TOP POLITICAL STORIES
Valley Politics:
What Kevin McCarthy’s bid for Speaker means for vulnerable California Republicans
Mercury News
California Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s bid to lead Republicans in the House of Representatives got a big boost Friday when Speaker Paul Ryan publicly endorsed him, saying in an interview with NBC that “we all think that Kevin is the right person” to succeed him.
See also:
● Will Kevin McCarthy finally grab the brass ring? CALmatters
● Trump’s Man in Congress: Few on Capitol Hill are closer to President Trump than Bakersfield’s Rep. Kevin McCarthy CALMatters
● House Speaker Paul Ryan Endorses Kevin McCarthy to Succeed Him Wall Street Journal
● House Speaker Paul Ryan endorses California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as his successor Los Angeles Times
● If Kevin McCarthy wants to be speaker, this may be his biggest obstacle The Washington Post
● Analysis: Leadership Race Not Over Despite Scalise Declining to Challenge McCarthy Roll Call
● Valley politicians weigh in on Ryan’s endorsement of McCarthy as House speaker Bakersfield Californian
Denham: USDOT inspector general to audit California high-speed rail project
Progressive Railroading
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General has agreed to an audit of California’s high-speed rail project, U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) announced yesterday. The office agreed to action after Denham requested in December 2017 that it look into the project’s “continued cost overruns” and a timeline that has grown over the years.
See also:
· U.S. To Audit Grants Awarded To California Bullet Train Capradio.org
· High-speed rail project faces federal audit The Mercury News
Nunes Threatens to Impeach DOJ, FBI Officials Over Russia Documents
Roll Call
Reps. Devin Nunes and Mark Meadows both said they are prepared to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Chris Wray if they do not produce the document that started the investigation into President Donald Trump’s potential ties with Russia in the 2016 election. Congress put out a subpoena on the initial report that launched the Russia investigation in August, but the FBI has not yet released an unredacted version of the document.
2018 Farm Bill, a success or ‘betrayal’?
Visalia Times-Delta
Every five years, a bipartisan farm bill is passed by Congress that impacts people nationwide and right here at home. On Thursday, a draft of the legislation was released by the House Agriculture Committee. While the bill is welcomed by many, some called it a betrayal to rural families.
Sheriff calls on supervisors to fight California immigration law
Visalia Times-Delta
Tulare County may become the latest jurisdiction to join the legal opposition to Senate Bill 54, the California law that limits local law enforcement from alerting federal immigration officials when undocumented immigrants in jail are set to be released.
See also:
· Opposition to immigrant sanctuary spreading in California Sacramento Bee
· Jerry Brown says there’s “no massive wave of migrants pouring into California.” Is he right? PolitiFact California
· Walters: Victims are paying a price for California’s feud with Trump The Mercury News
Villaraigosa stops in Tulare County during governor race
Visalia Times-Delta
Antonio Villaraigosa wants to be California’s next governor. He thinks the road to Sacramento goes through the Central Valley. He spent a portion of Friday pointing out issues he plans to address, if elected.
See also:
● News Analysis: Why big-city politician Villaraigosa is spending so much time in farm country CALmatters
● Candidates hear Valley’s water, health care needs Fresno Bee
● Gubernatorial Candidates Meet With Central Valley Residents Valley Public Radio
Public forum on proposed Temperance Flat project
Madera Tribune
How big of a deal is the proposed Temperance Flat dam on the San Joaquin River? An April 27 forum hosted by the Friends of the Madden Library at Fresno State will help you learn more. The project is big, no question about it.
Arambula and Powell: Let’s reinvest in Fresno’s neighborhood parks
Fresno Bee
A recent study found that Fresno ranked 90th out of the top 100 cities in the nation when it comes to park access, acreage and investment – and Fresno was the worst in the country from 2013-2015. In 2018 we find ourselves with parks that are run-down, deteriorating and unsafe due to a lack of investment. This needs to be fixed.
Fulton Street looking to cash in on contest
Fresno Bee
It’s fitting to see Fulton Street on the list of nominees in the America’s Main Streets contest, the winner of which will be announced June 4 and get recognition July 4 (obviously) at a “Main Streets Make Us Better” event and a $25,000 grand prize.
School officials and law enforcement work to prevent tragedies on campuses
ABC30
Superintendents and local law enforcement from across the Valley spent their morning and afternoon brainstorming ideas, not only how to prevent tragedies on school campuses from happening, but how to improve responses for all Fresno County school districts, and more than 200,000 students. They discussed what they already have in place, and what they still need.
See also:
· School districts receive more e-mailed threats; this time with claims of a bomb The Modesto Bee
· At Bakersfield High, students ‘cuss up a storm,’ fight and assault staff; teachers say new disciplinary practices are to blame The Bakersfield Californian
· Tax guns instead of arming teachers, California lawmaker proposes Sacramento Bee
Boudreaux, Wittman back Gubler for California Assembly
Visalia Times-Delta
Assemblyman Devon Mathis is being challenged by Visalia Mayor Warren Gubler for the 26th District. And Gubler, who has been a Visalia councilman since 2010, is now picking up two major endorsements. Sheriff Mike Boudreaux announced Friday he will back the mayor in the upcoming June primary over the incumbent. His endorsement was quickly followed up by former Sheriff Bill Wittman who also backed the Assembly candidate.
