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California Policy and Politics Thursday
Poll shows Becerra opening lead in California governor’s race -- Xavier Becerra has opened a sizable advantage over his closest Democratic rival in the California governor’s race, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California poll, positioning him as the favorite heading into the final week of the primary. Jeremy B. White Politico John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/28/26
Follow the money: Who’s backing California’s next governor — and why -- Billionaires, Big Oil and other interests are spending big to influence the California governor’s race, making for the most expensive primary campaign in state history. Jeanne Kuang and Jeremia Kimelman Calmatters Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/28/26
Poll shows Bass, Raman and Pratt locked in tight race ahead of Tuesday’s mayoral primary -- The latest UC Berkeley-L.A. Times poll in the L.A. mayor’s race has Mayor Bass at 26%, Nithya Raman at 25% and Spencer Pratt at 22% among likely voters. Raman and Pratt each surged by eight percentage points since March survey; Bass stayed flat. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ Lindsey Holden Politico
Newsom endorses Bass days before L.A. mayoral primary -- Newsom’s endorsement comes just days before Tuesday’s primary, in which Bass is in a close race with Councilmember Nithya Raman and former reality TV personality Spencer Pratt. In his endorsement, Newsom cited Bass’ work in reducing homelessness and street crime. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Batman, AI and the LA mayor’s race: Pratt videos spark backlash and legal debate -- AI-generated videos depicting Pratt as a superhero and Bass as a villain have taken off online, drawing criticisms from opponents and raising questions about California election law. Teresa Liu and Linh Tat in the LA Daily News -- 5/28/26
A bitter slugfest in Central Valley exposes divisions in the Democratic Party -- In California’s southern Central Valley, Democrats are locked in a bitter primary over who will challenge vulnerable Republican Rep. David Valadao in a redrawn, Latino-majority swing district. Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Newsom vows 100 percent tax on DOJ ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ payouts -- Gavin Newsom vowed Wednesday to tax any payouts that California residents receive from a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that President Donald Trump secured in a settlement with his own Justice Department. Tyler Katzenberger Politico Iris Kwok in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/27/26
Newsom seeks to shield California elections from federal interference before Tuesday primary -- The law, which took effect immediately and came days before next Tuesday's primary, prohibits any person — including federal agents — from accessing voter rolls or election technology without a court order. Law enforcement officers are restricted from disrupting election workers, except in public safety emergencies. Hannah Schoenbaum Associated Press Laurel Rosenhall in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
New California law bans law enforcement from interfering in state elections -- Law enforcement officers will be banned from interfering with California elections under a new law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Wednesday, just in time for the June 2 primary election. Maya C. Miller Calmatters -- 5/28/26
What would get Gen Z to vote in California’s primary? These candidates are trying -- Historical voter turnout data show that voters aged 29 and younger disproportionately sit out primary elections in California compared to the general voting population. Still, a few governor candidates have been targeting young voters in their campaigns, particularly through social media and college organizations. Kahani Malhotra and Chrissa Olson Calmatters -- 5/28/26
Trump plan to target ‘sanctuary city’ airports ahead of World Cup likely illegal, experts say -- A plan floated by the Trump administration to cut off international air traffic to and from sanctuary cities as thousands of travelers head to California for the World Cup might violate the travelers’ constitutional rights, several legal experts told the Chronicle. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/28/26
O.C. chemical crisis prompts safety-record review, Newsom says -- Gov. Gavin Newsom said California officials are starting to review safety records of the aerospace firm whose pressurized tank nearly exploded with a toxic chemical over the Memorial Day weekend, as well as other similar chemical plants. Iris Kwok and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Aerospace company behind Garden Grove chemical leak scare faces court cases, supply disruption -- Evacuation orders have lifted after the Garden Grove chemical scare, but GKN Aerospace now faces class-action lawsuits and questions over negligence that displaced roughly 50,000 residents for days. The Garden Grove plant is a rare global supplier of fighter-jet canopies and airliner windows. Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Arellano: O.C.’s most overlooked city weathers chemical crisis -- Wearing scuffed brown shoes, wrinkled slacks and a polo shirt dotted with sailboats, Stanton City Councilmember Donald Torres looked like someone who had put on whatever clothes he found at the top of the laundry hamper. That’s because he basically had. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Workplace
