POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Madera Tribune
The Madera City Council declined to renew the employment contracts of two long-time city department heads, in closed session negotiations on March 20.
Vida en el Valle
The problem then, which continues two decades later, said Reyes, is that voters “didn’t see women as elected officials. They didn’t see women as having the leadership to be representative of their community.”
Central SJ Valley:
CA Congressman TJ Cox failed to disclose business interests
Fresno Bee
Rep. TJ Cox, D-Fresno, failed to disclose several business interests during his most recent congressional candidacies, including the fact that he sits on the board of a for-profit Canadian mining company, according to public records obtained by The Bee.
See also:
● Rep. Cox shares freshman experience with Fresno business owners Business Journal
Fresno council majority opposes proposed gas tax spending
Fresno Bee
Fresno leaders will have to come up with a new spending plan for the city’s share of state gas tax money since a majority of the City Council already voiced opposition to Mayor Lee Brand’s plan.
See also:
● Fresno Mayor Lee Brand’s plan to fix city roads ‘dead on arrival.’ What’s next? Fresno Bee
● Battle over street repair funding brews between Fresno City Council members abc30
● Council Progressives Draw a Hard Line on Gas Tax Dollars GV Wire
● California hiked its gas tax for road repairs, yet ‘poor’ bridges have multiplied, data show Los Angeles Times
Fresno Police Corruption: How a Top Cop Went From Hero to Federal Prison
KQED
The second-highest ranking officer in one of the largest police departments in the state went to federal prison last year, convicted of conspiring to deal heroin and marijuana.
See also:
● The Chief: The Remarkable — Sometimes Shocking — Career of Fresno’s Top Cop KQED
● After nearly 20 years of Jerry Dyer, Fresno embarking on search for new police chief Fresno Bee
Clovis highlights upcoming projects, aims to implement more digital media
Clovis Roundup
Clovis City staff presented a video at the Clovis City Council meeting on Monday, April 1, highlighting three roadway improvement projects intended to improve the flow of traffic and increase the safety of drivers and residents.
Visalia invented them, residents loathe them, split trash cans gone forever
Visalia Times-Delta
After 30 years, it’s time to kiss your split trash cans goodbye. Visalia sanitation crews began hitting the streets in March to swap out more than 60,000 cans across the city.
South SJ Valley:
Could police foot patrols help problems plaguing downtown Bakersfield?
Bakersfield Californian
Price said sometimes officers will park their patrol cars in the Fox Theater parking lot across the street from the coffee shop, which immediately deters any troublemakers, even if officers don’t get out of the car.
Farmers look to adapt to climate change
Bakersfield Californian
Mention of climate change may still provoke skepticism in other sectors, but in California’s agriculture industry, the discussion is less about whether disruption is coming than it is about how farmers will adapt.
A Texan’s Big Bet on a Fossil-Fuel Future for California
New York Times
Andrew Beal, a poker-playing billionaire and major Trump backer, could upend California’s carbon-free power goals with a case before federal regulators regarding power plant in La Paloma.
State:
Governor Newsom Addresses Child Poverty with Tax-Credit, Expanding Public Assistance
KQED
The state has the highest rate of child poverty in the nation, with one in five kids affected. We’ll hear why a state as wealthy as California has so many children living in poverty and how Newsom plans to mitigate the issue.
Walters: Three months in, Newsom has only tepid approval
CALmatters
Gavin Newsom coasted into the governorship last year, defeating his Republican rival by more than a 3-2 margin. It seems a little odd, therefore, that three months into his governorship, he enjoys only tepid popular support.
Skelton: Forget the trip to El Salvador, Newsom needs to focus on California’s problems
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that he’ll be flying to El Salvador to learn “the root causes of migration” to the United States.
Are you paid unfairly because you’re a woman? Jennifer Siebel Newsom wants you to complain
Sacramento Bee
In the first big initiative she’s undertaken since her husband Gavin Newsom became governor, Siebel Newsom on Monday launched a campaign to narrow the gender pay gap in California by educating employers on how to pay workers fairly and telling employees how to report companies that break the rules.
California’s DMV submits hefty budget, asks for $168 million to prevent wait time crisis
Sacramento Bee
The California Department of Motor Vehicles is making its biggest ask yet, urging lawmakers to approve a request for more than $168 million just days after the state released an audit that detailed years of performance failures.
