California voters have resoundingly approved tens of billions of dollars in state school construction bonds over the last two decades. But a new survey suggests that voters have yet to similarly warm up to the latest and heftiest proposal to come before them: a $15 billion state bond for public schools, community colleges...
Brand New Sales Tax Idea for Funding Fresno's Big Needs
Fresno Mayor Lee Brand rolled out his early idea for a new sales tax in an interview Tuesday with GV Wire. Though he didn't name it such, you might call it "Triple-P" — a 0.75% hike on the November 2020 ballot raising about $69 million annually for public safety, parks,...
Conservatives Clap Back Against California in Court — Twice
It was a busy Tuesday for GOP-affiliated courtroom battles against the state of California. In the morning, conservatives sued the state claiming it was failing to “ensure that non-citizens are never placed on the voter rolls.” In the afternoon, they scored an early, anticipated victory to block a new state law that...
Juul Stops Funding San Francisco Vaping Measure
SAN FRANCISCO — Juul Labs Inc. announced Monday that it will stop supporting a ballot measure to overturn an anti-vaping law in San Francisco, effectively killing the campaign. The nation’s largest maker of e-cigarettes said it will end its support for Proposition C after donating nearly $19 million. It was...
Assembly Approves Sending Parolee Voting Measure to Ballot
SACRAMENTO — The California Assembly on Thursday narrowly approved putting a measure on the ballot next year that would let tens of thousands of parolees vote in future elections. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and other advocates say ending the ban on voting would help nearly 50,000 felons adjust...
Looking Ahead, Democrats Jockey to be Pelosi’s Heir Apparent
WASHINGTON — As Nancy Pelosi moves closer to securing the votes to become House speaker, the stage is being set down-ballot for the next generation of leaders jockeying to be the Democrats' heirs apparent. Pelosi's return to the speaker's office is not a lock. One more newly-elected Democrat, Gil Cisneros...
State Supreme Court Blocks 3 Californias Vote
SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court blocked a measure Wednesday that would divide the state in three from appearing on the November ballot. The justices ordered the secretary of state not to put the ballot initiative before voters, saying significant questions have been raised about its validity. The court now...
Fresno for Parks Submits Signatures. But Is Compromise in the Works?
Moments before submitting signatures to the city clerk, advocates for a sales tax to benefit parks were one short of a nice round number. In order to achieve it, they even asked a cameraman covering the occasion if he was a registered Fresno voter. Absent that, Fresno for Parks turned...
Parks & Public Safety Advocates Work Behind Scenes on Sales Tax
In what one City Hall insider described as a game of chicken, two sides advancing sales tax plans are attempting to work out a deal. Multiple sources tell GV Wire that Fresno for Parks, the Ashley Swearengin-led group advocating for a 3/8ths of a cent sales tax plan, has met...
Will You Get To Vote on 3 Californias? Maybe Not.
SACRAMENTO — Opponents of an initiative to split California into three states asked the state Supreme Court to pull the measure from the ballot, arguing it's too drastic a change to state government to go through the normal initiative process. A lawsuit filed Monday by the Planning and Conservation League...