Blog

Conflict of interest for CTA rep on state board?

The California Public Utilities Commission has faced months of headlines over conflict-of-interest scandals involving former longtime PUC President Michael Peevey, who on several occasions sought favors from the utilities he regulated while interceding on their behalf out of the public’s

HJTA initiative could focus affordable housing debate

Chris Reed May 9, 2015

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association on May 1 filed paperwork with the state Attorney General’s Office as a first step toward qualifying an affordable-housing measure — the California Homeowners and Renters Tax Relief Act of 2016 — for next year’s

Dem lawmaker breaks with party over teacher tenure

Chris Reed May 6, 2015

Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, is a former San Diego school board president and a longtime San Diego State professor. In an April 24 op-ed, she called for tenure reform — breaking with Democrats in the Legislature who have long

Ruling on pension bonuses shows obstacles to CA reform

Chris Reed May 2, 2015

Providing bonus checks to government retirees when pension funds have good years has long been common and controversial around California. Now an appellate court has ruled this policy is a vested benefit that can’t be ended by formal action of

Seattle’s advantage in tech rivalry with Silicon Valley

Chris Reed May 1, 2015

Silicon Valley has an increasingly aggressive rival for tech talent and entrepreneurs: the Seattle area. Once known primarily for Microsoft and Amazon, the region now hosts hundreds of tech firms big and small. Hadi Partovi has a good overview on

Occupy-style rhetoric used to frame CA drought

Chris Reed April 30, 2015

Gov. Jerry Brown’s announcement of mandatory water cutbacks led to news coverage of the disparities in water usage between very rich neighborhoods and everywhere else. In San Diego, this instantly prompted angry comments on social media about Rancho Santa Fe,

Giant desal plant planned for Camp Pendleton

Chris Reed April 26, 2015

The dramatic announcement by Gov. Jerry Brown earlier this month of a 25 percent cut in water use across much of California triggered harsh commentary in the state and across the nation over the lack of preparation by government agencies

CA will struggle to meet key energy goal of governor

Chris Reed April 25, 2015

A Hoover Institution scholar continues to provide a fresh take on the state of California’s energy policies, highlighting their hidden agendas and examining their feasibility. Previously, a CalWatchdog.com story covered Carson Bruno’s research showing that the state of California has far

Credibility crisis comes as PUC faces tough decisions

Chris Reed April 23, 2015

The recent series of scandals involving the California Public Utiities Commission hang like a pall over the regulatory agency. Recently deposed PUC President Michael Peevey’s swapping of favors with Pacific Gas & Electric and his surreptitious work with Southern California

Court strikes down tiered water pricing in San Juan Capistrano

Joel Fox April 22, 2015

San Juan Capistrano’s water fee usage plan ran afoul of Proposition 218’s taxpayer shield to protect taxpayers from being charged taxes disguised as fees and assessments. The goal of the tiered water plan was designed as a financial punishment for