See also:
● DMV auditors found simple ways to give you a better visit: credit cards, tablets and texts Sacramento Bee
California fights to keep nepotism investigation out of employee’s discipline hearing
Sacramento Bee
The state is fighting to keep a nepotism audit out of an employee’s disciplinary hearing, arguing the public report is “hearsay” because it does not explicitly name a former government executive who helped her daughter get a job.
Get ready to be counted, the government says at Census 2020 kickoff
Modesto Bee
Getting a proper count is vital, Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold said, to ensuring government agencies get enough money for programs such as those to help the homeless.
See also:
● Large effort underway to count all in upcoming census Bakersfield Californian
● Census Citizenship Question: Director Says Bureau Must Be ‘Totally Objective’ National Public Radio
● Video: Preparing California for Census 2020 Public Policy Institute of California
● 2020 Census likely target of hacking, disinformation campaigns, officials say Pew Research
● Census Optimistic About Filling Jobs for 2020 Count Wall Street Journal
Federal:
President Trump has made 9,451 false or misleading claims over 801 days
Washington Post
That’s a pace of 22 fishy claims a day over the past 200 days, a steep climb from the average of nearly 5.9 false or misleading claims a day in Trump’s first year in office
Mueller report findings upend partisan views of probe, poll finds
Washington Post
Americans are split over whether House Democrats should continue to investigate President Trump after Special Counsel Mueller made no determination about whether he attempted to obstruct justice during the inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
See also:
● Fewer People Have Doubts About Trump After Mueller’s Completion Wall Street Journal
● Forget collusion, the problem is corruption and complacency Brookings
● Taibbi: On Russiagate and Our Refusal to Face Why Trump Won Rolling Stone
● EDITORIAL: Release of Muller report might be just the end of the beginning Stockton Record
Trump’s district court picks are languishing. That could change
Roll Call
As much as Senate Republicans pushed to confirm President Donald Trump’s appeals court nominees, the picks for the district courts have taken a backseat when it comes to getting a final confirmation vote on the floor.
.
EDITORIAL: The Supreme Court shouldn’t grab power from administrative agencies
Los Angeles Times
The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments about whether federal courts should be required to defer to the executive branch’s interpretation of its own rules, if that interpretation is reasonable.
Elections 2020:
‘Listen to our concerns.’ Democrats are ignoring the Central Valley in the presidential race
Sacramento Bee
In their efforts to woo voters from the most populous state in the country, Democrats have largely ignored the Central Valley — a region with 6.5 million people and five large cities.
See also:
● Diminishing returns: Is California running out of ways to lead voters to the polls? CALmatters
‘Unions built the middle class’: Kamala Harris champions labor movement in Sacramento
Sacramento Bee
California Sen. Kamala Harris courted labor unions in Sacramento Monday night during a presidential campaign visit, telling the state’s labor federation that she’s the right person to fight on their behalf.
See also:
● Sen. Kamala Harris’ presidential bid raised $12 million in first quarter, her campaign says Los Angeles Times
● Kamala Harris backs idea to unionize child care workers CALmatters
● Harris eyes reform as candidate, was cautious as prosecutor Sacramento Bee
● Kamala Harris is wrong, Trump isn’t ‘raiding money’ from military pensions PolitiFact
● Kamala Harris gets it mostly right on America’s rapid growth of student loan debt PolitiFact
Who is Pete Buttigieg, 2020 Democrat presidential candidate?
Sacramento Bee
Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is a young mayor making his way onto the national stage. The self-described “millennial midwestern mayor” is 37, openly gay and a military veteran. He insists the nation’s top priority must be restoring the country’s democratic foundations.
Democrats go bold on economic plans, a deliberate contrast to 2016
Los Angeles Times
Asked what her very first act as president would be, Sen. Kamala Harris had a quick answer at a recent televised town hall: Enact a tax cut that would boost incomes for working families by as much as $6,000 a year.
See also:
● Labor unions wade into 2020 race with caution after being burned in 2016 Los Angeles Times
How the Trump Era Is Molding the Next Generation of Voters
New York Times
Election data suggests that the youngest voters are supporting Democrats, and surveys of teenagers not yet old enough to vote reveal them to be anxious about the current state of the country and likely to embrace liberal views.
