Capitol Weekly’s Top 10 Capitol power couples

Local View: A chat with Robb Korinke

by CAPITOL WEEKLY STAFF posted 05.13.2024

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act is on the November 2024 ballot – or not. The Newsom administration, the Legislature and others have challenged the legality of the measure, arguing that the sweeping changes it outlines would amount to a revision of the constitution, not a simple amendment. The California Supreme Court heard arguments in the case last week, and now local officials are left to wait and see if the measure that they are calling “an existential threat” will be removed from the ballot or face voters in November. Local politics expert Robb Korinke joins us to discuss.

Is the $12,000-a-month apartment on its way?

Real estate growth chart. Image by Mohammed Haneefa Nizamudeen

by MICHAEL WEINSTEIN posted 05.15.2024

OPINION – It sounds crazy: The $12,000-a-month apartment. How can an average American afford to pay $12,000 per month for an apartment? But it’s really not as far-fetched as you may think. 

Capitol Quick Hits: How do you keep a lobbyist in suspense?

Image by dwporter

by BRIAN JOSEPH posted 05.12.2024

California lobbyists could see one of their annual fees rise as much as 900 percent if an under-the-radar bill by Sen. Steve Glazer survives Suspense Day.

The Micheli Minute, May 13, 2024

by CAPITOL WEEKLY STAFF posted 05.12.2024

Lobbyist and McGeorge law professor Chris Micheli offers a quick look at what’s coming up this week under the Capitol Dome.

Spending on lobbying firms topped $381 million through 15 months of legislative cycle

Two connected puzzle pieces with the words politics and money, representing the influence of wealth in elections.

by BRIAN JOSEPH posted 05.06.2024

Special interests, otherwise known as “lobbyist employers,” paid lobbying firms a little more than $76 million to lobby California state government in the first quarter of 2024, according to a Capitol Weekly analysis of lobbying firm reports.

Turmoil leads to rapid rise for new Capitol lobbying firm

Flag of California in a mixed stack of coins. Image by eyegelb

by BRIAN JOSEPH posted 05.09.2024

Eagle-eyed readers of Capitol Weekly’s recent report on quarterly lobbying payments might have spotted an unfamiliar firm name among the top recipients for the first quarter of 2024: the Deveau Burr Group. Especially close readers also might have noticed that Strategies 360, a perennial top firm in Sacramento, was conspicuously absent from the list of top payees for the quarter.

Tim Ranzetta and the California Personal Finance Education Initiative

by CAPITOL WEEKLY STAFF posted 05.06.2024

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Nationwide, over half of all high school students are required to take a course on personal finance to graduate. In California, it’s just 1%. A ballot initiative proposed for the November ballot would change that: Backers submitted 900,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot in March, and the measure appears poised to be certified by the Secretary of State. Tim Ranzetta, teacher, entrepreneur and one of the leading proponents of The California Personal Finance Education Initiative tells us why he believes the measure is necessary.

Using model or uniform acts for bill drafting

Image by Vitalii Vodolazskyi

by CHRIS MICHELI posted 05.09.2024

When drafting new laws in California or in other jurisdictions, sometimes interest groups and those drafting legislation may turn to model laws or uniform acts. They may also review similar laws adopted by the federal government or other states, or even other jurisdictions around the globe. As readers might imagine, there are positive and negative aspects of using these other laws when drafting legislation.