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Unique “behested” campaign donations prop up nonprofits, political endeavors in growing numbers

Donations to special interests on behalf of statewide officeholders have grown from $250,000 in 2000 to $4.9 million so far this year, records show. The donations, which can be solicited by the charity or the officeholder, are unlimited and need

Pot farm regulations keep advancing in Legislature

Chris Reed July 16, 2015

A Democratic lawmaker from rural Northern California is finding plenty of support in Sacramento for his push for new state regulations on the growing of medical marijuana. Sen. Mike McGuire of Healdsburg is author of SB643, “The Medical Marijuana Public

CA GOP flexes Sacramento muscle on road repairs

James Poulos July 1, 2015

In a move that handed Sacramento Republicans a sudden share of power, state legislators finally turned their attention to California’s deteriorating infrastructure. In recent years, California’s roadways have fallen into what analysts often agree is terrible shape. “Our streets and highways are in horrible

Financial transparency bill clears CA Assembly

Josephine Djuhana June 4, 2015

Legislation to increase requirements for financial disclosures for government officials passed the state Assembly on Tuesday in a unanimous 66-0 vote. Assembly Bill 10, authored by Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Glendale, modernizes the Form 500 disclosure document in five ways: “Clarify

CA GOP aims for demographic rebound

James Poulos April 28, 2015

Convinced that expanding voter appeal is a make-or-break proposition, leading California Republicans have begun to pivot toward a broad-based demographic strategy meant to rebuild from the ground up. In recent weeks, both the state party and the GOP’s minority caucus in Sacramento

Four bills could wrap charter schools in red tape

John Seiler March 29, 2015

Since their introduction in California 23 years ago, charter schools have grown like kudzu. According to the California Charter Schools Association, the state now boasts 1,184 charter schools, teaching an estimated 547,800 students. Charters are public schools that generally work

State lawmakers’ financial interests now posted online

Steve Miller March 4, 2015

Mike McGuire made over $100,000 in 2014 as a Sonoma County supervisor and another $525 in parting gift certificates as the young Democrat left to take a $95,291-a-year job as a state senator. Richard Pan, a physician, took in just

Silicon Valley’s vanishing middle class

John Seiler February 24, 2015

When you read the biographies of Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and other early Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, one thing to note is their middle-class origins. Jobs’ father, Paul, was a mechanic and carpenter. Wozniak’s father was an engineer. They went to

Assembly GOP Leader Kristin Olsen introduces new stars

John November 14, 2014

2014 was a solid year for California Republicans. In the state Senate, the GOP prevented Democrats from regaining a two-thirds supermajority. And in the Assembly, Republicans defeated three Democratic incumbents, which also reversed a Democratic supermajority. “We unseated sitting Democrats for the

Dems bail out Assemblyman Adam Gray’s re-election

John November 3, 2014

When the FBI began its investigation last year into state Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, one Central Valley Democratic lawmaker wasn’t surprised to get called in for questioning. “Obviously I wasn’t that surprised,” Asemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, a longtime aide to Calderon,