See also:
● Age, change and the Democrats’ challenge Roll Call
With social program fights, some Republicans fear being seen as party of the 1%
Washington Post
A growing number of Republicans fear handing Democrats a potent political message as the GOP pushes to gut former president Barack Obama’s health-care law and other popular federal programs, including those that help the poor and people with disabilities.
See also:
● A Trump mutiny? Republican prospects warily eye 2020 presidential run Los Angeles Times
EDITORIAL: Running for president in the #MeToo era
Los Angeles Times
The first #MeToo allegations of the 2020 presidential race hit over the weekend, letting the general public in on a secret that apparently was already known in political circles: that former Vice President Joe Biden can be a bit too “handsy” with women and girls.
Other:
Local journalism is at risk but most of the public doesn’t know it
Washington Post
A recent Pew Research poll said that the vast majority of Americans believe that local news outlets are in good financial shape. And fewer than 1 in 6 Americans pays for local news. These findings unnerved those who believe that local news is hugely important in our culture and that it needs public support to survive.
Is Civility Possible On Social Media?
National Public Radio
If you’ve spent any time on social media, you know that it’s the opposite of a civil space. Regular conversations often turn into public, insult-laden brawls, filled with low-blows and vile threats.
See also:
● Mark Zuckerberg’s Call to Regulate Facebook, Explained New York Times
With a starring role on Fox Nation, Tomi Lahren wants to save California from itself
Los Angeles Times
In a small TV studio situated on the top floor of her home in Los Angeles’ South Bay, the 26-year-old Fox Nation host and conservative media firebrand was recording “First” and “Final Thoughts” — her twice-daily short videos that function as quick hits of outrage.
Will artificial intelligence change the economy for the better? A long-read Q&A with Robert Seamans
AEI
On this episode, Professor Robert Seamans discusses AI’s impact on the economy, how it will change the nature of work, and whether regulation is needed to keep the AI industry competitive.
Unchecked Nationalism: Dangers & Pitfalls
National Review
Emergencies do not last, and when the emergency is over, the old rules need to come back. If they don’t, then capitalism, democracy, and liberty are done for.
EDITORIAL: Employers have no business policing black people’s natural hairstyles
Los Angeles Times
For the most part, black employees who are challenged on the issue have simply shed their hairstyles and complied with grooming policies. As have students.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, April 7, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Countdown to the 2020 Census” – Guests: Secretary of State Alex Padilla; Sarah Bohn, PPIC; and John Meyers, the Los Angeles Times. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, April 7, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Census & Immigration: Distinctly Different Issues Intersect” – Guests: Laura Hill, PPIC: Taryn Luna, the Sacramento Bee; Dan Walters, CALmatters; Secretary of State Alex Padilla: Sarah Bohn, PPIC; and John Myers, the Los Angeles Times. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, April 7, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Tren de alta velocidad… atorado en trafico?” – Guest: Margarita Fernandez, Jefe de Relaciones Publicas de las Oficina de la Auditora Estatal. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
America would run out of avocados in three weeks if Trump shuts down Mexico border
Stockton Record
President Donald Trump’s threats to shut down the U.S.-Mexico border this week would significantly impact produce availability and pricing in the United States, especially avocados.
Farmers market in Turlock correctly moving back to its roots
Modesto Bee
If you like happy endings to local political war stories, keep reading. Turlock Certified Farmers Market, having thrived in three years of self-imposed exile at the Stanislaus County Fairground, will return to its downtown roots this season.
Farmers look to adapt to climate change
Bakersfield Californian
Mention of climate change may still provoke skepticism in other sectors, but in California’s agriculture industry, the discussion is less about whether disruption is coming than it is about how farmers will adapt.
Warren, Klobuchar agree on breaking up Big Ag
AP News
Democratic presidential contenders Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar expressed support Saturday for strengthening antitrust laws and enforcement to break up big agriculture monopolies.
See also:
● Food and Power: Addressing Monopolization in America’s Food System Open Markets System
As Farmers Retire, Their Families Face Difficult Choices
Pew Research
Farmland must be passed down to a new generation for agricultural communities to survive. And the last time the U.S. Department of Agriculture checked, in 2012, nearly a third of U.S. farm and ranch operators were over age 65.
Food Waste Is a Major Problem. Confusing Date Labels Are Making It Worse.
Pew Research
Rummaging through your refrigerator, you come across a jar of mayonnaise labeled “BEST IF USED BY 06/10/19.” If it’s mid-July, are you risking illness by slathering it on your sandwich and eating it?
