Tag "James Poulos"
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Sacramento aims to police the police
After a politically punishing year for law enforcement departments from Los Angeles to New York, California legislators are riding the wave of controversy, drafting a spate of bills that would use the power of state government to assert more control over how police
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LAPD’s fresh push for higher pay
With a potentially damaging sense of timing, the Los Angeles Police Department has embarked on a fresh push for higher pay — enlisting the services of a public relations firm to help accomplish the goal. The LAPD hired the top-flight
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Boxer’s departure draws CA contenders
Sen. Barbara Boxer’s announcement last week she wouldn’t seek re-election in 2016 provided ambitious California Democrats a rare new opening for statewide office. With a number of well-known political figures contemplating a run to replace her, the future of the state Democratic
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CA regulations hatch legal food fights
Have you noticed egg prices going up as much as 40 cents a dozen? Look to California voters. In 2008, they passed Proposition 2, which mandated more comfortable hatching quarters for chickens. Because of the cost to farmers of expanding chicken
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Referendum threat ties CA bag ban in knots
California’s tug-of-war over the legality of single-use plastic bags will get another twist in 2015. Thanks to a determined signature collection campaign mounted by industry opponents, a referendum putting the ban to a vote now seems certain to land on state ballots in 2016.
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CA small biz hit with health care hikes
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Proposition 45 on the Nov. 4 ballot would have given the California insurance commissioner the power to limit health-insurance rate increases. It lost. Opponents, including officials at Covered California, assured voters adequate price controls
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Buzz returns for Elon Musk’s Hyperloop
Silicon Valley impresario Elon Musk’s Hyperloop transportation concept is back in the news. With a price tag that seemed daunting, especially when Musk warned he lacked the time to pursue the project, when it was advanced a year ago Hyperloop achieved little
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CA lobbyists celebrate banner year
It’s got a bad reputation, even in some parts of Washington, D.C. But lobbying is a way of life in California, where the practice shows no signs of letting up. In a string of news events and reports, the many
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De Leon rebuked for scrapping oversight office
In a curious action, new state California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, has scrapped the government oversight office created by his predecessor, former Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. The move has swiftly earned de Leon a fresh round of criticism.
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Low turnout in 2014, high initiative count in 2016
Elections have consequences. Ironically, California’s abysmal election turnout this November has teed up a veritable flood of ballot initiatives for 2016. Because the signature threshold for qualifying initiatives is pegged to the number of Californians who cast votes in the previous
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