April 10, 2018

10Apr

TOP POLITICAL STORIES​​​​​​​

 

Valley Politics:

 

Valley voters’ lives affected by air pollution, and they want change, survey finds

Fresno Bee

Most San Joaquin Valley voters likely would support more restrictions on residents and businesses to improve air quality, especially young women who are Democrats, a recent Fresno State survey found. The survey was conducted by Fresno State’s Institute for Leadership and Public Policy between Feb. 5 and Feb. 15, a time shortly after the region experienced several weeks of poor air quality.

 

Making the stressful drive to Sacramento for an early morning meeting can be a challenge. Whether it is road construction or the bottleneck in South Sacramento from daily commuters, the congestion and stop-and-go traffic can be frustrating. Not to mention finding a parking space once you get to the state’s Capitol.

See also:

·       Fitzgerald: Why I still support the bullet train Stockton Record

·       Dams, not trains, should be our rallying cry The Bakersfield Californian

 

Tulare County faces voting rights lawsuit

Visalia Times Delta

Tulare County’s highest elected officials are being accused of suppressing more than half of the voters in the county, according to lawyers who plan to sue.

 

Fresno woman wins major court decision in her quest for equal pay for equal work

Fresno Bee

Aileen Rizo, who sued the Fresno County Office of Education after finding out her salary was less than her male co-worker’s, won a case in federal court Monday that could impact how women are paid in California and beyond.

See also:

     On equal pay, you can’t fix what you can’t see Sacramento Bee

     Prior salary can’t justify wage gap between men and women, US appeals court rules Los Angeles Times

●      Court: Women Can’t Be Paid Less Than Men Based On Past Wages capradio.org

●     To bring attention to the 31% gender commute time gap, ‘Equal Commute Day’ for US women will occur on June 6 AEI

 

Valley’s valuable almond crop damaged by freeze

ABC30

The Valley’s valuable almond crop is now forming so growers can actually see how much of a yield they’ll get. In many instances, they’re not liking what they see.

 

McClintock in Oakhurst; park fees, forest management and economics

Sierra Star

District 4 Congressman Tom McClintock (R – Elk Grove) was in Oakhurst April 4 speaking at the Sierra Rotary Club and Yosemite High School, stressing the importance for better management of our national forests and keeping the entrance fees reasonable for Yosemite and other national parks.

 

Liberty school locked down for three hours after bomb threat

Visalia Times-Delta

Rooms full of students were locked down after multiple threats of violence were made against Liberty Elementary School.

 

E-mail threatens gun violence in Stanislaus, Calaveras schools

The Modesto Bee

Authorities on Monday scrambled to inform the public about a series of threatening e-mails to schools in Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, which appeared to be a part of a mass hoax.

 

Drama, opposition follow Visalia gas station project

Visalia Times-Delta

A permit for what some are calling the largest gas station in Visalia will be in front of planning commissioners on Monday. Along with it, controversy and lots of security. This is the second time the project has been up for discussion. At issue is a conditional use permit for an Arco AM/PM gas station and convenience store to be built at the southwest corner of Caldwell Avenue and South West Street.

 

Detention deputy union releases election hit piece; video showing Youngblood the cost of killing, crippling inmates

The Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Detention Officers Association released a video Monday that shows Sheriff Donny Youngblood making shocking comments about police violence. The video was shot 12 years ago during an endorsement meeting the union had with Youngblood during his successful first campaign for Sheriff.

 

In Dolores Huerta Foundation’s proposed KHSD boundaries, Trustee O’Connell is drawn out of his area

bakersfield.com

The Dolores Huerta Foundation proposed new trustee area boundaries at the Kern High School District board meeting Monday that would create two Latino majority districts, and also would cut Area Three Trustee Joey O’Connell out of his area.

 

New building for DA on Supervisors’ agenda

Stockton Record

Downtown finally got its new courthouse last year following years of delays. Now it looks as if the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office may get its own new building. This morning’s Board of Supervisors meeting includes a consent item that, if approved, will award $278,900 to Stockton-based LDA Partners to begin planning and designing a new building for the D.A.’s office. At least four of the five supervisors must vote in favor of the agenda item for it to pass.

