October 2015 | Page 3 of 6 | CalWatchdog.com

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Legislators propose differing plans to fund state-wide highway repair

There is consensus that California’s roads and highways must be fixed. There is no consensus how the fix should be paid for. A Special Session legislative meeting Friday was called a first step in finding agreement to the funding problem.

Cal State union considers striking; seeks 5 percent raise

Steve Miller October 19, 2015

The 25,000 members of the California State University faculty union will cast ballots in a strike-authorization vote beginning Monday. It is the fourth time the union and university have battled over wages in eight years. The union seeks a 5

Whale-sex ban spurs mockery of Coastal Commission

Chris Reed October 18, 2015

The release of a 2013 documentary, “Blackfish,” that accused SeaWorld theme parks of treating their captive killer whales cruelly put a big dent in the company’s revenue in 2014. Thanks to CNN’s repeated airings of the documentary, anti-SeaWorld sentiment gets

Newsom unveils gun initiative

James Poulos October 17, 2015

Thrusting himself to the forefront of America’s campaign-season controversy around access to firearms, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom seized the opportunity to define the 2018 gubernatorial race early, proposing a ballot initiative that would usher in sweeping new gun laws. Although Newsom’s

Did 2006 cellphone law cut CA traffic deaths or not?

Chris Reed October 16, 2015

When California approved a law in 2006 requiring that drivers could only use their cellphones hands-free beginning on July 1, 2008, state leaders patted themselves on the back for pioneering legislation that would inspire the rest of the nation and

CA confronts a Prop. 47 crime wave

James Poulos October 16, 2015

Nearly a year after California voters overwhelmingly agreed to lessen sentences and release inmates convicted of minor crimes, statistical and anecdotal evidence has cast doubt on the wisdom of Proposition 47. A souring trend Change has been swift, but results

Voters will confront more bonds on 2016 ballot

Joel Fox October 15, 2015

State Treasurer John Chiang issued a report recently that praises California’s fiscal strides in dealing with debt but also raises warnings that the state is still in the deep end of the debt pool. The issue of debt will be on

When is too much enough? A look at schools, money and taxpayers

Steve Miller October 15, 2015

A proposed $9 billion state bond for school construction projects includes multimillion-dollar project requests from districts where student enrollment has declined, a CalWatchdog investigation has found. The measure, on the 2016 ballot, is supported in large part by a cadre

CA bans campus concealed carry

James Poulos October 14, 2015

Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill criminalizing the concealed carry of firearms on campus. “Proposed by state Democrats, SB707 passed the Senate in a 23-12 vote in June sending it to the Assembly where it cleared in a largely partisan 54-24 roll call

CA forges ahead with new animal laws

James Poulos October 14, 2015

Not only humans were affected by the spate of new bills signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown. From pigs to whales, lawmakers succeeded in changing the way animals are treated in California. Strengthening antibiotics Just seven lawmakers voted against a bill