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Push to increase CA green power mandate flops

On Jan. 6, a key provision was quietly struck from Assembly Bill 177, a measure introduced by Assemblyman V. Manuel Perez, D-Coachella, that would have expanded the green-power mandate for California utilites from 33 percent to 51 percent by the

Fresno mayor obstructs initiative process to save water rate hike

John January 15, 2014

Fresno residents could see their water rates double, and in the process, all Californians could see their petition powers diminished, if a state appellate court doesn't act quickly on a lawsuit to stop strong-arm tactics by the city of Fresno. The battle

Arena lawsuit: Deposition of key officials nears go-ahead

Katy Grimes January 13, 2014

Opponents of the push for a heavily subsidized downtown Sacramento basketball arena are closer to forcing key city insiders to tell what they know about how much taxpayers actually will have to pay for the project. Last week, Sacramento Superior

Will CA green-energy policies backfire like Germany’s did?

Wayne Lusvardi January 13, 2014

Will California’s new green energy regime suffer the same fate as Germany’s Energiewende? In Europe, wholesale prices for solar and wind power have dropped below the cost to produce it. This has resulted in Germany having to rapidly build new polluting

Brown on Drought: Governors can’t make it rain

John January 10, 2014

As the rest of the country remains in a deep freeze, California’s weather is making headlines of its own. 2013 was one of the driest years on record in California. Los Angeles, which sees average annual rainfall of 14.90 inches,

Gov. Brown's budget largely ignores massive debt

Katy Grimes January 10, 2014

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Jerry Brown yesterday released his state budget proposal for fiscal year 2014-15, which begins on July 1, with spending sharply higher than last year, despite promises of fiscal restraint. The governor’s $155 billion total spending plan increases the general fund

Gov. Brown advances apparently balanced budget

John Seiler January 9, 2014

Gov. Jerry Brown today advanced a budget proposal that apparently is balanced for fiscal year 2014-15, which begins on July 1. It would spend a record $106.8 billion on the general fund, which is up a hefty 23 percent from

Sen. Anderson charges: CA profits on backs of Madoff victims

Katy Grimes January 9, 2014

SACRAMENTO — Bernie Madoff may be in prison, but he’s still ripping people off — this time aided by the government of the state of California. So charged state Sen. Joel Anderson, R-San Diego, at a press conference and committee hearing

Bipartisan effort would limit federal spying in California

John January 8, 2014

Federal agencies could find it harder to spy on Californians if a new bill proposed this legislative session becomes law. State Senators Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, and Joel Anderson, R-San Diego, introduced legislation on Monday that would ban state agencies, officials

CA lawmakers back in the saddle again

Katy Grimes January 8, 2014

SACRAMENTO — After a nice long winter's rest, the California Legislature is back in the saddle again. And they hit the ground running, immediately bringing back many bills that did not pass in 2013. Gov. Jerry Brown, Senate President Pro Tem