 

Lemoore’s reason to deter food trucks may be outdated

Hanford Sentinel

Earlier this year, the Lemoore City Council asked staff to review mobile food vendor – aka food truck – ordinances. In a study session  April 3, city presented the current ordinances.  Council didn’t take the review further, stating that there were no ways for the city to make revenue from these businesses like it can from brick and mortar restaurants –  and,  the food trucks are in direct competition with brick and mortar businesses.

 

Valley fever killed nine, infected more than 2,900 in Kern County in 2017

The Bakersfield Californian

Valley fever, an insidious respiratory disease endemic to the region, killed nine people and infected 2,929 in Kern County in 2017, making it the second worst year for the disease since the county began recording cases in 1992, local public health officials announced Monday. Public Health officials said they could not release the ages or areas of residence for those who died, citing patient privacy laws.

 

Asm Flora and Fong: State idles too long: It’s time to build dam

Modesto Bee

California residents have continued to support funding to build our state’s water storage infrastructure. This is not surprising, because Californians know the value of water.

 

Delano Police report sheds light on fatal crash involving immigrant couple and ICE

Los Angeles Times

Delano police say immigration agents gave statements that conflicted with surveillance footage in the wake of a crash in which two immigrants in the country illegally died while fleeing.

 

 

State Politics:

 

Gov. Jerry Brown urges ‘yes’ for both Delta tunnels. Will that sway crucial vote?

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Jerry Brown, in a last-minute bid to forge ahead with one of his legacy projects, urged Southern California’s big water agency Monday to support a plan to build the two Delta tunnels simultaneously. Brown sent a letter to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California supporting the ambitious $16.7 billion effort to build both Delta tunnels together.

See also:

     Vote on Southern California’s investment in delta tunnel project could be a nail-biter Los Angeles Times

     Two tunnels? One? None? Water agency to decide how much to spend on Delta fix OCRegister

 

In race for California governor, John Chiang is the anti-soundbite candidate

CALmatters

Gubernatorial candidate John Chiang is known as the wonk in the race. The Democratic state treasurer, former state controller and high school “mathlete” touts himself as the no-drama candidate—the guy who compensates for his lack of pizzazz by a willingness to dive into the details. In a conversation with the CALmatters, Chiang certainly lived up to his reputation as soundbite-averse.

 

Villaraigosa raised a bundle in April—but then there’s the bad news

CALmatters

Good news for former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: He had his biggest fundraising month in his campaign for governor, at $1.4 million in chunks of $1,000 or more in April. Bad news for Villaraigosa: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom also had his biggest month, raising $1.7 million in April in donations of $1,000 or more

 

Federal Funds and California’s Budget

Public Policy Institute of California

California receives a lot of direct funding—more than $100 billion—from the federal government. Should federal officials make changes to the programs that provide these funds, the state would feel the impact quickly, with the most vulnerable Californians bearing the brunt. As lawmakers begin to work on the state budget in earnest, there is less certainty surrounding the contribution of federal funds than in prior years.

 

California takes on Texas and Trump over billions of health care dollars

CALmatters

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra moved today to intervene in a Texas lawsuit aimed at undoing Obamacare. Becerra and 15 other attorneys general joined forces to file their motion to prevent “immediate and irreparable harm,” as Becerra put it, to California and other states.

 

State has been sitting on $2.7 billion for four years. It’s time to build a dam

Modesto Bee

California residents have continued to support funding to build our state’s water storage infrastructure. This is not surprising, because Californians know the value of water. We’ve learned to adapt in years of drought. We’ve become more savvy about conserving and managing our most valuable resource. California is the No. 1 agricultural state in the country. We depend on every ounce of rain we get, so we understand that our water storage infrastructure needs to be built now.

 

California’s special elections are a waste of time and taxpayer money

Los Angeles Times

Want to save tax money? Have more dollars for schools or police? Then stop holding special elections hardly any voters care about. Unlike many states, California wastes public funds by calling special elections to fill vacant seats in the Legislature. This isn’t a new concept. California’s governor long has been able to fill vacancies in the U.S. Senate, other statewide offices and county boards of supervisors. In replacing statewide officials, the Legislature can reject the governor’s nomination.

 

100,000 California teens have pre registered to vote

CNNPolitics

A whopping 100,000 16- and 17-year-olds have pre registered to vote in the Golden State since a law enacted in 2016 gave young people the opportunity to sign up to vote before they are eligible, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said last week.

