TOP POLITICAL STORIES​​​​​​​

Local/Regional Politics:

Downtown hotel project in Fresno

Fresno Bee

A $645,000 deal to sell a plot of land in the midst of the Fresno Convention Center complex for a potential downtown hotel was unanimously approved Thursday by the Fresno City Council. The sale involves a 0.74-acre parcel at the corner of Inyo and M streets in downtown Fresno, where the L-shaped Exhibit Hall was built around the site in anticipation of a hotel eventually being built there. Metro Hospitality Services Inc., a company in Fowler, is buying the land.

Fresno approves loans, incentives for low-income apartments

Fresno Bee

Over philosophical objections from two political conservatives, the Fresno City Council approved a $2.2 million package of loans and incentives for a $38 million housing project for low-income families. The mixed-use development on Blackstone Avenue will feature a health clinic on the ground floor and 88 apartment units for low-income families.

Valley families to start building their own homes through affordable housing program

ABC30

Valencia Heights is a new 15-acre subdivision started by self-help enterprises. The Visalia-based community development organization helps low-income families across the Valley. Eventually, Valencia Heights will include seventy new and affordable homes. But future homeowners, like the Reynoso family, will do much of the building.

Nunes cleared by House Ethics Committee

Fresno Bee

The House Ethics Committee cleared Rep. Devin Nunes on Thursday of allegations raised in the spring that he revealed classified information related to the House’s Russia investigation. After learning of the investigation, Nunes announced he would step away from the House’s investigation amid a firestorm of intense scrutiny and media coverage. The Tulare Republican is the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which is leading the investigation into Russia’s alleged interference with the 2016 election.

Clovis: Not just a gateway, a destination

Clovis Roundup

Traveling north on Clovis Avenue, visitors and residents alike often notice the welcoming neon sign hanging overhead as they enter Old Town Clovis: “Clovis, Gateway to the Sierras” it reads, antique typo and all. With a population over 100,000 and a gamut of activities to enjoy from the largest rodeo in the state to the famous hot air balloon themed Clovis Fest to the ever-expanding farmer’s market offering a vast selection of locally-grown produce, today’s Clovis is so much more than a fuel stop on the way to Yosemite or Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park.

Vexing question: How to educate pedestrians amid rash of fatalities?

Bakersfield Californian

Public Health officials launched a campaign this week urging people to be cautious in what’s shaping up to be a record-setting year for pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, including the most recent death Wednesday of a 5-year-old girl. That girl, identified Thursday by Kern County Coroner’s officials as Emily Guillen-Casillas, was walking on a sidewalk with a woman near Harris Road and California Springs Drive Wednesday afternoon when a motorist lost control of her car and struck both pedestrians.

Worth Noting: CSUB gets Champion for Higher Education award

Bakersfield Californian

Cal State Bakersfield has been given the 2017 Champion for Higher Education award by the Campaign for College Opportunity.

The award is given to schools that excel at enrolling and graduating Associates Degree for Transfer earners. CSU Bakersfield was recognized for enrolling 236 such students in the 2016-17 school year. CSUB was one of four universities and nine community colleges across the state to earn the award.

House ethics panel closes its probe of Intel Chairman Devin Nunes

Visalia Times Delta

The House Ethics Committee announced Thursday that it has closed its investigation into whether Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes violated any laws or congressional rules by disclosing classified information.

See also:

• Ethics Committee clears Rep. Devin Nunes POLITICO
• Rep. Devin Nunes cleared of allegations that he disclosed classified information in Russia investigation  Los Angeles Times

State Politics:

Toni Atkins will be first woman to lead California Senate

Sacramento Bee

Toni Atkins will become the first woman to lead the California Senate next year. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León announced Thursday that Atkins, a San Diego Democrat, is the consensus pick of the Senate Democratic Caucus to succeed him as leader. She will be formally elected in January, and a transition will take place later in the year, de León said in a statement.

See also:

• California’s Senate will be led by a woman for first time in history: Sen. Toni Atkins Los Angeles Times
• San Diego’s Toni Atkins is tapped as the first woman leader of the California State Senate San Diego Union-Tribune
• California Senate picks female leader amid misconduct probes The Herald
• What Now for Bob Hertzberg?  Fox and Hounds Daily

California legislators to introduce bipartisan bill to give victims of sexual harassment more time to file claims

Los Angeles Times

The proposal would give both public and private employees more time to come forward with a claim. A spokesman for Reyes said the legislators are working to determine what the new timeframe should be.

