Tag "Sacramento"

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Fracking survives CA Legislature — for now

July 2, 2013 By Katy Grimes SACRAMENTO — After sitting through several recent marathon sessions in the Assembly, it was shocking to witness the powerful California environmental lobby lose its attempt to ban oil and gas hydraulic fracturing. For this,

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Assembly passes ‘punitive’ tax bill

June 27, 2013 By Katy Grimes SACRAMENTO — As the Legislature is about to recess for the summer, tax increase bills are the immediate focus. When the Legislature reconvenes August 5, it may not have a Democratic Supermajority. Several legislators

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Ammiano bill would regulate nannies, babysitters

June 27, 2013 By Katy Grimes SACRAMENTO — The “Domestic Workers Bill of Rights,” AB 241, may have a certain civil rights ring to it, but it really should be called the Unionize Babysitters and Nannies Bill. By Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San

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CA lawmakers get pay boost… Why?

June 20, 2013 By Katy Grimes The California Citizens Compensation Commission just voted to boost the salaries of Gov. Jerry  Brown and the state legislators. What a great move! With the lowest aproval ratings for California lawmakers in state history,

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Greenhouse gas emitter Chevron could get AB 32 funds

June 20, 2013 By Katy Grimes A legislative irony came to light Wednesday: The Chevron oil company, loathed by many in the environmental community as a polluter, could receive AB 32 cap-and-trade revenues. Because Chevron is a greenhouse gas “emitter,” a

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SB 7 subverts charter cities’ autonomy

June 19, 2013 By Katy Grimes While reports of an improving California economy abound, many in the state aren’t buying it — particularly given how many anti-business bills are working through the Legislature. Of particular interest is Senate Bill 7,

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Budget trailer bill will kill rights

June 20, 2013 By Katy Grimes A new budget trailer bill will gut the state Public Records Act at the local level. The Public Records Act provides Californians the ability to obtain documents about state and local government actions and hold

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New attack on Prop. 13; may pass Assembly today

June 14, 2013 By Katy Grimes An Assembly Constitutional Amendment attacking Proposition 13 is expected to be heard in the Assembly today, and some are saying it may even be passed by the Assembly. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association learned

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Budget ‘transparency’ murky in Senate

June 14, 2013 By Katy Grimes SACRAMENTO — I watched in dismay as Senate Democrats voted yesterday to bypass proper procedure in order to play politics with the budget. They withdrew several of their budget bills from the Rules Committee,

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Dem supermajority likely to pass pro-union SB 776

June 13, 2013 By Katy Grimes SACRAMENTO — The Democratic supermajority promised to practice restraint when it assumed control of the state Capitol after last year’s November election, effectively marginalizing Republicans. But at a June 5 SEIU rally here I

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