California Policy & Politics This Morning
In parched Central Valley, a message of aid and
a warning from Obama -- The president outlines more than $160
million in federal assistance to California. He ties the drought directly
to global warming. Diana Marcum and
Evan Halper in the
Los Angeles Times$ Jessica Calefati and
Paul Rogers in the
San Jose Mercury$ John Ellis in the
Fresno Bee -- 2/15/14
Obama's visit excites Fresnans, even if they
don't actually see him -- Playing the "Star-Spangled Banner" on his
trumpet, one excited man outside Fresno Yosemite International Airport was
eager to proclaim the arrival of President Barack Obama.
Carmen George in the
Fresno Bee -- 2/15/14
California faces critical drought, despite
recent rains -- A severe drought persists in California despite the
recent precipitation, and parts of the state will face critical water
shortages later this year without more rain and snowfall, water experts
said at a Friday symposium. Phillip Reese in
the
Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/15/14
Top-two primary system is shaking up California
elections -- While Miller's is the only one of the five open House
seats in California that analysts say is likely to flip from one major party
to the other in this year's elections, the state's relatively new "top two"
primary system is helping to reshape all of them.
Jean Merl in the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
Radio host, former Clinton aide Matt Miller to
run for Waxman seat -- Matt Miller, newspaper columnist and former
Clinton White House aide, said Friday he is jumping into the already
crowded race to replace retiring Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills).
Miller announced his candidacy on "Left, Right & Center," the political
program he co-hosts on KCRW-FM (89.9). Jean Merl
in the
Los Angeles Times$ Emily Cahn
Roll Call -- 2/15/14
CA11: Alameda’s Tony Daysog is considering a run
-- Alameda Councilman Tony Daysog says he’s considering a run for
the 11th Congressional District seat from which Rep. George Miller will
retire at this year’s end. Josh Richman
Political Blotter -- 2/15/14
San Bernardino DA 'looking into' Tim Donnelly's
handling of guns --One of the conditions of Tim Donnelly's
probation after a loaded firearm was discovered in his carry-on bag at an
airport in 2012 is that the Twin Peaks assemblyman - and now-candidate for
governor -- could not "personally use, own or possess any firearm that is
not registered to him." David Siders in the
Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/15/14
Donnelly defends gun use on radio show --
"It's considered rude if you don't fire someone's gun when it's offered to
you," Donnelly said. Chris Megerian in
the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
San Francisco 49ers drop Kevin Sloat as team
lobbyist --Team spokesman Bob Lange confirmed to The Sacramento Bee
on Friday that the NFL team has severed ties with Sloat, who agreed on
Monday to pay a record-setting fine -- $133,500 -- to the state's
political watchdog for violating lobbying laws.
Laurel Rosenhall and Christopher Cadelago
in the
Sacramento Bee$ Will Kane in the
San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/15/14
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom: Spend high-speed rail
money elsewhere -- Now leaving the station: Gavin Newsom's support
for high-speed rail. Jeremy B. White in the
Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/15/14
'We'll see' the results of prison order --State
gets court reprieve, but loses its leverage. Steven
Greenhut
UT San Diego$ -- 2/15/14
Bill would outlaw mug shot publishing websites
in California -- State Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) on Friday
introduced legislation that would outlaw websites that publish mug shots
and arrest records and charge money to remove them.
Ricardo Lopez in the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
Federal judge dismisses Nevada ‘patient dumping’
lawsuit -- A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a civil lawsuit
brought on behalf of a patient who was bused to Sacramento from a Nevada
state psychiatric hospital in Las Vegas. Phillip
Reese and Cynthia Hubert in the
Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/15/14
Supervisors chair gets free car plus
'two-Mercedes' car allowance -- Labor leaders criticize Shawn
Nelson for taking the freebie from the air-quality board on which he
serves, on top of the county’s car allowance. Mike
Reicher in the
Orange County Register$ -- 2/15/14
Target, Neiman Marcus will be no-shows at
hearing on data breaches -- Two Assembly panels will convene next
week to examine consumer data safety, but lawmakers won't be hearing from
two companies that have been hit with recent high-profile security
breaches. Melanie Mason in the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
Taxes/Fees
BOE to consider lowering excise tax rate on
gasoline by 3.5 cents -- The state Board of Equalization will
consider adjusting the excise tax rate for gasoline downward by 3.5 cents
during its Feb. 25 meeting in Culver City. Mark
Glover in the
Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/15/14
Economy, Employers and Jobs
City, Kings PAC, unions fight back against arena
subsidy lawsuit -- Invoking the Seattle investor who tried to buy
the Sacramento Kings and then secretly funded the arena-subsidy petition
movement, a coalition of arena supporters went to court with city
officials Friday to fight back against the lawsuit demanding a public vote
on the Kings arena project. Dale Kasler in
the
Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/15/14
Occidental Petroleum to move HQ to Houston, spin
off California assets --Occidental Petroleum, the longtime Los
Angeles-based energy giant, announced Friday that it would move its
headquarters to Houston and spin off its California assets into a separate
company. Shan Li in the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
Workers' wage hike faces protest by hotel
managers -- An L.A. proposal would nearly double the minimum wage
paid to workers at large hotels, but owners and managers say it could lead
to job cuts. James Rainey in the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
Judge tosses Santa Monica's airport lawsuit
-- The city had sought to take control of its airport from the
federal government. Supporters of that plan vow not to give up.
Dan Weikel in the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
What Cities Really Need to Attract
Entrepreneurs, According to Entrepreneurs -- The answers: talented
workers, and the quality of life that the educated and ambitious have come
to expect—not the low-tax, favorable-regulation approach that many state
and local governments tout. Richard Florida
National Journal -- 2/15/14
Education
Bill seeks to ban use of school bond money for
iPads -- A new bill introduced Friday would prohibit California
school districts from using voter-approved construction bonds for
non-facility related items -- a move spurred by the Los Angeles Unified
School District’s $1-billion plan to purchase iPads for every student,
teacher and administrator. Stephen Ceasar in
the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
Environment
Yosemite National Park drops plans to ban bike
and raft rentals -- In a major reversal, Yosemite National Park
officials have dropped controversial plans to ban a wide variety of
recreational activities in Yosemite Valley, including ending bike and raft
rentals and tearing out swimming pools at the Yosemite Lodge and famed
Ahwahnee Hotel. Paul Rogers in the
San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/15/14
Immigration/Border
Obama tells Democrats he's limited on immigration
actions -- President Obama told House Democrats on Friday that his
executive power to help immigrants who are in the U.S. without legal status
is limited and urged them to keep pressing for legislation to overhaul the
immigration system. Michael A. Memoli and
Lisa Mascaro in the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
Some immigrants may lack documents for new
driver's licenses -- As the California Department of Motor Vehicles
prepares for a historic expansion of driving privileges, some immigrants
may be left out because they lack documents proving who they are or where
they live. Cindy Chang in the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14
Senator hopes to provide healthcare to
immigrants lacking legal status -- State Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell
Gardens) introduced legislation Friday that would allow immigrants without
legal status to receive or buy health insurance through the state.
Soumya Karlamangla in the
Los Angeles Times$ Laurel Rosenhall
in the
Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/15/14
Also...
Banks get a primer on pot money -- Obama
administration offers institutions new guidance in an effort to bring
dispensaries into the mainstream. Timothy M. Phelps
and Jim Puzzanghera in the
Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/15/14