California Policy and Politics Tuesday

London Breed’s predecessor Mark Farrell is running for mayor. Here’s what he’d do if he wins -- Mark Farrell formally announced his long-expected campaign on Tuesday morning, becoming Mayor London Breed’s third high-profile challenger. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24

Katie Porter opens door to presidential age limits in Senate debate -- Democratic Rep. Katie Porter on Monday endorsed exploring age caps for all elected officials, even as she praised the record of her party’s octogenarian leader, President Joe Biden. Melanie Mason, Christopher Cadelago Politico -- 2/13/24

Garofoli: Katie Porter hasn’t created any big viral moments — and she’s running out of time -- Rep. Katie Porter has expertly created viral moments in Congress. But so far, she’s been unable to create one in her Senate campaign. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24

Round two: Garvey, Lee, Porter and Schiff clash at Senate debate -- The four top candidates discuss crime, housing, the Gaza war and more in the second televised debate for California’s U.S. Senate seat. The Democrats bash Donald Trump and defend Joe Biden, while Republican Steve Garvey won’t say who he plans to support. Yue Stella Yu CalMatters Benjamin Oreskes, Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/24

Fact check: California Senate candidates spar at second debate. Here’s what was true and false -- Here are some of the notable true, false and somewhat true statements from the night. Lindsey Holden in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/24

What to know about the Senate candidates in California ahead of the primary election -- The race to follow in Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s footsteps was always going to be a monumental clash among huge personalities. Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/24

Democrats are emphasizing abortion to mobilize voters. Will it work in Orange County? -- Each day, Summer Bailey saw the congressional campaign signs staked into the succulent greenery near the entrance to Balboa Island in the heart of Newport Beach. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/24

California State Treasurer Fiona Ma’s sexual harassment trial set to begin Tuesday -- Judith Blackwell, the former employee, sued Ma in 2021, alleging the treasurer had exposed herself and crawled into bed with Blackwell when they shared rooms at a hotel and a rental property. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24

Golden State loses luster: Half of Americans say California in decline -- A new poll shows California’s reputation battered by its high cost of living and by partisanship -- half of Republicans say the state isn’t really American. Noah Bierman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/24

Pelosi, Jeffries wade into Bay Area House race after flyer includes their images -- On Monday, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., condemned Nijmeh’s use of photos that show them each posing with Nijmeh next to the words “It’s time to pass the torch to the next generation. Imagine what she will get done in office, working for you.” Shira Stein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24

London Breed’s predecessor Mark Farrell is running for mayor. Here’s what he’d do if he wins -- Mark Farrell formally announced his long-expected campaign on Tuesday morning, becoming Mayor London Breed’s third high-profile challenger. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Heather Knight in the New York Times$ -- 2/13/24

Bill package takes aim at AI and elections -- A suite of five bills introduced this weeks seeks to protect election integrity from bad actors using AI, especially on social media. Khari Johnson CalMatters -- 2/13/24

Walters: Will cataloging California’s top policy issues inspire politicians to think long term? -- California has many long-term public policy issues, but politicians tend to have short attention spans. A new legislative report that catalogs major issues could spur action. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 2/13/24

RFK Jr. apologizes to family for Super Bowl ad that invoked President John F. Kennedy -- A super PAC spent millions to air an ad supporting the presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during the Super Bowl. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/24

Trump asks Supreme Court to put off his election interference trial, claiming immunity -- “Without immunity from criminal prosecution, the Presidency as we know it will cease to exist,” Trump’s lawyers wrote, repeating arguments that have so far failed in federal courts. Mark Sherman Associated Press -- 2/13/24

Democrats Might Need a Plan B. Here’s What It Looks Like -- The political and procedural steps for how to pick a new presidential nominee. Charlie Mahtesian, Steven Shepard Politico -- 2/13/24

Workplace

Black and Latina workers bear the brunt of California’s low child-care wages, report finds -- Black and Latina child-care workers are paid less and given fewer leadership roles than their co-workers, despite making up much of the early childhood workforce. Jenny Gold, Kate Sequeira in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/24

