Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Brown will ask U.S. to end oversight of California prisons - Officials say receivership has become a government unto itself. Overseer says such action would prolong unnecessary deaths and suffering among inmates.By Michael Rothfeld Reporting from Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown will ask a federal judge today to end court oversight of healthcare in California prisons and return the inmate medical system to the state's control.
California health insurers discriminate against women, lawsuit contends - San Francisco's city attorney sues state regulators, saying they approved a system that allows the insurance companies to use 'gender rating' when pricing individual policies.By Nathan Olivarez-Giles California insurers are discriminating against women, charging them more for individual health insurance than men, the city of San Francisco maintained in a lawsuit filed Tuesday against the state regulators who govern them.
School can expel lesbian students, court rules - An appeals panel finds California Lutheran High School in Riverside County is not a business and therefore doesn't have to comply with a state law barring discrimination based on sexual orientation.By Maura Dolan Reporting from San Francisco -- After a Lutheran school expelled two 16-year-old girls for having "a bond of intimacy" that was "characteristic of a lesbian relationship," the girls sued, contending the school had violated a state anti-discrimination law.
Leaders of healthcare workers union are relieved of duty - Officers of the United Healthcare Workers West are replaced by two executive vice presidents of its umbrella organization, the Service Employees International Union. The two groups have been fighting By Evelyn Larrubia The leaders of an Oakland union were removed from office Tuesday by their Washington bosses, the culmination of months of fighting over who will represent tens of thousands of home health aides.
Emergency room doctors sue state of California - The class-action suit alleges that the system -- which received a failing grade in access to care -- is on the edge of a breakdown unless more funds are obtained.By Kimi Yoshino Frustrated emergency room doctors filed a class-action lawsuit against the state Tuesday, saying that California's overstretched emergency healthcare system -- which ranks last in the country for emergency care access -- is on the verge of collapse unless more funding is provided.
California home foreclosures top 236,000 in 2008 - The number of homes lost last year is up 180% from 2007. Rising unemployment is exacerbating the trend.By William Heisel More than 236,000 homes were lost to foreclosure in California last year, topping the previous nine years combined, data released Tuesday show. And the number of borrowers who defaulted on their payments hit a record high of more than 404,000.
State leaders say federal stimulus will ease deficit crisis, not solve - California stands to receive possibly as much as $14 billion in direct budget relief from the federal stimulus plan, which the House is to consider today.
CSU got record donations in 2007-2008 school year - The California State University system received record donations during the 2007-2008 school year, according to the CSU annual report on external support.
Furlough clash heats up -Sacramento Superior Court Judge Patrick Marlette on Thursday will hear oral arguments in labor unions' challenge of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's move to furlough state employees two days a month beginning Feb. 6. Marlette has received written briefs and could issue a tentative ruling before Thursday.
Downturn in foreclosures may be short-lived - A year that will be long remembered for financial earthquakes and trouble for homeowners ended with a surprise.
Modestly priced wines boost California industry - The California wine industry enjoyed a boost from below last year.
The Buzz - Mental health advocates spoke out Tuesday against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to redirect Proposition 63 funds that go to counties for mental health services to help close the state's budget shortfall. "The governor's FY 2009-10 budget proposal amounts to a misguided attack on people living with mental illness who literally have no other option for services and shelter," said Patricia Ryan, executive director of the California Mental Health Directors Association. Schwarzenegger has said he has few easy cost-cutting options given the state's $40 billion budget shortfall.
Capitol Alert: Controller to tax board: Stop sending new refund claims - State Controller John Chiang told California's Franchise Tax Board on Tuesday to stop sending his office tax refund claims.
Capitol Alert: Nehring weighs in on 50-state strategy - Ron Nehring, the chairman of the California Republican Party, is weighing in on the national GOP debate over the future and direction of the party.
Capitol Alert: A new pensions initiative (and blog) -Former San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Ed Mendel has launched a new blog, Calpensions.com, where he will look at the two big public retirement systems in California, CalPERs and CalSTRs.
Capitol Alert: AM Alert: The budget pie -The budget negotiations continue, with yet another Big Five negotiating session scheduled for today.
Emergency doctors sue California over rates. - A coalition of emergency doctors took the state to court Tuesday over low reimbursement rates for Medi-Cal patients.
Dan Walters: Health worker battle stalls California budget action - Early in this decade, California's labor union leaders trumpeted a sharp uptick in membership after years of relative decline.
Daniel Weintraub: Proposed cuts show depth of state crisis - For all the grief Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is taking from the right for proposing to raise taxes, you would think he was a fiscal softy who is willing to let state spending grow out of control. But take a close look at his budget and you might be surprised at the level of spending cuts that would still be required to balance the books – even if the Legislature passes a big tax hike.
Narrow interests top GOP's agenda - If California Republicans hope to shed their reputation as the Scorched Earth Party, they won't do it by gutting environmental rules as a condition for a state budget deal.
State could get $10 billion stimulus school aid - An economic stimulus package working its way through Congress could provide $10 billion in federal relief over the next two years for California's public schools, raising optimism among educators that it might ease cutbacks caused by the state's budget crisis.
Record foreclosures in Bay Area, state in 2008 By Carolyn Said, Chronicle Staff WriterForeclosures and default notices hit new highs for California and the Bay Area in 2008, according to a real estate report released Tuesday.
Secret budget talks don't serve public - When the budget is negotiated in private, the Legislature votes on the unknownIt's good that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says California shouldn't rely on a Washington bailout to solve the state's budget crisis. "We don't want the federal government to fix our problem," the governor proclaimed this week. "We have to fix our problem."
The truth on AB 32 - GOP right to cite flaws that governor ignoredWe strongly oppose some Republican lawmakers' apparent intention to go along with tax hikes in return for a weakening of rules adopted by the state Air Resources Board to force every last resident, business, church, charitable organization and nonprofit group to pay far higher energy bills in the name of fighting climate change.
California could get large share from stimulus package - Legislation could pump $21 billion into state. California is in line to receive more than $21 billion under the stimulus package that President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are pushing to get the economy back on track and pull the country out of the recession.
No Budget: Day 84 -It's been 84 days since the governor called the first special session of the Legislature to address the state's projected $42 billion budget shortfall.
Timm Herdt: A way to stabilize California - Tax panel should look at commercial propertyEver since the tech-stock bubble of the late 1990s ballooned and then burst, there has been a lament in California about the volatility of the state tax system.
Dan Walters: Federal government may bail out California next - The economic stimulus plan being written by President Obama and Congress could cover a third of California's projected budget deficit and give Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state legislators a way out of their political dilemma — but the governor says it would be foolish to count on it.
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