Capitol Weekly's JOHN HOWARD: "Gov. Jerry Brown’s state budget draft is a no-frills document reflecting fears about the policies of the Trump administration, a Republican-led Congress and the likelihood of an economic recession."
"The potential of a federal reduction in aid to California is real enough,” Brown noted, as he unveiled his revised $180 billion spending plan for 2017-18."
"Make no doubt about it,” he added, referring to a potential recession. “Cuts are coming over the next few years and they’ll be big."
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is pushing through a project that provides housing for teachers, after earmarking $44 million in the city's budget to kickstart construction on the often-talked about prospect.
The Chronicle's HEATHER KNIGHT: "It’s been talked about in San Francisco for so long, teacher housing seemed like a myth. Or maybe just a bad joke."
"But credit Mayor Ed Lee with deciding this week that he’s had enough of the working group that doesn’t seem to do any actual work and has made no progress toward building homes for teachers."
"In consultation with Olson Lee, his director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing, Ed Lee has picked a site for teacher housing: the Francis Scott Key Annex at 1360 43rd Ave. in the Outer Sunset. He said he will commit $44 million in city money to build 130 to 150 rental units of teacher housing and will seek a developer as soon as possible."
READ MORE related to Education: School spending increased in revised California budget -- AP
A California state government department has been the victim of a large scale phishing scam.
Sacramento Bee's ADAM ASHTON: "A California state department emailed a fake phishing scam to its employees Wednesday that manipulated the logo of Golden 1 Credit Union and played on anticipation for $2,500 contract bonuses that many state workers are receiving this week."
"The phishing email asked workers to click a link that would “validate their employment status.” Then, the message said, workers would immediately receive their bonuses through a direct deposit."
"The message to employees in the Department of Housing and Community Development was effective enough that Golden 1 received a call about it, and the State Controller’s Office sent an email to thousands of state workers warning them not to click on it."
READ MORE related to Economy: Investors talk taxes, bonds and ... pot -- Daily News' BROOKE STAGGS; Company, supervisors charged with violating safety laws after worker electrocuted at Mission Viejo High in 2014 -- OC Registers' KELLY PUENTE
Disgraced former Sheriff Lee Baca is awaiting his judgment day.
LA Times' JOEL RUBIN: "The corruption scandal that has roiled the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for several years will mark what could be its closing act Friday when a judge is scheduled to sentence former Sheriff Lee Baca."
"Over five years, federal prosecutors meticulously worked their way up the department’s ranks, charging lower-level figures and members of Baca’s command staff before bringing charges against the sheriff himself."
"How much time, if any, Baca will receive behind bars remains an open question."
READ MORE related to Public Safety: Guards said they would let him out of jail. But first he had to hand over his teeth -- Sacramento Bee's ANDY FURILLO; Prosecutor accused of misleading jury over informant in Skylar Deleon double-murder case -- OC Register TONY SAAVEDRA; US prosecutors told to push for harsher punishments -- AP's SADIE GURMAN; Anti-semitic incidents raise concerns at another E. Bay high school -- The Chronicle's FILIPA IOANNOU; Suspected cannabis butane honey oil lab fire in Costa Mesa injures 1 -- OC register's ANTHONY MENDOZA
The Oroville Dam spillway's failure -- as well as the management of the crisis -- was slammed during a legislative meeting on Thursday.
LA Times' RALPH VARTABEDIAN: "The California Department of Water Resources came under blistering criticism at a hearing Thursday in the Legislature for its management of the Oroville Dam, three months after nearby residents were evacuated out of concerns about possible flooding."
"State dam officials reminded the critics that no one had died and that people’s property had been protected even as water that was released during a historic storm in February virtually washed away the dam’s 3,000-foot spillway."
"They told members of an Assembly committee that they wanted to wait until the completion of an investigation next fall before making any major judgments about the dam’s condition."
READ MORE related to Environment: Will Trump reimburse California for problems at the Oroville Dam? It may come downt to pre-existing conditions -- Sacramento Bee's RYAN SABALOW; State lawmakers fault oversight of Oroville Dam -- AP's ELLEN KNICKMEYER; DWR hosts final community meeting addressing Oroville Dam emergency in Chico -- Enterprise-Record's ASHIAH SCHARAGA
Trump's quick dismissal of FBI director Comey could undermine and compromisee everything the new POTUS has worked for, some observers say.
LA Times' JOSEPH TANFANI/DAVID S. CLOUD/BRIAN BENNETT: "Adding yet another twist to a shifting White House narrative, President Trump said Thursday that he had decided to fire FBI Director James B. Comey regardless of whether the Justice Department recommended it, calling the ousted director “a showboat” and “a grandstander.”"
"Trump’s comments, which contradicted previous White House statements, further fueled the political and legal furor in Washington over his unceremonious sacking of Comey, who was leading an expanding FBI investigation into whether Trump’s advisors cooperated with Russian intelligence agents during the presidential campaign last year."
READ MORE related to Beltway: Ex-congresswoman may spend rest of life in prison for fraud -- AP; Lawyer: Trump had no income from Russians (with some exceptions) -- AP; Trump to Comey: Better hope there are no 'tapes' of talks -- AP's JULIE PACE/EILEEN SULLIVAN/JAKE PEARSON
The recently revised budget gives downtown area workers a new bonus: a $30m parking garage.
Sacramento Bee's TONY BIZJAK: "The governor’s revised budget contains a $30 million gift to downtown workers – a new parking garage."
"Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday proposed funds to construct the first new state garage in years downtown, an 800-space structure on the north side of R Street between 8th and 9th streets, with ground floor retail and food spaces. A state warehouse currently sits at that site."
"The new garage will compensate for the loss of 100-plus surface parking spots nearby when the state builds a planned office building at 8th and P streets, plus it will add a substantial amount of new parking for workers on the waiting list."
READ MORE related to Transportation: US, EU in urgent talks on expanding laptop ban on flights -- AP's LORNE COOK/JOHN LEICESTER; With ridership down and complaints up, BART to look at homeless problem -- The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN
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Ed's Note: Today's Roundup was delayed because of a power outage.