 

State attorney general, environmental group to appeal decision on Trump’s border wall

San Diego Union-Tribune

ruling by a San Diego federal judge allowing construction of President Donald Trump’s border wall to go ahead will be appealed by two entities that opposed it, including the state Attorney General. Both the Center for Biological Diversity and Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed formal notices of appeal on Monday seeking to reverse a decision in February from U.S District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel.

 

CA disability clients, state workers hit by DDS data breach

The Sacramento Bee

Vandals who ransacked a state office in Sacramento in February stole 12 government computers and briefly had access to the personal health records of 582,000 people, the state Department of Developmental Services disclosed on Friday.

 

Work to get Medi-Cal? California bill says no

CALmatters

Since the Trump administration said in January that states could require Medicaid recipients to work if they want to continue receiving the benefit, three states have signed on: Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas. Many others are considering it.

 

California seeks to intervene to defend Obamacare in court

Los Angeles Times

California on Monday jumped into the middle of a legal dispute over the future of the federal Affordable Care Act, seeking to preserve the law that is under assault in the courts by 20 other states.

 

Arctic melting could worsen California droughts

Yale Climate Connections

Melting ice in the Arctic might seem a world away from California’s farms and aquifers. But droughts in the state could get worse as the Arctic melts.

 

Federal Politics:

 

Budget office projects growing deficits and massive debt during Trump administration

Los Angeles Times

Propelled by the Republican tax-cut plan and increased government spending favored by both parties, the nation’s deficit will top $1 trillion by 2020 and its debt burden within a decade will approach rates not seen since the aftermath of World War II, the Congressional Budget Office said Monday.

See also:

      New CBO Budget Projections Are Cause for Concern — Not Alarm  Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

     Federal Budget Deficit Projected to Soar to Over $1 Trillion in 2020 The New York Times

      Why America’s return to $1 trillion deficits is a big problem for you  Washington Post

●     CBO: Fiscal Stimulus Will Widen Budget Deficits, Boost Growth in Coming Years WSJ

●     Conservatives and business leaders worried about the deficit take aim at Social Security and Medicare Los Angeles Times

 

EPA to roll back emissions standards – setting up fight with California air resources board

Stockton Record

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it will revise emissions targets and reconsider California’s Clean Air Act Waiver to set emissions in its state. On April 2, the Environmental Protection Agency made it official. The targets that the auto industry has been required to work towards for the better part of a decade will be revised, meaning lowered. This is a move that auto industry and political experts saw coming following the presidential election results in November of 2016.

See also:

     California ‘Actively’ Considers Challenge to EPA on Vehicle Emissions Wall Street Journal

     California’s air regulator says state could back some emissions rule changes Reuters

●     Trump Targets California’s Unique Role in Shaping Air Pollution Rules PublicCEO

 

Trump wins pledges of 1600 troops for border duty; California uncertain

The Mercury News

The Republican governors of three southwestern border states on Monday committed 1,600 National Guard members to the U.S.-Mexico border, giving President Donald Trump many of the troops he requested to fight what he’s called a crisis of migrant crossings and crime. Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas all made new pledges that add up to almost half of the up to 4,000 troops Trump requested. Some Guard members started arriving at the border as states and the federal government officials continued to discuss what they will do.

See also:

      Why Jerry Brown Might Agree To President Trump’s National Guard Border Deployment In California  Capital Public Radio

 

Democratic attorneys general fight Texas health care lawsuit

Sacramento Bee

Sixteen Democratic attorneys general pushed back Monday against a Texas lawsuit aimed at striking down former President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra led 14 other states and the District of Columbia in filing a motion to intervene in the Texas case and defend the law, suggesting the Trump administration wouldn’t take such action.

See also:

·       Trump Administration Allows States to Narrow ACA Coverage WSJ

 

Trump administration agency heads sign pledge to speed infrastructure approvals

Washington Post

Trump administration agencies, including Transportation, Housing, Interior and Energy, signed an administration memo Monday pledging to speed up permitting on major infrastructure projects using a two-year target.  One agency will helm efforts to secure federal permissions for a wide range of projects. The endeavor is meant to address what President Trump has dismissed as “the horrible, and costly, and broken permitting process.”