SJ County puts moratorium on hemp cultivation
Stockton Record
Fifteen months after the commercial sale and use of recreational marijuana became legal in California, its less-maligned cousin — hemp — still is waiting for the state to issue the regulations that will guide its industrial cultivation.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fresno Police Corruption: How a Top Cop Went From Hero to Federal Prison
KQED
The second-highest ranking officer in one of the largest police departments in the state went to federal prison last year, convicted of conspiring to deal heroin and marijuana.
See also:
● The Chief: The Remarkable — Sometimes Shocking — Career of Fresno’s Top Cop KQED
● After nearly 20 years of Jerry Dyer, Fresno embarking on search for new police chief Fresno Bee
Legacy of Violence: How Visalia came together to combat gangs
Visalia Times-Delta
In response to high-profile violent crimes, elected officials, law enforcement agencies and community groups launched a series of both criminal and community-based programs to combat the violence.
California court upholds public’s right to view police misconduct records
Sacramento Bee
In a ruling that may open up police misconduct records statewide, a state appeals court has rejected an effort by the Walnut Creek Police Officers’ Association to keep records created before 2019 sealed from public view.
Newsom seeks to halt parole for some murderers and serious offenders. What does that signal?
Los Angeles Times
The interventions mark a steep increase from those undertaken by former Gov. Jerry Brown and are a departure from the progressive criminal justice reform stance that Newsom has championed, including his recent moratorium on the death penalty.
See also:
● Could Gov. Gavin Newsom’s death penalty moratorium mean life for state GOP in 2020? Los Angeles Times
Prosecutors move to clear 54,000 marijuana convictions in California
Los Angeles Times
In a move to carry out that will, prosecutors in L.A. and San Joaquin counties announced plans to automatically dismiss or reduce some 54,000 marijuana-related convictions, part of a growing movement to offer a clean slate to Californians hamstrung by their past.
EDITORIAL: Turning a blind eye to crime just isn’t right
Modesto Bee
It’s hard to believe that we’ve come to a point where some criminals in Stanislaus County are arrested but not held accountable in the courts. They aren’t being prosecuted because the prosecutors are choosing not to prosecute.
EDITORIAL: Mayor Brand’s human trafficking initiative confronts a scourge afflicting Fresno
Fresno Bee
Police Chief Jerry Dyer emphasizes that criminal gangs now make more money by sex trafficking than selling drugs. “You can only sell a drug one time,” Dyer says, “but you can sell a female over and over again.”
Public Safety:
Could police foot patrols help problems plaguing downtown Bakersfield?
Bakersfield Californian
Price said sometimes officers will park their patrol cars in the Fox Theater parking lot across the street from the coffee shop, which immediately deters any troublemakers, even if officers don’t get out of the car.
Groundbreaking for new police station in Southeast Fresno
Fresno Bee
A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new police station in Southeast Fresno, scheduled to be open by spring 2020.
See also:
● Fresno PD to build new substation in southeast Fresno abc30
Force of Law, a new podcast on the debate over police shootings in California
CALmatters
After police killed an unarmed black man in his grandparent’s backyard, activities set out to change California law, hoping to make it easier to prosecute police who kill.
Judge strikes down California gun control law Gov. Gavin Newsom championed
Sacramento Bee
A judge in Southern California struck down a California gun control law Friday that Gov. Gavin Newsom championed three years ago, ruling that the ban on high-capacity magazines is unconstitutional.
Community forum Friday to encourage parents, kids to learn more about prison system
Stockton Record
“Concrete Conversations: Exposing the Prison Industry” will be 6-9 p.m. Friday at Victory in Praise, 2029 E. Harding Way. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The event is open to the public.
Sandy Hook Families Just Proved Congress Lied to Pass One of the NRA’s Favorite Bills
Slate
In a stunning setback for the gun industry, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims could proceed toward trial with their lawsuit against Bushmaster, the manufacturer of the assault rifle used in the shooting.
Fire:
PG&E debts climbed after wildfire-linked bankruptcy, new court filing shows
San Jose Mercury
PG&E liabilities have topped $68 billion, according to new court and regulatory filings released on Monday, an indication that the company’s debts continued to climb after the utility filed for a bankruptcy linked to a string of Northern California wildfires.
