Texas shows CA the way in fighting Washington

Good morning! TGIF. It’s all Trump, all the time now.

Trump’s signing of executive orders Wednesday to begin planning for construction of a wall along the Mexican border, to withhold federal funds from local governments that don’t cooperate with immigration authorities and to increase efforts to track down illegal immigrants immediately prompted Senate President Kevin de Leon to announce plans to sue the Trump administration with the assistance of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

Further lawsuits seem likely as the Republican Trump continues to reverse policies that heavily Democratic California embraced under President Obama.

There’s a road map for how a large, wealthy state can resist a president whose edicts it doesn’t like: Texas in the past eight years under Obama.

CalWatchdog has more. 

In other news:

• Distractions: “In the wake of a turbulent election season and a disturbing new study on the credulity of many political news consumers, a handful of California legislators have put forward new bills designed to ensure the state’s public schools make students aware that not everything purporting to be factual reportage is as true or unbiased as it seems.” CalWatchdog has more.  

• Taxes: “GOP tax plan could boost prices for Californians’ (property) insurance,” reports CalWatchdog. 

• Trump’s wall: “With California’s political leaders in full resistance mode over President Trump’s executive order to build a wall on the Mexican border, Senate leader Kevin de León, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and others have floated an idea to try to stop it: the state’s famously stringent environmental laws. But legal experts say any effort to use state and federal environmental rules to block the wall faces extremely slim chances of being successful.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

• Sanctuary cities: “The executive order Trump issued Wednesday putting cities and counties on notice that they would lose federal funding if they didn’t start cooperating with immigration agents has broad implications for California, a state that aggressively protects its undocumented population from deportation. But while the order allowed Trump to boast that he is fulfilling a campaign pledge, it also commits him to a fight that he is not necessarily poised to win.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

Legislature:

• Gone till Monday.

Gov. Brown:

• No public events announced.  

Tips: matt@calwatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @PhillipChenCA

State, feds on collision course over “sanctuary” policies

Good morning. TGIT. If today is anything like yesterday, buckle up. 

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said his administration would block federal funding for cities that don’t cooperate with federal immigration laws, with Democratic leaders in the state vowing to fight back.

A handful of California cities, like Los Angeles and San Francisco, have so-called “sanctuary” policies, which prompted the federal action. And in a statement of defiance, Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon said he would fast track his bill to make California a sanctuary state. 

“(T)he Senate will expedite the process to pass my bill, SB54, to prevent state and local tax dollars and law enforcement resources from being used to help ICE destroy families and damage our economy,” the Los Angeles Democrat said. 

But even as Democratic leaders strongly push to protect the sanctuary policies, the public is split. A Hoover Institution poll from earlier this month showed that 40 percent of voters support sanctuary policies, while 41 oppose (19 percent didn’t seem to care either way). 

CalWatchdog has more. 

In other news:

• Pensions: “The mayor of El Monte, a cash-strapped San Gabriel Valley city with many retired employees drawing two pensions, says there’s ‘no rational justification’ for the extraordinary, taxpayer-funded generosity. But at the same time, Mayor Andre Quintero says there’s nothing city officials can do about the situation in the near term.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

• Sanctuary backlash: “Assistance promised to victims and law enforcement in response to the Dec. 2 terrorist attack is among the funding potentially jeopardized by President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking assistance to so-called sanctuary jurisdictions.” The San Bernardino County Sun has more. 

• Unfunded liability: “California faces a $76.67 billion cost to provide health care and dental benefits to retired state employees, state Controller Betty Yee reported Wednesday, an increase of $2.49 billion over the previous year’s estimate,” reports The Sacramento Bee. 

• Drought: “Hammered with record rainstorms and blizzards, nearly half of California is no longer in a drought, and the rest saw dramatic improvement over the past week, federal scientists reported Thursday. Overall, 49 percent of the state is now drought free, the highest level since April 2013, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor,” reports The San Jose Mercury News.

Legislature:

• In at 9 a.m. 

Gov. Brown:

• No public events announced. 

Tips: matt@calwatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @Tony_Larson

Brown defiant and conciliatory in State of the State

Good morning! Happy Hump Day. In case you missed it, Jerry Brown teetered between conciliatory and defiant in his annual State of the State address on Tuesday.  

The popular Democratic governor echoed other Democratic leaders in the state by taking shots at Republican President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans and their proposed, yet sometimes vague, agenda.

On the day Trump pushed through two controversial oil projects opposed by environmentalists, with a repeal of the Affordable Care Act slowly working through Congress and with federal action on immigration looming on the horizon, Brown pointed to the battle lines drawn between the state and the federal government.

