissioners paid varied amounts for work -- The members of the commission that drew California's new political boundaries made as much as $68,400 in per diem fulfilling their task, records show. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/13/12 Morain: Corporations misfire against Wall Street 'tycoon' -- Richard Roth is a retired two-star general in the Air Force Reserve and a lawyer who defends businesses. Dan Morain in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/13/12 Dianne Feinstein's War -- California's senior senator has been fighting for Drakes Bay Oyster Company at Point Reyes National Seashore — and against the creation of the first marine wilderness on the West Coast. Robert Gammon East Bay Express -- 6/13/12
'No document exists' on bullet train's speed, lawsuit claims -- California’s $68 billion bullet train is supposed to travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles in less than two hours and 40 minutes. LANCE WILLIAMS Bay Citizen -- 6/13/12
Solyndra layoffs larger than previously reported -- On the day it closed, Solyndra said it was laying off 1,100 full-time and temporary employees. But 1,861 workers lost their jobs as the solar panel manufacturer shut its doors, according to U.S. Labor Department documents provided to The Bay Citizen under the Freedom of Information Act. AARON GLANTZ Bay Citizen -- 6/13/12 CalPERS plans to raise health care premiums 9.6 percent -- The California Public Employees' Retirement System plans to raise health care premiums to its members by an average of nearly 10 percent next year, one of the biggest increases in recent years. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/13/12 San Jose lowers pensions for new hires -- A week after voters overwhelmingly passed a measure to cut costly city employee retirement plans, the San Jose City Council took the first step to put those intentions into action by voting Tuesday to shrink pension benefits for new city hires. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury -- 6/13/12 Ruling in favor of Miwok Indians reignites Amador County casino debate -- The last time the town of Plymouth and its 980 residents felt so agitated about the prospect of an Indian casino rising on their golden meadows, voters recalled the mayor and two other City Council members. Peter Hecht in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/13/12 L.A. Council mulls requiring banks to pay 'enforcement fee' for foreclosed homes -- Three years after the Los Angeles City Council created a foreclosure registry to track distressed properties, city officials want stricter rules to help clean up neglected bank-owned homes in neighborhoods like Pacoima and South L.A. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 6/13/12
Beverage lobbyist funds 'community' campaign against soda tax -- A powerful Washington, D.C., trade organization that represents PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and other major beverage companies is helping fund a Richmond group that is fighting a November ballot measure to raise taxes on soda and other sweetened beverages, interviews and records show. WILLIAM HARLESS Bay Citizen -- 6/13/12
Critics decry latest shrinkage of L.A. Unified's school year -- All sides agree that the tentative agreement to trim 5 instructional days in 2012-13 is a bad outcome for students, but some defend it as a necessity. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12 Trigger cuts to schools make budget vote a problem for incumbents -- Now that consensus has jelled among majority Democrats over a new budget plan, attention has turned within both chambers to decide who has to vote for this one and who gets to duck it. Tom Chorneau SI&A Cabinet Report -- 6/13/12 CASBO votes to endorse Brown tax initiative, but not Munger’s -- Even as public support for Gov. Jerry Brown’s November tax initiative appears to be slipping, another powerful school association has endorsed the measure that is designed to restore some K-12 education funding. Kimberly Beltran SI&A Cabinet Report -- 6/13/12 Expanding the role of community colleges in adult school programs -- As school districts throughout California make major cuts or consider abandoning their adult schools, advocates for adult education programs are searching for ways to prevent their demise, including a possible heightened role for community colleges. Sue Frey EdSource -- 6/13/12 Baron: Adult education’s existential crisis -- Adult education in California is nearly as old as the state itself. Today, the program that has helped millions of people learn English, earn a GED, and receive job training for 156 years is facing extinction. Kathryn Baron TopEd -- 6/13/12
Blue Shield sued over insurance policy shifts -- When Blue Shield of California raised the rates for Robert Jeffrey Martin's family insurance policy by 23 percent, the health insurer offered him two options: Stay in his expensive old plan or switch to a policy that offered his family skimpier benefits with a higher deductible. Victoria Colliver in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/13/12 Alzheimer's gene found to affect women over men -- A gene that's been known for two decades as the largest inheritable risk for developing Alzheimer's disease mostly affects the brains of women, not men, according to a team of researchers from Stanford and UCSF. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/13/12 1-day strike for nurses at Bay Area hospitals -- As many as 4,400 registered nurses at nine Bay Area hospitals operated by Sutter Health are set to walk off their jobs Wednesday as part of an ongoing labor dispute with the large Sacramento hospital chain. Victoria Colliver in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/13/12