Jerry Brown’s Pension Epiphany

WSJ

Republican plans to slash the state-and-local tax deduction are already reaping benefits in high-tax states. Democrats in the Northeast say they’re having second thoughts about raising taxes. And lo and behold, California Gov. Jerry Brown is arguing that public pensions aren’t ironclad.

Video: Preview of the Statewide Election

Public Policy Institute of California

Setting the stage for a year of crucial decisions, the December PPIC Statewide Survey took a first look at the 2018 governor’s race.

Republican John Cox takes shots at Sacramento ‘cronies’ and Democratic rivals in governor’s race

Los Angeles Times

Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox on Thursday blamed the Democratsin Sacramento for California’s most serious ills, including high levels of poverty and unaffordable housing costs. Cox, speaking at the Public Policy Institute of California in San Francisco, promised to tamp down the clout of special interests and apply “common sense” and conservative fiscal discipline to put California back on the right path.

See also:

• Fact Check:  John Cox’s file PolitiFact California

Northern California wildfires now cost $9.4 billion

Sacramento Bee

October’s wine country wildfires are now the costliest in California history, with insurance claims pegged at $9.4 billion.

Key California environmental law not a barrier to development, new state report says

Los Angeles Times

The California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, the state’s primary environmental law governing development doesn’t block development from actually happening, according to a state study released Thursday.

Search and compare data from the California School Dashboard

EdSource

On ​Dec. 7, 2017​, the California Department of Education published the California School Dashboard for schools and districts. The dashboard shows progress, or lack of it, on multiple measures. To find indicators from a school or district, enter a search term in the box to search by school, city, district or county. If a school or district does not appear, it means that no data is available. Blank spaces can mean several things. For an explanation, see the notes below the chart.

California needs a digital equity strategy to close its opportunity gap

CAFWD

The California Economic Summit has taken up the cause of crafting a comprehensive agenda for upward mobility with a series and policy discussion called Elevate CA. Summit leader and president and CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund talks about how closing California’s digital divide will be a priority for the disadvantaged and “underconnected.” Though California has made strides closing its digital divide, we’ve reached a tipping point in public policy in California in which a strategy for digital equity is seen as essential to lifting up all residents.

Evaluation of the Statewide Project Management Office

Legislative Analyst’s Office

Provides background regarding the objectives and operations of the Project Management Office (PMO); details our findings in evaluating the PMO; introduces two significant recent developments and their impacts on the PMO; and makes associated recommendations on how the Legislature should proceed to better align the office with the original legislative intent.

Making Ends Meet: How Much Does It Cost to Support a Family in California?

California Budget & Policy Center

Making Ends Meet shines a light on the economic challenges faced by many Californians by showing the cost of supporting a family or a single individual in different parts of the state.

Federal Politics:

Will the Tax Bills Cost or Save You Money?

Consumer Reports

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (PDF) passed by the Senate last week, as with the House bill of the same name, could create major changes in Americans’ lives that many are just beginning to fathom. Congress still has to combine the bills into a single piece of legislation. But based on the bills’ similarities, it’s likely that the final resulting law will have huge implications for most Americans, from where they choose to live, to how they pay for their own or their children’s education, to how—or whether—they’ll get health insurance.

See also:

• Republicans Move to Resolve Tax Bill Differences as Cost Concerns Loom  New York Times
• Paul Ryan-linked group urges California Republicans to hold firm on tax bill Los Angeles Times
• Californians might retain a state and local income tax deduction — but with limits  Los Angeles Times
• Opinion: Governors howl: Why tax plan would hammer blue states  San Francisco Chronicle
• GOP Tax Cuts ‘Evil’? Hardly.  National Review
• Opinion: GOP tax bill is terrible for small business  The Sacramento Bee
• Tax Bill Is Likely to Undo Health Insurance Mandate, Republicans Say  New York Times
• Tax Bill Could Offer New Way To Funnel Political Cash — And Make It Tax Deductible  NPR
• Liberal group wades into primary fights early, endorses challengers in four GOP-held districts  Los Angeles Times
• Pelosi lambastes California Republicans for supporting tax bill that ends wildfire loss deductions  Los Angeles Times

