Welfare beneficiaries are spending millions of dollars each year in ATM fees.
Chris Megerian reports for the LA Times: “Like many other states, California issues electronic cards to welfare recipients so they can withdraw public assistance from ATMs. Last year, $18.9 million was spent on ATM fees. The year before they topped $19.4 million.”
An effort to divide California is said to be gaining ground.
Carla Marinucci reports in SF Gate: “Venture capitalist Tim Draper says he is getting “close” to collecting the necessary 800,000 signatures needed to get his “Six Californias” measure before state voters in 2014 — but he acknowledges his own internal polling shows Silicon Valley is most opposed to the idea of splitting the state into six parts.”
A water bond rewrite bill emerged from a key senate committee.
Samantha Gallegos reports in Capitol Weekly: “The bill, AB 1331 by Assemblyman Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, passed its first policy hurdle in the Senate on Tuesday, making it the only one of the latest batch of water bond rewrites to clear committees in both houses of the Legislature.”
Legislation to expand California’s film and television production tax credit program passed its first committee hurdle.
Dakota Smith reports for LA Daily News: “AB 1839 would allow big-budget films and one-hour television shows to apply for the program and increase the $100 million allotment. Assemblymembers Raul Bocanegra and Mike Gatto, co-authors of the bill, said they will suggest a new annual allotment after the state updates its financial outlook this spring.”
Los Angeles County officials want the state to do more to boost the fleeting film production economy.
Abby Sewell reports in the LA Times: “Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who proposed the county letter, said Southern California has lost $3 billion in wages in the last decade as a result of entertainment industry flight to other states.”
A special election in the 23rd Senate District filled the seat vacated last year by Sen. Bill Emmerson (R-Hemet).
Patrick McGreevy reports for the LA Times: “State Assemblyman Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga) won a special election Tuesday to fill a vacant seat in the state Senate, receiving 62.6% of the vote against four other candidates and therefore avoiding a runoff in June.”
State lawmakers are clashing with counties over owed property tax compensation that totals $22 million.
John Howard reports in Capitol Weekly: “The Brown administration said the decision to stop paying the money, known in the bureaucracy as PILT, or payments in lieu of taxes, was made the by Legislature and requires lawmakers’ action to change.”
“It’s certainly their prerogative,” said Finance Department spokesman H.D. Palmer. “It was taken out of the budget and the Legislature hasn’t put it back in.”
Hawaii is the only state more expensive to rent than California.
Andrew Khouri reports in the LA Times: “California renters must earn more than triple the minimum wage to afford a two-bedroom apartment, underscoring a housing shortage throughout the state, a new report said.”
Union chief of the Department of Water and Power will turn over records telling how ratepayer money is used.
Jack Dolan reports in the LA Times: “The ruling, which becomes final April 22, would give D'Arcy 10 days to comply with the subpoena or persuade an appeals court to intervene. "Today is an important victory for transparency and an important step in holding accountable those who think they are above the law," Galperin told reporters after the ruling.”
Gov. Brown signed a bill granting a Castro Valley monk his dying wish.
Melody Gutierrez reports in SF Gate: “Abbot Theodor Micka said he was “filled with enthusiasm” after Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, called to share news that his final resting place will be where he hoped – at the Holy Cross Monastery he co-founded in 1979 primarily using money he inherited from his mother.”
Brown also appointed Capitol Weekly’s Greg Lucas as the new state librarian.
Dan Walters reports for the Sacramento Bee: “In his new job, Lucas will manage the California State Library, which is located near the Capitol. It houses historical books and documents, provides research to the governor and Legislature and acts as a liaison with local libraries.”
Assembly leader John Pérez maintains a strong fundraising lead in his campaign for state controller.
Jim Miller reports in the Sacramento Bee: “Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez held a 17-to-1 cash-on-hand advantage over fellow Democrat Betty Yee as of mid-March in the race for state controller, according to the latest campaign filings.”
Finally, North Korea leader Kim Jung-un is now requiring men to copy his haircut.
BBC reports: "It seems that haircuts have been state-approved in North Korea for some time - until now people were only allowed to choose from 18 styles for women and 10 for men. Earlier, North Korea's state TV launched a campaign against long hair, called "Let us trim our hair in accordance with the Socialist lifestyle."
