California GOP lawmakers use budget as leverage to refight old battles With their votes needed for a spending plan, Republicans press for delaying or rolling back rules on overtime pay and diesel pollution, a move they say would aid the economy. The economy is nose-diving. Unemployment rages. A yawning budget hole looms. In these gloomy times, statehouse Republicans see a chance to spur California renewal by refighting a few past defeats.
Delay of tax refunds and payments adds to Californians' struggles As state withholds $3.5 billion, people and businesses scramble to fill gaps. Vendors, Cal Grants, child care services and programs for the developmentally disabled are among those affected.By Patrick McGreevy and Jordan Rau Reporting from Sacramento -- Wendy Hansen, a 52-year-old single mom in Monrovia, says she cannot afford a delay in her anticipated state income tax refund of $1,800.
National park backers call for creation of a service corps similar to the Depression-era CCCThe Civilian Conservation Corps put millions to work and left a lasting imprint on Yosemite and other parks. The economy was a shambles. Millions of Americans were out of work. Saying something drastic needed to be done, the newly elected president announced a massive economic stimulus package aimed at repairing the nation's sagging infrastructure and putting people back to work.
A Villaraigosa-Weiss-Greuel troika would consolidate power at L.A. City Hall L.A. mayor and his closest allies are running for the top three citywide offices on the March 3 ballot. Some say a triple win would decrease infighting; critics fear a lack of checks and balances. For the last four years, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and two of his closest allies on the Los Angeles City Council have seen their political fortunes follow a steady upward trajectory.
Mormon church reveals deeper involvement in Proposition 8 The Mormon church has revealed in a campaign filing that the church spent nearly $190,000 to help pass Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that banned gay marriage in California.
Gay rights activists heading to boot camp in bid to overturn Proposition 8 Cleve Jones extended his microphone in the upscale bar as though handing a baton to the next generation.
Calif. leaders still searching for budget deal Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders won't meet again until Monday as they search for a $42 billion solution to the state's budget woes.
Calif. county considers declaring fiscal emergency Kern County supervisors are considering declaring a fiscal emergency as they try to cut $75 million from their budget before July 1.
$58 million in Calif. stem cell grants delayed The governing board of the California stem cell agency is delaying $58 million in research grants at least until March because of the poor economy and credit market.
Dan Walters: California spending cap could seal deal on budget California's horrendous budget crisis has its roots in a 1978 decision by then-Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature to temporarily shoulder billions of dollars in school and local government costs in response to voters' passage of Proposition 13, which deeply slashed local property taxes.
Here's our outline for fixing budgetCalifornians are often accused of state budget hypocrisy – wanting it all but being unwilling to pay for it.
Governor to top officials: Furlough workers Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told statewide elected officials Friday that a court ruling this week allowing him to furlough state workers two days a month to help ease the state's fiscal crisis applies to their employees, too.
Californians could soon be paying more to drive, take transit When Kent Lue opened up the DMV renewal notice for his 2004 BMW motorcycle two weeks ago, he was in for a surprise. The cost had jumped from $92 to $101.
Outrageous budget fiasco has shamed California The once great state of California today becomes a national disgrace.
Bay Area lawmakers stay On a recent night at her Capitol office, Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, D-Alamo, spent until 2 a.m. answering 150 e-mails from constituents worried about the state's fiscal crisis. That was after she'd hand-signed 500 letters she'd written about the budget.
Time for state lawmakers to solve budget messIt's time for California's lawmakers to end partisan bickering and solve the budget mess -- nowTODAY, California has become a national embarrassment. We have become the poster child for dysfunctional government.
UC regents to vote on admission standards The most sweeping overhaul of the University of California's undergraduate admissions rules in a half-century will go before regents for a vote Wednesday amid fresh skepticism of the plan.
Shortfall's effects on state soon to be seen Today in California, February comes in like a miserly lion.
$8 billion fix ill-conceived Prison plan lacks proper reviewThere's little question a federal judge was correct in ruling that California's prison healthcare system needs improvement.
Prison posturing? California officials need to match actions to words if they want to convince the federal courts to return control of prison health care to the state. The courts would be far more likely to grant that request if the governor and Legislature would enact long-needed reforms to the state's prison system.
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