Demonstrators outside the Uber offices in San Francisco. (Photo: Lucius Rueedi, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Assembly Bill 5 has been signed; now the battle begins. The bill compels some businesses, and labor platforms like Uber, Lyft, Doordash, TaskRabbit or GrubHub to classify their on-demand workers as employees with labor law protections.
A portion of the California Aqueduct in the Central Valley. (Photo: Hank Shiffman, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Ask me what tops the list of California’s most critical infrastructure, and I’ll tell you it’s the State Water Project. It’s hard to argue with the fact that water is a prerequisite for all life and a healthy economy. That’s why financing the operation and maintenance of the State Water Project in a responsible, cost-effective manner should be common sense — not a political volley that puts California’s lifeline at risk and threatens ratepayers with a surge in water rates that is easily avoidable.
Re:“Builders, contractors: Numbers tell the tale” (Capitol Weekly, Jan. 17), it is unfortunate that Mr. Hunter of the Building and Construction Trades Council chooses to devalue the impact of the hard-working men and women comprising California’s construction industry, solely to boost his short-sided, self-preservationist agenda.
A portion of the dividing line between Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, Calif. (Photo: Sherry V. Smith, Shutterstock)OPINION: Public discourse over the construction of the Trump Administration’s border wall is rife with disagreement. However, a few elected officials have taken the absurd step to attempt to punish any company that does not share their political values on the subject.
California drivers in a Los Angeles traffic jam.(Photo: ShutterStock)A motorist who faced more than $1,600 in fines for a traffic violation is suing the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state Judicial Council in federal court, contending that millions of California drivers had their licenses suspended illegally because they were unable to pay spiraling fees. “Traffic courts in California routinely impose exorbitant penalty assessments, fines and fees on all traffic court cases over and above the statutory fines” required for public safety, the pending suit contends.
San Bernardino firefighters on the front lines. (Photo: Sheri Armstrong)Bankrupt San Bernardino’s plan to cut costs by contracting for firefighter and other services has been aided by legislation and a court ruling. But a shortage of firefighters is causing a rough transition. A second fire station was closed earlier this month and others were hit with temporary “brownout” closures, delaying response times. New hires for 14 firefighter vacancies are not expected to complete training until next month.
In a major victory for organized labor, Gov. Brown signed into law Sunday night a bill blocking state funds to cities that don’t pay the prevailing wage on public works projects – a measure aimed directly at charter cities, some of which have sought to avoid paying the prevailing wage in order to save money.