Two connected Republicans vying for position as Kern County Superior Court judge
Bakersfield Californian
Two politically connected Republicans — Deputy District Attorney Chad Louie and Brandon Martin, the chief of staff for County Supervisor David Couch — are running for the open District 10 seat on the Kern County bench. Louie, 43, is a fourth-generation Bakersfield native who has been with the District Attorney’s office for 12 years.
Gaspar: Two local leaders with similarities
Bakersfield.com
There are a couple of local highly respected individuals I want to tell you about who have much in common during this month. Both have passed on, but made this world a better place.
City details proposed road projects using gas tax money
Bakersfield Californian
The city of Bakersfield has detailed a list of road projects that the higher taxes you’ve been paying at the gas station could fund. The city has proposed 11 projects for the 2018-19 fiscal year to be funded as part of Senate Bill 1. The City Council approved the list earlier this week and it will go up for a final vote in June as part of the approval process for next year’s budget.
Local prosecutor challenges admonished judge for his seat
Bakersfield Californian
It’s rare when somebody challenges a sitting judge for re-election, but Deputy District Attorney Cole McKnight — a prosecutor with a track record of putting away violent gang members — said it’s imperative to ensure Kern County has a shot at electing a judge with his background in gang crimes.
Bakersfield City Council moving forward with downtown ‘Entertainment District’
KERO 23ABC News
The future of Bakersfield’s downtown could be expanding with the addition of what’s being called an “Entertainment District”. On Wednesday, the Bakersfield City Council authorized Mayor Karen Goh to sign a “non-binding letter of intent,” which would allow the sale of property in the northeast corner of California Avenue and P Street to Discovery Management Group, LLC. The property covers a little more than five acres and would be sold for about $2.23 million.
Modesto could be vulnerable to panhandling lawsuit
Modesto Bee
Homeless advocates are suing Sacramento over its new panhandling ordinance, claiming it violates the free speech rights of those who ask for help. And one of the advocates says Modesto’s panhandling ordinance is comparable and vulnerable to legal challenge.
Hanford City Council set to discuss zoning rules
Hanford Sentinel
After receiving some criticism from businesses trying to locate in the city, the Hanford City Council is set Tuesday to discuss the city’s general plan and zoning regulations. Over the last few months, Council has heard public comments from several potential business owners and others trying to help business owners that the city’s current zoning regulations have hampered or even halted businesses from locating in the city.
State Politics:
The PPIC Statewide Survey: Reflections at the 20th Anniversary
Public Policy Institute of California
This year, the 20th anniversary of the PPIC Statewide Survey, is an important one in California. The state is at the forefront of many major national issues, and our voters will be electing new leaders across the board.
Gov. Jerry Brown forms commission for 2020 census outreach
Los Angeles Times
In an effort to make sure California has a strong showing in the next national census, Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday established a state commission to prepare outreach for the decennial count. “It is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census,” Brown said in a prepared statement.
Running to replace the governor, Gavin Newsom embraces Jerry Brown—at arm’s length
CALmatters
It’s hard to run as the change agent in the California governor’s race when you’re the state’s second-ranking elected leader. But Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is giving it his best shot. Since launching his bid for governor in early 2015, Newsom has championed himself as the more progressive, fierier alternative to Gov. Jerry Brown.
Big money for Villaraigosa could jolt California governor’s race
San Francisco Chronicle
Two billionaire charter school advocates stirred up California’s gubernatorial race by pouring a total of $8.5 million into an independent expenditure campaign supporting former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
How single-payer healthcare became the biggest policy flashpoint in California’s race for governor
Los Angeles Times
When Gavin Newsom campaigns on his support for a California single-payer healthcare system, he’s talking about more than the virtues of universal care. He’s trying to sell himself as a bold visionary.
California Republicans confront a dire election scenario: No GOP choice for governor
Sacramento Bee
The California GOP is at risk of something unprecedented this year: With two serious candidates for governor competing for ashrinking share of the electorate, there may be no Republican standard-bearer on the ballot in November.
Will Business Jump into the Gov. Race?
Fox and Hounds Daily
Word that big money flowed into a charter school inspired independent expenditure organization in support of former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa raises the question if major business interests will soon make a similar effort with money or endorsements.
Los Angeles Times
Less than two months from his first statewide election, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has become adept not only at challenging President Trump but at using the bully pulpit of his office to raise his profile with voters. The aggressive effort may help boost the former Los Angeles congressman’s chances at winning a full term in office this fall, almost two years after he was appointed to replace Sen. Kamala Harris in 2017.
