POLICY & POLITICS
The Maddy Institute would like YOUR feedback! Please help us better serve you and our communities by taking a few moments to complete our annual survey.
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Stanislaus County Fair opens Friday. Here’s how it’s different this year as COVID wanes Modesto Bee
Turlock loses another top employee. City tries to fill several leadership positions
Modesto Bee
A top Turlock economic development employee will leave to lead an organization representing local manufacturers this month, marking more turnover for the city seeking to hire more than five leadership positions.
Warning: Proud Boys extremists intend to ramp up right here in Modesto
Modesto Bee
Affiliates of the Proud Boys initially booked the Modesto Elks Lodge for an upcoming lunch with extreme right gubernatorial candidate Daniel Mercuri, to be followed by a street rally in Modesto, according to promotional literature.
Modesto, MID and TID owed more than $16M in past-due utility bills in pandemic
Modesto Bee
It’s not just small businesses, renters and their landlords and nonprofits that have been hurt by the pandemic. Utility providers also have taken a financial hit.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Clovis mayor says letting business ‘regulate themselves’ to continue amid Delta variant Fresno Bee
Clovis CA mayor: city will continue to grow to meet demand
Fresno Bee
Clovis, California, has been one of the fastest growing cities in the state in recent years, and its mayor said this week he doesn’t expect that to slow down.
A mystery no more: We found out what really caused the Fresno airport jet fuel shortage
Fresno Bee
A shortage of labor – most notably, delivery truck drivers – appears to be the underlying reason for shortages of jet fuel that disrupted some flights at Fresno Yosemite International Airport over the past week.
See also:
● Four things to know about FAT: Fuel issues aside, plenty is happening at Fresno airport Fresno Bee
Warszawski: Six months in, Police Chief Paco Balderrama proves he’s a good fit for Fresno
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s new-ish police chief has been on the job for six months. Meaning that according to Paco Balderrama’s own timeline, his tenure has 9 years and 6 months left to go.
Strong magnitude-6 earthquake, more than 100 aftershocks rattle Central California, Sierra
Modesto Bee
An earthquake jolted Central California on Thursday afternoon, shaking up residents of the Sierra Nevada foothills and the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys.
See also:
● Did you feel it? Fresno, Merced and the Valley shaken by Thursday afternoon earthquake Fresno Bee
● Here’s where Thursday’s quake ranks with two memorable temblors felt in Fresno, Valley Fresno Bee
● Earthquake initially centered in Farmington was ‘phantom’ but felt real to residents Modesto Bee
● Sacramento, Central Valley felt earthquake longer and stronger than others. Here’s why Sacramento Bee
Inside one city’s (Fresno’s) multimillion-dollar effort to convert motels into affordable housing
CalMatters
State-funding efforts to shelter unhoused residents in converted motels could be a game-changer for Motel Drive, an area of Fresno that city leaders say has long been overrun by drugs, human trafficking, and prostitution.
See also:
· John Cox discusses Calif's homelessness crisis during stop in Fresno abc30
Yes, that was Gavin Newsom picking up trash on Highway 41 in Fresno. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
California Gov. Gavin Newsom picked up trash along Highway 41 in Fresno on Wednesday as he announced Clean California, a $1.1 billion effort to expand the state’s litter abatement efforts.
Efforts underway to recall five Fresno Unified board trustees
abc30
With the September 14 gubernatorial recall election looming, and several local jurisdiction recall efforts underway in Fresno County, the clerk's office is hard at work.
College of the Sequoias launches career training with ‘Ag Irrigation Academy’
Business Journal
In response to the urgent need for skilled workers who can design, install and maintain new water-saving agriculture irrigation technology, College of the Sequoias (COS) has opened the Ag Irrigation Academy.
Madera County supervisor representing Sierra announces retirement plan, endorses candidate
Fresno Bee
Supervisor Tom Wheeler, the longtime representative for rural District 5 in eastern Madera County, announced this month that he will not be running in next year’s election for a fifth term.