How to fireproof California, explained
CALmatters
After years of catastrophic wildfires, California lawmakers and taxpayers are eager to protect the state—but it won’t be easy. It’s expensive. It will take time. And Californians will have to think of fire not just as a destroyer, but also as a tool.
See also:
● California’s worsening wildfires, explained CALmatters
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
California jury orders Chevron to pay $21M for cancer claims
Washington Post
A Northern California jury ordered Chevron Corp. to pay the families of two brothers who died of cancer a combined $21.4 million after concluding the company failed to warn the men about the dangers of a toxic solvent they worked with at a Chevron tire factory.
Jobs:
California Business Groups Willing To Back ‘Dynamex’ Bill — In Exchange For Exemptions
Capital Public Radio
A coalition of influential California business groups says it will support a bill that would codify a California Supreme Court decision that placed strict limits on classifying workers as independent contractors — if the legislation includes additional exemptions for certain professions.
Who Employs You? Trump Administration Proposes Four-Part Test
Wall Street Journal
A proposed Labor Department regulation released Monday could make it more difficult for a worker to claim to have two employers, a move that would likely limit liability for franchised brands and companies that use staffing firms.
Department of Labor Should Assess Efforts to Coordinate Services Across Programs
Government Accountability Office
The number of federal employment and training (E&T) programs and program obligations have declined since GAO’s 2011 report.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Fresno Unified hired a PI to examine Slatic incident at Bullard. The report is now public
Fresno Bee
The report says that “it is more likely than not” that Slatic approached the student and grabbed his backpack as a result of profane and disrespectful comments the student made to Slatic and his district liaison but that the student made no threats to Slatic’s life until after Slatic approached him.
BCSD, Panama districts named among ‘best communities’ for music in national recognition
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield City School District and the Panama-Buena Vista School District have each been named among the Best Communities for Music Education for 2019 from the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation, commonly known as NAMM.
Community meeting on new southeast Bakersfield high school set for Thursday
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern High School District will hold a second community meeting Thursday about its newest high school which is set to open in southeast Bakersfield. The meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Valle Verde Elementary School, located at 400 Berkshire Road.
New state science test poses challenges for students, teachers
Bakersfield Californian
Imagine you have to take a big state science test. It’s full of questions about life science, earth science, physics and chemistry. But wait — you haven’t taken all those courses in high school yet.
Walters: Election results fuel war on charter schools
CALmatters
Organizations and wealthy individuals favoring education reforms and charter schools went head-to-head with the California Teachers Association and other elements of the education establishment.
See also:
● Have Charters Already Gamed Gavin Newsom’s Schools Task Force? Capital & Main
Higher Ed:
Private colleges wary as California legislator calls for crackdown on legacy admits
CALmatters
A bill by Assemblyman Phil Ting would bar colleges and universities from receiving state financial aid dollars if they give preference to applicants with ties to alumni or donors.
Another push to expand use of SAT in California amid criticism of test
EdSource
Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell, D-Long Beach, remains undeterred in his quest to give school districts the option of replacing the state’s current 11th-grade standardized test with the college entrance exams SAT or ACT and reimbursing them for the costs.
College students should get more from work study jobs
Brookings
Colleges and nearby employers should work closely to provide students more opportunities to gain the work-relevant skills that they want and society needs them to have.
Helping Community College Students Succeed
Public Policy Institute of California
California’s community colleges are implementing new policies in developmental (or remedial) education that could improve completion of transfer-level courses for tens of thousands of students every year.
National Public Radio
Today on the show, we follow the evolution of income-share agreements, from David Bowie’s recording studio to a pilot program in Chile to colleges in the U.S.
See also:
● For the privilege of helping others, I will be paying off student loans for 20 years CALmatters
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
EPA Science Panel Considering Guidelines That Upend Basic Air Pollution Science
National Public Radio
Several members of a powerful science panel for the Environmental Protection Agency expressed doubt at a hearing Thursday about the long-established scientific consensus that air pollution can cause premature death.
Democratic Green New Deal Defectors Chart Their Own Climate Path
Bloomberg
Rep. Casten is a Democratic Green New Deal defector, one of a group of moderates who are rejecting the progressive package that has become a lightning rod for critics and are instead crafting their own climate-change policies.
