The State of California

New California laws taking effect in 2024 – NBC 7 San Diego nbcsandiego.com Adonis Albright The year 2024 will introduce many new laws for Californians, including a minimum wage increase, expanded health care coverage and even changes to routine traffic stops by law enforcement. Keep on reading to learn more about some of the new laws: California police can no longer ask this question at a traffic stop Starting Jan. 1, police officers across California will no longer be able to ask, "Do you know why I pulled you over?" It's all part of California Assembly Bill 2773, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September. This means that law enforcement will now have to explain why they pulled someone over, and it also applies to pedestrians. But there's a noteworthy excepti...

California's Economy Shows Danger Signs. Is a Recession Near? sfstandard.com California is ending the year facing a multitude of economic challenges, including a budget deficit, flat tax revenue, sluggish job growth and massive unemployment insurance debt. The state’s  budget surplus turned into a $32 billion deficit  in 2023—a result of its heavy reliance on personal income taxes, which are tied to the ups and downs of the stock market. The governor  revised the budget  in May, shifting money around and delaying spending commitments. In October, the Legislative Analyst’s Office provided an  updated outlook , saying the state could see a $9.5 billion boost in revenue due in part to increased income-tax withholding and an improving stock market. But the office still foresees flat revenue from personal income, corporate and sales taxes for the next three years, and a  projected $68 b...

Did California Just Kill the Gig Economy? - Foundation for Economic Education fee.org Brittany Hunter California may have just passed a death sentence on the gig economy. Late Tuesday night, as many California residents slept in their beds, the state legislature passed a bill that is expected to impact hundreds of thousands of independent contractors across the state. For months now , the state assembly has been debating controversial legislation seeking to redefine how companies classify independent contractors. Directed at the gig economy, which is comprised of mainly contractors, Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) proposed changing the status of workers within the state from freelancers to actual employees—completely changing the model of the burgeoning sector. In 2017, 55 million people, or more than 35 percent of the US workforce, were participants in the gig ec...

California has 11 of largest housing shortages in US, study says – Orange County Register ocregister.com Jonathan Lansner Buzz: California is home to 11 of 25 US metropolitan areas with the largest housing shortages. Source: My trusty spreadsheet reviewed a study of housing underproduction by Up For Growth that looked at construction from 2012 through 2021 for 193 US metropolitan areas – including 23 from California. Topline The Golden State’s high housing costs are often tied to construction failing to keep pace with population and economic growth. Here are the 11 biggest homebuilding deficits in the state, ranked by their shortfall’s share of local housing supply … Ventura County: Home construction has run 12.5% short of local needs (a gap that ranks No. 1 in the US). The deficit translates to the underproduction of 36,161 residential units. Inland Empire: 10.7% short (No. 3 nationally) – or 160,841...

The State Is Serious About Forcing Housing Production in Small Cities | Voice of San Diego voiceofsandiego.org Tigist Layne What We Learned This Year is a reporting series about some of the biggest stories of 2023. Read more here. It’s no secret that California is facing a severe housing shortage.   For years, many cities, especially smaller ones, have gone to great lengths to avoid making way for the housing that’s required by the state. This year, lawmakers and the state attorney general amped up their enforcement of the housing laws cities are required to follow.  During our Politifest live podcast in October, California Attorney General Rob Bonta spoke about his office’s efforts to make sure cities are complying, saying, “the most brazen violators are the priority.” Enter Coronado, Del Mar, Encinitas and even a few cities outside...

Governor Newsom Signs Legislation to Increase Affordable Housing Supply and Strengthen Accountability, Highlights Comprehensive Strategy to Tackle Housing Crisis | California Governor :  gov.ca.gov State of California Governor Newsom has signed 31 affordable housing bills focused on cutting red tape and holding cities accountable for providing their fair share of housing California Comeback Plan’s $22 billion housing and homelessness investment will lead to the creation of over 84,000 new housing units and exits from homelessness Governor announces new Housing Accountability Unit at HCD to support local jurisdictions’ efforts to create housing California Comeback Plan funds new $100 million grant program for low- to moderate-income homeowners to build accessory dwelling units  Administration has advanced $800 million in new or accelerated fund...

California is burning under Gavin’s leadership (Opinion) | TahoeDailyTribune.com tahoedailytribune.com California is burning under Gavin’s leadership (Opinion) Republican State Senators Brian Dahle and minority leader Brian W. Jones As Governor Newsom prepared to take the national stage on Thursday, California Senate Republicans take offense that he continues to paint a rosy picture of the Golden State. Under his leadership, California is failing as a result of legislative Democrats’ misguided policies and families are feeling the pinch of those bad policies with the high costs of living, public safety concerns, and rampant homelessness.  “Gavin Newsom has no credibility to go on national stage to tout his successes for California,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones ( R-San Diego ). “The Golden State is burning with one crisis after a...

Street View of Property from Carmel Mountain in Feb 2020, before landslide. (google maps) Mudslide in Rancho Peñasquitos Threatens Hilltop Home – NBC 7 San Diego April 9, 2020 6:47 pm “We’ve got a problem,” a Rancho Penasquitos homeowner said when he saw the giant mudslide on the hillside under where his house sits. NBC 7’s Lauren Coronado reports. The story mentions Black Mountain, but must be Carmel Mountain.   San Diego pays $850,000 to 4 families for damage from Rancho Peñasquitos landslide [they sued for $12M] - The San Diego Union-Tribune David Garrick sandiegouniontribune.com SAN DIEGO —  San Diego is paying out $850,000 to four families whose Rancho Peñasquitos properties were damaged by a 2020 landslide the families blame on leaking city water pipes. The payout is far less than the $12 million the families sought when they sued the city in August 2020, four month after the Ap...