The oldest building in Fresno is being restored — and it just got tagged
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s oldest building — a largely unknown downtown landmark that only recently had its original brickwork uncovered after being hidden behind stucco since the 1960s — was vandalized this week.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Kern County Public Health reports 1 new COVID-19 death, 162 cases KGET
'One more door': Bakersfield Homeless Center debuts 40-bed expansion
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield Homeless Center debuted a new 40-bed expansion Thursday, the latest in a string of projects meant to address homelessness in the city.
Gubernatorial candidate John Cox visits Bakersfield
Bakersfield Californian
He brought an 8-foot-tall ball of trash and a plan, he said, to begin "the California turnaround." Gubernatorial candidate John Cox made a brief stop in Bakersfield on Thursday in his green and red RV emblazoned with the words "Meet the Beast."
Returns on CSUB endowment surpass 30%
Bakersfield Californian
It was a prosperous year for Cal State Bakersfield's endowment as the fund's financial returns closed the fiscal year at a strong 30.41 percent.
New construction near Grapevine highlights surge in local speculative development
Bakersfield Californian
Speculative development is picking up across Kern County's industrial real estate industry, evident most recently in a large warehouse now under construction along Interstate 5 at the Tejon Ranch Commerce Center.
Bakersfield and much of Kern expecting second run of dangerous, excessive heat
Bakersfield Californian
Every summer is hot in the San Joaquin Valley, but days when the temperature exceeds 110 degrees are rare. This summer? Maybe not so rare.
State:
COVID Update:
● Will Delta variant bring new CA restrictions? Newsom says it depends on vaccinations abc30
● ‘The numbers are going up.’ Sacramento COVID-19 activity spiking amid Delta variant concerns Sacramento Bee
● Coronavirus cases in California rise for first time in months as Delta variant spreads Los Angeles Times
● COVID: Delta variant now dominant in California, U.S. Who should worry? Mercury News
● Bay Area COVID deaths plunge to near zero, thanks to high vaccination rates San Francisco Chronicle
● Breakthrough COVID is rare in California CalMatters
● Editorial: New mask mandate at California Capitol is smart. Requiring vaccines would be even better Sacramento Bee
Newsom calls on Californians to cut water use by 15%, expands drought emergency
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded his drought emergency declaration Thursday and called on Californians to reduce water consumption by 15%.
See also:
● Californians asked to reduce water use as Gov. Newsom declares drought emergency in more counties abc30
● Governor asks Californians to voluntarily cut water use Bakersfield Californian
● Newsom asks all Californians to voluntarily reduce water usage by 15% amid drought Los Angeles Times
● Dire drought warning: California says ‘nearly all’ salmon could die in Sacramento River Sacramento Bee
● Opinion: More housing and more drought calls for more thought CalMatters
Gov. Newsom kicks off $1.1-billion statewide cleanup and jobs plan
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday kicked off California’s $1.1-billion plan to clean trash and graffiti from highways, roads and other public spaces, an effort he said will beautify the state and create up to 11,000 jobs.
Some surprises in the handling of this year’s budget
Capitol Weekly
The last two legislative sessions have brought some interesting developments, as well as a recognition of the tremendous work that legislators, staff, and the governor’s administration put into crafting the state’s spending plan each year.
California may move to regulate booming debt settlement industry
CalMatters
A bill aims to create new rules for California’s mostly unregulated debt settlement industry. AB 1405, expected to pass through Senate committees, comes at a time when the industry expects to see a 75% increase in account enrollment.
Addressing California’s Digital Crisis: Open-Access Middle-Mile Network Deployment
CA FWD
Open-access middle-mile networks provide a key means for spurring ISPs to build “last-mile” connections to homes, businesses, schools and libraries. That's a conclusion from a report by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.
California’s unemployment fiasco takes surprising turn: Bank of America wants out CalMatters
Apparently so dysfunctional that Bank of America, which since 2010 has had an exclusive contract with the state to deliver unemployment benefits through prepaid debit cards, wants to end the contract — even though the Employment Development Department just renewed it for another two years.
See also:
● Editorial: A year ago the state’s unemployment agency was a mess. It’s better, but still struggling Los Angeles Times
● California unemployment claims rise, jobs recovery remains uncertain Mercury News
Recall fever strikes California as angry voters take on politicians in large numbers
Los Angeles Times
After nearly 20 years on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, Linda Parks thought her last political campaign was behind her.