Congress clears spending bill, averting shutdown

POLITICO

Congress passed a two-week funding bill Thursday, staving off a government shutdown a day ahead of the deadline. But lawmakers face a turbulent next few weeks as they try to clinch a broader budget deal by the end of the year. Senators approved the measure on a 81-14 vote, soon after the House passed it 235-193. Despite initial reluctance from conservative House Republicans, GOP leadership was ultimately able to pass it with votes to spare.

See also:

• Congress Approves Two-Week Stopgap Measure to Keep Government Funded New York Times

House to Vote on Concealed-Carry Gun Bill

The Atlantic

House Republicans plan to vote this week on a bipartisan proposal to tighten up the federal background-check system following the massacre last month of 25 Texas churchgoers by a man whose history of domestic violence should have stopped him from buying a gun.

Other:

How Social Security Will Change in 2018

Consumer Reports

The big news for Social Security in 2018 is a small pay hike for the program’s 61 million beneficiaries. The average monthly payment will go up by 2 percent: from $1,377 to $1,404 next year. It’s not much—and, worse, not everyone will see that extra money in their check because of the way deductions for Medicare premiums are taken (see more on this below). But it’s noteworthy because it represents the first significant cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) since 2012, when there was a 3.6 percent hike. Last year, seniors got just a 0.3 percent increase, and there was no raise at all in 2016.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING 

Sunday, December 10th, at 10 a.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report: State Auditor To UC: UCPath on the Wrong Path. Guest: State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, December 10th, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report ​ – Valley Views Edition​: State Auditor Finds Government Waste  Guest: State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, December 10th, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – Informe Maddy – California Supreme Court: Special Taxes Are Special. Guests: Liam Dillon with Los Angeles Times, Jesse Rojas with Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and Alexei Koseff with Sacramento Bee. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

Support the Maddy Daily HERE. Thank you!

Topics in More Detail…

EDITORIALS

Coming California disasters could worsen as climate changes

Fresno Bee

Living atop ever-shifting tectonic plates, we know the Earth can shift with deadly force at any time, though we don’t dwell on it. But as 2017 nears its end, let’s reflect on the disasters we endured, and what they portend for next year and years ahead. In the last rainy season, more rain and snow fell on our valleys and mountains than in any year recorded, this after five years of drought. Eroded by the force of millions of gallons water cascading out of Lake Oroville, the concrete spillway at the massive Oroville Dam crumbled in February, and the Butte County sheriff wisely erred on the side of safety by ordering 188,000 people to evacuate.

Congressional Republicans channel Trump in bashing the FBI

Los Angeles Times

Following President Trump’s questionable lead, some congressional Republicans are trying to sow doubt about the integrity and impartiality of the FBI and the investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. That investigation already has resulted in an indictment of Trump’s former campaign…

Is Al Franken’s resignation a political stunt or a sign that #MeToo is here to stay?

Los Angeles Times

Farewell, Al Franken, the latest well-known American public figure to see his career upended — very possibly destroyed — amid allegations of sexual misconduct. His case was a complicated one. He has not been accused of harassing subordinates in the workplace or of breaking any laws. What’s more, the Minnesota Democrat still has not conceded that the allegations against him are true — rather, he has denied some and said he remembered others very differently.

Editorial: Franken’s exit must lead to tougher harassment

San Francisco Chronicle

Sen. Al Franken’s forced departure from the Senate comes with whirlwind speed and tough political calculation. But an unswerving message of zero tolerance for harassment should be the new standard.

Trump’s EPA wants to ignore science and put more dirty trucks back on the road

Los Angeles Times

Diesel exhaust fumes are the most foul tailpipe emissions on the road, as anyone stuck in traffic behind an aging bus or 18-wheeler can attest. But researchers have gathered overwhelming evidence that the fumes are more than just unpleasant; diesel emissions contribute to asthma, heart disease, cancer and a host of other ills. Diesel-powered trucks are also major contributors to lung-searing smog, and their emissions are loaded with climate-altering soot and gases that contribute to global warming.

