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Articles Tagged With ‘California’




State lawmakers travel data kept secret

Written on 17 Mar, 2010 in Daily Briefs | No comments

California taxpayers spent $2 million on plane travel for their elected representatives during a recent 2 1/2 year-period, but the Legislature in Sacramento won’t disclose the destinations or produce proof that the trips were really official state business. The reason... (Continue reading)

State’s prison population down for third straight year

Written on 17 Mar, 2010 in Daily Briefs | No comments

California’s inmate population dropped in 2009 for the third straight year, according to a new study by the Pew Center on the States. [Los Angeles Times] There was an overall drop of 4,257 inmates last year–relatively small according to experts.... (Continue reading)

New Assembly leader doles out staff raises

Written on 15 Mar, 2010 in Daily Briefs | 4 comments

New state Assembly Speaker John Perez has been very generous with staff raises since assuming office March 1. [San Francisco Chronicle] The Los Angeles Democrat boosted pay for eight of his staff members the day he was sworn in. Most... (Continue reading)

One in four Californians lack health insurance

Written on 15 Mar, 2010 in Daily Briefs | 4 comments

Nearly one in four Californians under age 65 had no health insurance in 2009, according to a new report by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. [Los Angeles Times] California’s uninsured population jumped to 8.2 million last year, up... (Continue reading)

Special interests spend $1 billion in California

Written on 11 Mar, 2010 in Daily Briefs | 5 comments

A new analysis by the Fair Political Practices Committee indicates that special interests have dropped approximately $1 billion on electioneering in California this last decade. [Contra Costa Times] Labor unions, Indian tribes, and pharmaceutical companies have contributed the most money... (Continue reading)

Californians smoke 16 million ounces of pot a year

Written on 11 Mar, 2010 in Daily Briefs | 24 comments

Here’s something that might keep Sheriff Pat Hedges awake at night: A new state report indicates that Californians smoke 16 million ounces of pot a year–that’s just less than one half-ounce a person for every resident in the state. [Sacramento... (Continue reading)

PG&E spending millions on Prop 16

Written on 10 Mar, 2010 in Daily Briefs | 2 comments

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has already spent $15.5 million of its own money supporting Proposition 16 on the June ballot–and the utility may just spend another $10-$20 million before the election. [Capitol Weekly] Prop 16, which PG&E is pushing,... (Continue reading)

Conservative calls for Ashburn to resign

Written on 9 Mar, 2010 in Daily Briefs | 3 comments

Republican state Senator Roy Ashburn admitted in a radio interview on Monday that he is gay. Now one of the state’s most ardent conservatives is calling for him to resign. [Capitol Weekly] Randy Thommason, president of SaveCalifornia.com, wants Ashburn to... (Continue reading)

Ashburn admits to being gay

Written on 8 Mar, 2010 in Uncovered SLO | 37 comments

Republican state Senator Roy Ashburn admitted on a Bakersfield talk radio show Monday morning that he is gay. [Huffington Post] On the Inga Barks talk show, Ashburn said, “I’m gay. Those are the words that have been difficult for me... (Continue reading)

Green Party fading in California

Written on 8 Mar, 2010 in Daily Briefs | 2 comments

The California Green Party seems to be fading as a political movement. During the last five years, the number of registered “Greens” in California has shrunk from 158,000 to 111,000. [San Jose Mercury News] Even more telling was the anemic... (Continue reading)