‘It was a bloodbath’: S.F. startup Webflow announces abrupt round of layoffs -- San Francisco startup Webflow on Wednesday became the latest tech company to announce layoffs, abruptly notifying workers that their jobs were another casualty in an industry that is restructuring around artificial intelligence. Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/28/26
State worker union tries novel legal angle to stop Newsom’s return-to-office order -- A state worker union hopes to use a California environmental law notorious for obstructing the construction of new homes to block a very different kind of project: Gov. Gavin Newsom’s impending return-to-office order. William Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/28/26
Big Studios Are Ditching Hollywood for New Jersey’s Lavish Tax Breaks -- As film and TV production plummets elsewhere, the Garden State is rolling out the red carpet for companies like Netflix. Ben Fritz in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/28/26
ICE
ICE agent who killed L.A. man allegedly threatened criminal charges over being identified -- A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who shot and killed a Los Angeles man on New Year’s Eve allegedly threatened his girlfriend’s ex-husband with criminal prosecution over his name being made public, according to a restraining order application and an audio recording reviewed by The Times. James Queally and Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Housing
Renting in S.F. comes with surprise fees. A new law would force landlords to show them -- With unexpected fees for everything from utilities to pest control to “garbage concierge,” the dirty little secret of renting an apartment in San Francisco is tenants often don’t know how much their pad is going to cost until they move in. The city wants to change that. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/28/26
Develop
Private equity-backed developer in talks to buy Oakland Arena from community group in Coliseum deal -- Oak View Group, co-founded in 2015 by music industry mogul Irving Azoff, is in talks to buy the Oakland Arena as part of the pending sale of the Oakland Coliseum complex, adding a new layer to the yearslong effort to transfer control of the 155-acre East Oakland property. Kate Talerico in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/28/26
Education
Citing ‘severe’ math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM applicants -- A UC San Diego report of soaring math unpreparedness fuels faculty warnings that reliable testing is needed for admissions. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Street
How private money helps bankroll the LAPD and gives boosters access to top officials -- Modernizing the department’s computer systems, outfitting officers with body cameras and purchases of new drones have all been paid for through charitable donations. Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/28/26
Also
A Nasty Contest to Become Commodore Has Torn This Yacht Club Apart -- The Sausalito club refused to elevate Marisa McArthur. She launched a legal fight that has led to expulsions, suspensions and now a lawsuit. Pamela Paul in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/28/26
These Drivers Found Cheap Gas -- It’s in Valley Center, Calif., on tribal land. Customers relish every penny saved. Corina Knoll in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
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Prices in the U.S. Are Rising at the Fastest Pace in Years -- A measure of inflation closely watched by the Federal Reserve accelerated in April to a three-year high, reinforcing the central bank’s budding support to consider raising interest rates if price pressures do not ease. Colby Smith in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
Trump’s approval plunges among his White working-class base -- The swing is stark: 54 percent of White voters without a college degree disapproved of Trump’s performance in a CBS News poll this month, up from 32 percent in February 2025 and 45 percent in February of this year. It’s a sobering sign for Republicans heading into the midterms and working to turn out the voters who carried Trump to victory in 2024. Hannah Knowles in the Washington Post$ -- 5/28/26
Trump's 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' could carry a big tax bill, some experts argue -- Federal income tax experts tell Politico money from the DOJ's Judgment Fund, which the new $1.8 billion program is drawing on, is generally taxable. Bernie Becker Politico -- 5/28/26
Trump Says He Feels No Political Pressure to Make an Iran Deal -- President Trump on Wednesday held the door open for more negotiations with Iran but insisted he did not feel any political pressure to make a deal to end the unpopular three-month war and lower gas prices. Max Bearak, Erika Solomon, Euan Ward, Luke Broadwater and Michael Levenson in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