Dispute over money emerges in campaign to repeal California’s gas tax increase
Los Angeles Times
A proposed initiative to repeal hikes to California’s gas tax has been caught in the middle of a dispute involving Republican rivals in the governor’s race. Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican candidate for governor, decided in January to drop plans for his own initiative and said he would urge supporters to sign a separate petition being supported by several Republican members of Congress.
CA charter school backers donate millions in governor’s race
The Sacramento Bee
Wealthy charter school supporters are pouring millions of dollars into the battle to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown, throwing their money into an independent committee to push former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ahead in a crowded field of candidates.
Los Angeles Times
In the vast majority of elections, it’s the simplest rule of all: You can only vote for one candidate. Make a mark beside the name of more than one person, and that vote doesn’t count. Such mistakes are usually rare, which is what made California’s U.S. Senate primary in 2016 so worrisome. In that one race, close to 250,000 confused voters marked their ballots for multiple candidates.
Opposition to immigrant sanctuary spreading in California
Sacramento Bee
More local governments in California are resisting the state’s efforts to resist the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, and political experts see politics at play as Republicans try to fire up voters in a state where the GOP has grown weak.
CalPERS faces steep climb to rebuild its funding
Calpensions
Last year was one of the best ever for the CalPERS investment fund, a gain of $47 billion that boosted the total to $350 billion. But pension funding only increased from 68 to 71 percent of the projected assets needed to pay future costs.
California: Model for National Divorce, Not Democrat Domination
National Review
Last week, one of the most powerful men in America, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, endorsed as a “great read” a Medium article entitled “The Great Lesson of California in America’s New Civil War.” The article, by Peter Leyden and Ruy Teixeira, is one entry in a lengthy four-part series called “California Is the Future,” and it posits that there is “no bipartisan path forward for America.” In other words, they think one-party rule is the path forward.
Federal Politics:
Republicans Struggle to Make Tax Cuts a Winning Election Issue
Bloomberg
Moments after the Republican tax overhaul passed in the Senate in mid-December, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that if he and his party members couldn’t sell the cuts to the American people, they should find “another line of work.” Four months later, some GOP lawmakers who hoped the law would save them from defeat may have to start dusting off their resumes.
Democrats Have The Wind At Their Backs, But Can They Capitalize?
NPR
Political calculations can change about as quickly as the news. But barring deeper involvement in Syria, the midterm calculus remains the same — Democrats have a distinct advantage at this point. That’s true for several reasons — and it was highlighted by data from the Pew Research Center presented at a National Press Club panel last week for Washington embassy staffers from various countries (at which your author was a panelist).
See also:
· 2018 vote margin narrows as Democratic engagement slips ABC News
Trump’s Numbers (First Quarterly Update)
FactCheck.org
This is our first quarterly update of the “Trump’s Numbers” scorecard that we posted in January. We’ll publish additional updates every three months, as fresh statistics become available. We’ve included statistics that may seem good or bad or just neutral, depending on the reader’s point of view.
Trump’s lies corrode democracy
Brookings
The recent disputes over President Trump’s language during bipartisan negotiations over the fate of DACA and his claims about the U.S. trade balance with Canada illustrate his tenuous relationship with the truth. But do Trump’s lies really matter? Are they different from other presidential lies?
FCC Rejects Democrats’ Request to Review Sinclair License
Roll Call
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai declined Thursday to follow through on a request from 12 senators that his bureau review Sinclair Broadcasting group’s license and temporarily block its merger with Tribune Media. Among the Democratic senators who co-signed the letter were Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Connecticut’s Richard Blumenthal.
U.S.’s Re-Entry in Pacific Trade Deal Would Come at a Price
Wall Street Journal
White House efforts to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership face big challenges and negotiations that could stretch out beyond President Donald Trump’s first term, trade experts say. The president first mentioned the possibility of re-entering TPP at a January conference of business elites in Davos, Switzerland. There was no follow-up of any kind, administration officials say, adding that TPP wasn’t a priority.
Other:
Gun rights backers gather at Capitol, part of ‘Americans for America’ rallies
The Fresno Bee
An estimated 200 people took to the south steps of the state Capitol on Saturday as a part of a nationwide gun rights demonstration that organizers said was intended, in part, to rebut some of the arguments made at the recent March for Our Lives events. The nationwide gatherings were promoted through social media by a group called the National Constitutional Coalition of Patriotic Americans.
See also:
● After Parkland, Schools Grapple With Threats — And The Best Ways To Respond NPR
● More Americans Than Ever Support Stricter Gun Control Laws, Poll Finds Time
● How Often Do People Use Guns In Self-Defense NPR
The staggering body count as California newspapers founder, and democracy loses
Los Angeles Times
The body count is staggering. In my 43 years as a journalist, armies of trained bloodhounds have been run out of newsrooms where I’ve worked, victims of layoffs, and buyouts, and battle fatigue. These were smart, curious reporters, photographers and editors who told stories that defined place and time and made us all know each other a little better.
