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

California Policy and Politics Friday

BART opens stations systemwide after chaotic, hours-long shutdown -- A systemwide shutdown of the entire BART system brought trains to a standstill Friday morning, causing chaos for thousands of riders and forcing them to make last-minute changes to their morning commute. All BART trains were halted around 5 a.m. and reopened shortly after 9 a.m., though transit riders were advised that “major delays” would persist “toward all destinations.” Jordan Parker, Anna Bauman, Rachel Swan, Laura Waxmann, Jill Tucker, Maggie Angst in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/9/25

 

Much like L.A., this American-born pope transcends borders -- The faithful in Los Angeles, America’s most Catholic city, were delighted — and a little stunned — Thursday to learn a Chicago-born priest with deep roots in Peru had been elected to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. Jack Dolan, Melissa Gomez, Sonja Sharp and Deborah Netburn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Why ‘Leo’? New pope shows support for workers, labor unions -- For Catholic theologians, the significance of the name could not be clearer, with the new pope tying himself to one of the foundational figures of modern Catholic social teaching, Pope Leo XIII, who advocated for the rights of the poor and working class. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

 

Most Californians favor proving citizenship to vote, poll finds -- Majorities of Californians have confidence in the state election system and doubt there is prevalent fraud, but also support requiring first-time voters to show proof of citizenship, a new poll finds. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Garofoli: Democrats see ‘abundance’ as a path to renewed prosperity -- Heeding the “abundance” message of “build more, faster” that many Democrats are embracing as their way back to power, moderate Central Valley Democratic Rep. Josh Harder, D-Stockton, assembled a new bipartisan coalition of House members Thursday united by its desire to cut federal red tape to make housing and infrastructure projects quicker to build. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/9/25

Grandmother in U.S. without documentation faces deportation after wrong turn in San Diego -- Camero was driving home from her job as a dishwasher at a La Jolla restaurant on April 7 when she stopped to get gas. She then drove into the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego by mistake. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

The State Law Taking a Financial Toll on California Budgets -- The law set off a wave of child sex abuse litigation that has pushed some public institutions to the brink of financial crisis. School districts face up to $3 billion in claims. Shawn Hubler in the New York Times$ -- 5/9/25

Walters: If lawmakers or lawsuits get oil companies to pay for climate change, consumers will pay, too -- A theory that oil companies should be held legally responsible for the effects of climate change has been circulating among California’s left-leaning organizations and their political allies for several years. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 5/9/25

Street

S.F. Mayor Lurie unveils first big haul of private funds to address homelessness -- Mayor Daniel Lurie has raised $37.5 million from wealthy donors to address San Francisco’s homelessness and behavioral health crises, making good on one of his early pledges to supplement taxpayer funds by tapping private dollars to clean up streets and get more people into treatment and housing. Maggie Angst in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/9/25

In multimillion-dollar building, formerly homeless people face ‘dismal’ conditions, suit says -- Tenants of a multi-use building at 7th and Witmer streets say the owners and operators of the facility have ignored repeated calls to address rats, bugs, mold and a lack of security. They filed a lawsuit this week. Ruben Vives, Robert Gauthier in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

‘Now is not the time’: Trump cuts to L.A. overdose prevention efforts alarm experts -- Fatal opioid overdoses in the state are receding, but doctors and L.A. County officials warn measures credited with turning the tide are in jeopardy amid federal funding cuts. Cerys Davies in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

CHP’s latest weapon against speeding? SUVs you won’t see coming -- The California Highway Patrol announced Thursday the deployment of 100 new low-profile patrol vehicles aimed at curbing what it calls “video game-styled” driving. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

A chainsaw-wielding vandal cut 13 trees in downtown LA. How the LAPD tracked down a suspect -- LAPD detectives were able to track down a suspect — Samuel Patrick Groft, 44 —thanks to tips and surveillance video. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Floods exposed weaknesses in California prisons’ emergency plans. They still aren’t ready -- Earthquakes, wildfires and floods all could cause problems for California prisons. A new audit says they aren’t ready to quickly evacuate prisoners. Cayla Mihalovich CalMatters -- 5/9/25