Ninth Circuit says California Supreme Court, not SCOTUS, gets last word on state labor law -- The Ninth Circuit ruled that California’s Supreme Court has the right to correct the U.S. Supreme Court on the interpretation of a controversial state labor law. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24

Why Bob Iger’s second act at Disney is looking brighter after a rough start -- Just months ago, it looked as though Disney CEO Bob Iger was struggling in his return to the legendary Burbank company. Now, he is on offense again as the company faces two boardroom challenges. Meg James, Christi Carras in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/24

PG&E

It’s the only store for dozens of miles. PG&E’s latest rate hikes could put it out of business -- High electric bills consumed 65% of a rural grocery store’s profit last year. Owners say they may close the store because of PG&E rate hikes. Justo Robles CalMatters -- 2/13/24

Rain Train

Wet weather on tap: Three new storms are heading toward the Bay Area -- Three separate storm systems will roll into Northern California starting Wednesday, bringing rain nearly every day until the following Wednesday, forecasters said Monday. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Anthony Edwards in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24

After a brief reprieve more wet weather is on the way for Southern California -- Forecasters anticipate a storm system will begin showering the region with rain by Sunday. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/24

Insurance

Flood damage raises alarms about California’s next ‘disaster insurance gap’ -- Homes once prized for hillside views and apartment complexes on low-lying urban streets are both increasingly under threat from severe flooding, mudslides and heavy winds, but insurance to protect against disaster can be impossible to obtain. Connor Sheets in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/24

Homeless

S.F. faces $190 million in surprise homeless hotel costs as feds renege on promises, officials say -- FEMA first said it would reimburse 75% of its costs, then told counties it would actually cover the entire cost of the non-congregate shelter program. St. John Barned-Smith in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24

Housing

Why the Heck Is Everyone Moving to Beverlywood? -- The neighborhood just south of Beverly Hills has ‘blown up’ in recent years, with homes trading for millions. Jessica Flint, Natasha Lee in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 2/13/24

Environment

Train carrying over 100 tons of coal derails, spills into Northern California’s Feather -- Fifteen rail cars chugging west on tracks parallel to the Middle Fork Feather River in Blairsden derailed, spilling the coal into the river. Ishani Desai in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/24

Education

Feds move to ease FAFSA financial aid chaos, but no quick fix emerges -- The irony is that the new FAFSA is supposed to make things easier and faster but has resulted in the opposite. Federal education officials are scrambling to help. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/24

Most California high school seniors shut out of even applying to the state’s universities -- An EdSource analysis found that Black and Latino students are the least likely to complete college preparatory course requirements. Emma Gallegos, Daniel J. Willis EdSource -- 2/13/24

New California teaching standards increase focus on family engagement, social-emotional learning -- The state is to implement long-awaited new guidelines in 2025 despite some calls for a year's delay. Diana Lambert EdSource -- 2/13/24

Street

Newsom’s plan to send CHP officers to tackle Oakland’s crime crisis — how would it work? -- The fleet of 120 California Highway Patrol officers who arrived last week on the governor’s orders to fight Oakland’s rampant crime problem was touted by the city’s leaders as a welcome solution in a time of crisis. Shomik Mukherjee in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/24

Also

Elon Musk bought Twitter to block an account tracking his private jet, book reveals -- Elon Musk’s unexpected takeover bid for Twitter traces back to a feud with a Florida college student, according to a new book recounting the chaotic ordeal. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24

S.F. media mogul sells downtown theater building to famed, former Apple designer -- Public records show that real estate investor Clint Reilly has sold the Little Fox Theater property at 535 Pacific Ave. in Jackson Square that he’s owned for decades. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24

S.F.’s Noe Valley is finally getting its public toilet. Here’s what it will look like -- City officials plan to open the infamous public toilet, part of a $1.7 million package deal with Precita Park in Bernal Heights, in April. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/24