26Apr

April 26, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Dan Walters: Oroville Dam secrecy helps further erode trust for big state projects — Oroville is another example of California’s tarnished record in recent decades of building and maintaining major infrastructure. A classic example is the replacement of the eastern third of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge that took decades to […]

25Apr

April 25, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Republicans howl as lawmakers jam through deals linked to gas tax, fee increases — Brushing aside Republican criticism that the legislation broke state law, Assembly Democrats gave final approval Monday to a pair of measures that helped secure the passage of billions in gasoline tax and vehicle fee increases for road […]

24Apr

April 24, 2017

Political Stories Top stories   Dan Walters: It’s time to abolish California’s dysfunctional tax board — The Board of Equalization’s rationale for being expired decades ago, and the recent revelations just underscore that to the larger public. It’s time for it to vanish. Walters column in Sacramento Bee   George Skelton: It’s time for California […]

23Apr

April 23, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories John Myers: To know whether California’s budget will balance, watch this month’s tax collections — Here’s a nifty, if not mind-blowing, way to think about all the tax dollars showing up right now in Sacramento: Over the past week, California collected about $8 billion in state income taxes — more money […]

22Apr

April 22, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Trump can’t ‘intimidate’ California in sanctuary crackdown, state’s top cop says – The U.S. Department of Justice signaled its intent Friday to follow through on a widespread immigration crackdown promised by President Donald Trump, warning “sanctuary” jurisdictions across the nation, including California, that the federal government would withhold law enforcement funds […]

21Apr

April 21, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Senator who voted for gas tax hike says he received death threats after cell number, address shared — The only Republican lawmaker to vote for the controversial $52 billion transportation deal says he received hundreds of angry calls on his personal cellphone and at home, some threatening, the day after the measure passed […]

20Apr

April 20, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Critics hold a town hall to talk issues with Devin Nunes, but he wasn’t there — About 150 people showed up Wednesday to a town hall meeting here to send a message to Rep. Devin Nunes – even if the Tulare Republican decided to skip the meeting and call its organizers […]

19Apr

April 19, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Rudy Salas gets some hometown love after Sacramento strike — Much of Sacramento is unhappy with Assemblyman Rudy Salas right now. But back home in Kern County, the Democrat is getting a lot of love for his vote against SB 1, a transportation tax measure that passed the state Legislature on […]

18Apr

April 18, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories Rudy Salas latest moderate Dem slapped down for bucking party — Assemblyman Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, paid dearly Monday for his April 6 vote against a measure expected to increase gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees to fund road repairs and transit improvements. Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon stripped Salas of […]

16Apr

April 16, 2017

Political Stories – Top stories John Myers: There’s not a single California congressional district with Republicans in the majority – When it comes to California’s 53 congressional districts, first impressions are deceiving. Republicans have held tightly to their seats in the House of Representatives, but the latest data beg the question of whether the party’s grip […]