See also:

     White House seeks to speed reviews of major infrastructure projects Reuters

 

Some Lessons from California for Donald Trump

The New Yorker

If you’re looking to get away from Donald Trump’s Twitter feed and spend a few days thinking about the direction of this country, you might consider a trip to Southern California, which I visited last week with my family. In many ways, the Golden State represents the American future that Trump—with his white nativism and economic protectionism—is trying to turn back, Canute style.

 

As elections near, many older, educated, white voters shift away from Trump’s party

Reuters

Older, white, educated voters helped Donald Trump win the White House in 2016. Now, they are trending toward Democrats in such numbers that their ballots could tip the scales in tight congressional races from New Jersey to California, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll and a data analysis of competitive districts shows.

 

Other:

 

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says he’s leaving Facebook

USA Today

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak told USA TODAY he’s leaving Facebook out of growing concern for the carelessness with which Facebook and other Internet companies treat the private information of users.

See also:

      Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to apologize for his company’s mistakes during his Washington testimony Los Angeles Times

●     Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony before Congress has the makings of riveting televised political drama Los Angeles Times

●     Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg Testifies Before Congress: What to Watch WSJ

●      Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook Made Mistakes on ‘Fake News,’ Privacy WSJ

      Why Mark Zuckerberg’s 14-Year Apology Tour Hasn’t Fixed Facebook  WIRED

●      Read Mark Zuckerberg’s full testimony to the US House of Representatives Quartz

 

Preemption Battles Continue as Cities Look to Improve Internet Connectivity

Route Fifty

The day before the Georgia State Legislature wrapped up its session on March 30, the House passed a controversial bill to assert the state’s power over its local governments in the fraught debate about who should set the terms for deployment of broadband technology. The vote was 143-10. But even though the Senate in February had passed a similar measure by 52-1, the versions could not be reconciled in time to get the bill to the desk of Gov. Nathan Deal.

 

After Stephon Clark, Sacramento got a lot right. Here’s where things can still go wrong

Sacramento Bee

If Sacramento were Ferguson or Baltimore or some other American city, businesses would’ve been burned to the ground by now and residents would be at each other’s throats. There’s a grim script that comes into play whenever a city’s police force kills an unarmed black man.

See also:

      Sacramento district attorney addresses crime victims amid chants of ‘Stephon Clark’ from protesters Los Angeles Times

●     ‘It makes me never want to call 911 again,’ neighbor says after Stephon Clark shooting Sacramento Bee

●     After Stephon Clark Shooting, Sacramento Police Can No Longer Turn Off Body Cameras Capital Public Radio

 

Bernard J. Tyson: A Growing Public Health Crisis – Firearm-Related Deaths

Linkedin

Every day, many innocent lives are lost due to firearm-related deaths – and many more people are injured. In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), guns kill an average of 96 Americans each day. And for each person killed, two are injured.

 

That Driver Is Jamming Traffic—He’s Probably Filming a Campaign Ad

WSJ

As if traffic wasn’t bad enough, there’s millionaire Andy Thorburn at the wheel of a rented Ford SUV, cruising along a Southern California freeway in a congressional campaign ad.

 

Election 2018: More Women Than Ever Are Running for Office

CSU

Political science faculty across the CSU say it’s an exciting time for women in politics, but there’s still plenty to do to achieve gender balance in federal, state, and local government.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING  

 

Sunday, April 15, at 10 a.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report: “The Road Ahead for Zero-Emission Vehicles in CA”​ – Guest: F. Noel Perry, Founder of Next 10. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, April 15, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report ​ – Valley Views Edition​: “Climate Change and Electric Vehicles: Public Action and Private Markets?” – Guests: F. Noel Perry, Founder of Next 10 & State Senator Fran Pavley. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, April 15, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “California’s Top Ten”  Guests: Alexei Koseff, Sacramento Bee reporter. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

 

Support the Maddy Daily HERE.

 

 

Thank you!

 

 

Topics in More Detail…

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Trump Acknowledges Farmers to Feel Impact From China Trade Actions

WSJ

President Donald Trump on Monday promised relief to U.S. farmers caught up in his administration’s burgeoning trade dispute with China.

See also:

●     US will protect its farmers amid trade tensions: USDA’s Perdue Reuters

 

Consumers could pay more if almond tariff is imposed

Stockton Record

As the threat of tariffs being imposed on exported goods to China looms, state agriculture officials say the proposals could have a negative effect on the county’s almond crop this year. In response to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on roughly 1,300 imported Chinese products this week, that nation answered with the proposal to impose its own tariffs on 106 American goods, including almonds.

