Breaking News

Would a new CA tobacco tax actually DECREASE state revenues?

I received two calls from the Board of Equalization late this week claiming information in a story I wrote about the latest tobacco tax bill was wrong. The calls were from Venus Stromberg, spokeswoman, and Brian Miller, tax counsel. SB 768,

CA and feds take aim at hunting ammo

Katy Grimes July 26, 2013

California is attempting to be the first state in the nation to kill wild game hunting. By prohibiting the use of all lead ammunition for hunting in California, coupled with the federal government’s attempt to ban non-lead ammo, hunters could

NRDC claim of ‘no government-made drought’ doesn’t hold water

Wayne Lusvardi July 25, 2013

Water moves in one direction, memory in another for the National Resources Defense Council. The NRDC seems to be suffering from a case of voluntary amnesia in its running dispute with the Wall Street Journal over whether California is currently suffering

Arnold’s state building-sale scheme returns

Katy Grimes July 25, 2013

A complex 2010 Schwarzenegger administration plan to sell 11 state-owned properties and then lease them back from the new owners was compared at the time to a short-term money raising gimmick. The state of California had the 11 properties up for

Rep. Denham trumps Sen. Feinstein’s call for more water storage

Wayne Lusvardi July 24, 2013

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is calling for more water storage for California. But the storage already exists for much of what is needed. New Melones Dam and Lake, which are under the purview of the federal government, sit half empty due to regulatory

CA legislators put Kaiser under microscope

Paayal Zaveri July 24, 2013

SACRAMENTO — When the Legislature returns from its July recess, it will take up several health-care bills. A top one will be SB 746, by state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco. It would require new data reporting requirements for large group

Tell us about our new design

John Seiler July 23, 2013

As you can see, we have redesigned CalWatchDog.com. In the comments area below, please tell us what you think of it, and if you see any flaws we can fix. Thank you! — John Seiler, Managing Editor P.S. I’m

PG&E pays the price for deadly explosion — CA doesn’t

Laer Pearce July 23, 2013

Late on a September afternoon in 2010, the big orange California sun was dropping toward Sweeney Ridge just east of the blue-collar town of San Bruno on the San Francisco Peninsula. Families were preparing dinner and catching up on the

Billboard lobbyist advised both sides of Placentia advertising deal

John Hrabe July 22, 2013

The Placentia city administrator at the center of a controversial outdoor advertising proposal admits the city was already in discussions with Lamar Advertising Company when the city brought on the company’s lobbyist as an outside consultant to the city. Placentia

‘Big Sis’ bad choice for UC

Steven Greenhut July 22, 2013

Editor’s note: This is Steven Greenhut’s final column for CalWatchDog.com, which he started in 2009. He is the new Sacramento columnist for the U-T San Diego. We wish him well in his new job. Feel free to contact him at: [email protected].