Political Stories

Top stories 

California’s pension debt puts it $175.1 billion in the red — Although its 2014-15 budget was balanced, California’s state government ended the fiscal year $175.1 billion in the red, thanks largely to state retirement obligations that had to be included in its balance sheet for the first time. Under new rules by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, state and local governments must list unfunded pension liabilities as debts alongside the more traditional bonds and other forms of debt. Sacramento Bee article 

CD 21: Huerta calls out Valadao on immigration-related vote – Here we go. Emilio Huerta, one of two Democratic challengers in this year’s 21st Congressional District race, has fired a broadside at incumbent Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, over his vote on an immigration-related House resolution. Bakersfield Californian article

Valley politics

Modesto Bee: There is integrity in city of Turlock, just too little of it — More than it needs a farmers market; more than it needs tranquility at City Council meetings, or even politicians with the wisdom of Solomon, Turlock needs this: integrity. Modesto Bee editorial

Sound Off: Can’t you give all 25 mayoral candidates equal exposure? — One of our biggest challenges is the fact that some individuals just happen to generate more attention for themselves, intentionally or not. Goh, executive director of Garden Pathways, is extremely active and visible in the community. So is Kyle Carter, who is working hard to promote his new endeavor, a renovated and expanded recording studio and concert venue he calls the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame. Accounting for such advantages is not unlike the challenge of achieving fairness in campaigns involving incumbents, because they are so often, by the nature of their positions, newsmakers. Sound Off in Bakersfield Californian

Statewide politics/Ballot Measures

California condoms in porn measure tests merits of covering up – Porn is popular and fighting HIV is important: on those points, at least, the adult film industry and proponents of a November ballot initiative mandating condoms in adult films produced in California can agree. But the concord ends there. Sacramento Bee article 

Pete Peterson climbs ranks of academic after losing California race — Pete Peterson, who ran unsuccessfully for California Secretary of State in 2014, has been tapped to lead the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University. Sacramento Bee article

 Immigration

Funding snag could delay new San Ysidro lanes — U.S. and Mexican authorities said this week that they are working to address concerns over a possible delay in the opening of a much-needed new pedestrian border entrance in San Ysidro known as PedWest. San Diego Union-Tribune article 

Fearing a window will close, Cubans flock to U.S. — Cuba is opening the door to more private enterprise and expects lots of new money flowing to the island as Obama eases travel and business restrictions. Yet more than 95,000 Cubans have left for the U.S. since 2014 — and more are on their way. LA Times article 

Other areas 

State official blasts Calaveras County planning commissioner – California’s Secretary of State Alex Padilla issued a statement Friday morning criticizing Calaveras County Planning Commissioner Kelly Wooster, whose controversial remarks questioning if “people from Mexico” qualify as an invasive species has brought unprecedented scrutiny to the commission. Stockton Record article

As millennials interest in voting wanes, solutions sought to re-engage them – The race is on to capture the attention of one age group that’s steadily lost interest in voting over the past two decades: young people. KQED report

California’s GOP primary math takes shape – California, normally a bystander to the presidential nomination process because of its late primary, stands to have a major role June 7 when the Republican presidential roadshow hits the Golden State. The election will be unusual for other reasons. GOP primary rules mean that presidential preferences of some California Republicans will count much more than others. Sacramento Bee article

Expert: UC Merced attack shows Islamic State’s social media reach – Law enforcement officials believe the stabbing attack at UC Merced and the December massacre in San Bernardino were done by lone wolves inspired by the Islamic State group, and counterterrorism experts say both show how the organization is expanding its reach through social media. AP article

Joe Mathews: Direct democracy and bull – It’s healthy for a journalist to be on the other side of the notebook once in a while. That’s where I found myself on Friday – in San Sebastian, Spain, of all places. Mathews in Fox & Hounds

Victor Davis Hanson: The buck never stops here – After nearly eight years of buck-passing, Obama is starting to sound a lot like his Republican alter ego, Donald Trump, whose failed business ventures and embarrassing rhetoric are likewise always the fault of somebody or something else. Hanson column in Fresno Bee

News Stories

Top Stories 

U.S. steps up fight over Yosemite names, asking trademarks be cancelled — The battle over Yosemite National Park trademarks is now sprawling across multiple fronts, and it could take more than a year to sort out. Going on the offensive, the National Park Service has formally urged the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board to cancel the Yosemite-affiliated trademark registrations secured by the famed park’s former concessionaire. McClatchy Newspapers article