See also:

●     Valley’s valuable almond crop damaged by freeze  ABC30

 

Will California’s wine get spilled in a trade war with China?

The Business Journal

When Chinese officials threatened tariffs last week on agricultural goods from the U.S. in retaliation to U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods Stephen Schafer wasn’t surprised. “

 

For many immigrants from Mexico, farm work is still the way to the California dream

The Mercury News

Patricia Carabez stands by a row of black, plastic crates piled high with cauliflower, apples, and pears in the parking lot of a mobile home park in rural Dunnigan, 40 miles north of Sacramento.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE​ ​/​ ​FIRE​ ​/​ ​PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Detention deputy union releases election hit piece; video showing Youngblood the cost of killing, crippling inmates

The Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Detention Officers Association released a video Monday that shows Sheriff Donny Youngblood making shocking comments about police violence. The video was shot 12 years ago during an endorsement meeting the union had with Youngblood during his successful first campaign for Sheriff.

 

Could Sacramento be police shooting response model?

Fresno Bee

If Sacramento were Ferguson or Baltimore or some other American city, businesses would’ve been burned to the ground by now and residents would be at each other’s throats.

 

Groups debate if California has gone too far on crime reform

Sacramento Bee

Crime survivors and law enforcement leaders on Monday criticized a legal system they said has gone too far in reversing get-tough-on-crime policies of past decades as they stood before hundreds of photographs of crime victims as part of their annual Capitol rally. They urged voters to support a ballot initiative that would roll back portions of measures passed in 2014 and 2016 that critics say impede investigations and free violent offenders too soon.

 

ECONOMY / JOBS

 

For information on Ninth Circuit ruling on “equal pay,” See, Top Stories: Valley Politics, above.

 

Economy:

 

Chinese investment in US plunges, with big implications for California

San Francisco Chronicle

As the threat looms of a trade war between Washington and Beijing, a new report finds that Chinese investment in the United States plunged by more than a third last year, a result of policy changes in both capitals. That downward trend, if it continues, could have big implications for California.

 

How China’s proposed tariffs could affect U.S. workers and industries

Brookings

The Trump administration’s tit-for-tat with Beijing over potential tariffs has captivated global audiences.  Trade experts, diplomats, and news organizations are all fulminating about the high-level performance art being played out by the world’s two largest economies. Gigantic, distant agendas are taking shape.

 

Jobs:

 

Wanted: Social and Economic Mobility for California’s Stranded Workers

California Competes

Governor Brown’s 2018 budget includes a proposal to create a new community college—distinct from California’s existing 114 community colleges by being fully online—aimed at improving the economic outlooks of our state’s “stranded workers.” This population is generally considered to be adults aged 25-34 who have graduated from high school but have not completed a postsecondary degree.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Liberty school locked down for three hours after bomb threat

Visalia Times-Delta

Rooms full of students were locked down after multiple threats of violence were made against Liberty Elementary School.

 

California makes significant gain in reading on much anticipated national test

EdSource

Led by strong scores in 8th-grade reading, California moved closer to the national averages in reading and math, continuing a decade-plus trend of generally slow but steady improvement on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The closely watched assessment released its 2017 results for 4th and 8th grades on Tuesday.

See also:

●     In California, national test scores show enduring achievement gaps  Los Angeles Times

●     Report Card shows little gain in U.S. students’ math, reading scores UPI.com

 

Understanding education equity – and achieving it

EdSource

Hosted by EdSource and The Education Trust—West and recorded March 21, 2018, this video conference looks at how to define education equity and what California schools and districts can do to close achievement and opportunity gaps for their students.

 

What Reaching LCFF Full Implementation Means and Why It Matters

California Budget & Policy Center

The proposed state budget that Governor Brown released in January calls for a significant increase in support ($2.9 billion) to fully implement California’s main system for funding K-12 education, the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), in 2018-19.

 

California Lawmakers Consider How To Regulate Homeschools After Abuse Discovery

NPR

Adam and Holly Groza are homeschool parents in Redlands, Calif., a suburban town an hour east of Los Angeles. “We met families that homeschooled and they were mature, and thoughtful, and kind,” Holly says. “These teenagers would look at you when you talked and actually interact. And, I think we saw that end goal and said, ‘That’s what we want.'”