How do you write survey questions that accurately measure public opinion?
Pew Research Center
Writing clear and neutral survey questions is much more difficult than it might seem. We spend a lot of time thinking about the phrasing and ordering of our survey questions. Paying close attention to these seemingly minor factors makes a huge difference. It helps us avoid the trap of poorly worded or leading questions, which can skew survey results.
Modern Political Warfare: Current Practices and Possible Responses
RAND
This report analyzes political warfare as it is practiced today by both state and nonstate actors, and provides detailed recommendations regarding the most effective ways that the U.S. government, along with its allies and partners, can respond to or engage in this type of conflict to achieve U.S. ends and protect U.S. interests.
People read news differently (i.e., worse) on phones than they do on desktop, new research suggests
Nieman Journalism Lab
People seem to pay better attention to news presented on desktop than on mobile. What changes as people read more news on mobile than desktop? A new paper published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication looks at this.
Facebook ‘likes’ offer a way to analyze your personality
CNN
After analyzing 300 likes, Big Data knows you better than your spouse does. Some companies, according to a 2013 study by computational psychologist and big data scientist Michal Kosinski and others, found that Facebook likes “can be used to automatically and accurately predict a range of highly sensitive personal attributes.”
See also:
● Zuckerberg Says Facebook Collects Internet Data on Non-Users Bloomberg
● The Data Economy: How we gave up on privacy Marketplace
● How To Check If Your Facebook Data Was Used By Cambridge Analytica NPR
● Facebook And Other Firms Have A Ton Of Data On You. Here’s How To Limit That NPR
● Willie Brown: Facebook’s Zuckerberg smooth-talked Congress. Only 1 senator got to him San Francisco Chronicle
The Conversation
It has been more than eight years since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Many may not remember the tumultuous scenes in Washington, D.C., and around the nation that preceded its passage. Yet, we have seen few signs of abatement since President Obama signed the bill into law.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, April 22, at 9 a.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report: “To Catch a Thief: Workers Comp Fraud” – Guest: California State Auditor, Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, April 22, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Prosecuting Workers Comp Fraud in the Valley” – Guests: Manuel Jimenez (Fresno County District Attorney’s Office), Janelle Crandell (Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office), Spencer Johnston (Tulare County District Attorney’s Office), Dave McKillop (Kern County District Attorney’s Office). Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, April 22, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Workers Comp Fraud” – Guest: Margarita Fernandez, PIO State Auditor’s Office. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
Support the Maddy Daily HERE.
Thank you!
Topics in More Detail…
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
2018 Farm Bill, a success or ‘betrayal’?
Visalia Times-Delta
Every five years, a bipartisan farm bill is passed by Congress that impacts people nationwide and right here at home. On Thursday, a draft of the legislation was released by the House Agriculture Committee. While the bill is welcomed by many, some called it a betrayal to rural families.
The newest threat to California’s redwoods isn’t what you’d think
Washington Post
A new industry is thriving in California. It is green in terms of the money being made and the crop itself. Yet it is anything but that when it comes to the environment, posing horrendous ecological threats to the region’s redwood forests.
Farmers are “excited” by the prospect re-entering the TPP
Marketplace
On Jan. 23, 2017 — the same day that President Donald Trump formally pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership — Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal talked with Keith Alverson to see how he was feeling. He’s a corn and soybean farmer in Chester, South Dakota and sits on the National Corn Growers Association board of directors. Given the news that the Trump administration is considering the idea of getting back into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Ryssdal got him back on the phone today.
See also:
· U.S.’s Re-Entry in Pacific Trade Deal Would Come at a Price Wall Street Journal
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
For stories on ”gun control,” See: “Top Stories – Other Politics,” above
Crime:
A program for Fresno County Jail inmates works to keep them from re-offending, and succeeds
Fresno Bee
The last time Melvin Smith was arrested, he was so hungry and tired that he prayed to God the authorities would keep him in Fresno County Jail instead of releasing him. “I was tired because I missed my family,” he said. “I used drugs, and the meth kind of tore up my life. I lost my family, my girl and kids. I had a whole other secret life. … It just got real bad, and I missed my family and got burned out on it.”
Sexual violence has a $140 billion price tag
Visalia Times-Delta
#MeToo has saturated the nation. Women and men across the country are speaking out against sexual violence in hopes of shedding light on the issue and preventing future victims. In Tulare County, students are joining the movement.
Life After ’17 to Life’
New York Times
In California, known for decades as one of the nation’s most avid jailers, the trajectory of law and order is shifting. Through litigation, legislation and a series of ballot initiatives, the state’s prison population has dropped 25 percent over the past decade. The photographer Joseph Rodriguez has been documenting crime and punishment in California for years and recently focused his gaze on the migration home, in Stockton — a barren outpost in California’s Central Valley.