Feds loosen up, offer 30 percent water allocation to Valley contractors — The drought is certainly not over, but the federal Bureau of Reclamation was optimistic enough to offer water suppliers in the Valley 30 percent of their allocations this year. For the past two years, the allocation has been zero, which affects the amount of water for farming and city interests on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley. Fresno Bee article

Jobs and the Economy

Valley unemployment rates stay steady – Unemployment rates stayed steady throughout the eight-county San Joaquin Valley region in February and remained below year-ago rates, according to data released by the California Employment Development Department.  The jobless rates ranged from a low of 8.8 percent in San Joaquin County to a high of 12.6 percent in Merced County.  Here are the February 2016 rates, followed in parentheses by the January 2016 and February 2015 rates:

• Fresno– 10.5 percent (10.5, 11.8)
• Kern– 10.9 percent (10.8, 11.2)
• Kings– 11.3 percent (11.3, 12.3)
• Madera– 9.9 percent (10.2, 11.7)
• Merced– 12.6 percent (12.6, 13.7)
• San Joaquin– 8.8 percent (8.9, 10.1)
• Stanislaus– 9.4 percent (9.4, 10.8)
• Tulare– 12.1 percent (12.3, 13.3)

Unemployment rates fall in Sacramento, statewide – California and Sacramento’s unemployment rates fell last month to their lowest levels since 2007, suggesting the state’s economy is continuing to improve despite signs of a global slowdown. Sacramento Bee article

Fresno County unemployment rate unchanged in February – Unemployment held steady in Fresno between January and February, unchanged at 10.5 percent, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department. But in Fresno County and neighboring central San Joaquin Valley counties, the rates were at least a full percentage point lower than they were a year ago. Fresno Bee article

Kern’s jobless rate inched upward in February – New state data show Kern’s unemployment rate increased slightly in February, to a seasonally unadjusted 10.9 percent from 10.8 percent the month before, as the county shed more oil jobs. California’s Employment Development Department reported the elimination of 400 oil and gas positions, a 4 percent monthly loss that drop the sector to 19.3 percent below its employment level a year before. Bakersfield Californian article

Merced unemployment in February lowest since 2007 – The Merced County unemployment rate in February fell a tenth of percentage point to 12.6 percent from January’s revised rate as many school employees went back to work, labor market analysts reported Friday. Merced Sun-Star article

San Joaquin County outpaces state in job growth – San Joaquin County continues to show strong job growth for 2016, according to reports Friday from state employment officials. Nati Martinez, labor market analyst for the Employment Development Department noted that a survey of employer payrolls pointed to a gain of 8,400, or nearly 4 percent, in nonfarm employment in February compared to the same month in 2015. Stockton Record article

Stanislaus County’s February unemployment rate unchanged at 9.4 percent – Stanislaus County’s unemployment remained fixed at 9.4 percent in February compared with the prior month, according to data released Friday by the state Employment Development Department. Modesto Bee article

February jobless rate falls in Tulare County – The unemployment rate in the Tulare County was 12.1 percent in February 2016, down from a revised 12.3 percent in January 2016, and below the year-ago estimate of 13.3 percent says the EDD. Visalia Times-Delta article

Forecast: Modest economic recovery expected to continue – If slow and steady wins the race, then economist John Mitchell’s prediction Friday should take the blue ribbon. After an economic recovery now in its 81st month, more than six years of gross domestic product gains at about 2 percent a year more or less, he sees another year or two of 2 percent growth. Stockton Record article

Chief financial officer hired by Stockton – A Tokay High School graduate and Stockton resident who has held state budget and finance positions for nearly 20 years has been hired as the city’s new chief financial officer, City Manager Kurt Wilson announced Friday morning. Stockton Record article

Fresno posts 2^nd straight positive year in latest independent audit – The City of Fresno has completed its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year which ended June 30, 2015. Among the more significant results is the independent auditor’s report which contains no mention of “going-concern,” the second consecutive unqualified opinion for city finances. The Business Journal article 

Small company has big plans for Hotel Fresno – A Southern California-based developer is at the center of an ambitious plan to transform one of Downtown Fresno’s biggest eyesores into a multi-unit residential complex offering affordable housing. The Hotel Fresno, currently vacant, boarded up and a magnet for vandals and vagrants, could be the recipient of a $24 million makeover if APEC International is successful in securing a package of grants and low-interest loans to finance the redevelopment of the historic property. The Business Journal article

