Posts From James Poulos
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SCOTUS spares CA raisin farmer
At least one closely split Supreme Court decision seems likely to meet widespread acclaim this term. A 5-4 majority, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, sided with a California raisin grower challenging a New Deal law that had enabled government agriculture regulators to
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CA incentives reel back film and TV production
Hollywood could soon reclaim its once-shaky status as America’s production headquarters. After a near panic touched off by a nationwide spending spree on state incentives for film and television production, programs around the country have begun scaling back or shutting down altogether, leaving California
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Critics question costs under Covered California
As the fate of the Affordable Care Act hung in the balance at the Supreme Court, bipartisan concern swirled around how Covered California is affecting the Golden State’s costs of care. “After surpassing its first year goal by 400,000 — signing
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CA pension reformers push ballot measure
The struggle over reforming California’s public pension system has been taken up a new notch. Given the poor track record of past efforts to reform pensions on the statewide level, a bipartisan alliance of former municipal leaders, including ex-San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and
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CA GOP eyes asset forfeiture reform
After sailing through the state Senate, a key criminal justice reform bill with bipartisan support faced its first test in the Assembly at a closely watched end-of-month hearing. “SB443 will continue to allow California law enforcement agencies to keep a
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CA drone industry rises high
Thanks to its familiar combination of tech smarts and unorthodox lifestyle, the Golden State has become the epicenter of the drone revolution. According to CB Insights, the Los Angeles Times reported, “Northern California is the headquarters of six of the 10 American
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CA cracks down on medical pot growers
Marijuana has rocketed to the top of California’s list of cash crops, sucking an outsized — and illegal — amount of water with it. “An ounce of marijuana requires 34 gallons while an ounce of almonds requires 25.3 gallons of
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CA regulators debut new energy rules
Placing a big bet on solar power and new regulations, state officials have rolled out ambitious new requirements aimed at slashing energy use in newly-constructed homes. “Buildings built in California starting in 2016 will have to comply with the nation’s toughest
Read MoreCA Uber driver ruled employee
Navigating the choppy regulatory waters of America’s 50 states just became more difficult for Uber. The fast-growing startup that has roiled the taxi and livery industry was dealt an adverse ruling by the California Labor Commissioner’s Office. As the New York Times
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Brown prevails over legislative Democrats in budget negotiations
Notching another victory against Democrats to his left on spending, Gov. Jerry Brown rebuffed party legislators pushing him to add last-minute items to the state’s budget. “The final budget is $61 million more than Brown’s proposal in May,” the San Francisco
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