The Salton Sea Fades Away, And A Town With It -- In the middle of California's driest desert is the Salton Sea, the state's largest lake. Once a popular tourist destination, the storied salty and toxic lake nestled in the Imperial Valley has been slowly shrinking over the years. GLORIA HILLARD NPR -- 6/13/12 Supporters struggle to buy time for endangered state parks -- Whether it's a wealthy donor writing a check, $5 donations or management by a nonprofit, backers are seeking to prevent closures until a lasting solution can be found. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12
OPD Screws Up Scott Olsen Investigation? -- Filings made last week in the court of federal Judge Thelton Henderson reveal that the Oakland Police Department's investigation into which of its officers shot Marine veteran Scott Olsen with a beanbag round on October 25 may have been compromised by the actions of an officer assigned to the case. Ali Winston East Bay Express -- 6/13/12
Berkeley mayor softens approach to proposed sitting ban -- Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates' proposal to ban sitting on sidewalks would not go into effect until July 1, 2013, to give the city time to offer social services to those who would violate the new law, he said Tuesday. Doug Oakley in the Contra Costa Times -- 6/13/12 The Local Newspaper Makes National News -- After the U-T San Diego's new CEO, John Lynch, told me last November that the paper's sports pages would call out Chargers stadium opponents as obstructionists, a media analyst I spoke to made a promise: The U-T's new ownership will eventually become national news. ROB DAVIS Voiceofsandiego.org -- 6/13/12 Marijuana law faces lawsuit -- Letitia Pepper, attorney and director of Crusaders for Patients' Rights, will argue the ban violates the California Environmental Quality Act, which more often is used to determine the environmental impact of a development. Wes Woods II in the San Bernardino Sun -- 6/13/12 Villalobos sues casinos for return of debt payments to add to bankruptcy estate -- Alfred Villalobos, the central figure in the California Public Employees' Retirement System bribery investigation, has won and lost millions gambling in Nevada's casinos. Now he's suing two of his favorite haunts for $600,000, demanding his money back. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/13/12 Lopez: Proposed L.A. group homes law needs work -- L.A. Councilman Mitchell Englander wants to crack down on overcrowded homes that are nuisances to neighbors. But his proposed ordinance could also shut down homes where veterans and the disabled get care. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12
Obama campaign’s rough patch concerns some Democrats -- Is it time for Democrats to panic? That’s what a growing number of party loyalists are wondering, amid a rough couple of weeks in which President Obama and his political operation have been buffeted by bad economic news, their own gaffes and signs that the presumed Republican nominee is gaining strength. Karen Tumulty in the Washington Post -- 6/13/12 Democrats want change in Obama’s message -- Six months ago, President Barack Obama flew to Osawatomie, Kan., to give a speech embracing “a fair shot” for all Americans. Thursday, he’ll head to Cleveland for another speech, trying to lay out his economic vision again. DARREN SAMUELSOHN and EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE Politico -- 6/13/12 Michelle Obama’s campaign-trail advice to Ann Romney: ‘Enjoy it’ -- Spending day after day on the campaign trail can be grueling. But first lady Michelle Obama says that if she had to give one piece of advice to Ann Romney, it would be to enjoy every moment she gets to talk to voters on the road. Felicia Sonmez in the Washington Post -- 6/13/12
Former Giffords aide Ron Barber wins special election for her seat -- Democrat Ron Barber, a former aide to Gabrielle Giffords who was injured in the shooting that nearly took the ex-Arizona congresswoman’s life, won the special election to replace her on Tuesday. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post John Glionna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/13/12 Wall Street's vote: Romney by a landslide -- For three years, Wall Street’s been telling the world how much it can’t stand President Barack Obama. Now, thanks to campaign finance filings, it’s possible to put a price tag on just how much: Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and the super PAC supporting it are outraising Obama among financial-sector donors $37.1 million to $4.8 million. ABBY PHILLIP and KENNETH P. VOGEL Politico -- 6/13/12 |
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