California spent $4 billion on Medi-Cal for people who may not have been eligible, audit finds
LA Times's SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA: "California spent $4 billion on Medi-Cal coverage between 2014 and 2017 for people who may not have been eligible for the government-funded health plan, according to a state audit released Tuesday."
"Medi-Cal provides health coverage to 13.1 million Californians, approximately one-third of the state’s population. To qualify, a single adult must make less than $16,754 annually."
The ballot props: What's at stake
Capitol Weekly's LISA RENNER: "California voters are being asked to approve $16.4 billion in bond financing, cut taxes and weigh in on such diverse topics as kidney dialysis prices and farm animal living conditions in the Nov. 6 election."
"The 11 initiatives on the ballots include requests for bond financing for housing, water and children’s hospitals. Other initiatives would approve huge property tax savings for seniors, repeal the controversial gas tax hike and open the way to expand rent control. Voters could also set price controls on kidney dialysis, monitor EMT and paramedic working conditions, increase living space for farm animals and give the legislature the option to keep Daylight Savings Time year-round."
"In the long tradition of California ballot propositions, fights over the initiatives this year have prompted record spending."
SF leaders hate Trump enough they voted to limit the city's water rather than do this
Sacramento Bee's RYAN SABALOW/DALE KASLER: "For months, San Francisco, a hotbed of anti-Donald Trump sentiment, has found itself in the awkward position of being aligned with his administration over California water policy."
"On Tuesday, the city’s leaders said the alliance was unbearable."
"In an 11-0 vote, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors agreed in a resolution to support the State Water Resources Control Board’s proposal to leave more water in the San Joaquin River and its tributaries to benefit struggling fish populations. The supervisors’ vote is subject to veto by Mayor London Breed, although the board could override the veto."
READ MORE related to Energy & Environment: SF supes urge backing off alliance with farmers, Trump on reviving rivers -- The Chronicle's KURTIS ALEXANDER; Navy used obsolete safety standards in shipyard cleanup, researchers say -- The Chronicle's JASON FAGONE/CYNTHIA DIZIKES; SoCal Edison says its equipment helped spark massive Thomas fire that killed 2 -- LA Times's HAILEY BRANSON-POTTS; Massive California water tunnel project forges ahead on several fronts -- Water Deeply's CARIAD HAYES THRONSON
Nepotism sanctions on California department could be lifted
Sacramento Bee's ADAM ASHTON: "The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration could regain control of its hiring practices one year after a state audit revealed that almost a fifth of its employees worked with a relative in the organization."
"The State Personnel Board on Thursday is scheduled to consider reinstating the tax department’s authority to hire and promote job candidates without oversight from the state’s centralized human resources department."
"Over the past year, the tax department had to allow CalHR to review its job postings and its promotion candidates. CalHR reported that it denied less than 1 percent of the 400 people the tax department attempted to hire or promote."
Newsom and Trump are duking it out. Is money for California at risk?
Sacramento Bee's ANGELA HART: "When President Donald Trump last month called Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom a “clown” at a “Make America Great Again” rally in Nevada, the Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner shot back, comparing Trump to the evil clown from Stephen King’s 1990 horror film “It."
"Ten days later at a rally in Tennessee, Trump again blasted Newsom for supporting sanctuary policies to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation, and for his universal health care pitch to expand coverage to everyone regardless of immigration status or ability to pay."
"Newsom responded, saying “Hi (again), @realDonaldTrump. Heard you called me out at your rally tonight (again). Might I suggest you focus your limited attention span, on say…your Supreme Court nominee who may have committed perjury…or the hundreds of kids STILL separated from their families. Thx."
After court loss, California unions still have big money for politics. It might not be enough
Sacramento Bee's ADAM ASHTON: "Fresh off a Supreme Court loss that stripped them of millions of dollars in an annual revenue, California public employee unions are finding that they still have the big money they need to run statewide political campaigns."
"It just might not be enough cash to keep up with their opponents."
"The first test of California public-sector union spending after labor’s June defeat at the Supreme Court in Janus vs. AFSCME is unfolding in the race for state superintendent, a contest that typically attracts intense interest from education unions and groups that want to embrace charter schools."
Audit Motor Voter program independently, California watchdog says
Sacramento Bee's BRYAN ANDERSON: "A state watchdog agency is urging California lawmakers to approve an independent audit of the state’s Motor Voter program, after the Legislature rejected one earlier this year."
"The Little Hoover Commission on Oct. 26 sent a list of recommendations to Gov. Jerry Brown and top lawmakers that included a nonpartisan state audit into the Department of Motor Vehicle’s handling of Motor Voter, which launched in April to automatically register voters."
"The commission, an independent oversight agency tasked with making suggestions to improve government programs, said the DMV and California Department of Technology “have had serious problems with ensuring that the New Motor Voter Program works as intended and promised.” Without proper implementation of the law, it warned, “voter confidence in a fair and legitimate electoral process will be undermined, if not shattered."