‘Dreamers’ must be saved, but not by Democrats holding government hostage

Sacramento Bee

Congress OK’d a short-term spending bill, but Kamala Harris, Senate Democrats won’t vote for a final bill without help for “Dreamers.”

Editorial: Concealed weapons bill poses danger nationwide

San Francisco Chronicle

The House has opened fire on a rare example of bipartisan progress against gun violence, pairing modest background-check improvements with a bill to help more people carry weapons at will. All but 14 …

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Senate GOP tax bill will hurt almond industry. California Republicans must step in

Merced Sun-Star

If a critical federal export tax program gets the knife in Congress’ final Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, California’s $5 billion almond industry would receive one of the deepest and most painful cuts. Roughly 104,000 California jobs generated by the almond industry are at stake in the fast-moving tax overhaul being debated in Congress, and 97,000 of those jobs are in the Central Valley where the ag-dependent economy has struggled for a decade.

Morain: CA emergency marijuana regulations threaten public health

Sacramento Bee

McWeeds may be coming soon to your community. The state of California last week proposed emergency rules to regulate marijuana when recreational use becomes legal in January. Some parts of the emergency regulations are urgently needed. But their overall breadth and lack of caution will fulfill big business’s wildest dreams. They will promote the unfettered growth of a new harmfulCalifornia industry dominated by special interests and wealthy investors, not the health and well-being of our communities.

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

 

Crime:

Video shows two men stealing bottles of vitamin pills, but why so many?

Fresno Bee

Clovis police say two men brazenly walked into a market during business hours and stole 40 bottles of vitamin pills. It was all caught on surveillance video. Police haven’t identified them and don’t recognize them as local crooks, said Clovis police service officer Ty Wood. Maybe they’re traveling thieves, he said.

Public Safety:

Improving In-Prison Rehabilitation Programs

Legislative Analyst’s Office

Provides background information on the state’s in-prison rehabilitation programs: outlines key program principles for maximizing reductions in recidivism; identifies key shortcomings in the state’s rehabilitation programs; and makes recommendations to improve how the state provides in-prison rehabilitation programs.

 

Fire:

Local firefighters sent to help with Thomas Fire, but they’re watching conditions back home as well

Bakersfield Californian

Firefighters from Kern County are doing their part to help with the fires raging across Southern California. The Kern County Fire Department said on its Facebook page that it has deployed 59 firefighters, five engines, two fire bulldozers and other equipment to the Ventura area to battle the Thomas Fire. The Bakersfield Fire Department has dispatched an additional 19 firefighters and six fire engines to assist in the effort.

See also:

• Essential California: Fires rage from San Diego to the San Fernando Valley  LA Times
• Despite lull, a reminder that evacuation orders are still in effect in Ojai Los Angeles Times
• California Struggles To Gain On Fires As New Ones Appear Daily : The Two-Way NPR
• Nearly 100 nuns at a nursing home near the Skirball fire were evacuated. With nowhere to go, staff took them in  Los Angeles Times
• Elite thoroughbred race horses killed in California wildfireSacramento Bee
• Edison’s stock price drop pegged to Southland wildfires Los Angeles Times
• Lawmakers look at warning failures in California wildfiresHouston Chronicle
• Opinion: Why are California’s homes burning? It isn’t natural disaster it’s bad planning  LA Times
• In a Warming California, a Future of More Fire New York Times

PG&E prepared for Wine Country windstorm days in advance of fires, memo shows

San Francisco Chronicle

On Thursday, Oct. 5, Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s weather forecasting office warned the utility that a big windstorm could strike Northern California that weekend, raising the threat of wildfires to the highest possible level. In response, the company started assembling emergency response teams, planning how many workers would be needed and where they would be placed, and preparing for the possibility of blackouts. As the weekend approached, PG&E positioned workers and equipment, ready to restore power if necessary.

See also:

• Northern California wildfires now cost $9.4 billion Sacramento Bee

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Making Ends Meet: How Much Does It Cost to Support a Family in California?

