Wednesday March 10, 2010

California Political News

Law on lawyers' fees could help city ... or hurt

San Clemente is looking at updating a local law to force the losing party in a code-enforcement action to pay lawyers' fees. Local officials say they aren't worried that it might cost San Clemente taxpayers money if the city loses a case. "I don't...

Wednesday March 10, 2010 3:59PM | ocregister.com Bookmark and Share

Unemployment benefits for ex-Rosemead councilman anger lawmakers

John Nunez was paid $11,250 after he lost a reelection bid in March 2009. Two state senators have proposed legislation to ensure officials ousted by voters can`t qualify for unemployment. Alarmed that a Rosemead city councilman collected unemployment benefits after he was ousted by voters, state lawmaker ...

Wednesday March 10, 2010 8:00AM | latimes.com Bookmark and Share

Schwarzenegger orders change in parole file policy

The governor wants documents on paroled sex offenders maintained indefinitely. The change was made after a lawmaker sought the file of a suspect in the Chelsea King case. It had been destroyed. State prison officials, drawing fire for destroying the parole file of a man under scrutiny in the disappearances ...

Wednesday March 10, 2010 8:00AM | latimes.com Bookmark and Share

Governor tells state officials to stop shredding sex offender files

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered state corrections officials Tuesday to stop destroying sex offenders` parole files and to make as much of their contents public as possible. The move follows the arrest of a paroled sex offender accused of killing a 17-year-old girl near San Diego last month and under investigation in the death of a 14-year-old who disappeared in the same area more than a ...

Wednesday March 10, 2010 8:00AM | sacbee.com Bookmark and Share

California Assembly hearing to look at rescinded health insurance issue

Just a small fraction of the thousands of consumers whose health coverage was unfairly revoked by their insurers have benefited from state-brokered settlements with insurance companies, according to an Assembly report made public Tuesday. Today, an Assembly watchdog committee is expected to question officials from the Department of Insurance and the Managed Health Care Department. Both age ...

Wednesday March 10, 2010 8:00AM | sacbee.com Bookmark and Share

The Buzz: Bill Leonard, Barbara Alby move up

Bill Leonard will leave the Board of Equalization to be secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency. His chief deputy will complete his BOE term.Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday named Board of Equalization member Bill Leonard as secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency. Leonard takes charge of an agency that`s seen its share of trouble in recent months, including a ...

Wednesday March 10, 2010 8:00AM | sacbee.com Bookmark and Share

Schwarzenegger wants more drilling, less greenhouse gas

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tusday simultaneously defended the state`s greenhouse gas reduction law and repeated his support of expanded oil drilling off the Santa Barbara coast. On Monday, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst`s Office concluded that AB 32, the landmark 2006 law that mandates cuts in greenhouse gas emissions would cost the state jobs in the near term, and have uncer ...

Wednesday March 10, 2010 8:00AM | sacbee.com Bookmark and Share

California global warming law may lead to job losses, report says

The state`s nonpartisan legislative analyst`s office says the losses could occur in the short term. State Sen. David Cogdill uses the report to criticize climate regulation. Debate over the economic effects of California`s first-in-the-nation global warming law flared this week, with a report say ...

Wednesday March 10, 2010 8:00AM | latimes.com Bookmark and Share

San Jose Police Chief Rob Davis finalist for chief job in Dallas

Davis is one of six finalists for the 3,600-officer department, the Dallas city manager disclosed in a memo sent to the Dallas City Council this week.

Wednesday March 10, 2010 4:35AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

New national math, English standards drafted

Math and English instruction in the United States moved a step closer to uniform — and more rigorous — standards today as draft new national guidelines were released.

Wednesday March 10, 2010 4:00AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

Massa investigated for allegedly groping staffers

WASHINGTON — Not long after Eric Massa joined Congress in January 2009, several male staff members began to feel uncomfortable with the sexually loaded language their boss routinely used, according to accounts relayed to the House ethics committee.

Wednesday March 10, 2010 3:39AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

Parliamentary hurdle could thwart latest health care overhaul strategy

WASHINGTON — The White House and Democratic congressional leaders said Tuesday that they were bracing for a key procedural ruling that could complicate their effort to approve major health care legislation, by requiring President Barack Obama to sign the bill into law before Congress could

Wednesday March 10, 2010 2:56AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

Poll: Public wants elusive accord on health

WASHINGTON — Americans and their lawmakers are dramatically out of sync on health care, with large majorities of people looking for bipartisan cooperation that`s nowhere in sight.

Wednesday March 10, 2010 2:50AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

Santa Clara Valley Water District could lose $70 Million if land owners reject groundwater fee

The agency, which provides drinking water to 1.8 million people, has started a mail-in process for property owners to approve or reject its controversial 'pump tax,' with a tally due April 27

Wednesday March 10, 2010 2:32AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

San Jose council agrees to levy fee on affordable housing developers

Official seek to balance need for more parks with need for low-cost housing.

Wednesday March 10, 2010 2:25AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

San Jose council votes to put gambling expansion on the ballot

If voters OK, clubs could add tables, loosen restrictions in exchange for more tax revenue for cash-strapped city

Wednesday March 10, 2010 2:08AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

Pennsylvania woman accused of recruiting jihadists online

PHILADELPHIA — A suburban woman "desperate to do something" to help suffering Muslims has been accused of using the Internet to recruit jihadist fighters and help terrorists overseas, even agreeing to move to Europe to try to kill a Swedish artist, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Wednesday March 10, 2010 2:07AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

Tom Campbell letter stokes controversy over ties to jihadist

A letter the former congressman penned in 2002 defending a man who later pleaded guilty to aiding terrorists is hurting his bid for U.S. Senate.

Wednesday March 10, 2010 2:01AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

Israel announces 1,600 new homes

New York Times JERUSALEM — Hours after Vice President Joe Biden vowed unyielding American support for Israel`s security Tuesday, Israel`s Interior Ministry announced 1,600 new housing units for Jews in East Jerusalem, prompting Biden to condemn the move as "precisely the kind of step that

Wednesday March 10, 2010 1:55AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

Pakistanis who refused airport screening in D.C. are hailed at home

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A tour of the United States arranged by the State Department to improve ties to Pakistani legislators ended in a public relations fiasco when the members of the group refused to submit to extra airport screening in Washington, and they are now being hailed as heroes on

Wednesday March 10, 2010 1:16AM | mercurynews.com Bookmark and Share

More Stories

Political Blog Zone

Political Policy Maker Blog

Political Pundits Blog