UC Berkeley security checks library after learning of bomb suspect's interest
The Chronicle's NANETTE ASIMOV: "The man suspected of sending 15 pipe bombs this month to prominent Democrats, including former President Obama, searched the internet using the term “UC Berkeley Library,” the FBI told campus police Tuesday."
"There is no specific reason to believe any explosives have been sent to the university,” according to a campus advisory sent out by the UC Berkeley police after they had phoned campus officials about the development. Campus security was making extra checks of library facilities to ensure public safety."
"In the advisory, campus police cautioned vigilance and said no one connected to the university was identified as a bomb recipient. Nor were any other campus locations identified."
In effort to boost affordable housing stock, Sacramento City Council OKs waiving fees
Sacramento Bee's THERESA CLIFT: "Sacramento City Council voted Tuesday to stop charging most city-imposed fees to developers who build new affordable housing."
"Starting Dec. 30, developers and nonprofits that build new affordable apartment units and single-family homes will no longer need to pay city fees that go toward services like infrastructure, parks, water and sewer, a city staff report said."
"City officials say the measure, which the council passed unanimously, will help aid the city’s housing crisis."
READ MORE related to Housing & Homelessness: How California has become a national battleground for rent control as money flows in from landlords -- LA Times's LIAM DILLON; Is winter coming for SoCal's housing market? Sales are falling and price cuts are more common -- LA Times's ANDREW KHOURI; LA County declares a shelter crisis, providing flexibility in how it provides beds and assistance -- LA Times's NINA AGRAWAL
Sacramento supervisors delay weakening oversight of sheriff after public pressure mounts
Sacramento Bee's ALEXANDRA YOON-HENDRICKS: "The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Tuesday rebuked Sheriff Scott Jones by refusing to approve a plan that would weaken oversight of his department."
"In a surprising shift away from supporting Jones, Supervisors Sue Frost and Susan Peters joined with other board members in a unanimous vote to postpone approval of a revised contract for the inspector general that would limit the role to mostly auditing, review and community relations functions."
"Currently, the inspector general has leeway to conduct independent investigations on a variety of issues including instances of deputy-involved shootings and in-custody deaths."
READ MORE related to Prisons & Public Safety: LAPD assistant chief was accused ofd improper sexual relationships before sudden retirement, officials say -- LA Times's JAMES QUEALLY/RICHARD WINTON
Waymo gets green light for robot cars in California; no humans needed
The Chronicle's CAROLYN SAID: "Waymo is the first company in California allowed to test robot cars on public roads with no human driver behind the steering wheel, it said Tuesday."
"The California Department of Motor Vehicles has given Waymo a permit for up to 40 fully autonomous cars to drive both day and night on city streets, rural highways and highways with posted speeds up to 65 mph."
"The company, which is the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet, did not say how soon the vehicles might roll. Waymo, like most companies testing self-driving cars, has long put backup drivers and engineers in the front seats of vehicles for safety purposes and to gather data on the cars’ performance. The permit it has obtained is the first of its kind in the state."
'Whitey' Bulger, notorious Boston mobster-turned-fugitive captured in Santa Monica, is dead at 89
LA Times's STEVE CHAWKINS: "James J. “Whitey” Bulger Jr., the ruthless Boston mobster who topped the FBI’s most-wanted list and was found quietly living as a fugitive near the ocean in Santa Monica in 2011, has died in prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He was 89."
"Bulger was found unresponsive early Tuesday in his prison cell at United States Penitentiary Hazelton, a high-security prison in West Virginia where the aging mobster had been moved just the day before. A prison union official said Bulger's death is being investigated as a homicide. The FBI is investigating."
Mueller asks FBI to investigate allegations that women were offered money to make false claims against him
AP: "Robert S. Mueller III's office has referred to the FBI allegations that women were “offered money to make false claims” about the special counsel, according to Mueller's spokesman."
"In a statement, spokesman Peter Carr says that once the office learned of the allegations, it immediately referred the matter to the FBI for investigation."
Michael Avenatti says he's tough enough to take on Trump in 2020
The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI: "Michael Avenatti, the lawyer best known for representing adult film star Stormy Daniels in her legal fight against President Trump, said Tuesday that the Democrats need to nominate someone “tough” in 2020 — and that he’ll decide within 60 days whether he’ll run."
"It’s a big decision. There’s a lot of factors that go into the decision,”Avenatti said Tuesday in San Francisco on The Chronicle’s “It’s All Political” podcast."
"The 47-year-old Los Angeles resident caught Potomac fever after becoming a darling of the cable news chat show circuit over the past several months for his defense of Daniels and attacks on Trump, who allegedly had an affair with the porn star in 2006. He appeared undaunted by recent developments that would deflate many a political trial balloon."
READ MORE related to POTUS45: Trump says no other country has birthright citizenship. That's not even close to being true -- LA Times's JAWEED KALEEM
