California Policy and Politics This Morning

Tobacco tax proponents officially concede Proposition 29 defeat -- Tobacco tax backers in California officially conceded defeat Friday in the tight Proposition 29 race after they determined the vote gap had simply grown too large to overcome. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ Hannah Dreier Associated Press -- 6/23/12

California state union leader Yvonne Walker has a sales job on her hands -- The toughest sales job in California over the next few weeks belongs to a former Marine who will have to explain to tens of thousands of state workers why they should accept yet another pay cut. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/23/12

Firms owned by state Sen. Mimi Walters' spouse draw complaints -- Dentists and pharmacists who treated inmates seek more than $120,000 from two businesses owned by Republican Sen. Mimi Walters' spouse. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/23/12

Andy Pugno makes Assembly runoff -- but will he keep running? -- Andy Pugno came from behind Friday to win a spot on the November ballot, but he must decide whether to keep a promise to support his Assembly opponent, fellow Republican Beth Gaines. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/23/12

Key Prop 8 witness who opposed same-sex marriage decides it is OK after all -- The chief witness who testified in favor of California's gay marriage ban during a landmark trial on the measure's constitutionality reluctantly came out in favor of gay and lesbian unions on Friday, saying he now thinks "that the time for denigrating or stigmatizing same-sex relationships is over." Lisa Leff Associated Press -- 6/23/12

GOP blocked from California pension reform vote -- While Democrats announced a budget agreement with Gov. Jerry Brown, Republican lawmakers in Sacramento were blocked this week from bringing public pension reform for a vote. Judy Lin Associated Press -- 6/23/12

California budget deal includes exception for Kaiser Permanente -- Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders are crafting an exception for Kaiser Permanente as they prepare to move 880,000 Healthy Families patients to lower-cost Medi-Cal as part of their budget agreement. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/23/12

Imus, Cook in House race; counting in other squeakers goes on -- Officials have finished counting ballots in a close inland congressional district race that will pit two Republicans against one another in the Nov. 6 general election. Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/23/12

Jeffe: GOP Moderates Overboard -- You've heard the one about the rats deserting the sinking ship. Well, this is the one where GOP moderates are deserting a capsizing California Republican Party. Or is it that moderates have been thrown overboard? Sherry Bebitch Jeffe NBC LA Prop Zero -- 6/23/12

CalBuzz: Press Clips: How Prez Race Is Like the NBA Finals -- By the time LeBron, D-Wade and CB4 finished swilling $200,000 worth of champagne at the Fountainbleau’s Club LIV a few hours after sunrise Friday, it appeared, astonishingly, that Erik Spoelstra, coach of the newly crowned NBA champion Miami Heat, still had a job. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 6/23/12

   High-Speed Rail

Jerry Brown suggests high-speed rail CEQA proposal only delayed -- Gov. Jerry Brown said this afternoon that he is not abandoning a proposal to insulate California's high-speed rail project from environmental lawsuits, suggesting he was only delaying the legislation until sometime after the Legislature considers funding for the project. David Siders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 6/23/12

   Economy

First Tesla electric sedans hit the road -- Electric car maker Tesla's first mass-market sedans took to the road Friday, but it's not certain whether their debut will make or break the fledgling company. JOHN S. MARSHALL and HAVEN DALEY Associated Press -- 6/23/12

Gov. Jerry Brown touts delivery of Tesla Model S electric cars -- Tech-savvy Gov. Jerry Brown couldn’t resist being on hand Friday as Tesla Motors Inc. began delivery of its high-end Model S electric car in Fremont, south of Oakland. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/23/12

First Solar shares jump after Antelope Valley construction OKd -- Shares of First Solar soared after the biggest maker of thin-film solar panels got permission to continue construction on a $1.36-billion power project in Los Angeles County. Bloomberg -- 6/23/12

   Giving and Receiving

Nonprofits were hidden giant in 2010 fundraising -- Think Super PACs dominated the money race in 2010? Think again. A new study by the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity and Center for Responsive Politics says nonprofits outspent Super PACs by a 3-to-2 margin in the 2010 campaign. Nonprofits are expected to play a big role in this year’s campaign as well. Ronald Campbell in the Orange County Register -- 6/23/12

   Taxes - Fees

Business alarmed over proposed tax penalty -- Tucked into the more than two dozen budget trailer bills awaiting action by the state Legislature next week is a tax penalty proposal that has taxpayer advocates and business groups crying foul. BRIAN JOSEPH in the Orange County Register -- 6/23/12

   Education

16 LAUSD schools to lose state funding for failing to meet test score requirements -- Sixteen struggling Los Angeles Unified schools will lose nearly $60 million from a state program designed to boost student achievement after they fell short in raising scores on standardized tests, according to officials. Barbara Jones in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 6/23/12

   Health Care

Hundreds attend day one of Inland Empire's free health clinic -- Hundreds of Inland Empire residents lined-up Friday afternoon waiting to receive free health services during Molina Healthcare's first "Care 4 a Healthy IE" three-day event at the National Orange Show Events Center. Rachel Luna in the San Bernardino Sun -- 6/23/12

   Environment

California drowning? Sea up 3 feet by 2100 -- Sea level on the California coast could rise three feet or more by the end of the century, increasing coastal damage from surging storms and high waves, according to at new report from the National Research Council. Pat Brennan in the Orange County Register -- 6/23/12

   POTUS 44

Obama calls Romney 'outsourcing pioneer' in attack on Bain Capital -- President Obama seized on a new report about Mitt Romney’s business career Friday to cast him as a “pioneer” in the outsourcing of American jobs. Amie Parnes and Justin Sink The Hill -- 6/23/12

Obama rallies Latinos with attack on Romney over immigration -- One day after his Republican rival reached out to an influential Latino political organization, President Obama fired back by reminding the same audience that Mitt Romney had promised to veto a path to citizenship for young illegal immigrants. Paul West and Kathleen Hennessey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/23/12

   Beltway

Romney campaign: 'outsourcing' does not equal 'offshoring' -- Mitt Romney’s campaign is disputing a Washington Post report on Bain Capital’s record of investing in companies that outsourced jobs, calling it a “fundamentally flawed” story that elides the difference between outsourcing and shipping jobs overseas. ALEXANDER BURNS Politico -- 6/23/12