Developer pitches microbrewery for Bastille in Hanford – If local developer Jerry Irons has his way, the historic Bastille building will do for downtown Hanford what Brewbakers Brewing Company did to revitalize downtown Visalia. Irons presented a proposal at Tuesday’s City Council meeting to bring a microbrewery into the Bastille and a separate restaurant/bar to the top floor of the courthouse. Hanford Sentinel article 

Photographer buys old building in downtown Stockton – Engine House No. 3 has sat empty in recent years, held by a Bay Area realtor. But the dormant days are nearing their end. Fine-arts photographer Rudi Blondia and his partner, Amy Masterson, recently purchased the 4,800-square-foot firehouse and two nearby 5,000-square-foot vacant lots for $185,000. Soon they will say farewell to antiseptic Fremont suburbia (“golden handcuffs” is how Blondia describes it) and hello to Stockton (“real and raw”). Stockton Record article 

Dick Hagerty: Busy Stanislaus County Library needs tax to thrive — Our new Stanislaus County Library director, Diane McDonnell, has been on the job for only 18 months and is already facing the ominous reality of going to the voters and asking for another extension of the one-eighth cent sales tax that supports some 88 percent of our total library operation. Hagerty column in Modesto Bee

Report outlines LA’s options for funding fight against homelessness – Borrowing money or establishing a new tax would be the most effective ways for Los Angeles city officials to raise the money needed to carry out an ambitious plan for reducing homelessness, according to a report issued Friday by city analysts. LA Times article 

Parking in downtown Sacramento soon may be pricier, complex – Parking in downtown Sacramento may soon become more costly and more complicated, thanks to a package of major parking meter policy changes up for consideration next week at the City Council. Sacramento Bee article

California proposes financial backup for LA Olympic plan – The leader of the California Senate has introduced a proposal that would provide a $250 million financial backup as part of Los Angeles’ 2024 Olympic bid, officials said Friday. AP article

Commercial crab season to begin as toxin levels drop — Juicy Dungeness crab will soon be back on the menu after the state lifted the commercial fishing ban Friday, clearing the way for boats to begin hauling in the big, spindly creatures next week. San Francisco Chronicle article; San Jose Mercury News article; Sacramento Bee article

Judge grants restraining order blocking Tribune’s purchase of Orange County Register – A U.S. District Court judge has approved a temporary restraining order to block Tribune Publishing’s purchase of the Orange County Register and Riverside Press-Enterprise, a decision that the owner of the Los Angeles Times has described as a “death-knell” to its bid. LA Times article

Agriculture/Water/Drought

North Fork ordered to boil water after coliform, E. coli detected in system — North Fork’s community water system is under a water-boiling order from Madera County after coliform and E. coli were detected. Madera County environmental health and public works employees are chlorinating and flushing out the county-operated water system in North Fork and will not know until Saturday whether the process is working. Fresno Bee article

Friant growers to get first allocation since 2013 — Friant Water Authority irrigation districts will get aBureau of Reclamation water allocation this year for the first time since 2013.  Visalia Times-Delta article 

Forest Service considers Nestle mountain water withdrawals — The U.S. Forest Service on Friday proposed giving Nestle a five-year permit to keep siphoning millions of gallons of water from the Southern California mountains to bottle and sell. AP article; LA Times article 

Black Urban Farmers Association: Working toward a rich harvest – Inez Aldridge is a member of the fledgling Black Urban Farmers Association, which aims to bring more people of color into agriculture while simultaneously encouraging African-Americans and the population at large to make better food choices. Stockton Record article

Criminal Justice/Prisons

LAPD report defends ambitious plan to outfit officers with body cameras – Los Angeles police officials formally responded Friday to City Councilconcerns about the department’s ambitious body camera initiative, arguing that Taser International offered the most suitable devices and video storage when the department first tested body cameras in 2014 and remained the best option during subsequent reviews. LA Times article

Education

Fresno Unified, teachers union reach tentative agreement on pay — After several months of negotiations, Fresno Unified School District and the Fresno Teachers Association have reached a tentative agreement on teacher pay and other issues. The agreement, which still has to be officially approved by the school board and FTA members, includes a total 7 percent salary package for teachers: a 5 percent increase and a 2 percent one-time payment. Fresno Bee article

