California

Governor signs anti-sprawl bill

Editor2 — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:30:37 -0500

By Kevin Yamamura

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a landmark bill Tuesday to discourage sprawl in future decades, completing a deal among environmentalists, homebuilders and local governments on the final day of bill signing.

Senate Bill 375, by Democratic Sen. Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento, will push California communities to consider climate change impacts of development in regional planning, with an emphasis on reducing car travel.

The Hidden Tenant Impacts of Proposition 6

Editor2 — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:00:19 -0500

By Dean Preston

Proposition 6 on the November ballot—characterized by proponents as a “comprehensive anti-gang and crime reduction measure”—is an ill-conceived statewide measure with hidden provisions that hurt California tenants.

Buried in the complex language of Prop 6 are provisions that take aim at tenants with Section 8 vouchers, as well as other provisions that target tenants who live at properties where the government undertakes anti-gang enforcement efforts.

Who Gets to Attend College?

Editor2 — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:19:51 -0500

By Tram Nguyen

California is one of the top three states with the most segregated schools for Black and Latino students. Tram Nguyen is a freelance writer and former executive editor of Colorlines.

GROWING UP IN BOYLE HEIGHTS, a working class neighborhood of East Los Angeles, Nancy Meza figured out early on that the school system wasn’t working for many of her friends and family. Both her older brothers went from being honors students in middle school to dropping out in high school. One brother, who was put in woodshop two years in a row, eventually started ditching and never came back.

Film: Mo' Money by California Reinvestment Coalition

Editor2 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:12:14 -0500

The California Reinvestment Coalition released a short documentary about the foreclosure crisis that continues to destroy the dreams of California families and threaten the stability of small businesses, city governments and neighborhoods.

UFW: Boycott Trader Joe's Wine!

Editor2 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:21:55 -0500

A farmworker, Maria Isabel Jimenez, recently died in of dehydration and heatstroke while picking grapes for a company co-owned by the same person who owns Charles Shaw Winery, which produces what is popularly known as "Two Buck Chuck", exclusively sold at Trader Joe's. Neither Charles Shaw nor Trader Joe's is willing to accept any responsibility for what happened.

AB1333: Statewide Bill to Keep Utilities on for Tenants

Editor2 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:15:19 -0500

Assemblymember Loni Hancock authored AB 1333, a bill that will require legal owners of foreclosed properties to pay for utility services and give EBMUD authority to use liens to collect unpaid water bills. The bill has passed the Senate and is on its way to the Assembly.

On Tuesday, August 5 Kim Isaac-Ray testified at the Assembly Judiciary Committee to the story of how Countrywide tried to evict her after foreclosing on the home she rents. When illegal eviction notices didn't work, Countrywide neglected to pay the EBMUD Bill, sparking JCO's involvement in pushing for policy to keep water on for tenants in foreclosed properties.

Governor Schwarzenegger Will Have Opportunity to Protect Tenants in Foreclosed Properties

Editor2 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

By Zack Kaldveer,Consumer Federation of California

The Consumer Federation of California (CFC) strongly urges Governor Schwarzenegger to sign AB 1333 (Hancock) - a bill that will protect tenants in foreclosed properties and help keep families in their homes.

Study finds congestion pricing doesn't hurt the poor

Editor2 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Steve Hymon

One of the long-held arguments against congestion pricing or toll lanes is that they're not fair to low-income users. The tolls are the same for everybody and low-income earners get hit the hardest, so goes that line of thinking.

In fact, pretty much every politician I spoke to in the San Gabriel Valley has raised that point when talking about the proposal to convert the carpool lane on the 10 and possibly the 210 freeways into toll lanes.

Two local academics have concluded otherwise: tolls are a pretty fair way of raising money to build road capacity. In fact, they say, it's fairer than most other funding schemes.

State unemployment hits 7.3% in July

Editor2 — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer

(08-15) 11:12 PDT SACRAMENTO -- California's economic slide gained momentum in July when the unemployment rate reached 7.3 percent, up from 7 percent in June and nearly two percentage points greater than it was one year ago, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday.

There were 1,352,000 unemployed people in California last month - 70,000 more than in June and up by 374,000 compared with July 2007.

Unemployment combined with the rate of inflation creates what economist Stephen Levy calls the Misery Index. That index topped 12 percent in July, the highest level in 15 years.

Bill Approved to Ease Bay Area Traffic, Reduce Auto Pollution

Editor2 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Yee’s legislation would enact $1 vehicle fee to improve freeways

SACRAMENTO – The California State Assembly today approved legislation authored by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) to reduce traffic congestion and auto pollution in the Bay Area. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Los Angeles) will have until September 30 to sign or veto the measure.