Judge Declines, for Now, to Block Mail-In Voting Changes Ordered by Trump -- A federal judge on Thursday declined, for the moment, to block an executive order President Trump signed in March targeting mail-in voting and directing the creation of a federal database of citizens to help guide states on voter eligibility. Zach Montague and Adam Sella in the New York Times$ -- 5/28/26
Trump appointees push $250 banknote with his portrait -- Trump administration officials have pressed the office responsible for printing the nation’s money to design a $250 bill featuring the president’s portrait, according to four current and former employees, in what would be the first appearance of a living person on U.S. currency in more than 150 years. Jonathan O'Connell in the Washington Post$ -- 5/28/26
California Policy and Politics Wednesday
Garden Grove crisis exposes Southern California’s hidden industrial risks -- The near-disaster in Garden Grove serves as a reminder of the widespread but overlooked industrial risks embedded in Southern California neighborhoods. Experts warn that fast-tracked housing development near industrial sites is raising the odds of more chemical emergencies, often in low-income communities already burdened by pollution. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/27/26
Industry knew about chemical ‘runaway’ dangers for years. Then came near-catastrophe in O.C. -- The chemical industry has been well aware of the risks of the type of thermal runaway reaction that forced 50,000 people from their homes in Orange County last weekend, reviving years of warnings from researchers about the potential dangers. Hannah Fry and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/27/26
Community frustrations, concerns about lack of preparation aired at contentious Garden Grove meeting -- Having endured a turbulent weekend of evacuations prompted by a chemical scare, hundreds of Garden Grove residents packed the City’s Council Chambers Tuesday night, May 26, to make clear their mounting outrage and concerns and to demand answers from elected officials and the company at the center of it all. Victoria Le and Claire Wang in the Orange County Register$ -- 5/27/26
Billionaire Tom Steyer’s ad spending breaks records in California governor’s race -- Win or lose, billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer will leave a mark in the history books in his bid to become California’s next governor — he’s running the most expensive political advertising campaign in the country this year. Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 5/27/26
PG&E goes after gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer. He welcomes the fight -- PG&E is backing a committee that’s attacking Tom Steyer, while propping up Xavier Becerra. Steyer, a billionaire climate activist, frames the attacks as proof of his plans to reform the utilities. The California Chamber of Commerce PAC is also spending money to support the anti-Steyer campaign after receiving millions from the three major utilities. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/27/26
Mayor Karen Bass is in the toughest reelection fight of her career. She says she intends to win it -- Mayor Karen Bass’ campaign has acknowledged she will be pushed into a runoff. She says she will ultimately win the race. Elected on a promise to tackle street homelessness, Bass now faces criticism that her Inside Safe program is too costly and not effective. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/27/26
In San Francisco's bruising House race, even Pelosi is a target -- Democrats in San Francisco have talked about Nancy Pelosi with a sense of reverence for the better part of 40 years. Saikat Chakrabarti is testing whether he can win a primary by flaming her instead. Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 5/27/26
Big name Democrats steer clear of endorsements in messy governor’s race -- Democratic consultant Steven Maviglio said there’s a simple reason they’re not weighing in: “They don’t want to be a loser.” For Newsom in particular, backing a losing candidate could be a mark against him as he ramps up a probable run for president in 2028, Maviglio said. Ben Paviour in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/27/26
Workplace
Meta plans to cut more than 600 Bay Area jobs; NetApp will eliminate dozens -- Meta Platforms revealed plans to slash well over 600 jobs in the Bay Area, while NetApp will trim dozens more positions, as downsizing in the Bay Area tech sector continues. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/27/26
Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit Over Commercial Driver’s Licenses for Migrants -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a bid by officials in Florida to sue California and Washington over claims that those states have allowed undocumented immigrants to receive commercial trucking licenses. Officials in the two states deny the allegation. Abbie VanSickle in the New York Times$ -- 5/27/26
‘Easily discarded’: Processing delays leave DACA recipients jobless and fearing deportation -- Recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, are facing months-long delays for work permit renewals. The immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children are losing paychecks and bracing for possible deportation. Andrea Castillo and Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/27/26
