Comeback eyed for pieces of redevelopment

by JOHN HOWARD posted 03.04.2014

Two years after Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature dismantled California’s $5 billion-a-year redevelopment program, Brown wants to bring some elements back — but he’s offering less money, a different name and a change in local voters’ approval. The crux of Brown’s plan is to expand the reach of the rarely-used, little-known Infrastructure Finance Districts. The districts, or IFDs, have taxing authority and are created with voter approval. They function on property tax dollars and focus on highways, transit and sewer projects, libraries, parks and child care centers.

Opinions

California schools: a record of failure

by KRISTIN OLSEN posted 03.11.2014

OPINION: The public schools of the Golden State used to be the gold standard. These days, they’re at the bottom of the pile. Our public school 4th graders rank 46th in reading. Our 8th graders come in 47th in math. A majority of our high school students are unprepared for the rigors of college. These dismal numbers aren’t just indicators of an educational calamity; they are also evidence of an economic disaster in the making.

News

A nip for underage wine-making students

by SAMANTHA GALLEGOS posted 03.07.2014

Some thirsty, underage students in California soon may be able to sip on a nice chardonnay or a robust porter — legally. The reason is newly introduced legislation that would allow students enrolled in accredited wine- and beer-making programs to take a nip. It’s called “sip-and-spit.” (Photo: Wine barrels in a cave near Santa Rosa. George Rose/Getty Images)

Opinions

Drought busting: conservation, recycling, new projects

by STEVE FLEISCHLI posted 03.05.2014

OPINION: Even though California received heavy rains in the past week, officials say will still are experiencing an historic drought. We are not out of the woods. Far from it. According to the California Department of Water Resources, 10 communities have less than 60 days of water, ranchers and farmers across hundreds of thousands of acres are scrambling to find water, and dozens of municipalities have ordered homeowners to reduce their water use by 20 percent or more. (Photo: San Gabriel River, following recent rains. Getty Images/David McNew)

Opinions

Minimum wage: Let companies raise it themselves

by SCOT MURDOCH posted 03.03.2014

OPINION: The Congressional Budget Office report also shows that under the hike to $9 per hour, 300,000 people would be lifted out of poverty. However, another estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people would lose their jobs. If the wage increases to $10.10 per hour the number of people being raised out of poverty would rise to 900,000 while 500,000 people would lose their jobs.

News

Ron Calderon to take leave of absence

by John Howard posted 03.02.2014

State Sen. Ron Calderon, under federal indictment on two dozen corruption charges that include taking nearly $100,000 in bribes, will take a leave of absence from the Senate while he fights the charges. Calderon, 56, a Montebello Democrat, will continue to receive his $95,000-a-year salary.

News

Pot initiatives fading for 2014

by SAMANTHA GALLEGOS posted 02.25.2014

The field of marijuana initiatives for California’s November ballot has been cut in half in less than two weeks, leaving proponents of the two remaining measures in a narrower race for money and momentum while other drug advocates say the next presidential election in 2016 offers a greater chance for success. (Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

News

Clock ticking on CalSTRS shortfall

by ED MENDEL posted 02.25.2014

Getting CalSTRS back to full funding, if rates are steadily increased over the next half dozen years, would take an annual increase reaching more than $5 billion a year by 2020 — about what the state general fund currently spends on UC and CSU combined. (Photo: CalSTRS lobby, Paul Housberg)

News

Gay-rights activists tackle death certificates

by GREG LUCAS posted 02.24.2014

Death certificates are the latest battleground for gay rights advocates trying to ensure that the gender a person identifies with in life carries over into death. A bill introduced recently aimed at ensuring the death certificates of transgender persons reflect their chosen gender is the latest legislative effort to vouchsafe the rights of this small category of Californians.