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Proposal to put new state fee on water returns

A proposal to add new fees to water bills to help pay for improvements to water systems in rural areas with tainted supplies is back before the Legislature, and this time it has the support of the Brown administration. Last

California gubernatorial race may hold key to boosting Republican turnout in 2018

Drew Gregory Lynch April 27, 2018

With Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox polling neck-and-neck with Antonio Villaraigosa for second place in the race for governor, the prospect of a Republican being on the ballot in November appears to be increasing – a development that could be instrumental

CalChamber publishes “job killer” list for 2018

Avery Bissett April 18, 2018

The California Chamber of Commerce added three more pieces of legislation last week to its “job killer” list for 2018. In total, the group has identified 24 bills – 18 new and 6 carried over from last year. Except for

Cupertino project may test power of ballyhooed housing law SB35

Chris Reed April 9, 2018

Senate Bill 35 – the 2017 measure authored by state Sen. Scott Weiner, D-San Francisco, that was billed as the most far-reaching response to California’s housing crisis – could be about to get its first major test in Silicon Valley, the region

California chief justice calls for bail reform

Avery Bissett March 30, 2018

California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, in her annual State of the Judiciary address on March 19, renewed calls for bail reform and making the legal system more attuned to the needs of Californians. She also doubled down on oblique criticisms

New population stats add to fear Silicon Valley has peaked

Chris Reed March 30, 2018

A new report on U.S. census data reinforces fears among Silicon Valley watchers that the world’s tech capital will struggle to maintain its prominence as it tries to attract and retain workers despite extremely high housing costs. The Wall Street

California agriculture top initial Beijing target as trade dispute escalates

Chris Reed March 28, 2018

California’s massive agriculture industry is China’s top initial target as Beijing responds to the Trump administration’s vow earlier this month to slap tariffs on some $50 billion of Chinese steel and aluminium imports. In an announcement over the weekend, Chinese

Utilities’ bid for help on wildfire costs finds renewed hope

Chris Reed March 25, 2018

California’s three giant investor-owned utilities haven’t given up on hopes that state leaders and regulators may give their shareholders the financial protection they want in an era of frequent massive wildfires linked to climate change – and their hopes don’t seem

L.A. headaches hang over Garcetti’s White House ambitions

Chris Reed March 20, 2018

Sen. Kamala Harris, 53, isn’t the only relatively young California Democrat who’s seen as a potential fresh-faced alternative to Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 68, or former Vice President Joseph Biden, 75, for the party’s 2020 presidential nomination. Los Angeles Mayor

Democratic candidates for governor must contend with bullet-train difficulties

Chris Reed March 16, 2018

The March 9 release of the first updated business plan in two years for the state’s high-speed rail project could sharply intensify the pressure on Democratic gubernatorial candidates who back the project to explain their support. The Republican candidates – Assemblyman