Fire:
Fire devastates luxury apartment complex in Manteca
Hanford Sentinel
A luxury apartment complex that began construction last June and was expected to be ready for occupancy this summer was devastated by a major fire Sunday morning. The Tesoro Apartments at Van Ryn Avenue and East Atherton Drive, visible from Highway 120 looking south, lost four structures to the blaze that was first reported shortly before 9 a.m., according to Manteca fire officials. Multiple buildings were fully involved as the first firefighters arrived.
CA Wildfires Smoke Study Heart Respiratory Problems Firefighters
Firehouse
Last year’s busy wildfire season was an all-too-close reminder that smoky skies can cause coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. As it turns out, though, the health issues don’t end there. One of the most comprehensive studies yet on the impacts of wildfire smoke in California, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, suggests that heart problems are as much a concern as respiratory problems, perhaps even more so.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
California ranked as nation’s 5th fastest-growing economy
The Mercury News
California’s business climate may be cooling, but the state is still among the nation’s swiftest-growing economy. An intriguing collection of indexes produced by The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia tracks relative economic performances among the states by using data that mimics growth and contraction in regional business output.
U.S. consumer prices drop, but core inflation firming
Reuters
U.S. consumer prices fell for the first time in 10 months in March, weighed down by a decline in the cost of gasoline, but underlying inflation continued to firm amid rising prices for healthcare and rental accommodation. The drop in the headline monthly inflation reading reported by the Labor Department on Wednesday is likely temporary as producer prices increased solidly in March.
Wage growth well short of what was promised from tax reform
TheHill
The latest Employment Situation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows weekly employee earnings have grown $75 since tax reform passed, well short of the $4,000 to $9,000 annual increases projected by President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). During the three months following passage of the tax bill, the average American saw a $6.21 increase in average weekly earnings. Assuming 12 weeks of work during the three months following passage of the corporate tax cuts, this equates to a $75 increase.
See also:
· Powerful Forces Seen Restraining U.S. Pay Growth Wall Street Journal
U.S. Manufacturers Worry Tariffs Could Undermine Recovery
Wall Street Journal
Manufacturers are expressing trepidation that a burgeoning rebound in blue-collar jobs could be undermined by an all-out trade war with China. Manufacturing, long the sick patient in the U.S. economy as multinationals outsourced jobs, has added nearly 300,000 positions since the November 2016 election, increasing payrolls in 16 of the past 17 months. That included 22,000 positions last month. Overtime hours are up and orders are on the rise, making the current stretch among the strongest for the manufacturing sector in decades.
See also:
· How China’s proposed tariffs could affect U.S. workers and industries Brookings
Clicking ‘checkout’ could cost more after Supreme Court case
Fresno Bee
Sales Tax: $0. Online shoppers have gotten used to seeing that line on checkout screens before they click “purchase.” But a case before the Supreme Court could change that.
EDUCATION
For stories on ”school violence,” See: “Top Stories – Local Politics,” above
K-12:
Kern County STEMposium educates, unites students, businesses and community
Bakersfield.com
The Kern County Fairgrounds bustled with students flocking from booth to booth during the Second Annual Kern County STEMposium where they watched demonstrations, participated in hands-on exhibits and spoke with local organizations on all things science, technology, engineering and math.
Opinion: To value education means to fully fund it
Modesto Bee
It is said the best way to know what an organization truly values is to look at its budget. No matter what leaders say they value, the truth is in where the resources are directed. The California Budget and Policy Center says, as a state, we are 41st in per-student funding and 45th in the percentage of taxable income spent on education.
CA charter school backers donate millions in governor’s race
The Sacramento Bee
Wealthy charter school supporters are pouring millions of dollars into the battle to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown, throwing their money into an independent committee to push former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ahead in a crowded field of candidates.
Should California force schools to reveal when teachers are accused of sexual misconduct?
The Mercury News
Among educators, it’s known as “passing the trash” — quietly releasing a teacher or employee accused of sexual impropriety with children without warning other schools that may want to hire them. It is an issue that has resonated in the Bay Area: Graduates of a San Jose girls school have accused administrators of allowing a former theater director who admitted fondling a student to get a job at another school where he later was convicted on sex charges.
California’s plan for Every Student Succeeds Act heads to Betsy DeVos for approval
EdSource
Cross off one area of conflict with the Trump administration. Accepting compromises negotiated with the federal government, members of the State Board of Education on Thursday passed a state plan for the federal Every Student Succeeds Act with the expectation that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will approve it. They did so after concluding that the changes they agreed to would not significantly alter the state’s approach to improving schools and districts based on local control.
Four myths about teachers and their pay
CNN
As teachers in several states across the United States protest for higher pay and more funding for public education, lawmakers and onlookers are debating whether teachers deserve more money. But many of the arguments against teachers’ demands are based on misconceptions about the teaching profession and how they’re compensated.
AEI
In 21 states and Washington, DC, teachers and other public-sector unions may compel non-members to pay agency fees, which average about two-thirds of the dues union members pay. A defeat in the Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME would mean teachers unions could no longer compel non-members to pay representation fees.
