Californians mull over the prospect of pushing the state's presidential primary ahead to March in an effort to give candidates more time to campaign in the Golden State.
The Chronicle's JOHN WILDERMUTH: "California is once again looking to move its June presidential primary to an earlier — and, it is hoped, more influential — date in the 2020 election season."
"The reasoning is simple. In most years, the race for the presidential nomination is all but over by the time Californians vote. A move to March, or even earlier, would force candidates to pay more attention to the state and its concerns."
“You don’t have to look farther than 2016 to see that California is an afterthought for presidential candidates,” said Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-San Mateo, whose AB84 would move California’s presidential primary to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March, typically known as Super Tuesday for the crush of states holding elections. With an earlier primary, “candidates would ignore California at their peril.”"
READ MORE related to Local: When California legislative candidates run, could they run from far away? -- Sacramento Bee's JIM MILLER; Milo Yiannopoulos 'dedicated to the destruction of political correctness' -- LA Times' JESSICA ROY
LA Sanitation District employees held a demonstration at their agency headquarters on Tuesday prrotesting pension pay cuts.
Daily News' STEVE SCAUZILLO: "More than 200 employees of the Los Angeles Sanitation Districts demonstrating against proposed pay cuts to fund pensions marched in front of the waste treatment agency’s headquarters Tuesday chanting slogans and carrying signs."
"Employees from the districts’ wastewater plants located in Valencia and Carson joined engineers, supervisors and IT personnel in a brief rally outside the building on Workman Mill Road near the 60 Freeway, a first for the government agency usually not known for labor unrest."
"The districts serves 5.6 million people in 78 cities and unincorporated areas, except for Los Angeles, which operates its own wastewater treatment plants and sanitary landfills. The county Sanitation Districts operates two working landfills, in Calabasas and Scholl Canyon near Glendale, several recycling plants and three refuse-to-energy plants, handling one-fourth the garbage of the county."
READ MORE related to Environment: PG&E searches for gas plant toxins in Bay mud -- The Chronicle's DAVID R. BAKER; Fire tears through Oakland's city-backed homeless camp -- The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS; Woodland biomass firm to pay $4.22m settlement involving hazardous waste disposal -- Sacramento Bee's CATHY LOCKE
LAX has a new private terminal if you've got the dollars, but how steep is too steep?
LA Times' STEVE LOPEZ: "I went to Los Angeles International Airport on Monday morning, like I have on so many occasions, but this was an entirely different experience."
"I didn’t have to deal with the usual crush of airport traffic, or people, or security headaches."
"I navigated around all that madness and I breezed because this time, I traveled like a champ instead of a chump."
READ MORE related to Transportation: Unprecedented highway money okayed -- now what? -- Capitol Weekly's LISA RENNER; They drive boring cars and cover up their tattoos. That's life 'driving while black,' residents say. -- Sacramento Bee's ANITA CHABRIA/PHILiP REESE
Speaking of Los Angeles, the city's Board of Supervisors is looking for a way to branch out further into the entertainment industry.
Daily News' SUSAN ABRAM: "Hoping to form a better relationship with the entertainment industry and boost Los Angeles County’s revenues, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion Tuesday to review permit fees across the region to lure more film and television production."
"Competition for film and television production has grown nationally and internationally, according to the motion introduced by Sheila Kuehl and Janice Hahn. Last year, the California Film Commission reported that there were 164 “runaway” productions between 2010 and 2016. That means a loss of $3.7 billion was spent outside California."
“The county needs to take a look at its fees,” Kuehl said, adding that she’s often told there are beautiful areas to shoot in the county, but the permit fees are too high."
READ MORE related to Economy: California public pension shortfall one of nation's largest -- Sacramento Bee's DAN WALTERS; These local governments decide it makes sense to play ball with Airbnb -- Sacramento Bee's ED FLETCHER; Senate positions to block ambitious California retirement savings effort -- LA Times' EVAN HALPER
A read-out of a recent phone call between POTUS45 and Russian President Putin 'signaled improving prospects for cooperation in Syria.'
Daily News: "President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled improving prospects for cooperation in Syria on Tuesday in what the White House called a “very good” phone discussion that included a focus on setting up safe zones in the war-torn nation."
"The Kremlin said the leaders also agreed to try to set up their first in-person meeting in July, on the sidelines of an international summit in Germany. The White House later confirmed that information."