Workplace

To stave off layoffs, L.A. council members seek to cut police officer hiring -- The City Council voiced support for a slowdown in hiring that would leave the LAPD with about 8,400 officers by mid-2026, down from more than 8,700 this year. Noah Goldberg and David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Kaiser mental health workers ratify new contract -- After 196 days on strike, Kaiser mental health care workers ratified a new four-year contract Thursday, approving a deal that delivers gains in pay and retirement benefits and delivers a little breathing room for administrative duties. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 5/9/25

How the TV Hit ‘Fallout’ Became a Champion of Made-in-California -- The show’s producer, Jonathan Nolan, has put himself at the forefront of Hollywood’s push to get California to approve $750 million in tax rebates. Nicole Sperling in the New York Times$ -- 5/9/25

Gas stoves

Gas stoves nearly double children’s cancer risk, Stanford study shows -- A new study from Stanford University found that children living in homes with frequent gas stove use and poor ventilation face nearly twice the lifetime cancer risk from benzene exposure compared to adults. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/9/25

Eaton Fire

Edison electric tower damaged while being dismantled for Eaton fire investigation -- An electrical tower that was being removed to investigate the source of the Eaton fire was damaged while being lifted by a helicopter. It is unclear if the damage will affect the investigation into the cause of the January fire. Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Edison hit with lawsuit saying Eaton fire exposed people to toxic substances -- Suit claims Edison’s negligence in maintaining its infrastructure triggered the Eaton fire, exposing people to the fallout of levels of lead, asbestos and other toxic substances. Edison said it would review the suit, but noted that the fire’s cause is still under investigation. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Sea level

Pacifica can keep its controversial seawalls, California agency says — for a limited time only -- Pacifica can use new and existing seawalls to bolster parts of its shoreline for at least 20 years, the California Coastal Commission ruled Thursday — a decision that angered both opponents and supporters of using the walls to defend against storms and sea level rise. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/9/25

Education

Federal lawsuit alleges UCLA medical school uses a race-based admissions process -- The federal class-action lawsuit was filed to stop the medical school and UCLA officials from allegedly “engaging in intentional discrimination on the basis of race and ethnicity in the admissions process.” Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Also

California State Parks website contractor adds illegal junk fees, lawsuit claims -- Even those seeking peace in the great outdoors can’t seem to escape an annoying facet of today’s online world: surprise junk fees. William Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/9/25

POTUS 47

Poll shows big problem for Trump’s trade deal: It’s Trump -- With dozens of deals to be brokered, the U.S.-U.K. trade deal should be one of the easiest — and a Politico-Public First poll found that American and British adults have serious doubts about Trump’s commitment to it. Daniel Desrochers Politico -- 5/9/25

China’s Exports to U.S. Plunge, in Sign of Bite From Trump Tariffs -- China said exports to the U.S. plunged in April, as the Trump administration’s tariff assault forced the world’s second-largest economy to redirect more of its goods to Southeast Asia, Latin America, Europe and Africa. Hannah Miao in the Wall Street Journal -- 5/9/25

Whether it’s his plan or not, Trump’s policies so far closely align with Project 2025 -- One prominent community tracking project claims President Trump has already implemented more than 40% of Project 2025’s recommendations. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Migrant children languish in custody for months because of new federal rules, lawsuit says -- The National Center for Youth Law and Democracy Forward filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of a Los Angeles-based immigrant advocacy group along with two siblings in California foster care, a teenager who gave birth while being detained and other children who crossed the Southern border without a legal custodian and have been in federal programs for prolonged periods. Rachel Uranga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

New pope’s social media posts suggest disagreement with the Trump administration -- How the first American pope will interact with the president of his homeland remains to be seen, but a few posts on social media might provide a clue. Faith E. Pinho in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Trump and Starmer call trade deal ‘historic,’ but questions remain -- Although the White House called the trade deal a ‘milestone,’ U.S. officials also described it as merely the ‘end of the beginning’ of talks involving the trade relationship with Britain. Michael Wilner in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/9/25

Judge blocks Trump admin from pulling San Francisco housing funds over anti-DEI rules -- San Francisco officials argued that nearly 2,000 people in the Bay Area city alone could face eviction if they lost their subsidies from the federal funding. Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 5/9/25

Trump’s Bespoke Trade Deal With U.K. Sets Little Precedent for Other Nations -- Trump agreed to a framework for a trade agreement with the U.K., giving his administration momentum as it faces pressure to notch scores more to avoid hurting American consumers. But the deal was limited in scope and included niche issues regarding the U.K., meaning it didn’t offer other nations a clear road map to follow, foreign officials said. Alex Leary, Lingling Wei and Paul Vieira in the Wall Street Journal -- 5/9/25

