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Watchdog: Costly veterans’ homes not serving broad population

SACRAMENTO – The U.S. Veterans Administration has been a font of scandal in recent years, with various reports showcasing the way the agency charged with caring for our nation’s veterans has fallen down on the job. A new report from

NFL didn’t see Oakland bid to save Raiders as serious

Chris Reed March 28, 2017

As expected, NFL owners meeting at a Phoenix resort have given their blessing to Raiders owner Mark Davis’ plan to move the team from Oakland to Las Vegas on a 31-1 vote. The Monday decision came after NFL Commissioner Roger

California budget may hit tax rebate threshold

James Poulos March 25, 2017

The saga of Gov. Jerry Brown’s budgetary labors has taken an unexpected twist, potentially triggering an all-but-forgotten provision designed to funnel money back to taxpayers. In 1979, taxpayer advocate Paul Gann spearheaded a ballot measure designed to place a curb

California lawmakers propose relief for criminal juveniles

James Poulos March 24, 2017

In a fresh bid to reform California’s criminal justice system, Sacramento lawmakers have begun to advance several bills, many aimed at softening juvenile punishment. “Democratic state senators Holly Mitchell of Los Angeles and Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens are proposing four bills

California Democrats release plan to make public college ‘debt free’

Drew Gregory Lynch March 23, 2017

California Democrats are making a push to offset the cost of higher education, releasing a sweeping plan to increase student aid that would be perhaps the most favorable in the nation for students – but one that may be unfavorable

SpaceX returns stem cells from orbit

James Poulos March 22, 2017

Amid ongoing controversy over the economic impact of California’s thick regulatory environment, its leading space pioneers continued to notch new successes, underscoring the potential value of orbital and interplanetary technology to more earthbound challenges and opportunities. Off the Pacific coast,

California considers exempting teachers from state income tax

Drew Gregory Lynch March 22, 2017

A new bill in the California Senate would scrap state income taxes for teachers in the state, as part of an effort to combat a growing teacher shortage and to encourage higher-aptitude individuals to enter the profession. “The teaching profession

California may test all young kids for lead exposure

Chris Reed March 21, 2017

Three months after a Reuters study of national lead exposure data showed at least 13 communities in California faced as bad or worse contamination than Flint, Michigan – the poster city for U.S. lead risks –Assemblyman Bill Quirk is moving to

Is California estate-tax proposal real or latest anti-Trump response?

Steven Greenhut March 21, 2017

SACRAMENTO – This year’s California legislative session has been thus far dominated by two persistent themes: The desire to stand up to the Trump administration and the pursuit of new tax dollars to fund infrastructure and other spending programs. Democrats

New DMV rules would allow testing of driverless vehicles without human in car

James Poulos March 17, 2017

Responding to industry criticism and public uncertainty, California has rejiggered its rules to accommodate fully driverless vehicles. “California’s new proposals follow a Michigan law passed in December, which allowed testing with no human driver. It also created a framework for