 

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

 

For U.S. v. Calif on environmental regs, See: Top Stories: Federal Politics, above.

 

Environment:

 

Valley voters’ lives affected by air pollution, and they want change, survey finds

Fresno Bee

Most San Joaquin Valley voters likely would support more restrictions on residents and businesses to improve air quality, especially young women who are Democrats, a recent Fresno State survey found. The survey was conducted by Fresno State’s Institute for Leadership and Public Policy between Feb. 5 and Feb. 15, a time shortly after the region experienced several weeks of poor air quality.

 

Arctic melting could worsen California droughts

Yale Climate Connections

Melting ice in the Arctic might seem a world away from California’s farms and aquifers. But droughts in the state could get worse as the Arctic melts.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Valley fever killed nine, infected more than 2,900 in Kern County in 2017

The Bakersfield Californian

Valley fever, an insidious respiratory disease endemic to the region, killed nine people and infected 2,929 in Kern County in 2017, making it the second worst year for the disease since the county began recording cases in 1992, local public health officials announced Monday. Public Health officials said they could not release the ages or areas of residence for those who died, citing patient privacy laws.

 

An ambitious California bill would put the state in charge of controlling prices in the commercial healthcare market

Los Angeles Times

In one of the most aggressive efforts in the nation to curb soaring healthcare spending, a new California measure would put the state in charge of setting prices for hospital stays, doctor’s visits and most other medical services covered by commercial insurers. The bill, backed by labor unions and consumer groups, is certain to rouse fierce opposition from physicians and hospitals, setting the stage for a brawl between some of the Capitol’s top lobbying heavyweights.

See also:

     Bill would create health care price controls in California ABC30

     California bill takes on high healthcare costs – by setting prices for medical services 89.3 KPCC

     California bill would create health care price controls Washington Post

 

California seeks to intervene to defend Obamacare in court

Los Angeles Times

California on Monday jumped into the middle of a legal dispute over the future of the federal Affordable Care Act, seeking to preserve the law that is under assault in the courts by 20 other states.

See also:

●     Trump Administration Allows States to Narrow ACA Coverage WSJ

 

Olympians back California plan for disclosures on doctors

San Francisco Chronicle

Olympians who were abused by former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar spoke in support of legislation Monday that would make California the first state to require doctors to tell their patients if they are on probation for wrongdoing, including sexual misconduct. “Every effort must be made to make sure patients have every piece of information that is vital to their health and safety,” Jordyn Wieber, who won a gold medal in gymnastics at the 2012 Olympics, told reporters at the California Capitol.

 

Former California State Contractor Sued Over Breach Of HIV Patient Privacy

Washington Post

A security breach by a private company that contracted with California’s public health department inadvertently allowed unauthorized access to the HIV status of 93 people, according to a lawsuit filed this week in San Francisco County Superior Court.

 

Human Services:

 

Work to get Medi-Cal? California bill says no

CALmatters

Since the Trump administration said in January that states could require Medicaid recipients to work if they want to continue receiving the benefit, three states have signed on: Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas. Many others are considering it.

 

Food Stamps Shouldn’t Pay for Junk

WSJ

The Food Stamp Program started as a way to help people whose shelves were empty. It certainly helped my family. My mother was a single parent who struggled to make ends meet in wealthy Darien, Conn., during the 1970s. We relied on food stamps until I was 16.

IMMIGRATION

For many immigrants from Mexico, farm work is still the way to the California dream

The Mercury News

Patricia Carabez stands by a row of black, plastic crates piled high with cauliflower, apples, and pears in the parking lot of a mobile home park in rural Dunnigan, 40 miles north of Sacramento.

 

Delano Police report sheds light on fatal crash involving immigrant couple and ICE

Los Angeles Times

Delano police say immigration agents gave statements that conflicted with surveillance footage in the wake of a crash in which two immigrants in the country illegally died while fleeing.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Battle for Napa Valley’s future: Proposed curb on vineyards divides county

San Francisco Chronicle

Fifty years ago Monday, Napa County passed an ordinance that has defined the course of its history and, one could argue, determined the history of California wine. The Napa Valley Agricultural Preserve, passed by the Board of Supervisors on April 9, 1968, resolved to protect the valley’s most precious resource: land.

 

More Cities Are Banishing Highways Underground — And Building Parks on Top

Pew Trust

The most popular place to put a city park is, increasingly, on a highway.

