May 2015 | Page 3 of 9 | CalWatchdog.com

Archive

CA government turns on traffic court rules

In a matter of weeks, all three branches of California government have turned against the state’s widespread traffic violations bureaucracy. The system, which subjects rich and poor alike to spiraling penalties, fees and surcharges, has come to symbolize both the hidden

State Assembly approves plan to bring back Kelo-style redevelopment

John May 24, 2015

Redevelopment agencies would once again have the power to seize private property for big developers under a bill that passed the California State Assembly earlier this month. Assembly Bill 2, authored by Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Salinas, would give local governments the

Bill to mandate vaccinations for day care workers clears State Senate

Josephine Djuhana May 24, 2015

A measure to require vaccinations for day care center workers has been approved by the California State Senate on a bipartisan 34 to 3 vote. Senate Bill 792 is authored by Senator Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, and according to the text

Cash for Grass rebates jumpstart CA drought-friendly landscaping

Josephine Djuhana May 23, 2015

Californians are finding further incentives to switch out their water-thirsty lawns for more drought-tolerant landscapes. In 2014, Democratic Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez of Los Angeles authored Assembly Bill 2434, a measure designed to “protect owners from being taxed on turf removal rebates.”

CA water cuts hit farmers

James Poulos May 23, 2015

As state policymakers turned their eye on reforming groundwater rules, California’s farmers sought a new deal on water rights, voluntarily proposing to slash their own consumption. An unprecedented offer The latest cascade of cuts underscored fears that current rationing rules just

DOI to invest $50 million in water conservation in CA and other states

Josephine Djuhana May 22, 2015

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced in a press release that the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation “will invest nearly $50 million to improve water efficiency and conservation in California and 11 other western states.” “In a time of exceptional

Silicon Valley eyes pot play

James Poulos May 22, 2015

With marijuana legalization on the table for California this coming election season, investment in the nascent pot industry has become increasingly attractive. But in Silicon Valley, where venture capitalists have prided themselves on risky but canny bets, marijuana has only

How will businesses react to L.A. minimum wage boost?

Joel Fox May 22, 2015

The Los Angeles City Council tentatively voted to increase the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020. The business community opposed the move. How business will react is unclear but there was much discussion during the debate over

Oil pipeline spills up to 105,000 gallons along Santa Barbara coast

Josephine Djuhana May 21, 2015

Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Santa Barbara County in light of an oil spill near Refugio State Beach, reported on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. “This emergency proclamation cuts red tape and helps the state quickly mobilize

Congress still divided on how to address CA drought

Chris Reed May 21, 2015

California’s leaders have faced sharp criticism over their perceived failure to prepare the state for the current severe drought. But if criticism of the state government is warranted, Congress may deserve some blame as well. House members from the Central