Leads shrink for Democrats Gavin Newsom, Dianne Feinstein in top California races
Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF/ANGELA HART: "Democrat Gavin Newsom maintains a strong lead in the race for California governor, but it has halved since the summer, according to a new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California."
"Newsom, the state’s lieutenant governor, is favored by 51 percent of likely voters to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown this November, a slight dip from 55 percent in July. Republican John Cox, a businessman from San Diego County, made a significant gain in support, with 39 percent of respondents planning to vote for him this fall, up from 31 percent."
"Mark Baldassare, president and CEO of PPIC, said Newsom’s narrowing lead — 12 points, down from 24 points in July — is reflective of the candidates’ differing approaches this summer."
Op-Ed: Brown sharpens teeth in HMO regulation
DANIEL ZINGALE in Capitol Weekly: "With Gov. Brown’s attention on landmark legislation to fight climate change, to address financing of wildfire damage and to give legal teeth to the #MeToo movement, a new law governing HMO mergers was bound to get drowned out. But everyone who was party to the California patients’ rights rebellion of the 1990s knows the governor’s signature on the new law is a very big deal."
"The new law gives the Department stronger oversight over health plan mergers and authority to approve, deny or impose conditions on these deals."
"I was running the nation’s leading HIV/AIDS advocacy organization in Washington, DC when, in 1999, I received a call from California Gov. Gray Davis. He and the state Legislature, addressing an uproar from HMO consumers, created a rare new government agency dedicated to defending the rights of those consumers."
Jerry Brown vetoes California bill to expand gun restraining orders
The Chronicle's MELODY GUTIERREZ: "Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have allowed co-workers and school personnel to petition a court to temporarily remove guns from someone they believe poses an immediate danger."
"AB2888 by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, would have expanded the list of people who can ask a court for a gun violence restraining order under a 2016 law, a little-known process under which a judge can bar a person from possessing a gun for as long as a year."
"The law can now be used only by immediate family members, roommates and law enforcement. Under Ting’s bill, teachers, principals, co-workers and employers would have been able to ask for a gun restraining order for people they feared were a threat to themselves or others."
Gas-tax supporters tout report finding fewer potholes in Bay Area
The Chronicle's RACHEL SWAN: "Roads throughout the Bay Area are slowly improving, according to a new report, and officials at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission are crediting an infusion of SB1 gas tax dollars for the gradual upward trend."
"The pothole report released Wednesday by the MTC effectively became a piece of political literature, urging voters not to pass Proposition 6, an initiative to undo the newly enacted 12 cent-per-gallon gas tax hikes in November."
"The report showed the 43,000 lane miles of road throughout the region had an average score of 67 out of 100 on the pavement condition index. That’s roughly the same as last year, though it shows a four-point climb over the past 15 years."
Are you sticking with the gas tax increase? Poll says most California voters now plan to
Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "The recent increase in gasoline and diesel taxes is not particularly popular among California voters, but a campaign to undo those price hikes trails by a wide margin, according to a new poll."
"The Public Policy Institute of California found that slightly more than half of likely voters — 52 percent — oppose Proposition 6, which would reverse the tax increases by requiring voter approval to raise fuel and vehicle license fees, while 39 percent favor the initiative."
"Gov. Jerry Brown and mostly Democratic lawmakers last year passed a transportation funding plan that will provide an estimated $5.2 billion annually for road, highway and bridge repairs, as well as public transit projects, by increasing the excise taxes on gasoline and diesel and creating a new registration fee for cars based on their value."
Ballot measures to repeal gas tax, expand rent control trail in poll
The Chronicle's MELODY GUTIERREZ: "Voters are snubbing two high-profile ballot measures to repeal California’s gas tax increase and expand rent control, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll."
"The poll, released Wednesday, found that 52 percent of likely voters surveyed opposed Proposition 6, which would repeal a 2017 law that raised the gas tax by 12 cents a gallon and increased vehicle registration fees to raise $5.2 billion annually to pay for road repairs, bridge fixes and public-transit improvements. Thirty-nine percent of respondents supported the repeal, and 9 percent were undecided."
"Prop. 6 was trailing in all areas of the state, the poll found. The strongest support for the initiative came from Republicans (50 percent). Several GOP candidates have emphasized their support of the measure, including John Cox, the businessman running for governor against Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom."
Battle over new San Diego stadium throws doubt on public river access
Voice of San Diego's RY RIVARD in Water Deeply: "Not far from the parking lot of the Mission Valley stadium is a fenced-off river, the San Diego River."
"It isn’t always much of a river. Typically, there’s just a few feet of water lurching through the valley on its way out to sea."
"For a long time, the site – its 1.3 million square feet of concrete stadium, its 18,870 parking spaces – blocked off and bottled up the river, which begins in the mountains near Julian and ends in the ocean near Mission Bay."
Investigate hiring of CalPERS CEO, John Chiang says
Sacramento Bee's ADAM ASHTON: "California State Treasurer John Chiang on Wednesday called for an independent investigation into the hiring of CalPERS Chief Executive Officer Marcie Frost to resolve questions about whether she misinformed the $360 billion pension fund when she applied for her job."
"Chiang stressed in announcing his call for an investigation that he has a “favorable opinion” of Frost. He worries, he says, that the questions about Frost will discredit the pension fund if they are not addressed in a manner that restores public trust."
"As state treasurer, Chiang is a member of the CalPERS Board of Administration. He joins CalPERS board member Margaret Brown in calling for an investigation into Frost’s hiring."
Some say NRA is giving California schools 'dirty' money. These students beg to differ
Sacramento Bee's RYAN SABALOW/PHILLIP REESE: "Katie Gibson is a self-described “total nerd” on Woodcreek High School’s speech and debate team, with a keen interest in politics. The 16-year-old junior skews liberal in her political views."
