Los Angeles Times
Sacramento bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times; former senior editor of the Politics and Government Desk, and former Sacramento bureau chief and political reporter, for KQED's The California Report; former political editor at KXTV, the ABC affiliate in Sacramento
Will California end Daylight Saving Time? California’s cap-and-trade program sets limits for emissions, and businesses must buy permits if they exceed them. California state lawmakers debated the future of this program Thursday, along with other bills that would end Daylight Saving Time, delay the start of the school day, and add “gender non-binary” as an option on official documents like driver’s licenses. We look at what bills passed and died in the legislature last night.
Brown withholds funding for UC in revised budget Governor Jerry Brown says the state legislature should keep a tight lid on money headed to the University of California system until it makes some major changes. A scathing audit found the U.C. failed to disclose a $175 million reserve fund and – at the same time – raised tuition for its students. It's a small part of the overall $183 billion budget, but could bring about some fireworks at next week's Board of Regents meeting.
How Calif. props could reverse the effects of tough-on-crime laws Prop 57 would allow early parole for inmates who’ve committed nonviolent crimes. Prop 64 would legalize marijuana and release some people who are serving time for marijuana-related offenses. Both measures play into a broader narrative that California has had over the past few year that “tough on crime” may be too tough.
California lawmakers consider major voting overhaul The State Assembly votes on a measure Tuesday that would overhaul the voting process, and that could mean the days of scrambling to get to a random garage, school, or storefront on election day may be ending in California . If the proposal passes, many traditional polling places would go away starting in 2018. Instead, every voter would get a mail-in ballot. Voters will still be able to vote in person, but there will be fewer polling places that will be open for several days and voters can choose go to any polling place in their county.
CA Gun Control: What Governor Brown Signed and What He Vetoed The California state legislature handed Governor Brown a package of gun control bills. As of Friday morning, the Governor signed some and vetoed others. What does that mean for the gun control initiative that Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom has put on the ballot? That initiative is one of at least 17 that California voters will decide on in November. Voters will also decide whether or not to legalize recreational pot, end the death penalty, and enact other gun control measures. They’ll also vote on how to deal with plastic bags and whether porn stars should wear condoms. What else ? And what local initiatives will voters in Los Angeles decide on?
Jerry Brown: From Governor ‘Moonbeam’ to the ‘Adult in the Room’ In 1975, Jerry Brown’s first year in office as the Governor of California, ABC News reported that many Californians didn’t know what to make of the state’s youngest-ever governor. Forty-one years later, as the state’s oldest-ever governor, that may still be the case. Since Brown’s return to the top job in California politics, his budgets have been fiscally conservative, even austere. That’s surprised and angered some liberals in the party, but not those who remember the governor’s first run in office.
The Accidental Popularity of the American Independent Party In 1964, Governor George Wallace ran for president as a Democrat. He planned to run again in 1968, but Democrats rejected his segregationist platform; and so a new, ultra-conservative party was created in California to put him on the ballot. It was called the American Independent Party and it still exists. In fact, it boasts more registered voters than all the other small parties combined. The problem is, according to an investigation carried out by the LA Times , most of its members joined the American Independent Party by mistake.
If You Raise It, What Will Happen? Governor Jerry Brown is expected to sign an increase in the California minimum wage on Monday here in LA, just days after the Assembly and House both approved a proposal to raise that wage to $15 by the year 2022. Once he puts his John Hancock on that bill, it’ll the highest statewide minimum wage in the nation. Cities – including Los Angeles, Seattle, and DC – have raised their minimum wages too…
State of the State Since Gov. Jerry Brown took office, he’s been focused on fiscal discipline And that continues to be the name of the game, though the state has seen revenue of $6 billion above expectations. But the state also has some liabilities to pay off – almost $220 billion of it in retirement and pensions. And Brown did say that one thing the state has to spend money on is infrastructure. Joining us to give perspective on the state of the state is John Myers.
What to Expect from the California Legislature in 2016 It being the the holidays the state legislature is out for recess until next year, when lawmakers and Governor Jerry Brown will take up some major initiatives. We're looking ahead to see what lawmakers are planning for the new year, and how the shifting power dynamics in Sacramento will play out in those debates. John Myers is the Sacramento bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times.
In Sacramento, Saving the Biggest for Last With the state legislature's current session is scheduled to end tomorrow, it's time to invoke a long-standing maxim: "the hardest, most controversial proposals are almost always left until the very end." That's according to John Myers, who reports from Sacramento for KQED , public radio and television in San Francisco.
California's Gone from Bad Times to Good Times… or Has It? State Senators and Assembly members are prepared to pass a budget by midnight tonight. If it gets any later, they won't get paid . But that won't mean the process is over. What's in store for disabled people, the poor and others who suffered from program cuts during the Great Recession?
Dry Land and Deaf Ears We’re well into the fourth year of a severe drought in California. And this week, Governor Jerry Brown and legislative leaders from both parties announced more than $1 billion in emergency aid. But the governor also faced question after question over whether the State Water Resources Control Board's new conservation actions are enough.
A Showdown Over UC Funding University of California President Janet Napolitano says she’ll hold off on raising tuition for the next six months. But it’s only temporary relief. Napolitano says costs will go up after that, possibly as much as 28 percent over the next five years, unless the UC system gets more taxpayer dollars. Governor Jerry Brown, on the other hand, says Napolitano needs to freeze tuition and cut costs if she wants more government funding. The conflict came to a head in Sacramento recently, with lawmakers calling on both sides to do some explaining.
Prominent Californians Weigh In on Arizona Redistricting Case For decades, the California legislature was accused of abusing its power to draw Congressional district boundaries. Voters approved an independent commission in 2008, and its work went to effect two years ago. Now, the US Supreme Court is considering whether a similar commission in Arizona violates the Constitution. Some prominent Californians are worried. John Myers covers government and politics for KQED , public radio and TV in San Francisco.
Brown's Budget: More of the Same Governor Jerry Brown today released a record $113 billion state spending plan. Under the proposal, the general fund will increase about 5 percent from the current fiscal year, something the governor says reflects California's economic momentum. The governor, however, did not propose many new programs...
'Dandelion and Quince,' food and crime, 'All About Eggs' Sarah Lohman talks about the murder and historic recipes that form the backbone of her new book, “Ohio 1910,” and Rachel Khong shares highlights from Lucky Peach’s last cookbook, “All About Eggs.” Michelle Mckenzie tells us how to cook oft-forgotten fruits, veggies and herbs, and Jonathan Gold reviews AR Cucina in Culver City. Plus: raspberries at the market and a special guest DJ set from Alton Brown.
Gov. Jerry Brown: California and China will fight climate change together President Donald Trump reportedly wants the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, and he’s expected to announce a decision soon. California Governor Jerry Brown heads to China to strengthen climate and clean energy ties.
Farewell LA freeways, Peter Shire is back Angelenos don't want more freeways but we seem not to want mass transit either. Metro has killed the 710 freeway extension, and bus and train ridership is down across the region. What's the future of getting around in LA? And, Peter Shire is having a comeback. What attracts a new generation to his playful ceramics and furniture?