Go Ask Alice Why Tech Start-Ups Are Spending Big on Hype Videos -- A Mad Hatter and a giant rabbit sit around a table discussing an A.I. start-up. This is normal behavior around the Bay Area these days. Natallie Rocha, Mike Kai Chen in the New York Times$ -- 5/27/26
Housing
San Jose launches workforce housing effort at downtown housing tower -- A program designed to bring middle-income households into a prominent San Jose housing tower is officially underway, an effort that could lead to hundreds more residents downtown. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/27/26
Homeless
San Francisco faces a budget crisis. Its homelessness fund is flush with cash -- The Our City, Our Home Fund — financed by a voter-approved tax on large businesses — has exceeded forecasts and is expected to bring in more than $900 million over the next two years. That’s in addition to a $450 million fund balance. Maggie Angst in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/27/26
Education
Justice Department sues UCLA for the third time, alleges antisemitism against students -- The complaint centers on a 2024 pro-Palestinian encampment and pro-Palestinian rallies through the current year. Federal officials seek repayment of potentially hundreds of millions in grant dollars, as well as outside monitoring and policy reforms. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/27/26
California education groups demand state legislature reject Newsom’s plan to withhold school funding -- Newsom’s plan, included in his revised 2026-27 budget proposal, would temporarily withhold $3.9 billion in school funding. Molly Gibbs in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/27/26
AI
At the Epicenter of A.I., Pope Leo’s Warnings Are Dismissed -- Pope Leo XIV’s spiritual message on artificial intelligence arrived as Silicon Valley’s A.I. enthusiasts pursue their own spirituality through technology. Cade Metz in the New York Times$ -- 5/27/26
Privacy
The form asked my permission to share my health data. Then it wouldn’t let me say no -- To experience what patients have to do to opt-out of having their data shared, I went to doctor’s appointments in seven states. One clinic showed me how easily dark patterns force patients to share their data with big healthcare networks, even when the privacy form they’re signing explicitly says they can opt-out. Alex Rosenblat Calmatters -- 5/27/26
Tijuana River
A small fix could make a big difference in Tijuana River pollution: When will it happen? -- As the U.S. and Mexico pursue $800 million in upgrades to wastewater facilities on the border, local officials are working on a smaller fix to improve conditions as soon as next year. Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 5/27/26
Also
The $400 Million Showdown Between a Billionaire and a California Mayor -- The owner of the Los Angeles Rams and the City of Inglewood are in a dispute over Hollywood Park and SoFi Stadium, which is about to host World Cup matches. Matt Stevens, Ken Belson and Emmanuel Morgan in the New York Times$ -- 5/27/26
Walters: Newsom’s unbalanced budget faces strong pushback for spending cuts. Will lawmakers back him? -- Gavin Newsom is trying to finish his governorship on a high note, claiming he has written “a balanced budget structurally for 18 months” that would give his successor some breathing room. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 5/27/26
Heading to the Sierra? Leaving food unsecured could cost you $5,000 -- Campers and backpackers heading into the Sierra National Forest this summer have a new reason to double-check where they stash their snacks, trash and toothpaste: Leaving them where a bear can get them could carry a hefty fine. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/27/26
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Iran Pursues Deal That Brings Economic Relief Without Handing Trump Victory -- Iran is pursuing two intertwining goals in its negotiating strategy with the U.S., say Iranian officials and Arab mediators: securing financial relief for an economy that is under severe strain without giving enough ground on its nuclear program to allow President Trump to claim victory. Summer Said, Benoit Faucon and Alexander Ward in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/27/26
Trump Declares Himself in Good Health After Physical Exam at Walter Reed -- President Trump, the oldest man to be inaugurated as president, had a physical exam at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Tuesday, and said that his doctors had given him a clean bill of health. Karoun Demirjian in the New York Times$ -- 5/27/26
Cornyn’s Defeat Fuels Tensions With President Trump in Senate G.O.P. -- Senators are angry President Trump turned on a respected former leader whom they consider a loyal Republican. Now Mr. Trump faces resistance from his own embittered ranks. Carl Hulse in the New York Times$ -- 5/27/26
Barabak: Texas is where Democratic dreams die. Did Trump change that with his Senate pick? -- Ken Paxton’s primary win has buoyed Democratic hopes of an upset by the viral sensation James Talarico. But touted Democrats have a history of falling flat. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/27/26