California Budget & Policy Center

Making Ends Meet shines a light on the economic challenges faced by many Californians by showing the cost of supporting a family or a single individual in different parts of the state. This analysis presents basic family budgets for each of California’s 58 counties for four types of households: a single adult, a single-parent family, a two-parent family with one parent working, and a two-working-parent family. (All family types except single adult are assumed to have one preschool-aged child and one school-aged child.) These family budgets estimate the amount of income that households would need to cover basic expenses through earnings only, without publicly funded benefits or supports.

Study: Top 1 percent owns 40 percent of nation’s wealth, highest point in 50 years

UPI.com

The wealthiest 1 percent in the United States now own 40 percent of the nation’s wealth – the highest wealth disparity in the last 50 years, according to a paper published Thursday. New York University economist Edward N. Wolff used datafrom the federal Survey of Consumer Finances and found that the top 1 percent has been steadily increasing its share of the wealth since 1962, when it owned 33 percent.

Jobs:

U.S. Adds 228,000 to Payroll in November Job Report

Fortune

The U.S. added more jobs than forecast in November and the unemployment rate held at an almost 17-year low, though below-forecast wage gains suggested the labor market still has slack to absorb.

See also:

• What to look for in the November jobs report  CNN
• US Jobs Report, November 2017 Business Insider

EDUCATION

K-12:

Fitzgerald: It’s decision time for SUSD on Davalos

Stockton Record

If I may, I have a few questions about the policy governing Eliseo Davalos, Stockton Unified’s superintendent, out on paid leave since Aug. 10. Superintendent Davalos — head of San Joaquin County’s largest school district since June 2016 — went on leave to care for his dying wife. Lupe Davalos died of cancer on Sept. 4. Her death occurred in Rancho Cucamonga (Davalos did not move his family to Stockton when he accepted a position with the school district). Like many people, I know well the searing pain and loneliness that comes with losing a close family member. The loss of a loved one is the worst thing of all.

Search and compare data from the California School Dashboard

EdSource

On ​Dec. 7, 2017​, the California Department of Education published the California School Dashboard for schools and districts. The dashboard shows progress, or lack of it, on multiple measures. This database shows indicators of progress on five measures, in color codes selected by the state. (See below for details.) Other indicators will be will be added later as the state develops them, or collects the data needed to populate this database. To find indicators from a school or district, enter a search term in the box to search by school, city, district or county. If a school or district does not appear, it means that no data is available. Blank spaces can mean several things. For an explanation, see the notes below the chart.

See also:

• 1 in 4 California school districts required to get county help based on new state performance data  EdSource

The urgent need for a system of support for California schools

EdSource

Earlier this year, a representative of a California advocacy and civil-rights organization asked me if the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, the new state agency that I head, has a “genuine sense of urgency” about its work in getting the right kind of help and assistance to districts, charters and county offices of education. I told him that the very first meeting that we had in the very first district that we agreed to take on was at Ironwood State Prison, which is located within the boundaries of the Palo Verde Unified School District in the city of Blythe on the California-Arizona border.

How America Is Breaking Public Education

Forbes

The ultimate dream of public education is incredibly simple. Students, ideally, would go to a classroom, receive top-notch instruction from a passionate, well-informed teacher, would work hard in their class, and would come away with a new set of skills, talents, interests, and capabilities. Over the past few decades in the United States, a number of education reforms have been enacted, designed to measure and improve student learning outcomes, holding teachers accountable for their students’ performances. Despite these well-intentioned programs, includingNo Child Left Behind, Race To The Top, and the Every Student Succeeds Act, public education is more broken than ever. The reason, as much as we hate to admit it, is that we’ve disobeyed the cardinal rule of success in any industry: treating your workers like professionals.

Higher Ed:

Inspire California to hold winter college prep workshop

Hanford Sentinel

Inspire California, a community-based organization that seeks to provide free comprehensive college preparatory counseling, professional development and mentoring opportunities to high school students in the Central Valley, is holding a winter college prep workshop this weekend.

Worth Noting: CSUB gets Champion for Higher Education award

Bakersfield Californian

Cal State Bakersfield has been given the 2017 Champion for Higher Education award by the Campaign for College Opportunity.

The award is given to schools that excel at enrolling and graduating Associates Degree for Transfer earners. CSU Bakersfield was recognized for enrolling 236 such students in the 2016-17 school year. CSUB was one of four universities and nine community colleges across the state to earn the award.