Trump tells Congress to raise taxes on the rich in budget bill -- The administration is looking at several ways to bring in new tax revenue, but hiking taxes on the wealthy could complicate Republicans’ legislative strategy. Jacob Bogage and Jeff Stein in the Washington Post$ Andrew Duehren in the New York Times$ -- 5/9/25


California Policy and Politics Thursday

Bay Area reacts to first American pope: ‘We are being given a seat at the big boy table’ -- As the first American pope greeted the multitudes at St. Peter’s Square Thursday, many Catholics and non-Catholics 6,000 miles away in the Bay Area celebrated the selection of the moderate if not liberal-leaning pontiff — who recently chastised Vice President J.D. Vance’s biblical knowledge in a tweet. Jill Tucker, Jessica Flores, J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

Judge blocks Trump admin from pulling San Francisco housing funds over anti-DEI rules -- San Francisco officials argued that nearly 2,000 people in the Bay Area city alone could face eviction if they lost their subsidies from the federal funding. Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 5/8/25

California lawmakers are bracing for a $10 billion-plus budget hole — without federal cuts -- President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, a Medi-Cal shortfall and delayed tax filings from Los Angeles-area wildfire victims are putting the state in a worse economic situation than the California governor previously anticipated — and that’s without taking into account expected federal spending cuts. Eric He, Rachel Bluth and Lindsey Holden Politico -- 5/8/25

Despite political promises, Californians are stressed about their finances -- Despite proposed legislation to help make California a more affordable place to live, however, voters in the state are growing increasingly pessimistic about their financial future, according to a new poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by The Times. Nearly half of California voters feel worse off than they were last year, and 54% felt less hopeful about their economic well-being. Sandra McDonald in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

Newsom jabs at ‘MAGA trolls’ as he broadens information war -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched a website fact-checking anonymous X accounts, in-state Republicans and President Donald Trump — escalating a campaign to defend his home state and record against false and misleading information online. Blake Jones Politico -- 5/8/25

Barabak: If Gavin Newsom wants to be president, he’s got work to do — starting at home -- A tepid California poll undermines Gov. Newsom’s standing compared with other Democrats mulling over a 2028 bid. He gets mixed reviews in early voting states. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

Californians doubt Newsom is focusing on his day job, poll finds -- The survey also found that a vast majority of the state’s registered voters fear the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Blake Jones Politico -- 5/8/25

This California supermarket staple is expected to get cheaper under Trump tariffs -- Almonds from California make up about 80% of the world’s supply, with a significant amount exported to China, a country subject to President Trump’s highest tariff — 145% — which took effect last month. The Chinese government briskly retaliated with a 125% tariff on U.S. imports. Maliya Ellis in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

Court stops Trump Administration from tying homeless aid to policy demands -- A federal judge on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump from imposing his demands for stricter immigration enforcement, and his opposition to abortion and transgender rights, on local governments as a condition of receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in federal homeless-assistance funds. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

California sues Trump administration for withholding EV charging funds -- In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, California said the Trump administration’s effort to halt Congressionally approved funding could cost the state millions in lost car charging funds. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Nicole Nixon in the Sacramento Bee$ Grant Stringer in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/8/25

California and other states sue Trump administration over wind energy -- The lawsuit seeks to overturn an executive order aimed at blocking the development of wind farms across the country. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 5/8/25

Plan to use Travis base as immigrant detention center criticized by California Dems -- Reps. John Garamendi, D-Fairfield, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Mike Thompson, D-Napa, told Hegseth in a May 5 letter that they were “deeply frustrated” and “gravely concerned” about using Travis as a migrant detention center. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

California libraries spared, for now, from Trump cuts -- President Donald Trump’s order to slash federal funds for libraries, museums and minority business development programs has been blocked by a federal judge. California’s state librarian said the cutbacks would end programs for the needy and those with physical or mental disabilities, and would impact every user in the state. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

Swarovski among latest cluster of stores to flee San Francisco’s largest mall -- Swarovski will close its San Francisco Centre location on May 19, joining a growing wave of retailers departing the beleaguered downtown mall, a store employee confirmed Wednesday. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