 

Housing:

 

Housing crisis: California bill aims to help the `missing middle’

The Mercury News

As the state’s costliest housing markets and high rents threaten to force all but the highest-paid workers into ever-longer commutes, California lawmakers have introduced a bill to help more teachers, firefighters and other middle-income workers live close to their jobs. The new legislation, Assembly Bill 3152, would give nonprofit housing developers property tax exemptions on homes in high-cost areas that are rented at a discount to those with moderate incomes.

See also:

●     Don’t let California lawmakers use the housing crisis to bring back redevelopment  Sacramento Bee

●     When LA opted to fund city services over housing, did it help fuel a crisis? Los Angeles Times

 

Having a Job (or Two, or Three) Doesn’t Mean You Can Afford a Place to Live in California

KQED

Sandwiched between California’s iconic Highway 101 and the Pacific Ocean is a parking lot in Encinitas, where Chad Bordes’ car doubled as his home.

 

Re-Configuring the Proposition 13 Legacy Battles

Fox and Hounds Daily

With actions at the end of last week, the prospective battles to alter Proposition 13’s future came into focus. A measure backed by the California Association of Realtors to enhance the benefits of Proposition 13 for seniors and thus offer a solution for the housing crisis submitted more than enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. Meanwhile, liberal groups backing a property tax increase on commercial property announced they would take time in qualifying their measure, if successful, pushing its ballot appearance to 2020.

 

California Today: How Do California Eviction Rates Compare to the Rest of the U.S.?

The New York Times

In 2015, landlords filed 51,203 eviction cases in Los Angeles County. That number sounds high, but it represents a relatively small share — roughly 3 percent — of all renter households in the county.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

For stories on “federal budget deficit” See: “Top Stories – Federal Politics,” above

 

CalPERS may join union foes of 401(k) option

Capitol Weekly

A bill by state Sen. Steven Glazer, D-Orinda, giving new state workers the option new University of California workers received two years ago, a 401(k)-style plan rather than a pension, is opposed by unions and soon may be opposed by CalPERS. More than a third of eligible new UC employees have chosen a 401(k)-style plan.

 

New movies from James Mangold, Jordan Peele qualify for California tax credits

Los Angeles Times

California’s efforts to lure more feature film productions back to the Golden State have succeeded in nabbing new movies from James Mangold and Jordan Peele, as well as a movie version of the HBO series “Deadwood” and a follow-up to the 1988 comedy “Coming to America.”

 

Federal Funds and California’s Budget

Public Policy Institute of California

California receives a lot of direct funding—more than $100 billion—from the federal government. Should federal officials make changes to the programs that provide these funds, the state would feel the impact quickly, with the most vulnerable Californians bearing the brunt. As lawmakers begin to work on the state budget in earnest, there is less certainty surrounding the contribution of federal funds than in prior years.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Making the stressful drive to Sacramento for an early morning meeting can be a challenge. Whether it is road construction or the bottleneck in South Sacramento from daily commuters, the congestion and stop-and-go traffic can be frustrating. Not to mention finding a parking space once you get to the state’s Capitol.

 

Uber to Buy Jump, Maker of Electric Bicycles, After Bike-Sharing Test

The New York Times

Uber started a pilot program in San Francisco to allow its customers to reserve “pedal-assist” electric bicycles within its ride-hailing app in January. Now, Uber says it plans to buy the company behind the bike-sharing service and bring that capability to other cities around the world.

 

That Driver Is Jamming Traffic—He’s Probably Filming a Campaign Ad

WSJ

As if traffic wasn’t bad enough, there’s millionaire Andy Thorburn at the wheel of a rented Ford SUV, cruising along a Southern California freeway in a congressional campaign ad.

 

WATER

 

Gov. Jerry Brown urges ‘yes’ for both Delta tunnels. Will that sway crucial vote?

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Jerry Brown, in a last-minute bid to forge ahead with one of his legacy projects, urged Southern California’s big water agency Monday to support a plan to build the two Delta tunnels simultaneously. Brown sent a letter to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California supporting the ambitious $16.7 billion effort to build both Delta tunnels together.

