Rough & Tumble ®
A Snapshot of California Public Policy and Politics
 
 
 
 

California Policy and Politics Friday

Gavin Newsom takes tougher stance on cities not combating homelessness -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom has cracked down on cities that fall short on housing. Now he wants to do the same with homelessness. Jeremy B. White Politico Lindsey Holden, Vik Jolly in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/19/24

‘Confusion and chaos’: S.F. sues Oakland over airport renaming, says Bay Area tourism will suffer -- The lawsuit argues the new name violates San Francisco’s trademark and creates unfair competition, asking the court to enjoin the change and uphold SFO’s brand. Daniel Lempres in the San Francisco Chronicle$ George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/19/24-- 4/19/24

Calexico resoundingly ousts town’s first transgender mayor and a council ally -- Voters in Calexico have resoundingly ousted the first out transgender member of the City Council and her council ally after a bitter recall campaign rife with accusations of transphobia and political cronyism in the struggling city on the U.S.-Mexico border. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/19/24

More than 20 previously uncounted ballots discovered during Congressional District 16 recount; San Mateo County now charging more to count ballots -- As the recount in the Congressional District 16 race entered its fourth day, more than 20 ballots excluded from the original count in Santa Clara County have been uncovered — a development that could swing the results of the election and break the tie for second between Assemblymember Evan Low and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian. Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/19/24

California lawmakers reject bill to let parents sue schools that don’t ban ‘harmful’ books -- California lawmakers recently voted down a bill requiring school boards to ban books with “harmful material” from libraries and classrooms, legislation that would have given parents the ability to sue those that did not comply. Lindsey Holden in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/19/24

Gaming tribes make clear they’ll lead the way on sports betting in California -- The annual convention, hosted by the Indian Gaming Association, provided a peak not only into the mentality of California’s gaming tribes but also offered hints as to how sports wagering giants like FanDuel are responding to their still-raw emotions. Brian Joseph Capitol Weekly -- 4/19/24

Prop 47

Backers say they have enough signatures to qualify Prop 47 rollback initiative -- Critics who blame California’s 2014 Proposition 47 for runaway drug addiction, retail theft and urban squalor said Thursday they have collected enough signatures to qualify a November ballot measure that would restore penalties for serial thieves and treatment requirements for addicts. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ Lindsey Holden in the Sacramento Bee$ Anabel Sosa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/19/24

Newton: Why more Angelenos are finally beginning to embrace LA City Council expansion -- The growth of Los Angeles in recent decades has renewed discussions around how best to represent such a large, diverse city. After city leaders were exposed in 2022 for wanting to carve city council districts to serve narrow interests, the argument for expanding the council has become more viable. Jim Newton CalMatters -- 4/19/24

Workplace

California tries again to protect workers from indoor heat — except in prisons -- State workplace safety officials plan to protect employees from indoor heat this summer. But due to cost concerns, a separate rule is in the works for state prisons that will take more time. Jeanne Kuang CalMatters Samantha Young KFF Health News -- 4/19/24

Elon Musk apologizes to laid-off Tesla employees for severance package error -- It remains unclear which divisions of the company, headquartered in Austin, Texas, with a sizable factory in Fremont, will be most affected by the layoffs. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/19/24

Street

Alameda County DA's office charges three police officers in controversial death of Mario Gonzalez -- Alameda County prosecutors filed involuntary manslaughter charges against three officers in the death of Mario Gonzalez, a man they arrested in Alameda in April 2021 and pinned to the ground until he went limp, according to court records. Rachel Swan, David Hernandez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/19/24

A ‘cold-blooded killer’ called Smiley haunted L.A. for 14 years. How he finally faced justice -- Jose Luis Saenz spent 14 years on the run after he was linked to a string of brazen murders. Authorities eventually tracked him down in Mexico — but not before he popped back up on the doorstep of a man who’d lost half a million in drug money. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/19/24