High school discrimination suit proceeds, minus state – The Dolores Huerta Foundation and a dozen other plaintiffs are challenging a court decision made earlier this month to excuse the State of California from a local high school discrimination lawsuit. The suit, first filed Oct. 9, 2014, alleges that the Kern High School District has practiced discriminatory discipline policies, disproportionately expelling and suspending Latinos and African Americans for a period of five years. Bakersfield Californian article

With NCAA tournament berth, Fresno State gets a payday and a problem — Fresno State will receive a $100,000 bonus through the Mountain West for its appearance in the NCAA Tournament. But it faces a more pressing issue along with the rest of the conference with the Bulldogs the only team to make it to the Big Dance this year. Fresno Bee article

‘We must hold people accountable’ for sexual harassment, UC president says – With sexual harassment controversies roiling multiple campuses in theUniversity of California system, UC President Janet Napolitano on Friday announced new measures designed to prevent future incidents and ensure that punishments, when necessary, are uniform system-wide. LA Times article 

Fresno State names new dean of College of Agriculture Sciences and Technology — Sandra Witte, a Fresno State professor for nearly 25 years, will now oversee the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. The university called Witte’s journey to her position as dean unconventional: She started out as a registered dietician and has served as chair of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition. Fresno Bee article 

UCSF Fresno appoints new associate dean – Dr. Michael W. Peterson has been appointed associate dean at University of California, San Francisco’s Fresno Medical Education Program. Fresno Bee article 

Fresno State students elect Edison High grad as new student government president – Fresno State junior political science major Tim Ryan was elected as the student government president this week, the college said. Ryan, 20, an Edison High School graduate, was elected to Associated Students Inc. and will officially take over as president on June 1. His position, as well as the other students elected to the student senate, lasts one year. Fresno Bee article 

ROP students get new equipment — Some high school vocational students are getting more access to up-to-date learning equipment such as automotive diagnostic equipment, Chromebooks, laptops and breathalyzers. Kings Regional Occupational Program (ROP) teachers say the additional equipment will give students an opportunity to learn on the latest equipment in classes that offer technical training in health careers, automotive, public safety and business retail marketing and make the students “up to speed” in their fields. Hanford Sentinel article

UC Merced Connect: Student volunteers aid Mercy emergency department — In fall 2007, Maricela Rangel-Garcia became one of the first UC Merced students to sign up for a nonclinical volunteer program in the busy Mercy Medical Center Emergency Department. Her participation in what has become a vital and growing program cemented her career path. Merced Sun-Star article 

Protestors outside Katehi’s office plan to stay during spring break — One week after occupying the space outside UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi’s office, students remained camped out Friday in protest of her involvement with several private corporate boards. They say they have no plans of leaving. Sacramento Bee article

Energy/Environment 

Taft agrees to $250,000 settlement related to 2013 sewage overflow — The city of Taft has agreed to a $250,000 settlement stemming from a 2013 sewage spill the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board says threatened waterways and public health. Bakersfield Californian article

Porter Ranch residents displaced by gas leak have one more week to return home — Porter Ranch residents will have another week to return home as they transition out of temporary housing because of the gas leak in Aliso Canyon. LA Times article

Health/Human Services 

California’s Obamacare marketplace aims to kick out poor-performing hospitals — California’s insurance exchange is threatening to cut hospitals from its networks for poor performance or high costs, a novel proposal that is drawing heavy fire from medical providers and insurers. KQED report

Feds begin review of California’s health plan tax — The Brown administration this week formally asked the U.S. government to sign off on a revamped tax on health plans that has the primary goal of continuing to pull in more than $1 billion in federal money. Sacramento Bee article

John G. Taylor: A cancer ‘moonshot’ – how to make rhetoric real – The former Fresno Bee reporter and editor and owner/operator of JT Communications Co. LLC writes, “We have an inventory of the benefits of painful relentlessness in remedying cancer. We need a coherent national Marshall Plan – a scorecard of strengths, weaknesses and opportunities – if a cancer “moonshot” is to go beyond rhetorical artifact.” Taylor op-ed in Fresno Bee

Kaiser Permanente again receives top ranking in customer satisfaction — Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente, which operates a medical center in Fresno plus facilities in Clovis, Oakhurst and Selma, has been given the highest ranking for customer satisfaction in California in the J.D. Power 2016 Member Health Plan Study. Sacramento Bee article

