Photo illustration, political cash on the move: IQoncept, via ShutterstockThe Disclose Act, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed earlier this month, passed the Legislature after years of negotiations with labor unions and other interest groups. Supporters call it the strongest campaign money transparency law in the nation, but others say interest groups had too much sway over the bill.
UC students on the Berkeley campus during a spring open house known as Cal Day. (Photo: cdrin, via Shutterstock) It’s a common story. California high school graduates with top grades and scores still aren’t able to get into the University of California campus of their choice. Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, says he hears that complaint from constituents “all the time – at Trader Joe’s, at soccer fields and walking down the street.”
A California ballot box. (Photo illustration, Hafakot, via Shutterstock)California’s fledgling top-two voting system, which creates an open primary for all statewide candidates, could prove costly to Democrats in liberal districts while rewarding Republicans who lose. In heavily liberal areas in Northern California, voters could be presented with the choice of two Democrats and no Republicans in the general election.
A photo illustration of an ad campaign program on a laptop. (Photo: Tashatuvango, via Shutterstock)California’s political watchdog, which fights to reveal the political money trail, is opposing legislation that appears to do exactly that. The Fair Political Practices Commission, which enforces campaign rules, has come out against two bills aimed at disclosure.
Ventura County voters go to the polls in a California general election. (Photo: Spirit of America) We’re never actually out of election season. Not even in off-election years like this one. Gov. Jerry Brown has set the dates for special elections in three Senate districts to fill vacancies left by officeholders who won congressional seats in 2014.
Voter Ben Rich casts his ballot at the Venice Beach lifeguard headquarters. (Photo: AP/Jae C. Hong)Though the final chapter is still unwritten on Election 2014, we know this much: Republicans took advantage of a traditional dip in midterm turnout and some big spending in targeted races to pick up enough legislative seats to end Democrats’ supermajorities in both houses. The GOP picked off two Democratic Assembly incumbents – Steve Fox, D-Palmdale, and Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton — and were headed to unseat a third – Freshman Assemblyman Al Marutsuchi, D-Torrance.
CalPERS headquarters, Sacramento. (Photo: Wikipedia)Calpensions: Three years ago CalPERS investment earnings hit bottom in a Wilshire consultants report that ranks the performance of big pension funds — dead last among its peers over the previous five years. Last week a new Wilshire report showed CalPERS investment earnings steadily climbing up the ranks, finishing in the top quarter of big pension funds during the last three years.
There’s nothing like Sacramento in August: Stifling heat, frantic lobbyists, late-night sessions, pain, general angst – and Capitol Weekly’s Top 100 list. Fits right in. This rundown represents our view of the unelected Capitol community’s inner workings.
Opinion: One day soon, the voters will vote to return to the system that worked fine for decades, where each party’s nominee goes onto the November ballot. In fact, Prop 60 (guaranteeing that) passed with 68% of the vote (Nov 2004) while on the same ballot was Top Two (Prop 62) which the voters rejected with a 53.9% No vote.
Headquarters of the state controller, Sacramento. (Photo: Coolcaesar)ELECTION 2014: California’s “top two“ primary system is creating an odd dynamic – a Democratic party primary within an open primary. In the race for state controller, the top three candidates are Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, a Republican, and Democrats Betty Yee and John Pérez. Yee is a member of the Board of Equalization and Pérez served as Assembly speaker.