See also:
● Walters: Should – and could – Gavin Newsom be recalled? CalMatters
● Skelton: Republican Kevin Faulconer tries to run his recall campaign as a policy wonk Los Angeles Times
● Opinion: The Gavin Newsom Recall Is a Farce New York Times
CA FWD Leadership Council Welcomes New Co-Chair Ashley Swearengin, Thanks Former Co-Chair Pete Weber
CA FWD
This month, we're excited to announce that Ashley Swearengin, the president and CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation and former mayor of Fresno, has become co-chair of the CA FWD Leadership Council as of July 1.
California exodus? Hardly, as study finds little change in desire to exit Golden State
Modesto Bee
A new University of California, San Diego, study shows that the number of Californians desiring to flee the Golden State has remained steady despite the pandemic.
See also:
· California Defies Doom with No. 1 U.S. Economy Bloomberg
Federal:
COVID Update:
● Answers to key questions on the COVID Delta variant: Do vaccines work? Is it more dangerous? Fresno Bee
● Fauci tells unvaccinated to ‘get over’ politics of COVID vaccines as variants spread Modesto Bee
● How many Americans are still social distancing? Poll finds record low for pandemic Modesto Bee
● U.S. Covid-19 Hospitalizations Rise as Delta Variant Spreads Wall Street Journal
Biden Takes Aim at Corporate Consolidation, Big-Business Tactics
Wall Street Journal
President Biden on Friday will sign a broad executive order that aims to promote competitive markets across the U.S. economy and limit corporate dominance that the White House says puts consumers, workers and smaller firms at a disadvantage.
See also:
● Biden takes aim at Big Tech, broadband with sweeping competition order Axios
Childhood Antipoverty Programs Face Narrow Path in Congress
Wall Street Journal
Expansive child antipoverty programs are at the center of Democrats’ work on a massive reconciliation package, but most of the party’s proposals, even from committee chairs and party leaders, are likely to be left on the cutting room floor
Child care, fast internet, and bullet train are part of infrastructure? Sen. Alex Padilla says yes
KCRW
President Biden and House lawmakers are supporting a plan that calls for $579 billion in new spending over five years on things like roads, bridges, and broadband internet. KCRW talks about this with Senator Alex Padilla.
See also:
● Business groups, unions join together on infrastructure plan Business Journal
● What regional leaders want from Biden’s infrastructure bill Brookings
Which States Have Dedicated Broadband Offices, Task Forces, Agencies, or Funds?
PEW
States differ in how they manage broadband deployment and which agencies or offices they task with identifying challenges, charting goals, and encouraging investment. Some states have a centralized office responsible for managing or coordinating broadband efforts.
Democrats bet on early Latino outreach to avoid '20 pitfalls
Bakersfield Californian
On a sweaty recent Thursday afternoon, Alex Berrios is instructing his team on how to get people to register to vote. Extend your hand, he says; it makes folks more likely to stop. Smile a lot, that works, too.
See also:
· Kamala Harris: Democrats will spend more to register voters, amid GOP push to limit voting Los Angeles Times
Chemerinsky: Supreme Court looks to common law for guidance in Fourth Amendment cases
ABAJournal
The Supreme Court decided three cases concerning the Fourth Amendment during the October 2020 term. They shared several characteristics.
Opinion: Thanks to Trump, we have an epidemic of unqualified candidates
Los Angeles Times
One of the most damaging legacies of the Trump presidency may be that it persuaded people with absolutely no qualifications that they could and should run for public office — and that at least some of the time, Americans might be foolish enough to vote for them.
Other:
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, July 25, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “A Conversation with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla” - Guest: U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, (D-CA). Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, July 11, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “How Prepared is California for Natural Disaster, Generally and Forest Fires, in Particular?"- Guests: Christina Curry, Cal OES Deputy Director of Planning, Preparedness and Prevention and Pedro Nava, Chair of California Little Hoover Commission. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Valley's agriculture community preparing for heat wave
abc30
Central California is bracing for a streak of triple-digit days that go above and beyond our typical summer heat.
