Today’s attempt by Democrats to shred the State Constitution will be challenged in court -- In perhaps one of the most brazen political moves in California history, Democrat leadership yesterday unveiled a budget proposal that would shred the California Constitution by raising billions of new taxes without the required two-thirds vote. JON COUPAL in the FlashReport -- 12/18/08
Harder to keep on trucking -- Amid the hype over last week's adoption by the state Air Resources Board of new regulations to curb greenhouse gases, much less attention was given to the ARB's companion action regarding diesel trucks. EDITORIAL in the Orange County Register -- 12/18/08
Reflections from the region: A year of restraint for public officials -- The lesson of 2008 is that we must ensure that federal, state and local governments reform themselves to focus on cost-effectively achieving their fundamental missions of protecting citizens' safety and security. Government shouldn't get distracted by trying to perform numerous minor functions that individuals and private associations can do for themselves. KEVIN HANLEY in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/18/08
Dems' new budget plan adds $9 billion revenue -- State lawmakers are expected to vote today on an $18 billion budget, put forth Wednesday by Democrats, that contains more than $9 billion in added revenue and requires only a simple majority vote of the Legislature to be approved. Matthew Yi in the San Francisco Chronicle Steve Wiegand and Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee Jordan Rau and Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times BRIAN JOSEPH in the Orange County Register JUDY LIN AP Anthony York in Capitol Weekly Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star -- 12/18/08
State crisis halts 2,000 public works projects -- State financial leaders halted funding Wednesday for at least 2,000 public works projects in California, including school construction in every Bay Area county, carpool lanes in Sonoma County and on the Sunol Grade, and affordable housing in San Francisco. Wyatt Buchanan in the San Francisco Chronicle Michael Gardner in the San Diego Union-Trib Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/18/08
State workers have a lot to lose in budget battle -- As California’s seemingly interminable budget crisis grinds on, one of the groups most nervously watching the flow of red ink is the state government workforce, which faces furloughs and layoffs that are likely to exceed the levels of 2003, where by one estimate 25,000 workers received pink slips during the last half of that year. JOHN HOWARD in the Capitol Weekly -- 12/18/08
Q&A: What Dems are doing and what it means to Californians -- How could Democratic legislators and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger raise state revenues by more than $9 billion over the next 18 months when California has a constitutional requirement that new taxes receive a two-thirds legislative vote and Republicans refuse to vote for taxes? The item is in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/18/08
More California Towns Face Bankruptcy -- California may soon have more bankrupt towns on its hands. The city of Vallejo, Calif., gained national attention earlier this year by filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection. Now, two neighbors are fighting to avoid the same fate, as the state's economic crisis spreads. BOBBY WHITE in the Wall Street Journal -- 12/18/08
Calpers Losses Add to a City's Stress -- Pacific Grove, a coastal town south of San Francisco, already faces a budget crisis. Now losses by California's giant pension fund could make the pain worse. RHONDA L. RUNDLE in the Wall Street Journal -- 12/18/08
CalPERS names Stausboll chief executive -- The nation's largest public pension fund has a new leader. Anne Stausboll will be the first female chief executive officer in the 77-year history of the California Public Employees' Retirement System, the fund's board announced Wednesday night. She is to start the job Jan. 12. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
Governor rejoices in redistrict measure's win -- The election day win for Proposition 11 opens the way for long-needed changes in the way California's government is run, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told a jubilant rally of supporters of the redistricting measure Wednesday. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/18/08
After Prop. 11, Gov ponders next move -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, fresh from a successful ballot initiative campaign to create an independent redistricting commission, is considering a laundry list of potential political reforms that include a push to change California’s primary election laws. John Howard in Capitol Weekly -- 12/18/08
The ever-changing world of California public affairs -- California government has changed dramatically over the last 15 years. Everything from term limits to restrictions on political campaign contributions has changed the way the business of politics works. Meanwhile, technological changes have altered the media business and fundamentally changed the way California citizens receive their information. Anthony York in Capitol Weekly -- 12/18/08
More are moving out of California than in -- For a fourth year in a row, residents moving to other states outnumber arrivals from other states, a trend that underscores the sour economy. David Pierson in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
Family Law Task Force getting flak for recruitment, ‘insider’ panelists -- A Task Force created to address alleged widespread problems in the state family courts system is taking flak from the same groups who have been calling for reforms. Malcolm Maclachlan in Capitol Weekly -- 12/18/08
Venture capitalists' 2009 outlook bearish -- Most U.S. venture capitalists expect a rough year in 2009, with slowing investments, declining returns and a stagnant or worsening economy, according to a survey released Wednesday by the National Venture Capital Association. Deborah Gage in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/18/08
Recession study confirms Inland economic freefall -- Inland Southern California's staggering unemployment and foreclosure rates are leading to county and city budget shortfalls, strains on local food banks and increased crime, a statewide report has concluded. BEN GOAD in the Riverside Press -- 12/18/08
Yahoo to purge user data after 90 days -- Yahoo Inc. said Wednesday that it would purge personally identifiable information related to user search queries after 90 days, acquiescing to concerns of privacy advocates and regulators about the amount of data Internet companies collect about consumers. Verne Kopytoff in the San Francisco Chronicle Jessica Guynn in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
