Inside Government

Threat to vulnerable CA House Democrat comes, seemingly goes

Rep. Scott Peters, D-La Jolla, represents a wealthy district ranging from Coronado to Carmel Valley to rural estates in Rancho Bernardo and Poway. The Duke and New York University law school graduate narrowly beat San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio, a

FPPC staff backs decreased disclosure

Chris Reed March 15, 2015

The Internet has made quick, easy disclosure of information the norm in news and social media. This has led reformers to call for a new era in campaign finance in which all political donations are disclosed in almost real time.

Lawsuit over Harvard admissions has CA overtones

Chris Reed March 14, 2015

Harvard University is facing a well-financed lawsuit over its admissions practices, with plaintiffs arguing that the nation’s oldest, richest and most admired college enforces an anti-Asian bias every bit as real as the anti-Jewish bias seen in Cambridge and at

CA “community solar” fight looms on subsidy issue

Chris Reed March 11, 2015

Hawaii’s boom in residential solar power is inspiring advocates of the alternative energy resource to push hard in states across the U.S. for rooftop solar power, both for personal use and as part of the larger electricity grid. One in

Is San Diego safest big city? Or having a police crisis?

Chris Reed March 9, 2015

This good news got prominent play in California’s second-largest city this weekend: For the fourth year running, San Diego had the lowest murder rate among the country’s ten largest cities. The department investigated 32 homicides, down from 39, giving San

State officials report expensive gifts and luxury trips

John March 4, 2015

State lawmakers and constitutional officers accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in international travel, fine wines, rounds of golf and expensive meals in 2014, according to annual financial disclosure reports filed this week with state ethics officials. Among the top

Anti-GMO group can’t get labeling bill introduced

Chris Reed March 4, 2015

The perception that California is a world leader in far-reaching environmental laws has never been true when it comes to GMOs — genetically modified organisms, usually crops that have been altered and the food products they end up in. The

State lawmakers’ financial interests now posted online

Steve Miller March 4, 2015

Mike McGuire made over $100,000 in 2014 as a Sonoma County supervisor and another $525 in parting gift certificates as the young Democrat left to take a $95,291-a-year job as a state senator. Richard Pan, a physician, took in just

Another harsh audit targets state Dept. of Public Health

Chris Reed March 4, 2015

State Auditor Elaine Howle on Tuesday issued another scathing audit of the California Department of Public Health, declaring that it is doing a worse job than ever in responding to specific concerns about its struggling programs. “Public Health remains a

Pols’ 2010 gas tax swap made road woes worse

Chris Reed March 2, 2015

It’s become an annual ritual: Stories about the State Board of Equalization announcing it is raising or cutting the state excise tax on gasoline come July 1 to honor the fine print of a 2010 budget deal that requires gas