Higher Ed:
California campuses confront a growing challenge: homeless students
CALmatters
The state’s public universities serve a student population that is about half low-income, who must compete for housing in some of the most expensive neighborhoods in the nation. While California provides more financial aid for non-tuition expenses than other states, the grants have failed to keep up with the state’s rising cost of living. One in ten California State University students say they have been homeless at some point in the past year, according to campus surveys. Among community college students in Los Angeles, the figure is one in five.
The costs, opportunities, and limitations of the expansion of 529 education savings accounts
Brookings
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act substantively changed 529 college savings plans. In an effort to promote school choice, the Act expanded the list of eligible 529 expenses to include K-12 private school tuition. In this paper, we examine the potential impact of the 529 expansion on the distribution of benefits across families, on the promotion of private school choice, and on possible fiscal implications for individual states.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
97% consensus on climate change? More like 99.94%, study finds
ZME Science
There are thousands and thousands of studies documenting climate change and its effects and among scientists, there’s essentially a consensus regarding climate change. While the details and the exact specifics of how it is happening are still very much an area of active research, there’s not much denying that it is happening and that we are causing it.
Opinion: A ban on diesel cars isn’t the best path to cleaner air in California
The Sacramento Bee
A recent decision in Germany’s top administrative court to uphold cities’ right to ban diesel passenger cars is a knee-jerk reaction to the emissions scandal that has plagued Volkswagen. Some may call it a courageous attempt to save our planet, but this ruling is a hyper-politicized decision that will not accelerate progress toward an emissions-free transportation system.
Opinion: If Gov. Jerry Brown is so concerned about climate change, why does he back oil drilling?
The Sacramento Bee
When I get onstage Saturday to speak at the March for Science Los Angeles, I’ll undoubtedly see clever signs in the crowd – maybe blown-up photos of President Donald Trump staring directly at the solar eclipse without protective glasses, or signs that ask “What do Trump and atoms have in common? They make up everything.”
Energy:
California Resources Corp. acquires full ownership of Elk Hills oil field
Bakersfield.com
The California Resources Corp. has acquired 100 percent ownership of the Elk Hills oil and natural gas field in Kern County, according to the company. The oil company said it purchased Chevron’s interests for $460 million and issued 2.85 million shares of CRC stock to Chevron. The deal went through April 1. Chevron had owned about 20 percent of the field’s assets. CRC had owned the rest of the field and has been its operator.
Why it’s time to raise the federal gas tax
PBS NewsHour
President Donald Trump recently floated the idea of raising the federal tax on motor fuels by 25 cents per gallon as a way to pay for improving the nation’s roads, highways and bridges. The revenues derived from these taxes have been decreasing and falling short of existing needs. While some business interests, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce currently favor raising the tax, it has faced staunch political opposition over the past decades.
Dragging an Energy Bill From the Ashes
Roll Call
Amid a forest of judicial appointments and other Trump administration confirmation votes, lawmakers pushing a bipartisan energy and natural resources bill in the Senate are still taking whacks in hope of moving legislation — or parts of it — before the end of this Congress.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
How single-payer healthcare became the biggest policy flashpoint in California’s race for governor
Los Angeles Times
When Gavin Newsom campaigns on his support for a California single-payer healthcare system, he’s talking about more than the virtues of universal care. He’s trying to sell himself as a bold visionary.
AP investigation: #MeToo has little impact on medical world
Washington Post
The first time that Dr. Anthony Bianchi came onto a patient, California’s medical board alleged, the gynecologist placed a chair against the exam room door, put his fingers into the woman’s vagina and exposed his erect penis. The second time, the board claimed, he told a patient that he couldn’t stop staring at her breasts and recounted a dream in which he performed oral sex on her in the office. The third time, the board charged, he told a pregnant patient suffering from vaginal bleeding that she shouldn’t shave her pubic hair before her next visit, as he was getting too excited.
Human Services:
Trump order targets wide swathe of public assistance programs
TheHill
The Trump administration is seeking to completely revamp the country’s social safety net, targeting recipients of Medicaid, food stamps and housing assistance. Trump is doing so through a sweeping executive order that was quietly issued earlier this week — and that largely flew under the radar.
IMMIGRATION
For articles on “sanctuary cities” See: Top Stories – Local Politics, above
Trump’s Strategy to Shrink Immigration Court Backlog May Not Work
Roll Call
A crucial piece of President Donald Trump’s deportation machine is not working the way he wants. He’s arresting thousands more undocumented immigrants than his predecessor, and illegal border traffic has dropped to historically low levels.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Property owners in Clovis hope to bring life back to Shaw Ave. with assessment
ABC30
Traffic can be seen along Shaw Avenue, but over the years that pattern has moved. Red Carpet Car Wash Vice President Michael Bowie said, “Times change and the herd has moved north and there’s a lot of competition out north now.” Red Carpet Car Wash is one of the businesses that’s now supporting a property and business improvement, or P-Bid, for the Shaw corridor. Owners from highway 168 and Shaw to Shaw and Clovis would be assessed a fee to help improve the street.
