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Local government, public officials, elections, ballot measures and civic decisions.

Stanislaus County to Enforce Steep Fines on Illegal Pot Grows

in Government & Elections

STANISLAUS COUNTY, Calif. —

Starting on Dec. 19, Stanislaus County is cracking down on illegal pot grows by enforcing a $1,000 fine per plant per day, according to Terry Withrow, chairman of the county board of supervisors.

Right now, Withrow said growers only face a maximum $500 fine.

“There was no teeth to our ordinance,” Withrow said. “It was laughable. Like ‘Yeah, shut us down. We’ll be back here again.’”

The hefty fine can add up quickly. For example, Withrow said a cultivation site found with 5,000 illegal marijuana plants would be fined $5 million per day.

“If it’s not substantial, we’re just back to where we were before,” he said. “If we can’t shut down the black market, then the entire permitting process is a joke.”

Continue Reading on KCRA 3

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Does L.a. County’s ‘Overstretched’ Fire Department Need More Money? Voters Will Decide

in Government & Elections

Los Angeles County firefighters on Tuesday won approval to ask voters for more money to help their sprawling department tackle increasingly destructive wildfires and a growing volume of medical calls.

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to place a proposed parcel tax on the March ballot. The tax would apply to residents in the department’s coverage area, which spans 58 cities and the county’s unincorporated areas.

Continue Reading on Los Angeles Times

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‘Explain How Things Got This Bad’: California Congressman Wants PG&E Oversight Hearing

in Government & Elections

A California lawmaker wants to pull PG&E before Congress for an oversight hearing over how the bankrupt company plans to prevent future problems with wildfires.

The request from Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, is the latest in a long stream of blowback toward PG&E from politicians, businesses and the public since the company’s equipment triggered deadly California wildfires in 2017 and 2018.

Democratic presidential candidate and California Sen. Kamala Harris introduced legislation that would ban utilities under bankruptcy, like PG&E, from paying bonuses to executives.

The California Public Utilities Commission unanimously voted Wednesday to investigate PG&E’s massive October blackouts that left millions of Californians without power.

Continue Reading on Sacramento  Bee

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Legislation to Help Stabilize Ag Labor Workforce in Monterey County, Nation Unveiled

in Government & Elections

MONTEREY – Faced with a growing labor crisis, five members of the United States House of Representatives, including Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, unveiled bipartisan legislation that provides a path to legal status for undocumented immigrant farmworkers while strengthening employee verification.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019, which could come up for a vote of the full House by the end of the year, aims to ensure farmers can meet their labor needs well into the future.

“One thing is clear … this bill is a prime example of governing by leadership, bipartisanship, farmers and farmworkers, together in the process, sitting at the table with both sides grinding out the details,” said Rep. Panetta. “Understand the number one issue is the lack of a stable labor workforce. This bill is so important because it protects the existing agricultural workforce while supporting an enduring future workforce.”

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Rep. Josh Harder Slams PG&E For California Blackouts in Floor Speech

in Government & Elections

Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, slammed the utility company PG&E for their widespread blackouts in California while giving executives bonuses in a floor speech on October 23, 2019.

Continue Reading on McClatchy

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California Fire: 500,000 May Lose Power in Another Round of Blackouts

in Government & Elections

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California declared a state of emergency on Sunday, saying the high winds that have been fueling the blazes in the state were “unprecedented” and pleading with people in evacuation zones to flee.

The Kincade fire, the largest of more than a dozen wildfires now active up and down the state, has burned more than 54,298 acres since Wednesday night in Sonoma County, north of San Francisco, and was only 5 percent contained as of Sunday night. Local authorities have ordered more than 180,000 people to evacuate from its path.

“We are deploying every resource available, and are coordinating with numerous agencies as we continue to respond to these fires,” Mr. Newsom said, noting that more than 3,000 firefighters were battling the Kincade fire alone.
Continue Reading on New York Times

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California Shouldn’t Waste Time Appealing Trump Tax Return Ruling

in Government & Elections

There was never a good reason for California to try punishing President Trump by requiring candidates to disclose their income tax returns in order to appear on the primary election ballot. But life in our virtual one-party state meant that a state law was passed anyway to do exactly that. Fortunately, a judge struck it down.

Alex Padilla, California’s secretary of state, is bent on saving the law. So is Gov. Gavin Newsom, who informed a federal court of his intention to file an appeal. Both men should cut it out and focus on the state’s more important business.

Senate Bill 27, introduced by Sens. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg and Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, was similar to a bill vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017.

Continue Reading on The Orange County Register

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Council Approves Apartment Complex

in Government & Elections

Ceres’ first apartment complex in approximately 15 years was approved Monday evening by the Ceres City Council.

The city expects development of the 64-unit apartment complex and adjacent 8,240-square-foot retail commercial building for southwest Ceres to occur in three phases over the next three years. Jaskarn Chahal of Chahal Investments, LLC of Ceres is the applicant.

The council voted 4-0 to approve the project. Mayor Chris Vierra was absent.

Continue Reading on The Ceres Courier

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An Effort to Stop Overnight Jail Releases in California Is Rejected by Gov. Newsom

in Government & Elections

Ten years ago, Mitrice Richardson was released from the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Malibu/Lost Hills Station just after midnight, left to find her way home through a remote area, alone and on foot, with no money or phone.

When her body was located 11 months later, questions were raised about why the Sheriff’s Department let her go at an hour when there were few transportation options available and after she showed signs of a mental health crisis; she had been arrested after failing to pay her bill at a Malibu restaurant and exhibiting what was described as “strange behavior.”

Richardson’s case was one of the first late-night jail releases to draw scrutiny in California. But it wasn’t until another young black woman, Jessica St. Louis, died after leaving an Alameda County jail nine years later that California legislators sought to change a practice critics say is unfair and dangerous.

Continue Reading on Los Angeles Times

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California Supermarket Workers Overwhelmingly Ratify Contract

in Government & Elections

Members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 8-Golden State who work at Albertsons’ Safeway and Vons chains and The Save Mart Cos.’ Save Mart, FoodMaxx and MaxxValue banners in Northern, Central and Southern California have voted overwhelmingly to ratify new labor contracts. The mail-in ballots were counted on Oct. 3-4 at the union’s Roseville and Bakersfield, Calif., offices.

“Our members appreciate the value of their new contracts, which are a model of what can be accomplished through interest-based bargaining,” noted Jacques Loveall, president of Roseville-based UFCW 8-Golden State.

According to the union, the agreements include “meaningful” wage increases for about 14,000 UFCW 8-Golden State members at the five grocery banners. The contracts also guarantee continued funding for benefits, including an additional retirement plan for all members.

Continue Reading on Progressive Grocer

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