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New Year welcomes legal pot in California, but rules are not yet clear
SACRAMENTO – In November, 2016, California voters approved an initiative (Proposition 64) legalizing recreational uses of marijuana, with legal sales beginning on Monday, Jan. 1. But with all major legal changes, the rules are somewhat unclear as a mish-mash of
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CalWatchdog thanks you for your loyal readership. Because of your support, we remain California’s top-ranked political blog and investigative news site. California has too few journalists covering what is really going on in Sacramento and throughout the state. That’s exactly
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Sen. Feinstein’s policy reversal suggests she’s taking de León threat more seriously
California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León’s decision to challenge the 2018 re-election bid of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat, for not being sufficiently liberal in the Trump era is beginning to look more serious. A poll
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With legal pot near, state looks to Trump administration for help on access to banks
With the legal sale of recreational marijuana a week away, local governments across California have adopted policies on where and when permitted legal sellers can operate, following the ground rules set up by Proposition 64 – the November 2016 state ballot
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‘Moderates’ brawl with ‘progressives’ in San Francisco mayoral special election
The Dec. 12 death of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee from a heart attack has set the city up for another of the periodic battles between liberal Democrats and even more liberal Democrats for control of City Hall. Members of
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Bonds used for affordable housing survive in final GOP tax bill
The good news for California affordable housing advocates is that a bond/tax credit program that they rely on is part of the far-reaching Republican tax bill to be voted on by Congress this week after it had been targeted for
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CA House GOPers gain concessions in federal tax bill – but are they enough?
A Republican congressional conference committee wrapped up work Wednesday on a massive tax overhaul bill that would cut taxes by $1.5 trillion over 10 years and includes several concessions designed to win support from the 28 GOP House members from
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California sued over poor literacy rates among its students
California was sued earlier this month over poor reading skills among its students, a significant legal step in trying to combat lackluster literacy rates amid a larger conversation about education policy in the Golden State. The suit was filed by Public Counsel,
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Oakland city workers to strike for seventh day
A strike by nearly 3,000 Oakland city employees will continue for a seventh day today when a mediator agreed to over the weekend will begin meeting with civic and union officials. Oakland city staffers depicted the decision by Mayor Libby
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Realtors’ initiative could boost home sales, limit property taxes
SACRAMENTO – Property-tax-limiting Proposition 13 has long been viewed as the “third rail” of California politics given its continued popularity among the home-owning electorate. Public-sector unions occasionally talk about sponsoring an initiative to eliminate its tax limits for commercial properties,
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