Trump’s plan to reopen Alcatraz may have been inspired by Clint Eastwood film on PBS -- According to the Hollywood Reporter, Trump’s announcement came just hours after a local PBS affiliate aired “Escape From Alcatraz,” the 1979 Clint Eastwood film dramatizing a real-life prison break from the island. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

California gubernatorial candidates address Israel-Palestinian conflict -- Democratic divides over the ongoing bloody conflict in the Middle East were on display this week as gubernatorial candidates made their pitches to politically active Jewish Californians. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

San Francisco’s police chief is stepping down. Here’s what it means for the city -- San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott, who presided over a steep drop in reported crime but struggled to eradicate the city’s notorious open-air drug markets, is stepping down after more than eight years on the job, Mayor Daniel Lurie said Wednesday. J.D. Morris, Megan Cassidy, Michael Barba in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

After exam fiasco, State Bar of California faces deeper financial crisis -- The State Bar of California’s botched rollout of a new exam — a move that the cash-strapped agency made in the hopes of saving money — could ultimately end up costing it an additional $5.6 million. Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

Walters: California’s fourth-ranked economy is also tops in unemployment, poverty and deficits -- California’s economic output has surpassed $4 trillion a year and in doing so slipped past Japan to become, were it a nation, the globe’s fourth largest economy, surpassed only by the United States, China and Germany. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 5/8/25

Wildfire

Edison electric tower at center of Eaton fire investigation is dismantled and removed for testing -- The pylon overlooking Eaton Canyon has for months been the focus of investigators who are looking to determine what sparked the deadly fire on Jan. 7, after video captured the initial flames burning underneath the structure. Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

Water

California snowpack is reaching peak melt -- Hot weather this week will accelerate the melt. Several rivers fed by snowmelt, mainly in central and southern Sierra Nevada, are expected to hit their spring peak flows in the coming days. The Merced River at Pohono Bridge and the Tuolumne River at Hetch Hetchy, both in Yosemite National Park, are forecast to reach maximum flow on Sunday. Anthony Edwards in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

Arrowhead bottled water company wins one of three pending court cases -- A court ruled in favor of BlueTriton Brands after California regulators had ordered the bottled-water company to stop taking water from a national forest. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

Environment

‘Another broken promise’: California environmental groups reel from EPA grant cancellations -- The terminated projects in California would have provided clean drinking water in rural communities, air purifiers for children with asthma and a community park, among other benefits. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

The nation’s largest cities are sinking, including San Francisco -- Known technically as land subsidence, the phenomenon can cause roads, bridges, utilities, dams and building foundations to buckle and increase the likelihood of flooding. Often it is the result of groundwater pumping. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/8/25

Workplace

Non-tenured faculty begin 2-day labor strike at University of San Diego -- Roughly 200 non-tenure-track faculty members at the University of San Diego began a two-day unfair labor practice strike on Wednesday to express concerns about what they say are union-busting and mass course cancellations. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 5/8/25

Jobs in question amid union dispute with California prison agency -- A Roseville nonprofit said this week that dozens of janitorial workers are at risk of layoff at a prison medical facility in Vacaville, following a yearslong dispute with a state employees’ union. Pride Industries, which has held the cleaning services contract at the facility since 2019, notified workers in late April that layoffs could be on the horizon. Annika Merrilees and Will Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/8/25

Housing

Trump proposes cut to federal rental assistance. California would be hit hard -- The Trump administration has proposed cutting rental assistance funding by 43%, while giving states more flexibility on how they spend the money that remains. Advocates for low-income households say the proposal would be a disaster. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

Wildfire

In a race to clean up Altadena, businesses are on their own -- The Army Corps was tasked with cleaning up residences in the fire zones, but not commercial properties. In Altadena, this has left business districts stuck in a toxic limbo. Colleen Shalby, Robert Gauthier in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

Education

Head Start gets a reprieve from Trump budget cuts, but the fight isn’t over -- Chalk one up for the 4-year-olds. Thanks to a relentless onslaught of pleading, cajoling, lobbying and public pressure, Head Start appears to have dodged the federal budget axe — for the time being. Carolyn Jones CalMatters -- 5/8/25

California promised to boost mental health in schools. Why one key program is behind schedule -- Only 14 school districts and county offices of education have begun billing for behavioral health services under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative Fee Schedule Program, according to state health officials. Ana B. Ibarra CalMatters -- 5/8/25

