Backlash to GOP’s AQMD takeover accelerates
. Democratic politicians and environmental groups are scrambling to reverse decisions made by the South Coast Air Quality Management District board, which is now controlled by Republicans for the first time in memory. The agency oversees air pollution control reduction efforts for Orange County and the heavily populated urban areas of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside […]
Affordable housing may be limited by new state environmental rules
. A new rule designed to promote urban development and curb both car usage and greenhouse gas emissions may end up making cities less affordable and more congested, critics say. The rule would modify how traffic is evaluated during a critical phase for planning for building developments, shifting the focus from traffic congestion to the […]
Another year of CA water restrictions likely
After a sunny February, the hopes that El Nino storms would go a long way toward restoring California’s water supplies and relieving the damage done by years of drought are now fading. Instead, the new assumption is that in April, the state government will renew strict rules mandating water conservation in local water districts for […]
Ballot initiative pits water against high-speed rail
. What’s more important: High-speed rail or water? Proponents of a proposed ballot measure would force voters to choose just that. The measure would redirect $8 billion in unsold high-speed rail bonds and $2.7 billion from the 2014 water bond to fund new water storage projects, while restructuring the oversight of those projects and prioritizing water usage […]
Covered CA draws state and industry fire
By James Poulos . Struggling to prove that it has stabilized its business model, Covered California rebuffed criticism from industry leaders burned by their Obamacare experience, while a new state report called the exchange’s own practices and plans into question. Most recently, Covered California fired back at charges that it shared responsibility for hundreds of millions in losses incurred […]
CA still struggling with unfunded liabilities
. Despite a concerted effort from Gov. Jerry Brown to keep California from slipping back into the financial abyss, the state’s finances remain threatened by massive unfunded obligations. “It’s California’s debt and liabilities that are concerning financial analysts, particularly the state’s rapidly growing unfunded retiree health care costs, which grew more than 80 percent over the […]
