CalWatchdog Morning Read – September 15

• Transparency ballot measure nearly unopposed
• Outside groups want transportation deal done in lame-duck
• Senate candidates fight over for-profit colleges, Trump University
• New law prevents renter blacklist
• Gov. Brown signs more environmental laws 

Good Thursday morning! While the governor pumps out signed bills and vetoes to wind down the year, political campaigns are heading into the final stretch. 

Although one ballot measure campaign is hardly heating up. In fact, for all the fighting and million-dollar spending over November’s 17 ballot measures, one proposal stands nearly unopposed.

Though not entirely unopposed, the committee against a measure aimed at making legislative proceedings in Sacramento more transparent is unfunded and run entirely by the pro bono work of Democratic political strategist Steve Maviglio.

Maviglio has the political savvy to run the campaign — he’s working on two measures in support of the ban on plastic bags and against another measure to require voter approval for revenue bonds of $2 billion or more — but the money just isn’t there. 

“It’s an uphill battle to be sure because many donors have bigger fish to fry,” Maviglio said. 

CalWatchdog has more.

In other news:

• “Frustrated transportation groups urge the Legislature to come back in a lame-duck session,” reports the Los Angeles Times. 
• “The California Democrats running for U.S. Senate delved Wednesday into their records on for-profit colleges, with Loretta Sanchez continuing to tie Attorney General Kamala Harris to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and the businessman’s defunct Trump University,” writes The Sacramento Bee. 
• “California tenants have a new arrow in their quiver: a law to protect them from being unfairly placed on rental blacklists that jeopardize their credit ratings and shut them out of the housing market,” reports The San Jose Mercury News.
• “Gov. Jerry Brown, laboring to build support for California’s controversial cap-and-trade program, signed legislation Wednesday authorizing $900 million in spending on climate-related programs, including clean car rebates, parks and public transportation.” The Sacramento Bee has more. 

Legislature:

• Gone ’til December.

Gov. Brown:

• Another medal of valor ceremony, this time at 10 a.m. in Elk Grove for officers and staff of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

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