See also:

●     Vote on Southern California’s investment in delta tunnel project could be a nail-biter Los Angeles Times

 

State has been sitting on $2.7 billion for four years. It’s time to build a dam

Modesto Bee

California residents have continued to support funding to build our state’s water storage infrastructure. This is not surprising, because Californians know the value of water. We’ve learned to adapt in years of drought. We’ve become more savvy about conserving and managing our most valuable resource. California is the No. 1 agricultural state in the country. We depend on every ounce of rain we get, so we understand that our water storage infrastructure needs to be built now.

See also:

●     Dams, not trains, should be our rallying cry The Bakersfield Californian

●     Asm Flora and Fong: State idles too long: It’s time to build dam Modesto Bee

 

More rain anticipated this week with warm, dry bookends

Sacramento Bee

A pair of weather systems from the Gulf of Alaska are expected to cool the Sacramento Valley and bring light rain after a balmy start to the week Monday. About a quarter-inch of rain is predicted to fall Tuesday through Thursday, the majority of which will come down Wednesday night. Snow levels should tumble from 8,000 to 3,000 feet as around six inches of powder drops in the Sierra Nevada mountains by Thursday morning.

See also:

     Yosemite reopens after flooding from California deluge The Mercury News

 

When it comes to California water, nothing is easy

Capitol Weekly

Camrosa Water District, a public services provider in Ventura County, gets its water from a combination of groundwater, recycled wastewater, and the State Water Project, which transports water south through the state. Twenty miles away, another mid-size public water agency also founded around 1960 has a very different portfolio: Las Virgenes Municipal Water District gets virtually all its water from the State Water Project, which is managed by California’s Department of Water Resources.

 

Arctic melting could worsen California droughts

Yale Climate Connections

Melting ice in the Arctic might seem a world away from California’s farms and aquifers. But droughts in the state could get worse as the Arctic melts.

 

“Xtra”

 

____

 

EDITORIALS

 

If Facebook won’t protect privacy, Congress must step in

Sacramento Bee

In a defining moment for Facebook, CEO Mark Zuckerberg goes before Congress on Tuesday to admit the social media giant failed to protect users and American democracy – and to promise significant changes. But given all the damage already done and the past lack of disclosure, can we still trust Facebook to protect our privacy? And are the fixes too little, too late?

 

A million people live in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. If Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to siphon water to Los Angeles is completed, all of us are going to suffer.

 
Orange County is making the same hapless mistakes on homelessness that L.A. did a decade ago

Los Angeles Times

Watching Orange County officials haplessly scramble to house hundreds of homeless people is like watching a rerun of everything the city and county of Los Angeles have gone through with homelessness in the last 10 years. As in L.A. a decade ago, Orange County authorities rousted homeless people from their encampments (on the Santa Ana River trail) without arranging a place for them to go — until a federal judge ordered them to stop.

 

Say no to sending California troops to the border, Gov. Brown

San Francisco Chronicle

President Trump last week demanded military protection on the U.S.-Mexico border until his “border wall” can be built. Defense Secretary James Mattis complied with the president’s request, signing a memo Friday that authorizes up to 4,000 National Guard troops to deploy to the U.S.-Mexico border. About 500 troops have already deployed, along with vehicles, equipment and helicopters. What’s less clear is whether California will be part of the effort.

 

Why Gov. Jerry Brown should reject National Guard border deployment

San Diego Union-Tribune

Mexico and the United States share a border that is nearly 2,000 miles long. California, with about 140 miles, has the fewest of the four U.S. border states. To hear President Donald Trump tell it, the southern border is a dangerous place, at “a point of crisis,” marked by “lawlessness.”

 

Split roll proposal isn’t about schools or communities. It’s about pensions.

OCRegister

Supporters of a ballot measure to a split roll property announced last week they’re aiming to put the proposal on the high-turnout November 2020 ballot. The proposal, backed by the so-called Schools and Communities First coalition, seeks raise between $6 billion and $10 billion a year by extracting more money from certain commercial properties. Under the plan, 40 percent of revenues would go to schools and 60 percent to local governments.

 

San Diego Union-Tribune

Proposition 13, the landmark 1978 ballot measure credited with touching off a national anti-tax revolution, has never stopped being controversial. Critics say its cap on annual property tax increases and its two-thirds voting requirement for government bodies to impose new or higher taxes has hamstrung California and been a public policy disaster. That argument, of course, is undercut by the fact that — despite these obstacles — state residents still have among the nation’s highest overall tax burdens.