Students can now do hands-on research at new forensics lab

The Collegian

Criminology students are getting hands-on experience with a new lab in their department.

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Why Bay Area should brace for bad air this weekend

East Bay Times

Air quality in the Bay Area will worsen for several days with Spare the Air alerts called for Friday through Sunday as the region gets stagnant conditions and possibly some smoke from Southern California wildfires.

Southland residents urged to stay indoors during California wildfires

Los Angeles Times

While the raging Creek fire is miles away from Glendale and Burbank, its influence is still being felt in the two cities as ash and smoke from the flames have impacted air quality.

Energy:

Rethinking the utility company as solar power heats up

PBS NewsHour

The plummeting price of solar panels has led to a boom of customers and solar industry jobs. What does it mean for the evolution of utility companies? William Brangham reports.

Steve Westly: Is California’s Future Electric?

Environment News

California needs to set a date for barring the sale of gas and diesel vehicles.

Renewable Energy Is Surging. The G.O.P. Tax Bill Could Curtail That.

The New York Times

The Republican tax bills moving through Congress could significantly hobble the United States’ renewable energy industry because of a series of provisions that scale back incentives for wind and solar power while bolstering older energy sources like oil and gas production.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Are you on Medicare? Lower federal taxes might trigger massive health care cuts

Fresno Bee

Medicare and other federal programs could be cut if Congress approves a tax law that increases the federal deficit, say community leaders in the central San Joaquin Valley. Estimates are that the tax bills passed by the House and Senate would increase the federal deficit by about $1.5 trillion over a decade. A conference committee has yet to work out the differences in the two bills, but the concern is that entitlement programs will be cut to reduce the nation’s debt.

Interactive: Reducing Child Poverty in California

Public Policy Institute of California

This interactive tool allows you to explore how changes to housing costs, minimum wage, and the social safety net could affect child poverty statewide and in your county. We find lower housing costs and minimum wage increases could lower child poverty substantially—while helping Californians across the income spectrum. And though investments in California’s safety net would need to draw from the state budget, these approaches could also reduce child poverty considerably—while concentrating resources on vulnerable populations.

California Fines Anthem $5 Million For Failing to Address Consumer Grievances

Washington Post

California’s managed-care regulator has fined insurance giant Anthem Blue Cross $5 million for repeatedly failing to resolve consumer grievances in a timely manner. The state Department of Managed Health Care criticized Anthem, the nation’s second-largest health insurer, for systemic violations and a long history of flouting the law in regard to consumer complaints.

Flu season soars in the US, especially in the South
CNN

After a slow start in October, flu season in the United States is gaining speed, particularly in the South.

Family HealthCare Network opens their largest health center in Downtown Hanford

abc30

A South Valley-based healthcare provider is expanding their services in Kings County, with a new health center in downtown Hanford.

IMMIGRATION

Low-wage immigrant workers are especially vulnerable to sexual abuse. How can they say #MeToo?

PBS NewsHour

Every day, about 50 people are sexually assaulted or raped in the workplace in the U.S. While the entertainment industry and the political world have been in the headlines, the problem extends to those who work in hotels, clean offices, serve food..

Senate GOP’s Immigration Bill Without Path to Citizenship Panned

Roll Call

Senate Democrats and even some Republicans are panning a GOP bill designed to protect undocumented young people and toughen immigration laws because it would not offer the so-called Dreamers a path to citizenship.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Fresno approves loans, incentives for low-income apartments

Fresno Bee

Over philosophical objections from two political conservatives, the Fresno City Council approved a $2.2 million package of loans and incentives for a $38 million housing project for low-income families. The mixed-use development on Blackstone Avenue will feature a health clinic on the ground floor and 88 apartment units for low-income families.

Downtown hotel project in Fresno

Fresno Bee

A $645,000 deal to sell a plot of land in the midst of the Fresno Convention Center complex for a potential downtown hotel was unanimously approved Thursday by the Fresno City Council. The sale involves a 0.74-acre parcel at the corner of Inyo and M streets in downtown Fresno, where the L-shaped Exhibit Hall was built around the site in anticipation of a hotel eventually being built there. Metro Hospitality Services Inc., a company in Fowler, is buying the land.