EDITORIAL: Ryan Zinke was an embarrassment as Interior secretary. David Bernhardt would be dangerous
Los Angeles Times
The problem is that Bernhardt’s expertise is in circumventing the department’s rules and regulations, and undermining its mission of environmentally responsible stewardship of federal public land.
Energy:
A Texan’s Big Bet on a Fossil-Fuel Future for California
New York Times
Andrew Beal, a poker-playing billionaire and major Trump backer, could upend California’s carbon-free power goals with a case before federal regulators regarding power plant in La Paloma
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Cal/OSHA slaps penalty on construction firm over Valley Fever cases
Business Journal
Exposure to Valley Fever could’ve occurred at one of the three sites, where dust was not controlled and workers did not wear any respiratory protection, according to a news release.
Measles, a once-common illness, makes a comeback. What you need to know.
Modesto Bee
Measles, which had been eliminated from the contagious disease landscape, is no longer under firm control. Outbreaks of measles spread rapidly when infected people cough or sneeze, sending the virus into the air that other people breathe.
See also:
● US measles cases at second highest since disease was eliminated in 2000 CNN
Here’s how to stop those allergy symptoms
Sacramento Bee
Last Wednesday, the website said Sacramento was one of the nation’s five best cities for allergy sufferers, with a pollen score of 3.0.
Human Services:
Modesto’s unpaid medical claims top $8.3 million. City has a plan to pay them.
Modesto Bee
City officials will ask the City Council on Tuesday to approve a plan to settle the claims that were the provider’s responsibility with the city picking up the cost. Officials will be asking the council for $2.6 million but could come back at a later date to ask for more money.
Here’s how TRMC has spent a $9M loan from the city, so far
Visalia Times-Delta
It’s been more than a month since Tulare City Council, in a controversial move, handed Tulare Regional Medical Center $9 million. A total of $6 million has been spent, said Dan Heckathorne, Tulare Regional Medical Center’s chief financial officer.
California Hospitals See Massive Surge In Homeless Patients
CALmatters
Homeless patients made about 100,000 visits to California hospitals in 2017, marking a 28% rise from two years earlier, according to the most recent state discharge data.
California can’t wait for Washington’s approval to control health care spending
CALmatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call in his State of the State speech to restrain health care costs in California is rooted in some eye popping numbers. The cost of healthcare for a family of four reached $28,000 in 2018. If nothing is done, it will soon be $30,000 and more.
See also:
● Cities Struggle to Cut Retirement Health Care Costs Public CEO
● Trump suggests deferring Republican health plan push to after 2020 Los Angeles Times
● Trump Greenlights Major Medicaid Changes Pew Research
● Five major court battles over Trump’s health agenda The Hill
● Legal challenges are threatening Trump administration changes to the ACA Roll Call
● For Trump’s ‘Party of Healthcare,’ there is no health-care plan Washington Post
● Congress Looks to Tackle Surprise Medical Bills Wall Street Journal
● Why progressives are ready to ditch Obamacare Roll Call
● Opinion: Republicans’ missing health-care plan Washington Post
More Than 750,000 Could Lose Food Stamps Under Trump Administration Proposal
National Public Radio
Three-quarters of a million people would likely lose their food stamps later this year under a new proposal by the Trump administration. Opponents predict people would go hungry, if the rule goes into effect.
A Closer Look at International Reference Pricing for Prescription Drugs
RealClearPolicy
The Trump administration has proposed using international pricing of drugs to establish ceilings on what Medicare will pay for therapies administered by physicians in their offices or in hospital outpatient clinics.
Updating the Costs of Compliance for California’s Hospital Seismic Safety Standards
RAND
Since the passage of SB 1953, hospitals have been implementing structural and nonstructural upgrades to comply with the standards.
IMMIGRATION
California communities taking stock of immigration crackdown’s economic impact
CAFWD
The state is already facing the economic threat of economic inequality—with some 18 million Californians living in or near poverty. The agriculture industry is suffering a farm worker shortage and the travel and tourism industries have been hard hit by the Trump policies.
See also:
● As Trump threatens to close border, experts warn of billions in economic damage Los Angeles Times
● Closing the border is yet another bad idea from the Trump administration Los Angeles Times
● Avocado Shortages and Price Spikes: How Trump’s Border Closing Would Hit U.S. New York Times
Court Backlog May Prove Bigger Barrier for Migrants Than Any Wall
New York Times
The backlog in the immigration courts has been growing for the past decade, and pending cases have increased by nearly 50 percent since Mr. Trump took office in 2017.