Kathleen Johnson: Tulare Regional Medical Center: Changes are happening and we think for the better – The vice president of marketing for Healthcare Conglomerate Associates writes, “Two years ago, the Tulare Regional Medical Center Board of Directors was visionary in recognizing the tremendous changes that would be required to take the District into a sustainable and profitable future. That vision has now proved itself prescient.” Johnson op-ed in Visalia Times-Delta 

The return of doctor house calls, but at what cost? — Kim works for Heal, a Los Angeles-based start-up that allows patients in several California counties to order doctor house calls through a smartphone app. Similar companies exist in other parts of the country, including Pager in New York City andMend in Dallas. Health advocates generally support using technology to make medical care more convenient. As these companies grow, however, some question the return of the house call. LA Times article

Transportation

State has funds to build first segment of bullet train, legislative analyst finds – The state has enough money to build an initial operating segment of thebullet train from San Jose to the Central Valley but faces major uncertainties about funding for the entire 500-mile system and whether the initial system will be profitable, according to a new report by researchers for the Legislature. LA Times article 

Battle looming over South County Corridor tie to Interstate 5 — Potential paths for a future expressway linking Highway 99 in Turlock to Interstate 5 have been whittled from nearly 100 down to three, with competition far from settled between Patterson and Stanislaus County leaders on the west end. Modesto Bee article

The Numbers Crunch: More of us are out walking but also getting hit by cars — Undoubtedly, it’s good for our health and for our planet that we’re walking more often. But there’s a downside: More pedestrians are getting hit and killed by cars. In fact, the Governors Highway Safety Association is ringing alarm bells. It is projecting that pedestrian deaths jumped an estimated 10 percent last year, which would be the largest annual spike in at least 40 years. The Numbers Crunch in Sacramento Bee 

BART snarl likely to last weeks; busy station stays closed – As BART struggled Friday to understand why electrical surges on a stretch of rail in Contra Costa County had sent scores of broken trains to the repair yard, officials warned frustrated riders that service to the popularPittsburg-Bay Point Station was likely to remain shut down through at least Monday. San Francisco Chronicle article; LA Times article

 MTA unveils ambitious $120-billion plan to expand mass transit in Los Angeles — New rail routes through Claremont, Van Nuys, Westwood and Artesia would be built first under the Metropolitan Transportation Authority‘s ambitious $120-billion plan to expand mass transit in Los Angeles. LA Times article

Other areas

Danny Morrison: Bakersfield needs a high speed evolution revolution – The City of Bakersfield is a city famously reluctant to change. Ever since I can remember, Bakersfield has always given pugnacious push back when presented with an opportunity to escalate our informational, structural and technological transitions into the 21st century. Morrison column in Bakersfield Californian

Former Chowchilla police chief, cowboy culturalist Gary Brown dies – Gary E. Brown of Visalia, whose long career in law enforcement included turns as police chief in Chowchilla and other cities in California and Oregon, died Wednesday at his home in Visalia following a long illness. He was 76. Fresno Bee article 

Sacramento begins search for next city manager – The search for Sacramento’s next city manager is underway. Mayor Kevin Johnson and the City Council reviewed the hiring process this week to fill the position John Shirey is vacating Nov. 18. The mayor and most of the council hope to hire his replacement in time to allow for a smooth transition period. Sacramento Bee article

James E. Walton: Why not just drop Black History Month altogether? – The professor emeritus of English at Fresno State writes, “Perhaps until the average tyke can rattle off that Paul Robeson was valedictorian of his Rutgers class in 1919; that he was an attorney who spoke several languages and was known as a great singer; that he played dramatic parts like Othello and The Emperor Jones, we need to keep the special designation, Black History Month!” Walton op-ed in Fresno Bee 

Bakersfield’s ‘other’ roadrunners join in NCAA excitement — FM89’s Ezra David Romero visited the California Living Museum zoo, also known as CALM, to learn more about the speedy birds that call Southern California home and lend their name to CSUB’s sports teams. CALM’s curator of animals Don Richardson tells us a little more about these birds and what the basketball team means for the community. KVPR report

Valley Editorial Roundup

Fresno Bee – Thumbs up, thumbs down.

Modesto Bee –– More than it needs a farmers market; more than it needs tranquility at City Council meetings, or even politicians with the wisdom of Solomon, Turlock needs this: integrity.