Housing:

Valley families to start building their own homes through affordable housing program

ABC30

Valencia Heights is a new 15-acre subdivision started by self-help enterprises. The Visalia-based community development organization helps low-income families across the Valley. Eventually, Valencia Heights will include seventy new and affordable homes. But future homeowners, like the Reynoso family, will do much of the building.

Key California environmental law not a barrier to development, new state report says

Los Angeles Times

The state’s primary environmental law governing development doesn’t block development from actually happening, according to a state study released Thursday.

FHA to no longer insure new mortgages with PACE loans

Los Angeles Times

The Federal Housing Administration will stop insuring new mortgages on homes with PACE loans, a type of controversial financing used to fund energy-efficient home improvements. The announcement Thursday follows criticism from consumer groups that too many borrowers have taken out unaffordable loans for solar panels and other projects after contractors misrepresented how the financing works.

The B Word: No housing bubble yet, California Realtor group says

OCRegister

California doesn’t have a housing bubble — yet. But look out if mortgage interest rates go up, or if there’s an “economic shock,” such as a major stock market correction. Those could be the “tipping points” that ignite a market turnaround, ending a 68-month streak of steadily rising home prices, a recent California Association of Realtors report concluded.

Why Millennials Aren’t Buying Homes

Bloomberg

Center for Economic and Policy Research’s Dean Baker discusses the challenges millennials are facing when it comes to home ownership. He speaks on “What’d You Miss?”

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

Californians might retain a state and local income tax deduction — but with limits

Los Angeles Times

Californians still might retain their ability to deduct state and local taxes from their federal returns under the Republican overhaul — but with a catch.

TRANSPORTATION

California launches pay-per-mile road tax study

The Sacramento Bee

Weeks into a new gas tax hike, California transportation officials said Thursday they are studying ways to charge drivers based on how many miles they drove since their last fill-up rather than the amount of fuel they use.

TSA PreCheck program to speed security lines needs more workers doing background checks, report says

Los Angeles Times

The Transportation Security Administration’s push to enroll 25 million people in its expedited screening program has fallen short, mainly because the agency failed to assign enough workers to review applications, a federal report found.

WATER

Cracks, clogged drains, broken valves among litany of problems at California’s dams

Sacramento Bee

Cracked concrete. Plugged drains. Unchecked tree and brush growth. Broken outlet valves. These are some of the problems that have gone uncorrected for years at California dams in spite of being flagged repeatedly by inspectors from the state Department of Water Resources. The sample below is based on a Sacramento Bee analysis of five years of inspection reports at the 93 dams singled out for further review by state officials following the February crisis at Oroville Dam. All of the dams mentioned below are classified as “high hazard” by the state because of their proximity to people living downstream.

‘These things add up.’ Could recurring problems compromise safety of California dams?

Sacramento Bee

When it comes to inspecting dams, California is second to none. A panel of national experts examined the state’s Division of Safety of Dams last year and declared it tops in the field, citing inspectors’ knack for flagging small problems before they turn serious. Getting dam owners to fix those flaws quickly is another matter.

Oroville Residents Blast State Over Dam Repairs

capradio.org

Northern California residents living in the shadow of the nation’s tallest dam vented decades of frustration with state water managers Wednesday, telling officials they have no credibility when they say hairline cracks in a newly rebuilt spillway are nothing to worry about. In February, nearly 200,000 people had to evacuate because of catastrophic damage to the spillways at Oroville Dam. The crisis was averted, but concern lingers as the rainy winter season begins and officials prepare the partially rebuilt spillway for potential use.

Silicon Valley Wants to Solve Our Water Problems

Bloomberg

Gary Kremen—the founder of Match.com, former owner of Sex.com, and serial investor—is into water. The entrepreneur started investing in water tech startups a few years ago. Today he’s an elected member of Silicon Valley’s water district, an agency that manages water and flood control for 2 million people. Earlier this year, he helped craft a proposal to build a tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta that could improve drinking water reliability for cities from San Jose to San Diego.

“Xtra”

Take me home! Dogs available for adoption

bakersfield.com

These four dogs at Kern County Animal Services are looking for their forever homes. Can you help?