“While no one knows what the new leaders will actually do, there are signs that are disturbing,” Brown said. “We have seen the bald assertion of ‘alternative facts.’ We have heard the blatant attacks on science. Familiar signposts of our democracy – truth, civility, working together – have been obscured or swept aside.”

CalWatchdog has more.

In other news:

• Cap and trade: “California’s marquee climate-change program faced tough scrutiny on Tuesday from a state appeals court judge who seemed skeptical that the $4.4 billion raised from the state’s cap-and-trade program complied with laws regulating taxes and fees,” reports The Sacramento Bee. 

• 2018: “Mayor Kevin Faulconer says he has ‘unwavering support’ for San Diego’s close binational ties with Mexico in the face of a pending border crackdown by President Donald Trump,” writes The San Diego Union-Tribune.

• Family law: “California lawmakers will weigh whether family courts should allow children as young as 10 to testify before judges regarding parent custody or visitation rights.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

• Musical chairs: “Xavier Becerra, a longtime U.S. congressman, was confirmed Monday as California attorney general as the state braces for conflict with the Trump administration on policies ranging from health care to immigration and the environment.” Politico has more. 

Legislature:

• Gone till Thursday. 

Gov. Brown:

• No public events announced. 

Tips: matt@calwatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @ACCOC

Enough blame for everyone with Oakland housing crisis

Good morning! The governor gives his State of the State address today and it’s a pretty good bet he’ll discuss housing and the shortage of affordable options.  

From the Mexican border to the Bay Area, local governments along the California coast fret about short-term rental operations such as Airbnb eating up already limited housing stock.

In response, homeowners who use such rentals to deal with the high cost of living fire back with claims that they’re being scapegoated for local officials’ ineffective response to the Golden State’s affordable housing crisis.

In Oakland, these arguments keep growing more intense as tech workers keep moving in. Uber’s plan to build a new headquarters in the city by 2018 only adds to city leaders’ concerns about housing costs.

But recent reports and surveys leave little doubt that in Oakland, both short-term renters and local officials bear responsibility for severe housing headaches.

CalWatchdog has more.

In other news:

• Agriculture: “Agriculture leaders expressed disappointment over President Donald Trump’s decision Monday to pull out of a 12-country trade deal that would have boosted exports from San Joaquin Valley farmers,” reports The Fresno Bee. 

• Regulation: “Under legislation passed in 2011, environmental lawsuits against mega-projects would face significant restrictions, forcing any litigation to take no longer than nine months. Instead, the Warriors’ case lasted nearly a year. Overhauling the environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act, is a perennial issue at the Capitol, and the measure benefiting the Warriors arena was one of the most high-profile CEQA reforms in recent years. But the failure of the 2011 legislation to meet its stated goals reveals the difficulty lawmakers have had in making meaningful changes to the law.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

• Politics: “Orange County could hold the key to Republican success nationwide with the fastest growing slice of the electorate, Asian American voters.” The Orange County Register has more.

• Poverty: California has the highest real poverty rate in the country, reports PolitiFact California.

Legislature:

• At the State of the State festivities.

Gov. Brown:

• Swearing in ceremony for state attorney general and State of the State address at 10 a.m. in the Capital.

Tips: matt@calwatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @SD_TaxFighters

Snack tax may soon be back

Good morning! A tax on snacks may soon be back. 

A bill introduced by Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, D-Bell Gardens, would roll back the sales and usage tax exemptions for certain, less-nutritious, snack foods.

The measure, part of Garcia’s agenda to highlight inequities in the tax code, requires a heavy lift to become law. In 1992, voters repealed a tax on snacks, leaving most candy and junk food exempt from sales tax. The measure requires two-thirds majority and a vote of the people.

Garcia’s office estimates the measure would bring in around $1 billion in tax revenue annually. 

While the additional revenue could fund any number of priorities, Garcia has long sought to make a point that snacks with little nutritional value are not taxed, while necessities — feminine hygiene products like tampons — are.

“As I took a closer look at our tax code, it became apparent that while California’s policy is to tax luxury items, the reality is that it’s inconsistent,” Garcia said in a statement. “We tax necessities like tampons but exempt chocolate bars.”

CalWatchdog has more. 

In other news: 

• Voter Fraud: “Voter fraud ‘test’ could backfire.” The Orange County Register has the story. 

• Cap and Trade Challenge: “With President Trump in the Oval Office, California officials are bracing for the possibility that the new administration will undermine the state’s landmark policies on climate change. But the more immediate threat isn’t coming from Washington; it lies in a lawsuit that has been slowly winding its way through state courts.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

• 2018: “Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom says it could get ‘intriguing’ if Peter Thiel, the billionaire tech entrepreneur and key ally of President Donald Trump, makes a move to challenge him in next year’s governor’s race,” reports Politico.