Also

‘No place like this.’ L.A. home helps young adults live beyond survival mode -- Los Angeles Room & Board provides wraparound support to young adults on the brink of homelessness. Rather than trying to figure out where they will sleep every night, they focus on attending school or earning an income. Betty Márquez Rosales EdSource -- 4/19/24

 

California Policy and Politics Thursday

California in a jam after borrowing billions to pay unemployment benefits -- California’s massive budget deficit, coupled with the state’s relatively high level of joblessness, has become a major barrier to reducing the billions of dollars of debt it has incurred to pay unemployment benefits. Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/18/24

California leaders take sides in monumental Supreme Court case on homelessness -- The U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear a case that will have major implications on homelessness policy in California. Find out where your leaders stand on the issue. Marisa Kendall CalMatters David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/18/24

Signatures roll in for tough-on-crime ballot measure to reform California’s Proposition 47 -- A coalition backing a tough-on-crime statewide ballot initiative to toughen penalties for retail theft and some drug offenses on Thursday submitted more than 900,000 voter signatures backing the measure, a strong indicator that it may come before California voters in November. Anabel Sosa in the Los Angeles Times$ Lindsey Holden in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/18/24

Newsom calls for increased oversight of local homelessness efforts -- The call to ramp up accountability is the latest example of Newsom pointing at local governments for the failure to lessen homelessness, which has only worsened in his tenure despite more than $20 billion in state funds spent on programs to help. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ Jeremy B. White Politico -- 4/18/24

Lawmaker withdraws sweeping California bill to expand assisted dying -- The author of a California bill that aimed to create the most expansive assisted dying law in the country has pulled the proposal, meaning it won’t be considered this year. Rachel Bluth Politico -- 4/18/24

California won’t prosecute LAPD officer who shot teenage girl in store’s dressing room -- The California Justice Department announced today that it has found no cause to file charges against a Los Angeles police officer who, while aiming at a suspect, shot and killed a 14-year-old girl hiding in a department store fitting room. Nigel Duara CalMatters -- 4/18/24

California sets nation’s first water standard for cancer-causing contaminant -- Water suppliers say the costs will be massive, with rates increasing for many consumers. Known as the “Erin Brockovich” chemical, hexavalent chromium is found statewide. Rachel Becker CalMatters -- 4/18/24

Walters: Will Attorney General Rob Bonta jump into the 2026 race for California governor? -- A handful of Democratic politicians are already running for governor of California in 2026. Attorney General Rob Bonta is acting as if he might jump in. But so far there are no Latinos or Republicans in the mix. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 4/18/24

Arellano: What’s behind those ‘Shame on you’ billboards in the Coachella Valley -- The billboards have become such a part of the region’s life that Bea Gonzalez, a Desert Community College board trustee, recently told me she’s used to having strangers stare at her before asking if she’s that woman. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/18/24

Insurance

Insurers won't renew some homes, citing risk of earthquake-induced fires. This map shows where -- It’s been 118 years since the infamous 1906 earthquake and the fires that followed. Despite better technology and preparedness, insurers are still worried about post-quake fires. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/18/24

S.F. leaders hail city’s resiliency on anniversary of 1906 quake -- There was a contemporary note to Thursday’s remembrances of the city’s resiliency: Much like the recovery from the earthquake and fire, San Francisco has the gumption to rebound from its post-pandemic woes — homelessness, rampant drug sales, thefts, vacant stores, officials said. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/18/24

California insurance crisis: Thousands to lose coverage as two more insurers withdraw -- In filings with the California Department of Insurance, Tokio Marine America Insurance Company and Trans Pacific Insurance Company said they would both withdraw from the homeowners and personal umbrella insurance markets in California. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/18/24

California insurers must give discounts for wildfire mitigation. Have homeowners benefited? -- Discounts proposed by some of the largest insurers in the state have yet to go into effect. But based on what companies have put forward, the cost of qualifying for them will dwarf the savings for many homeowners. Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/18/24

Workplace

Google announces more layoffs, plans to relocate jobs overseas -- The layoffs will primarily affect Google’s finance and real estate departments. A spokesperson for the Mountain View company stated that these layoffs are part of a continuing restructuring initiative. Some impacted roles will be moved to developing hubs in India, Ireland and Mexico. Aidin Vaziri, Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/18/24