North Fork Rancheria’s casino plans take another small step
Sierra Star
The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians‘ plans to build a casino on Highway 99 north of Madera got a small boost from a federal appellate court. In one of a long string of rulings, a Washington, D.C., Circuit Court panel on April 10 stood by a decision to uphold a lower court’s ruling denying a challenge to the proposed casino. The panel reaffirmed an earlier ruling that the Interior Department had the authority to take the land into trust, and the project complied with federal laws.
Cold Truckee is a hot development
The Bakersfield Californian
One of California’s hottest development projects can be found in one of its coldest towns. In an era of neighbor-bites-neighbor fights against big developments, perhaps it’s fitting that an antidote should emerge from the Donner Pass.
See also:
● Smart, urban development is transforming Truckee San Francisco Chronicle
Bakersfield City Council moving forward with downtown ‘Entertainment District’
KERO 23ABC News
The future of Bakersfield’s downtown could be expanding with the addition of what’s being called an “Entertainment District”. On Wednesday, the Bakersfield City Council authorized Mayor Karen Goh to sign a “non-binding letter of intent,” which would allow the sale of property in the northeast corner of California Avenue and P Street to Discovery Management Group, LLC. The property covers a little more than five acres and would be sold for about $2.23 million.
Housing:
5 ways to solve California’s housing crisis
The Mercury News
Californians could be spending at least $50 billion more than they do dining out, going to the movies or shopping. But high housing costs are “crowding out” personal consumption, with more cash going to landlords and lenders instead.
Sacramento made us do it: Cities blame lawmakers for unpopular housing decisions
The Mercury News
Carefully, like a doctor explaining treatment options to a sick patient, a consultant for a tiny Peninsula city laid out a stark choice: Allow 2,000 homes to be built on a barren 684 acres or risk tangling with state lawmakers who have threatened to jam through a development twice as large.
First-Ever Evictions Database Shows: ‘We’re In the Middle Of A Housing Crisis’
NPR
For many poor families in America, eviction is a real and ongoing threat. Sociologist Matthew Desmond estimates that 2.3 million evictions were filed in the U.S. in 2016 — a rate of four every minute. “Eviction isn’t just a condition of poverty; it’s a cause of poverty,” Desmond says. “Eviction is a direct cause of homelessness, but it also is a cause of residential instability, school instability [and] community instability.”
PUBLIC FINANCES
This year’s tax deadline is Tuesday. Why some Californians will get 2 extra weeks
Sacramento Bee
Tax Day is delayed two days this year, from its traditional April 15 to April 17, due to Sunday closure and a Monday holiday. But some Californians impacted by recent wildfire and mudslide disasters will get a longer extension to file. While most Americans have until Tuesday, the IRS in January moved the deadline to April 30 for taxpayers in four Southern California counties affected by numerous devastating December wildfires and January’s deadly Montecito mudslides.
CalPERS faces steep climb to rebuild its funding
Calpensions
Last year was one of the best ever for the CalPERS investment fund, a gain of $47 billion that boosted the total to $350 billion. But pension funding only increased from 68 to 71 percent of the projected assets needed to pay future costs.
See also
· Questions about new CalPERS CFO’s background and experience should be taken seriously by the pension fund Los Angeles Times
CBO Report: Republican Congress Accelerates Rush toward Bankruptcy
National Review
Last year the Congressional Budget Office warned that Uncle Sam was racing toward fiscal insolvency. It turns out that the CBO’s spending, deficit, and debt predictions were low, ridiculously so. They didn’t take into account Republicans’ determination to bankrupt America, and quickly. Now, a year later, the U.S. has moved dramatically down the path to insolvency.
See also:
· Opinion: The Democrats Are the Party of Fiscal Responsibility The New York Times
Supreme Court Weighs Widening States’ Reach on Online Sales Taxes
WSJ
Billions of dollars of goods sold each year by independent merchants on Amazon.com and other online marketplaces would be vulnerable to state sales taxes for the first time if justices decide to reverse a quarter-century-old precedent in a case before the Supreme Court this week.
See also:
· Most people don’t pay taxes when shopping online. That could go away Marketplace
TRANSPORTATION
For articles on federal audit of “high speed rail” See: Top Stories: Local, above
City details proposed road projects using gas tax money
Bakersfield.com
The city of Bakersfield has proposed 11 projects for the 2018-19 fiscal year to be funded as part of Senate Bill 1. The City Council approved the list earlier this week and it will go up for a final vote in June as part of the approval process for next year’s budget. “This is a great opportunity for the city,” Public Works Director Nick Fidler said.
California freeways: 20 minutes on the road isn’t what it was supposed to be
The Mercury News
As an innovator and early adopter of freeways, California became the symbolic capital of car culture. But the ease of movement conferred by the massive postwar freeway building boom was short-lived, turning the dream of car travel into a nightmare of congestion and long commutes.