• Budget: “Now more than ever, voters have decided that billions of those dollars should make their way through Sacramento with hardly a single politician’s fingerprints on them,” reports the Los Angeles Times. 

Legislature:

• Assembly in at 1 p.m. Senate in at 2 p.m., will vote on Xavier Becerra for attorney general.

Gov. Brown:

• No public events announced. 

Tips: matt@calwatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @StanfordNews1

Time to work toward 100 percent renewables?

Good morning! TGIF. It’s inauguration Day. So, in honor of the festivities, whether you’re watching in adoration of the incoming president, in morbid curiosity, or just plain ol’ hate watching, we’ll keep it short this morning.  

• Environment: “It’s time to talk 100% renewable energy, California Senate leader says,” writes the Los Angeles Times. 

• NFL: “The Oakland Raiders have made good on a threat that loomed over hometown fans for months, filing paperwork Thursday to move the National Football League team to Las Vegas.” SF Gate has more. 

• Trump: “Scientists in California have named a newly discovered moth species after President-elect Donald Trump, saying the white and yellow scales on the insect’s head are reminiscent of Trump’s blond hairdo.” Capital Public Radio/AP have more. 

• Pensions: “San Diego county and city pension funds have nearly $7 billion less in the bank than they need to cover benefits already earned by current and former employees, a deficit that’s risen 90 percent in just two years, new reports show.” Voice of San Diego has more.

• Obamacare politics: “Democratic legislators took their pro-Obamacare message on the road Thursday, convening a hearing in Bakersfield to examine the repercussions of repealing the Affordable Care Act. The state Senate health committee pointedly held its hearing in the Central Valley — far afield form the state Capitol and the home districts of most members in attendance, but the home turf of key Republican members of California’s congressional delegation including House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

Legislature:

• Gone till Monday. 

Gov. Brown:

• No public events announced. 

Tips: matt@calwatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @JonathanArambel

Assemblyman: Russian interference should be taught in schools

Good morning. Happy Thursday. We begin this morning with an inauguration eve question: Should Russia’s interference with the 2016 presidential election be taught in schools?

One assemblyman thinks so.

The extent to which Russia interfered is still being investigated, but reports suggest there’s consensus among U.S. intelligence officials that Russia hacked emails of Democratic officials and operatives in an effort to influence the election. The hacked emails were distributed to the news media, including CalWatchdog, throughout the election through the site WikiLeaks. 

Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-Marin County, has introduced legislation to require state educators to develop curriculum for students to learn about Russia’s involvement in the election.

CalWatchdog has more. 

In other news:

• Trump Transition: “In selecting former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue for agriculture secretary, Donald Trump dealt Abel Maldonado, the former California lieutenant governor and apparent finalist for the position, one more high-profile, if unsurprising, blow,” writes Politico. 

• Bullet Train: “A lawsuit filed in 2014 by Kern County against the California High-Speed Rail Authority will be dismissed under the terms of a settlement announced Wednesday afternoon by the state agency. … This is the third of the seven CEQA lawsuits to be settled.” The Fresno Bee has more. 

• AG appointment: “(Xavier) Becerra also said he’d defend and enforce recently approved voter-enacted ballot initiatives to speed up the death penalty process and legalize recreational marijuana.” The Sacramento Bee has more. 

• State vs. Feds: “Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency cast doubt on whether California should continue to have power to impose its own emission rules for cars and trucks, an authority the state has enjoyed for decades that is also the cornerstone of its efforts to fight global warming.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

Legislature:

• In at 9 a.m.

Gov.Brown:

• No public events announced.

Tips: matt@calwatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @sam_s_oh

Many CA House Democrats boycotting inauguration

Good morning! Happy Hump Day. Even though the inauguration is approaching, the campaign seems as though it’ll never end.

At least 15 of the 39 House Democrats from California are planning to boycott the presidential inauguration of Republican Donald Trump, according to multiple reports. 

The reasons range from district work, to disdain for Trump, to responding to Twitter polls. In all, more than 50 House Democrats are planning on skipping the event.

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will attend, however, out of a sense of “responsibility” and to honor the “peaceful transition of power.” The two remaining undecided Californians are: Senator Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Xavier Becerra of Los Angeles. Feinstein had a pacemaker installed last week, while Becerra is going through the confirmation process to become California’s next attorney general.

CalWatchdog has more. 