Tech layoffs jolt Bay Area economy with hundreds of new job cuts -- A high-profile aerospace and defense contractor and a semiconductor company were among the latest tech firms to chop jobs in the Bay Area, cutbacks that will erase more than 200 positions. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/18/24

‘The fairy dust fades away’: Why the people who play Disneyland’s costumed characters are unionizing -- Character performers at Disneyland Resort have filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, per the Actors’ Equity Assn. Christi Carras in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/18/24

Google fires 28 employees over protests inside work offices -- Google fired 28 workers Wednesday in Sunnyvale and New York, calling their protests inside work offices “completely unacceptable behavior” that prevented some employees from accessing their facilities. Jordan Parker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Stephanie Lam in the San Jose Mercury$ Miles Kruppa in the Wall Street Journal$ Caroline O'Donovan, Gerrit De Vynck in the Washington Post$ Nico Grant in the New York Times$ -- 4/18/24

Office Market

Former S.F. ‘start-up village’ sells for huge discount. New owners believe office recovery has begun -- A San Francisco office building that once served as home to startups including Zendesk and Eventbrite has sold for less than one-third of its pre-pandemic value. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/18/24

Power Bills

Battle intensifies over new monthly fee planned for Californians’ power bills -- A new fixed monthly fee is scheduled to be adopted by California Public Utilities Commission around whether the payment structure change will harm or help low-income residents and the state’s clean energy goals. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/18/24

Homeless

S.F.’s tiny cabins for the homeless with ‘insane’ price tag finally open in Mission District -- A much anticipated tiny cabin village for homeless people is finally open in San Francisco’s Mission District after years of planning, delays and intense controversy over the project’s steep price tag. Maggie Angst, Aldo Toledo in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/18/24

San Diego directs more money to its first safe sleeping site, though few have found permanent housing -- Some residents have raised concerns about mold and food as officials scramble to create more spots for homeless people. Blake Nelson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/18/24

‘No place like this.’ L.A. home helps young adults live beyond survival mode -- A home in the middle of Los Angeles has become an oasis for young adults brought together by one particular experience: homelessness. Betty Márquez Rosales EdSource -- 4/18/24

Environment

Tijuana River named among most endangered rivers in America due to sewage crisis -- The Tijuana River, with frequent flows of sewage and chemical-tainted waters, is among America’s top endangered rivers, according to a report released Tuesday that spotlights threats to clean water nationwide. Tammy Murga in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/18/24

USC

Did USC set ‘very bad precedent’ by cancelling valedictorian speech over safety threats? -- Campus administrators nationwide struggle to uphold principles of free expression amid pressure from those who claim speech, or potential speech, can subject students to harm. Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/18/24

‘Let her speak!’ USC campus reels after valedictorian’s speech is canceled -- On Wednesday, a smattering of protesters gathered by the landmark Tommy Trojan statue, some calling on USC President Carol Folt to reverse course as arguments broke out between those on opposing sides. Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Angie Orellana Hernandez, Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/18/24

Health Care

These ethnic groups in California do the best by far in getting quality health care -- New study from the Commonwealth Fund finds wide disparities around the U.S. in who gets care and how they fare. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/18/24

Education

Homes at schools? San Diego Unified OKs its first affordable housing development on district property -- This is the second time the district has allowed a developer to build housing on surplus land no longer needed for school facilities. But it’s the first where all the units will be rent-restricted. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/18/24

Street

L.A. sheriff’s deputy facing felony charges, allegedly stole money during traffic stop -- A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was arrested this week after prosecutors said she stole money during a traffic stop, then filed a false report to cover it up. Keri Blakinger in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/18/24

S.F. DA Jenkins has a message for anyone delayed during Golden Gate Bridge protest -- San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins urged anyone delayed by protests that shut down the Golden Gate Bridge on Monday to file a report to authorities because they may be victims of false imprisonment and entitled to restitution. Nora Mishanec in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/18/24