Sacramento Bee – Mural is a bright sign of what’s possible in Sacramento.

Stockton Record – The work of Dr. Bennet Omalu received more confirmation and recognition this week — at the national and local levels. A portion of “support” came from an unlikely source: the National Football League.

Maddy Events

Sunday, March 20, at 10 a.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report: “El Nino and the Drought” – Guests: Rachel Ehlers, an analyst with the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and Alvar Escriva-Bou, an analyst with the Public Policy Institute of California. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director Mark Keppler

Sunday, March 20, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580 (KMJ) – Maddy Report-Valley Views Edition: “El Nino: The Perfect or Not So Perfect Storm?” – Guests: Joe Del Bosque, a farmer on the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley; Sarge Green, water management specialist with the California Water Institute at CSU Fresno; Jason Peltier, head of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority; and Johnny Amaral, Westlands Water District deputy general manager for external affairs. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director Mark Keppler.

Sunday, March 20, at 7 a.m. on Fresno Univision 21 (KFTV)– El Informe Maddy Report: “Redistricting in California” – Guest: California Redistricting Commissioner Maria Blanco. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Deputy Director Ana Melendez. 

The Maddy Report airs throughout California on The Cal Channel.  Check http://www.calchannel.com to find the Cal Channel and schedule in your area.  You also can view previous Maddy Report programs in their entirety at http://www.maddyinstitute.org/policy-analysis/the-maddy-report-tv.

Community Events

• Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro and other university officials will participate in a Community Conversation at the Reedley College Student Center in Reedley on April 7 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Seating for this free event is limited, so RSVPs should be made by Tuesday, April 5, at www.fresnostate.edu/presidentrsvp using the code “Reedleyforum.”

• The 2016 San Joaquin Valley Parks Summit will be held at Bitwise South Stadium in Fresno on Thursday, May 12, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Registration launches March 1.  More information: Jenna Chilingerian at jennac@csufresno.edu.

Interactive

Next 10: UPDATED California budget challenge – For the first time in a decade, California’s budget is largely in balance.  However, the state has outstanding debts of $28 million, not counting long-term pension and retiree health care costs.  Budget choices affect us all.  Take the Challenge and decide how much should be spent on programs and where the money should come from.  Next 10 California Budget Challenge

Next 10: Federal budget challenge — The Federal Budget Challenge is based on The Concord Coalition’s Principles and Priorities budget exercise, which has been used in numerous town hall meetings across the country by members of Congress from both parties, as well as in hundreds of high school and college classrooms.  Next 10 Federal Budget challenge at www.federalbudgetchallenge.org. 

Next 10: California Water Challenge – As our state faces some of the most severe drought conditions in its history, Next 10 wants to issue a new challenge to Californians: can you create a plan to make sure there’s enough water for everyone?  Next 10 California Water Challenge

LEGISLATORS’ VOTING RECORDS: How often has a California legislator broken party ranks, abstained or switched sides? The Sacramento Bee has a database of the voting records of every member of the state Senate and Assembly. Enter a lawmaker’s last and first names to see how he or she voted, or enter a bill number to see how every legislator voted on it. Check it out at this link.  http://www.sacbee.com/votingrecord/

More Information

Please visit http://www.maddyinstitute.com/news/maddy-daily if you want to view the Maddy Daily with our comprehensive list of links to all federal, state and local government, public affairs institutes/regional entities, Valley media and public policy blogs. (Please note new website address.)

Maddy Institute Updates List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials – The Maddy Institute has updated its list of San Joaquin Valley elected officials.  The list is available here.

Maddy Institute on Facebook and Twitter – To learn about Maddy Institute activities (e.g. The Maddy Report tv show, The Maddy Associates’ Luncheons, the Maddy Legislative Intern Program), become a fan of the Maddy Institute on Facebook or log on to http://twitter.com/MaddyInstitute. And if you have a Facebook or Twitter account, please add us and follow us!

Follow @MaddyDaily on Twitter – Can’t wait for the Maddy Daily to hit your in-box each morning?  Follow @MaddyDaily on Twitter to receive updates on policy and political developments throughout the day.  

If you want to subscribe or unsubscribe, please send an email to Ana Melendez at ajovelmelendez@csufresno.edu.

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.

Funding for The Maddy Daily is made possible by grants from The Wonderful Company and BNSF Railroad and generous donations from you, our subscribers.