California Considers More Tax Incentives for Filming In an effort to keep filmmakers shooting in LA, state legislators are considering boosting California's tax incentive program. But with other states and countries now offering lucrative tax breaks for movie and television productions, can Hollywood still compete?

President Obama and Immigration Reform In Las Vegas today, President Obama said it's good news that bipartisan groups in both houses of Congress are finally addressing immigration reform. The President endorsed the general principles laid down yesterday by a bipartisan group of US Senators, the most controversial aspect of which may be what's called the path to citizenship. Cautioning that the debate is sure to become emotional, he warned against letting it devolve into "us" versus "them." What's the likely impact of the immigration debate on the Republican Party, currently at an historic low point in California's political history?

Tomorrow's Election Will Make History in California California voters will make history tomorrow with the first so-called "Top Two" primary election in state history. As a result, there won't necessarily be both a Republican and a Democrat in the November runoff. In many cases, two candidates from the same party will be running against each other. Recent WWLA discussions of election issues/candidates: Judgeships Carmen Trutanich and race for the District Attorney The other candidates in the DA's race June 5 election as a ' jungle primary ' Prop 28: Term limits Prop 29: Cigarette tax and cancer research

An Unexpectedly Lively Race for Congress Tomorrow marks a political showdown in Southland beach towns from Venice to San Pedro. At stake is the Congressional seat of Democrat Jane Harman, who resigned after her re-election last year. Veteran LA Council member Janice Hahn is a Democrat running against Republican Craig Huey , who's a veteran of direct-mail marketing. Democrats have a registration advantage of 18 percent, but Huey came out of nowhere in the May primary campaign.

The Reagan Legacy Yesterday was the hundredth anniversary of Ronald Reagan 's birth and, at a celebration in Santa Barbara this weekend, Sara Palin said it's time to get back to his principles of low taxes and small government. It's true that Reagan did say, "The most terrifying nine words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help." But as Governor — and as President — Reagan both raised taxes and increased government.

California GOP Eat Their Own as Party's Base Crumbles "On behalf of the taxpayers of the 59th District, let the games begin."  That's what former Republican Party chair Mike Schroeder claims he said to Assemblyman Anthony Adams when he served Adams with recall papers yesterday, just prior to a fundraiser for Adams featuring Governor Schwarzenegger. Adams earned the wrath of party leaders as one of  three Republicans who caused the Governor's budget to pass.

Tentative Budget Deal Reached With California facing a $42 billion shortfall in the next 18 months, just five people are negotiating a state budget with consequences that could last for a decade. Today, reports leaked from the “cone of silence” surrounding Governor Schwarzenegger, two Republicans and two Democrats who lead their parties in the Assembly and Senate. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg told reporters they've agreed on a “common framework.” Meantime, labor and environmental groups have asked Attorney General Jerry Brown to investigate charges that Republicans have demanded a weakening of protections and standards as a price for their votes for the budget.  Brown, who may run for Governor again, says there's a “serious question” of illegal vote trading. We get the details and hear about charges that Republicans are breaking anti-bribery laws.

The Off-Again On-Again Dean at UC Irvine UC Irvine’s “new law school will be founded on the bedrock principle of academic freedom.”  That’s according to Chancellor Michael Drake and Erwin Chemerinsky - who was hired as the founding dean of the law school on Labor Day, then let go last week. A UCI professor gathered 633 signatures protesting the action, and the national outcry included an editorial in the New York Times.  Today, Chemerinksy was hired again and he accepted.