White House immigration plan may call for commission on future visas
Sacramento Bee
The White House is nearing completion of a proposal to revamp the legal immigration system that could include the creation of an independent blue ribbon commission that would help decide how many future visas will be allocated and what kind of workers should receive them, according to two sources familiar with the talks.
Trump considering naming an ‘immigration czar’
Associated Press
As he threatens to shut down the southern border, President Donald Trump is considering bringing on a “border” or “immigration czar” to coordinate immigration policy across various federal agencies, according to four people familiar with the discussions.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Bakersfield credit union considers geographical expansion
Bakersfield Californian
Kern Schools Federal Credit Union is considering expanding geographically and broadening the types of services it offers. The Bakersfield-based financial institution released a statement Monday that it is looking at serving additional Central Valley counties.
Housing:
Fresno Mayor Brand calls registry of good and bad rental property owners ‘the gold standard’
Fresno Bee
In under one year, Fresno’s new Rental Housing Registry has reached 85,000 units registered, making it easier for city officials and inspectors to identify good and bad property owners.
See also:
● Fresno reaches milestone in rental housing registry Business Journal
● A Buyer’s Market? Hopes Rise With Falling Rates, More Homes for Sale Wall Street Journal
Index: Fresno home prices fall, boosting affordability for April
Business Journal
A more than $35,000 drop in the median price of homes for sale in Fresno from March to April helped improve the city’s ranking in home affordability compared to other major U.S. cities.
San Luis Obispo County Changes Recession-Era Affordable Housing Policy
Public CEO
The Board of Supervisors in San Luis Obispo County voted to amend its inclusionary housing policy. Thanks to the revision, multifamily developments will need to set aside 8 percent of their units at affordable rates for various income levels.
Solving California’s housing crisis demands action. These steps will help
CALmatters
Gov. Newsom’s call to action is bearing fruit. Lawmakers have advanced bills designed to put a significant dent into the housing crisis. The California Association of Realtors is championing the following bipartisan measures.
See also:
● Poll underscores California’s housing crisis CALmatters
Ruling protecting homeless who sleep in parks when they don’t have options remains
Modesto Bee
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has declined to review a case in which it ruled that prosecuting homeless people who sleep in parks and other public property because they don’t have a choice amounts to cruel and unusual punishment and violates the Eighth Amendment.
See also:
· ‘A Pileup of Inequities’: Why People of Color Are Hit Hardest by Homelessness Pew Research
PUBLIC FINANCES
Sales tax increase: 51 cities across CA starting Monday, April 1
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento, West Sacramento and Roseville area are among 51 California cities in which sales tax will increase starting Monday.
See also:
● It’s no April Fool joke. See which Valley cities increased sales taxes on Monday Fresno Bee
Californians disapprove of Republican tax law
Sacramento Bee
A new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California finds that 59 percent of registered voters in the state disapprove of the tax law passed by a Republican Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in late 2017.
After 40 years, let’s finally reform Prop 13
CALmatters
Suddenly, local government, schools and the state had to contend with budget cutbacks. Anti-tax ideology became part of California’s Constitution with new two-thirds vote requirements for tax increases.
No, Half of Older Americans Aren’t Without Retirement Savings
Forbes
The federal Government Accountability Office declared this week that 48% of U.S. households aged 55+ in 2016 “had no retirement savings.” That claim is factually incorrect, and the way it will be interpreted by politicians and the press will only make it less true.
See also:
● Retirement Overhaul Gains Traction With Senate Bill Wall Street Journal
TRANSPORTATION
Fresno council majority opposes proposed gas tax spending
Fresno Bee
Fresno leaders will have to come up with a new spending plan for the city’s share of state gas tax money since a majority of the City Council already voiced opposition to Mayor Lee Brand’s plan.
See also:
● Fresno Mayor Lee Brand’s plan to fix city roads ‘dead on arrival.’ What’s next? Fresno Bee
● Battle over street repair funding brews between Fresno City Council members abc30
● Council Progressives Draw a Hard Line on Gas Tax Dollars GV Wire
● California hiked its gas tax for road repairs, yet ‘poor’ bridges have multiplied, data show Los Angeles Times
Fresno City Council to pass rules on electric scooters soon
Fresno Bee
Six months after Fresno City Council asked city staff to work out the kinks on a proposed ordinance to regulate electric scooters, the issue remains unresolved. Here in Fresno, the City Council expects to see an ordinance on e-scooters to vote on within a month.