"Tuesday’s call marked the first time Trump and Putin have spoken since the U.S. launched missiles against an air base in Syria, an attack that outraged Russia, one of the Syrian government’s strongest backers. The U.S. military action sparked new tensions between Washington and Moscow, with top U.S. officials sharply condemning Putin’s continued support for embattled Syrian leader Bashar Assad."
California Republicans still aren't ready to repeal Obamacare without a satisfactory replacement immediately available.
The Chronicle's CAROLYN LOCHHEAD: "Many California House Republicans are decidedly undecided about their party’s latest attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, complicating the renewed effort by President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan to fulfill a keystone campaign promise."
"Although GOP leaders were holding out the prospect of a “repeal and replace” vote as early as Wednesday, they were still well short of the committed “yes” votes needed to pass the bill. The new version of the measure to undo what Republicans deride as Obamacare now has more support from the conservative Freedom Caucus but is failing to generate enthusiasm among the party’s more moderate members."
"The conservatives were won over by provisions that would allow states to apply for waivers from Affordable Care Act requirements that insurers offer coverage to everyone in an age group at the same price, regardless of whether they have pre-existing health conditions. Such states would have to set up “high-risk pools” to help people with pre-existing conditions gain coverage, but such pools were often underfunded before Obamacare became law."
READ MORE related to Health: California stem cell agency president steps down as worries mount about its future -- Sacramento Bee's DAVID JENSEN; As latest Obamacare repeal effort fades, Republicans wonder what happened -- LA Times' LISA MASCARO/NOAM N.LEVEY/SARAH D. WIRE
A recent audit illustrating disturbing spending patterns in the UC school system has lawmakers up-in-arms.
The Chronicle's MELODY GUTIERREZ: "State lawmakers grilled University of California President Janet Napolitano on Tuesday, saying they found a state audit “extremely troubling,” and questioned whether there is enough oversight of the president’s office."
"Lawmakers said they were shocked by the audit released last week, which found UC has a $175 million reserve that no one seemed to be aware of, including the Board of Regents that oversees the university system. But many lawmakers said what disturbed them the most was the state auditor’s contention that the president’s office interfered with and delayed their efforts. For that, Napolitano defended her office, but said she was sorry its actions were perceived as obstruction."
“I deeply believe the trust that has existed between the Legislature and UC has been eroded and that much more transparency is needed,” said Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside, chairman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, one of three committees holding the joint hearing on the audit at the state Capitol on Tuesday."
READ MORE related to Education: 'I am sorry that we did it this way,' UC's Napolitano tells lawmakers after audit -- Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF; UC President Janet Napolitano defends university finances against audit as chorus grows to cancel tuition increase -- LA Times' PATRICK MCGREEVY; Teachers union opens a front on former Sacramento mayor's charter schools -- LA Times' ANNA M. PHILLIPS
A man allegedly responsible for defrauding undocumented immigrants with fake naturalization papers finds himself on trial for his actions.
Sacramento Bee's STEPHEN MAGAGNINI: "Hundreds of undocumented immigrants paid an Elk Grove man thousands of dollars each to arrange their adoptions by U.S. citizens on the promise that they would become citizens themselves. Instead, federal authorities say, those immigrants fell victim to possibly the largest scam of its kind."
"Heartbroken immigrants from four continents – some in tears over losing their life savings – have been testifying in Sacramento federal court since April 17 against Helaman Hansen, a charismatic businessman who allegedly persuaded some 500 victims to pay more than $500,000 to join his phony adult adoption scheme, prosecutors said."
"Hansen, 64, has been charged with 16 counts of fraud and two counts of encouraging illegal immigration for financial gain, according to U.S. District Judge Morrison England. Hansen and his agents, who operated in such far-flung locales as Tonga and Hawaii, allegedly charged undocumented immigrants between $150 and $10,000 each on the false promise that they’d become U.S. citizens after adoption."
Overall crime in San Francisco is down, but gun violence has spiked.
The Chronicle's VIVIAN HO: "Serious crimes fell 10 percent in San Francisco last year as the city saw fewer robberies, far fewer boosted cars and a slight but welcome reduction in the vehicle break-ins that have plagued many neighborhoods, according to police figures released Tuesday."
“It’s definitely a positive when we see the numbers decrease,” said Officer Giselle Talkoff, a Police Department spokeswoman. “Part of it is due to the diligence of the officers out there, monitoring and being proactive in our high-crime areas, having a large presence, and taking fast action in making arrests.”
