December 2015 | Page 3 of 6

Archive

CA faces dueling death penalty initiatives

Activists on both sides of the death penalty debate were poised for an election day clash, with one group pushing a ban on the practice while the other hoped to speed it up. A new coalition The first group, Taxpayers

17 years later, O.C. desalination plant inches toward finish line

Chris Reed December 19, 2015

The massive $1 billion Carlsbad desalination plant — the largest in North America — begins normal operations this month after a long legal and regulatory odyssey. The plant is expected to provide 54 million gallons of water a day, or

Initiative filing fee hike inspires wave of unconventional proposals

John December 18, 2015

A tenfold increase in the initiative filing fee was supposed to reduce the number of long-shot proposals in circulation. “The updated filing fee set by this bill will deter frivolous submissions,” Assemblyman Evan Low, author the new initiative fee increase, said in a

CA breaks gun sales records

James Poulos December 18, 2015

Californians have drawn national attention by buying more guns in the wake of the terror attacks in San Bernardino. “Californians have already bought a record number of firearms in 2015, including major spikes in sales on Black Friday and the

SCOTUS stiffs CA suit against DirecTV

James Poulos December 17, 2015

A high-profile lawsuit that could have increased consumer protections was shot down by the Supreme Court. “The justices by a 6-3 vote overturned a state ruling and threw out a class-action lawsuit against DirecTV over its termination fees for customers

UC urged to encourage computer science in high schools

Chris Reed December 16, 2015

The University of California is being pressed by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and a long list of high-powered CEOs to count computer science as a math course in deciding whether applicants meet its minimum standards to be considered for admission.

CA Attorney General wants confidential Koch data

James Poulos December 16, 2015

Pressing for access to confidential lists kept by the Koch brothers, U.S. Senate candidate Kamala Harris injected another note of politics into her tenure as California Attorney General. Harris “has a fight on her hands trying to get the brothers’ Americans

Initiatives filed to extend Prop. 30 tax hikes

John December 15, 2015

California’s temporary income tax hikes aren’t set to expire until 2018, but that hasn’t stopped Sacramento special interest groups from laying the groundwork for campaigns to extend Proposition 30. In recent months, sponsors of tax increases have filed the necessary

First debate of 2016 CA election season tackles poverty, taxes

Joel Fox December 15, 2015

It’s not even 2016 yet, but the first debate over a probable initiative on the November 2016 ballot took place in Dana Point Monday when former Board of Equalization member Conway Collis squared off with Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association president

San Bernardino attacks shape presidential race

James Poulos December 14, 2015

Presidential candidates in both parties have found challenges and opportunities in responding politically to the recent terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, California. In the wake of Tashfeen Malik’s attack, carried out with her husband Syed Rizwan Farook, controversy and criticism has