Can a final push save San Francisco State’s marine research campus on the bay? -- Budgets are tight, enrollments are down. A facility whose research aims to protect the shoreline as seas rise may be cut. Amy DiPierro EdSource -- 5/8/25

Street

California man led $38M catalytic converter theft ring, lived lavishly off stolen parts -- According to court documents, Tou Sue Vang, 33, used proceeds from the illicit sale of thousands of catalytic converters to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, including the $1.2 million cash purchase of a five-acre multi-home compound in Rio Linda, another property in Sacramento, and over a dozen vehicles — among them two Teslas and two Sea-Doo watercraft. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

Nate Holden

Nate Holden, state senator and longtime councilman who fought for South L.A., dies at 95 -- Former Los Angeles City Councilmember Nathaniel “Nate” Holden always spoke with a sense of self-assuredness and a firm belief in his own destiny. It was the sort of conviction it took for a Black man born in Macon, Ga., in 1929 to ascend to the highest ranks of political power in Los Angeles — representing the region as a state senator and later serving 16 years on the City Council. Jaimie Ding in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

POTUS 47

A Trump admin effort to deport immigrants to Libya would ‘clearly violate’ court order, judge says -- Lawyers for immigrants from Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines rushed to court to stop what they called an “imminent” deportation flight to the war-torn African nation. Myah Ward, Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein Politico Maria Sacchetti, Adam Taylor, Marianne LeVine and Dan Lamothe in the Washington Post$ -- 5/8/25

Trump announces trade deal with United Kingdom, says final details in the works -- It is the first of dozens of deals the administration wants to make with trade partners around the world. Natalie Allison, Michael Birnbaum and Jeff Stein in the Washington Post$ -- 5/8/25

E.U. Unveils a Plan to Hit Back at the U.S. if Trade Negotiations Fail -- Boeing and big American food producers could end up in the cross-hairs if the bloc follows through on its threat to impose tariffs on more American goods. Jeanna Smialek in the New York Times$ -- 5/8/25

CBS chief George Cheeks pledges to support team amid chaos and Trump threats -- First Amendment experts have described Trump’s lawsuit against Paramount, which alleges that a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris was fraudulent, as frivolous. But the president has remained defiant, saying CBS should be punished. When asked whether CBS News and the group at “60 Minutes” would continue to enjoy his support, Cheeks said succinctly: “My entire team.” Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25

Ford Increases Prices for Certain Vehicles Amid Tariff Uncertainty -- The higher prices will apply to 2025 models of the Maverick, Bronco Sport and Mach-E built after May 2, according to a memo reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The carmaker said the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, which is commonly known as the sticker price, would increase between $600 and $2,000 a vehicle, depending on features, according to the memo. Connor Hart in the Wall Street Journal -- 5/8/25

Jewelers Likely to Hike Prices Due to Tariffs, Pandora CEO Says -- Pandora’s chief executive said higher tariffs will eventually be passed on to U.S. consumers, even if the jewelry industry is holding off on price hikes for now as it awaits the outcome of trade negotiations. Michael Susin and Adrià Calatayud in the Wall Street Journal -- 5/8/25

‘Crony capitalism’: GOP megadonor Griffin slams Trump trade war -- The Citadel founder’s frustration with the president’s policies reflects broader concerns among executives over how the trade war could derail the economy. Sam Sutton Politico -- 5/8/25

A Most Sensitive Subject in the White House: Where Is Melania? -- Mrs. Trump has spent fewer than 14 days at the White House since her husband was inaugurated 108 days ago. Shawn McCreesh in the New York Times$ -- 5/8/25

Hegseth’s Use of Passwords Raises New Security Concerns -- Some of the passwords that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used to register for websites were exposed in cyberattacks on those sites and are available on the internet, raising new questions about his use of personal devices to communicate military information. Christiaan Triebert, Julian E. Barnes, Helene Cooper and Greg Jaffe in the New York Times$ -- 5/8/25

Meet the L.A. holistic doctor and wellness influencer who is Trump’s choice for surgeon general -- President Trump’s choice of Dr. Casey Means, a Los Angeles holistic medicine doctor and wellness influencer, as his nominee for surgeon general appears to mark another attempt to defy establishment medicine and longstanding federal policy. Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/8/25