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Not just Seattle: Tech backlash roils San Francisco politics

The Seattle City Council’s interest in imposing an unusual “head tax” on large employers based on their number of employees won international headlines this month after giant online retailer Amazon protested by freezing a plan to add 1 million square

‘Moderates’ brawl with ‘progressives’ in San Francisco mayoral special election

Chris Reed December 22, 2017

The Dec. 12 death of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee from a heart attack has set the city up for another of the periodic battles between liberal Democrats and even more liberal Democrats for control of City Hall. Members of

Women poised for modest gains in legislative races

Matt Fleming July 26, 2016

Women make up more than half of California’s population, but only about one-fourth of the Legislature. And in November, that’s unlikely to change too much, according to a CalWatchdog analysis. While an October surprise, outside factor or just particularly good

Police reform measures struggling in Sacramento

Chris Reed July 12, 2016

Against a national backdrop of discord over police killings of black men and deadly anti-police violence, state lawmakers who back law enforcement conduct and transparency reforms are making little progress in Sacramento. Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, introduced Senate Bill

Defiant San Francisco police union rejects criticism

Chris Reed May 29, 2016

The abrupt May 19 resignation of San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr after police Sgt. Justin Erb shot and killed Jessica Williams, an unarmed African-American woman fleeing in a stolen car, drew national and international attention to the city’s Police

Is the state stubbornly running toward financial trouble?

Matt Fleming May 10, 2016

It’s politically popular to rail on the One Percent and demand top earners pay their “fair share.” But they actually already pay a large share, fair or not, which analysts predict could be disastrous to California in the event of an

Lawmaker accused of domestic violence to stay in Assembly leadership

Matt Fleming April 23, 2016

Assemblyman Roger Hernández, who last week was placed under a temporary restraining order from his wife, will not be stripped of his committee chairmanship, Speaker Anthony Rendon said on Friday, despite pressure from the influential leaders of the women’s caucus. In a statement to CalWatchdog,

State may face $29-43 billion budget deficit in 2020

Dave Roberts January 26, 2016

In Gov. Jerry Brown’s State of the State Address last week, he noted that California’s budget has repeatedly failed to prepare for recession, resulting in “painful and unplanned-for cuts” to schools, child care, courts, social services and other programs. He

Lawmakers upset with vetoes of PUC reforms

Chris Reed October 12, 2015

Many state lawmakers appeared surprised and upset with Gov. Jerry Brown’s weekend decision to veto six measures adopted in response to a series of scandals at the California Public Utilities Commission that have prompted criminal and civil investigations as well

CA settles prison suit, curbing solitary

James Poulos September 3, 2015

A momentous court settlement has given new shape to California’s multi-year struggle with the courts over its criminal justice system, rolling back the state’s reliance on solitary confinement as a way of dealing with gangs and violence in prison. “Many such