Political Stories Top stories  It’s back to the negotiating table for transportation funding, threat of cuts – When the California Transportation Commission said last week that it planned to sharply reduce funding for transportation projects due to declining gas tax revenue, the resulting publicity served to reinforce Gov. Jerry Brown’s appeal for new taxes and fees […]

Political Stories Top stories Dan Walters: Big budget issue for California is whether to spend or save money — The single most important factor in writing a new state budget is determining how much money there is to spend. It’s not an easy calculation under any circumstances, because it involves forecasting – or guessing – how […]

Political Stories Top stories CD 21: House hopeful keeping national party at arm’s length – for now — The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has had a rough couple of election cycles against Congressman David Valadao. So there’s a big question in local Democratic circles about what role it will play in this year’s contest. Democratic candidate […]

Political Stories Top stories  Fresno County growers claim ‘arbitrary legislative targeting’ in late-session bill — In a lawsuit challenging a multimillion dollar farm labor deal struck by Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature last year, two Fresno County growers said Friday that they were illegally carved out of the agreement. Sacramento Bee article Cellphone encryption bill pits […]

Political Stories Top stories  Jerry Brown charts cautious course in State of the State address — Gov. Jerry Brown, charting a cautious course in his State of the State address, warned Thursday of a future economic downturn and urged lawmakers to restrain spending despite state budget surpluses. Sacramento Bee article; LA Times article; San Francisco Chronicle article; AP article; KQED report; ‘Jerry […]

Political Stories Top stories Backers of $15 minimum wage submit signatures to get on ballot – Supporters of a $15-an-hour state minimum wage submitted signatures Tuesday to qualify the measure for the November ballot, setting the state for a contentious fight between labor and business groups. San Francisco Chronicle article  Dan Walters: California’s big benefit debt load […]

Political Stories Top stories  Dan Walters: California has big money, hot politics in poverty — Given the huge number of poor Californians, the politics of poverty are likely to become even more contentious. But so far, at least, politicians have focused on its effects, rather than causes, and have been reluctant to address its deeper issues, […]

Political Stories Top stories  Amount of lobbying done in shadows is growing, California ethics officials agree — Top state ethics officials have agreed that weak laws allow oil companies, labor groups and other special interests to conceal how they spend much of their money trying to influence state government, and that the amount of lobbying in […]

Political Stories Top stories  Rare murmurs about veto overrides in California Assembly — It’s a power play the Legislature hasn’t invoked in years: lawmakers are making noises about overriding one of Gov. Jerry Brown’s vetoes for the first time in Brown’s current tenure. Sacramento Bee article  Patterson wants politicians who quit mid-term to pay for special elections — Assemblyman […]

Political Stories Top stories Gov. Jerry Brown opposes $9-billion school bond measure – Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday came out against a $9-billion school bond measure that will go before voters in November, erecting a political hurdle for advocates of new spending on school construction. LA Times article CalChamber sends ‘job killer’ bills to its personal graveyard — Every spring […]