See also:
● How California Car Culture Killed The Promise Of A 20-Minute Commute KPBS
Gas prices at highest level since 2015 amid fears of another oil shock
Los Angeles Times
Southern California drivers are paying the highest pump prices for gasoline in 2 1/2 years amid fears that prices could jump even further if the United States takes military action against Syria. The upswing in prices reflects not only rising crude-oil prices but also a higher state gasoline tax, continued strong demand for fuel and seasonal adjustments at California refineries that typically lift pump prices in the spring.
Why it’s time to raise the federal gas tax
PBS NewsHour
President Donald Trump recently floated the idea of raising the federal tax on motor fuels by 25 cents per gallon as a way to pay for improving the nation’s roads, highways and bridges. The revenues derived from these taxes have been decreasing and falling short of existing needs. While some business interests, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce currently favor raising the tax, it has faced staunch political opposition over the past decades.
WATER
Southern California plans to spend $11 billion on the delta tunnels. Who will end up paying?
Los Angeles Times
When the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California voted to finance the lion’s share of the delta tunnels project, some on the board called it a bold stroke of leadership. The delegations from Los Angeles and San Diego, however, called the move alarming, financially risky and irresponsible. MWD’s two largest member agencies, L.A. and the San Diego County Water Authority, were on the losing end of last week’s vote to invest nearly $11 billion in the construction of two massive tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
See also:
· When it comes to the California delta, none of Gov. Jerry Brown’s potential successors have tunnel vision Los Angeles Times
White House, Congress side with California growers over raising Shasta Dam
San Francisco Chronicle
Congress and the Trump administration are pushing ahead with a plan to raise a towering symbol of dam-building’s 20th century heyday to meet the water demands of 21st century California — a project backed by San Joaquin Valley growers but opposed by state officials, defenders of a protected river and an American Indian tribe whose sacred sites would be swamped.
“Xtra”
Tulare County librarian: ‘This is a dream come true’
Visalia Times-Delta
Saturday was a dream come true for Tulare County Librarian Darla Wegener. While children flipped through books and authors captivated audiences, Wegener stood back, smiled and watched. “I have goosebumps,” she said. “This has been on my bucket list for a very long time.” On Saturday, hundreds visited the Visalia Branch Library on West Oak Avenue to celebrate the inaugural Book Festival. The festival was a collaboration between Wegener and Leadership Visalia.
Ceres Girl Scout troop gives care packs to homeless
Modesto Bee
A troop of Girl Scouts from Ceres proved they can do a lot more than sell cookies Saturday.
EDITORIALS
What Facebook won’t do, California lawmakers must
The Mercury News
When you sign up for Facebook it is too hard to figure out how to control the dissemination of your private data. Mark Zuckerberg won’t provide the simple fix because it cuts into the billionaire’s bottom line. Congress won’t do it because it doesn’t have the political will or know-how to do it right.
Big banks take a stand against the gun industry
Los Angeles Times
It’s too early to say for sure, but it could be that the free market will wind up doing what Congress refuses to do: tighten access to firearms and stand up to companies that make and sell assault-style weapons.
A welcome assault on the gender wage gap
Los Angeles Times
Year after year, study after study has come to the same depressing conclusion: Women are paid less than men in most every occupation, from accounting to teaching to sales to nursing. In the 55 years since the federal Equal Pay Act was passed, the gap has shrunk a bit, but it’s still far too wide. In 1963, working women were paid, on average, 59 cents for every dollar paid to a man. It’s now about 80 cents on the dollar, and substantially less for women of color. The gap exists even in fields in which women vastly outnumber men, like secretarial work and grade school teaching.
Stand with us by backing real newspapering
OCRegister
Newspapers — don’t mind if we still call ourselves that, though this is the modern world, and you may well be reading this on the tiny screen of your phone — are as important to our democracy as your City Hall, state Legislature, Capitol dome. Maybe more important, as we have a vested interest in the facts of our shared civic lives, as opposed to the politics of them. But American newspapers are under fire on any number of fronts, as never before in the history of our republic.
Transfer from state community college to UC — guaranteed
San Diego Union-Tribune
The University of California was founded in 1868. The first state junior college, or community college, was authorized by the Legislature in 1907. The idea that it wasn’t until this month that UC and California Community College officials agreed on a framework that would guarantee admission to one of the UC campuses to state community college graduates who did well in a rigorous set of courses is hard to fathom. But better late than never.
WSJ
The Supreme Court’s landmark 1992 Quill decision protects small businesses across the country from tax-grubbing politicians across the country. On Tuesday the Justices will consider whether to overturn Quill and open Pandora’s box.
The President Is Not Above The Law
The New York Times
News reports point to a growing possibility that President Trump may act to cripple or shut down an investigation by the nation’s top law-enforcement agencies into his campaign and administration. Lawmakers need to be preparing now for that possibility because if and when it comes to pass, they will suddenly find themselves on the edge of an abyss, with the Constitution in their hands.
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