People older than 70 1/2 will get mild IRA break -- Congress passed a bill last week that will suspend, for 2009 only, the rule that requires some people to withdraw a certain percentage from their tax-deferred retirement accounts each year. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/18/08
Dissenters in CCPOA grumble over Perata funds -- We hear it all the time from state workers: Our union tosses around political campaign money like it's confetti at a Barack Obama victory speech. This week the cause célèbre among state correctional officers is the $600,000 stiffing they took from (now former) state Sen. Don Perata. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/18/08
Exercise options limited -- The San Diego school district has taken on a state law that eliminates physical education credits from the popular – and some say physically demanding – Junior ROTC and marching band classes. Maureen Magee in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 12/18/08
$5 tolls likely for many Bay Area bridges -- Commuters are likely to face $5 tolls on the Bay Bridge and other state-owned spans - and a possible toll for carpools - in 2010 to raise nearly $1 billion for necessary seismic-safety improvements on the Antioch and Dumbarton bridges, officials said Wednesday. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/18/08
State board backs Novato landfill expansion -- A controversial plan to expand the Redwood Landfill in Novato so that garbage can be trucked in and dumped there was given a thumbs-up this week by the California Integrated Waste Management Board. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/18/08
Debate over Sunrise Powerlink may be near decision -- The California Utilities Commission is scheduled to vote on the renewable energy transmission project, opposed by some environmentalists. Marla Dickerson and Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times Onell R. Soto in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 12/18/08
Developer proposes to demolish Century Plaza hotel -- Michael Rosenfeld, who bought the property for $366.5 million last May, calls for razing the 19-story arc-shaped hotel and erecting two 50-story towers in its place. Roger Vincent and Martha Groves in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
Sack single-use bags for today -- A campaign that started last year to get rid of plastic sacks in Los Angeles County has ballooned into today's statewide effort dubbed Day Without a Bag. Mike Lee in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 12/18/08
Medicare's refusal to pay could end Sutter heart transplants -- In a move that could kill the region's only heart transplant program, federal Medicare officials have notified Sutter Memorial Hospital that it will not pay for heart transplants there after Jan. 15. Carrie Peyton Dahlberg in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/18/08
Broad Foundation donates $25 million for stem cell research -- UC San Francisco will build a state-of-the-art laboratory that will bring together some of the world's leading scientists in the field. Richard C. Paddock in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
L.A. council tightens gun, ammunition laws -- The move is intended to help reduce the city's gun and gang violence, but an NRA lawyer says a lawsuit is likely. Maeve Reston in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
Bay Area food banks struggle to meet need -- Unlike many Bay Area businesses, John Muir Health in Walnut Creek has not been plagued by layoffs, cutbacks or wage freezes the past year. But that didn't stop the hospital's 6,100 employees from feeling the wrath of the economic downturn. Carolyn Jones in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/18/08
Los Angeles County shelters brim with families -- Vouchers for motel rooms are growing scarce as bad economy, bad weather take their toll. At the Union Rescue Mission downtown, mothers with children tell how they cope with their circumstances. Jessica Garrison in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
Initiative will assist struggling charities -- Two of San Diego County's best-known nonprofits are teaming up to support struggling charities through the recession, and they plan to ask the region's top donors to contribute up to $5 million for the effort. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 12/18/08
Fresh pact to make GGNRA more accessible -- Advocates who claimed the disabled are excluded from vital locations in Bay Area national parks - including trails, campgrounds, visitor centers and restrooms - announced an agreement with the government Wednesday on a plan to make 75,000 acres of federally managed lands more user-friendly. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/18/08
Hotel room assessment to help fix the Moscone -- Beginning Jan. 1, guests at San Francisco hotels will find a little something extra in their bill at checkout: a new assessment. With the extra money, the city plans to make major renovations and improvements to the Moscone Center and ramp up its marketing efforts around the world. George Raine in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/18/08
Wiretaps record alleged bribery at SK Foods -- When Randall Rahal talked on the phone between June 4, 2007, and April 23, 2008, the FBI was listening. Denny Walsh in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/18/08
South El Monte mayor makes no promises on heeding curfew -- Blanca Figueroa's City Council colleagues voted Dec. 9 to ban workers from City Hall after 11 p.m. They contend that the mayor's been living at the office. Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
Los Angeles council OKs $74 million in midyear budget cuts -- The reductions are spread across many departments, but officials predicted little impact on city services. A $17-million shortfall remains. The mayor vows not to halt his police buildup plan. Maeve Reston in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
Getty's endowment falls 25% -- Even the Getty Trust, the world's richest arts institution, is hurting in today's bleak economy. Diane Haithman in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/18/08
Anti-war activists hold shoe-in at Marine recruiting station to show solidarity with Iraqi journalist -- CodePINK anti-war activists marched in front of the U.S. Marine recruiting station in Berkeley on Wednesday to support an Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush on Sunday. The item is in the Oakland Tribune -- 12/18/08
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