In other news:

• Pensions: “Over the past seven years, the city of San Diego has paid more than $14.7 million to bring retirees back to work part-time while they still collect a pension,” reports The San Diego Union-Tribune. 

• Marijuana: “California lawmakers want to make it easier for marijuana dispensaries to pay their taxes, saying many cash-only businesses are forced to drive long distances with thousands of dollars to make an in-person payment.” The San Francisco Chronicle has more. 

• No accountability: “On a summer day in 2015, 16 high-level managers at the Board of Equalization received special pay raises that the department still can’t explain.” The Sacramento Bee has more. 

• Water: “Despite drenching rains and heavy snowfall this winter, California moved Tuesday to keep in place its statewide water conservation rules — at least for another three months or so,” reports The San Jose Mercury News. 

Legislature:

• At 10 a.m., the Senate Rule Committee will consider the nomination of Congressman Xavier Becerra as the state’s attorney general.

Gov. Brown:

• No public events announced. 

Tips: matt@calwatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @bscrafford

Bullet train report prompts renewed criticism, investigations

Good morning. The bullet train faces renewed scrutiny after a report surfaced suggesting massive cost overruns. 

According to the Los Angeles Times, a “confidential estimate by federal regulators that the cost of California’s bullet train project could jump significantly has prompted critics of the $64-billion Los Angeles-to-San Francisco rail effort to call for new investigations and proponents to disclaim reports that project costs are growing.”

“State officials have accused The Times of mischaracterizing its findings. In a letter to members of the Legislature, the California High-Speed Rail Authority accused The Times of incorrectly using internal deliberations to suggest cost overruns and delays that are not borne out by facts.”

“But critics of the project said the federal analysis validates their concerns that the state will be saddled with multibillion-dollar unbudgeted costs for the foreseeable future.”

CalWatchdog has more. 

In other news:

• Trump: “California’s expectations for Donald Trump’s presidency are in the cellar, with little more than a third of voters believing it will be a success, a new Hoover Institution Golden State Poll shows. But a plurality of voters holds more positive than negative views about some of Trump’s more controversial positions, including his call to restrict immigrants from certain countries, end sanctuary cities and to deport undocumented immigrants.” Politico has more. 

• ACA repeal: PolitiFact CA checks the accuracy of Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon’s claim that an ACA repeal could cost the state 200,000 jobs. Here’s a hint: You can’t measure the impact without knowing what the replacement is. In fact, CalWatchdog wrote something similar recently.

• Musical chairs: “As top California Democrats plot their future career moves, a critical piece of information is missing: Will Sen. Dianne Feinstein seek re-election? Speculation about the 83-year-old senator’s plans took on new urgency this year, as ambitious statewide politicians decide whether to run for governor with Gov. Jerry Brown termed out. News that Feinstein was fitted with a pacemaker last week reignited the parlor game, with California political circles discussing anew what the procedure might mean for the veteran lawmaker as she evaluates her options.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

• 2018: “Peter Thiel, the Silicon Valley billionaire and outspoken Donald Trump supporter, is considering a 2018 bid for California governor, according to three Republicans familiar with his thinking.” Politico has more. 

Legislature:

• Assembly in at 1 p.m., Senate in a 2 p.m. 

Gov. Brown:

• No public events announced. 

Tips: matt@calwatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @TomSchatzCAGW

Issa leading bipartisan push for high-skilled visa overhaul

Good morning. Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! It’s a holiday, so we’ll keep it short.

With contending pieces of legislation now up for consideration in Congress, California has returned to the national spotlight on one of the most contentious immigration issues — special visas granted by the federal government to attract foreign talent.

Long critiqued by economic nationalists, including some Democrats, the H-1B visa program has been accused of undercutting qualified candidates in key industries who are U.S. citizens.

Leading a bipartisan effort to overhaul the program: Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista.

CalWatchdog has more. 

In other news:

• “California’s bullet train could cost taxpayers 50 percent more than estimated — as much as $3.6 billion more. And that’s just for the first 118 miles through the Central Valley, which was supposed to be the easiest part of the route between Los Angeles and San Francisco.” The Los Angeles Times has more. 

• “Education spending rises under Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed state budget, but some California schools are bracing for cuts,” reports the Los Angeles Times. 

• California lawmakers are preparing to wage war with the Trump administration, but what exactly is at stake? The San Francisco Chronicle explains. 

• “California union dues case dies, but another rises up,” reports The Sacramento Bee. 

Legislature:

• Back tomorrow.

Gov. Brown:

• No public events announced. 

Tips: matt@cawatchdog.com

Follow us: @calwatchdog @mflemingterp

New follower: @MarinKat