Why Bakersfield gas prices just went up overnight
Bakersfield Californian
Refining problems at half a dozen California refineries helped push the average price of unleaded gasoline in Bakersfield up 3 cents Monday, raising it to $3.57 per gallon, an increase of 13 cents in the past week.
Build a Bullet Train? California Can’t Even Build a One-Mile Rail Tunnel in San Francisco
Zócalo Public Square
All these years later, the Downtown Rail Extension (DTX) is still little more than a proposal—vital but unrealized. As such, it embodies the massive failure of transportation execution that Newsom now confronts in California.
United Airlines adds daily nonstop from Fresno to Chicago
Fresno Bee
Following what Fresno airport officials called a successful first season, United Airlines is resuming seasonal nonstop flights between Fresno and Chicago starting Sunday.
EV Road Trip Blues: Why Charging Station Buildout Lags Behind Electric Car Adoption
Forbes
You’d be forgiven for thinking there must be a sprawling network of charging stations for the new intrepid owners of electric cars that are quickly selling in the U.S. and elsewhere. There should be, but there isn’t.
See also:
● What First Responders Don’t Know About Fiery Electric Vehicles Bloomberg
7 Charts That Show How Good Mass Transit Can Make a City More Affordable
CityLab
HUD actually combines the housing and transportation costs into a single “location affordability” index: if those two expenses make up more than 45 percent of your income, the city isn’t affordable to you.
WATER
San Joaquin River neighbors file lawsuit over access
Fresno Bee
A group of northwest Fresno residents are taking their case to court to block proposed access to a San Joaquin River trail through their neighborhood west of Highway 41.
California must act to protect state’s remaining wetlands from Trump’s destructive plans
Sacramento Bee
California’s wetland resources provide an abundance of human and environmental benefits: flood protection, filtration of water pollutants, surface and groundwater supplies, wildlife habitat, open space, public recreational opportunities and more.
See also:
● New path on California water must include Delta communities CALmatters
Oroville Dam spillway to be used Tuesday. The state says it’s ready
Sacramento Bee
Oroville Dam’s massive flood-control spillway will be deployed Tuesday for the first time since it was rebuilt for $1.1 billion after a near-catastrophe forced the evacuation of 188,000 people in 2017.
Another wet week is ahead and that’s no April Fools’ joke
Sacramento Bee
Multiple storm systems mean yet another wet week across much of Northern California, but forecasts show rain and snow totals should be light.
See also:
● California’s Monster Snow Year … ‘It’s Been a Wild Ride’ KQED
“Xtra”
What’s with the demolition happening at the Clovis Rodeo? Big changes coming for 2020
Fresno Bee
With less than a month until this year’s rodeo kicks off (it runs April 25-28), plans are already underway for the 2020 event, which will see construction of a new entrance to the rodeo grounds, according to a new release.
Stanislaus County Artist Open Studio Tour returns April 6-7
Modesto Bee
Regional artists will give the public an insider tour of how and where they create their works next weekend. The ninth annual Stanislaus Artist Open Studio Tour will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7, at a variety of homes and venues in Modesto, Oakdale and Turlock.
UC Riverside philosophy professor to speak at Kegley Institute Friday
Bakersfield Californian
Myisha Cherry will speak at Cal State Bakersfield’s Kegley Institute of of Ethics on Friday as part of its 2019 Philosophy and Religious Studies Colloquia Series. The talk will take place at noon in the Humanities Office Complex, room 1109.
CASA’s superhero run takes place Saturday
Bakersfield Californian
CASA of Kern County will host its 7th annual Superhero Run Saturday to raise money for its program which provides abused and neglected children with a volunteer special advocate. The event is at The Park at Riverwalk, 11200 Stockdale Highway.
Amestoy’s On The Hill hosts its final Chile Verde Cook-Off
Bakersfield Californian
No, the festival is not ending. It will continue on its “tin anniversary” next year at a yet-to-be-determined and likely larger location. However, with Amestoy’s set to close in June, the dive bar’s penultimate event added a somber mood to the festivities.
Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth
Think you can tell the difference between True and False?
Do you really know what is fake news?
Support the Maddy Daily
Thank you!
Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe: mjeans@csufresno.edu