"Yet just about every Wednesday and Sunday this time of year, she’s got a box of shotgun shells in a pouch on her waist, her Browning shotgun pressed to her shoulder, and she’s shooting spinning clay discs out of the sky."
"You see that?” she said one recent evening to a coach after blasting a flying disc into powder. A huge grin split her face under the brim of her cap. Minutes earlier, the coach, Roger Martin, had critiqued her shooting stance, offering tips on foot placement and follow through, not unlike what a coach might say to a student athlete at batting practice or on the driving range."
Rep. Duncan Hunter's campaign denies he implied campaign rival is a radical Muslim
LA Times's MAYA SWEEDLER: "U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, the Alpine Republican fighting charges of misusing campaign funds, appeared to suggest in a speech to a women’s group that his election opponent is a “radical Muslim” and part of an attempt by Islamists to infiltrate the federal government."
"He changed his name from Ammar Yasser Najjar to Ammar Campa-Najjar so he sounds Hispanic,” Hunter said Monday night, according to audio of the event recorded by Ken Stone of the Times of San Diego."
"He just changed it again; he added a Joseph in there,” Hunter can be heard saying on the audio recording. “So his signs could actually say Joseph Campa or, or something. That is how hard, by the way, that the radical Muslims are trying to infiltrate the U.S. government. You had more Islamists run for office this year at the federal level than ever before in U.S. history."
He says ICE beat him to force him to be an informant, or be deported. He wants $750,000
Sacramento Bee's ANITA CHABRIA: "One year ago this week, undocumented immigrant Carlos Alfred Rueda Cruz said he was inside a holding room at the downtown Sacramento Immigration and Customs Enforcement office when federal agents physically attacked him to force him to sign a voluntary deportation order."
"Rueda said the assault came after his refusal to turn in other undocumented people in the Sacramento area in exchange for being allowed to stay in the United States with his wife and three children."
"Wednesday, Rueda stood outside the federal immigration building to announce he has filed a $750,000 claim against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a precursor to a federal lawsuit."
California rent control ballot measure lagging, new poll finds
Sacramento Bee's ANGELA HART: "A November ballot initiative that would allow cities to enact strong rent control across California is widely unpopular, even among renters, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California poll."
"Roughly half of likely voters — 48 percent — oppose Proposition 10, according to the poll — the first conducted on the measure. Just 36 percent are in favor and 16 percent are undecided, the poll found."
"Proposition 10 would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, passed by California lawmakers in 1995 and restore the ability of cities across the state to enact strong rent control laws."
READ MORE related to Homelessness & Housing: Strict rent control has been banned in California for 20 years. Now voters could resurrect it. -- Sacramento Bee's KATY MURPHY/ANGELA HART; Berkeley committee approves amendments to ordinance on group living -- Daily Californian's ALEXANDER TEODORESCU
University of California assets increase, totaling $118.7 billion
Daily Californian's ALEXANDRA CASEY: "The assets of the University of California increased by $8.9 billion over the past year, outpacing its benchmark and totaling $118.7 billion as of June 30, 2018, according to the UC Chief Investment Officer of the Regents Jagdeep Bachher recent’s report."
"The UC cited $2.1 billion in value raised over four years. As of Sept. 1, 2018, it has hired an additional 12 investment professionals to its team since 2014. Each investment professional manages about $4.9 billion, according to a UC Office of the President press release. According to Bachher, the team is working with its partners to create a “culture of collaboration."
"Our returns were solid this year,” said UC Regent Richard Sherman, chair of the Investments Subcommittee, in a press release. “We ended the year with a significant amount of cash, and though it was higher than our long-term allocation target, it effectively acts as a hedge on an equity market."
UC Berkeley alumna creates Pandia Health to increase access to birth control
Daily Californian's MARIAM ZAGUB: "With a goal to prevent all unwanted pregnancies, campus alumna Sophia Yen co-founded an organization called Pandia Health that aims to make access to birth control easier for those who need it."
"Pandia Health is an organization that provides birth control to anyone with internet access and a physical mailbox. The organization says it ships birth control to any address in order to help with confidentiality and accessibility of birth control."
"The idea is no one runs out of birth control on our watch,” Yen said. “What’s unique to our organization is … we are the only women-founded and women-led organization and the only one who has a practicing reproductive health doctor in the space."
As Millennium tower sinks, legal fees keep on rising
The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS: "The final tab for fixing San Francisco’s tilting Millennium Tower is still up in the air, but taxpayers are already on the hook for up to $15.7 million in lawyers fees. And the legal meter is still running."
"That’s money approved for the firm of Jones Day to help fend off claims by developer Millennium Partners and homeowners that construction of the neighboring Transbay Transit Center contributed to the sinking and tilting of the 58-story luxury residential high-rise."
"It’s a lot of money — I’m surprised it is so high,” said Greg Harper, who represents AC Transit on the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, which built and operates the transit center."
UC faculty leaders announce study on whether SAT and ACT tests accurately predict college success
LA Times's TERESA WATANABE: "University of California faculty leaders announced Wednesday they would launch a study aimed at finding out whether SAT and ACT tests accurately predict college success."
"Those who want the nation’s most prestigious public university system to make the standardized tests optional for admissions saw it as a positive sign, though Robert May, the chairman of the UC’s Academic Senate, would not say whether that outcome could result from the review."
OP-ED: Brett Kavanaugh's #MeToo reckoning
LA Times's EDITORIAL BOARD: "Thursday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing will be both dramatic and extraordinary. Barring any unforeseen developments — and God only knows what might happen next — California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford will publicly accuse Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers and Kavanaugh will repeat his fervent denials, while the nation watches on live TV and tries to determine who is telling the truth."