Waste Not? Some States Are Sending Less Food to Landfills
PEW
At least eight states, all in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic except California, have laws requiring some reprocessing of food waste, to keep it out of landfills and cut down on greenhouse gases, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Warning: Proud Boys extremists intend to ramp up right here in Modesto
Modesto Bee
Affiliates of the Proud Boys initially booked the Modesto Elks Lodge for an upcoming lunch with extreme right gubernatorial candidate Daniel Mercuri, to be followed by a street rally in Modesto, according to promotional literature.
See also:
● BIG VALLEY: California Proud Boys use secretive network to promote 'their white supremacist agenda' -- and go largely unscathed Raw Story
California shifts police shooting probes to State Attorney General
Stockton Record
New protocols announced on Wednesday by California Attorney General Rob Bonta seek to provide more transparency about one of the most emotional and disturbing areas of policing: the fatal shooting of an unarmed civilian.
Public Safety:
Warszawski: Six months in, Police Chief Paco Balderrama proves he’s a good fit for Fresno
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s new-ish police chief has been on the job for six months. Meaning that according to Paco Balderrama’s own timeline, his tenure has 9 years and 6 months left to go.
Fire:
High heat returning to California as wildfires continue
Fresno Bee
Firefighters battled several wildfires in Northern California on Thursday as forecasts called for a new round of dangerously hot and dry weather throughout much of the state.
Remember California Gov. Newsom's 2019 warning for PG&E? Here's what he's done since then.
SFGate
In the fall of 2019, amid widespread PG&E power shutoffs because of fears that wind events could prompt a repeat of the 2017 North Bay fires or the 2018 Camp Fire, California Gov. Gavin Newsom went on a series of public tirades against the utility.
Intelligencer
In 2017, on my way to meet female prison inmates who had been recruited to fight wildfires in California, I drove through Temecula, a region adjacent to the Palomar mountain range that has been dubbed the “Napa of Southern California.”
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
California Defies Doom with No. 1 U.S. Economy
Bloomberg
When misfortunes multiplied during the coronavirus pandemic, observers seized on a four-letter word signaling end of days for the largest state with one-eighth the U.S. population and 14% of its gross domestic product.
What The Rise And Fall Of Lumber Prices Tell Us About The Pandemic Economy
VPR
Lumber prices surged to record highs this year on the back of booming demand from homebuilders and do-it-yourselfers with plenty of time on their hands. The price surge was so big and sudden, it became a symbol of what some economists feared: rampant inflation.
See also:
● Opinion: The US economy’s coming dual crisis: Rising inflation and economic overheating? AEI
Pandemic caused many boomers to retire. What that means for the economy — and everyone else
Los Angeles Times
Even with declining numbers of young Americans entering the job market and the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, U.S. employers were able to count on the last of the baby boomers to prevent labor shortages and soaring wages.
Jobs:
Gov. Newsom kicks off $1.1-billion statewide cleanup and jobs plan
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday kicked off California’s $1.1-billion plan to clean trash and graffiti from highways, roads and other public spaces, an effort he said will beautify the state and create up to 11,000 jobs.
California unemployment claims rise, jobs recovery remains uncertain
Mercury News
California workers filed more unemployment claims last week compared to the prior week, an indication that the state has yet to recover from coronavirus-linked business shutdowns, even after a much-ballyhooed reopening of the sickly statewide economy.
See also:
● Job Openings Are at Record Highs. Why Aren’t Unemployed Americans Filling Them? Wall Street Journal
EDUCATION
K-12:
Efforts underway to recall five Fresno Unified board trustees
abc30
With the September 14 gubernatorial recall election looming, and several local jurisdiction recall efforts underway in Fresno County, the clerk's office is hard at work.
California voters give schools and teachers top grades in year-end survey
EdSource
Despite perceptions of the public’s widespread unhappiness with the slow reopening of schools last spring, most voters surveyed, including parents, gave the highest marks in a decade of polling to the state’s public schools in general and their schools in particular.
See also:
● Opinion: How to improve teaching after the pandemic AEI
Washington Post
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines for schools Friday that give students who have been vaccinated the option of going maskless this fall while their classmates who have not had shots continue to wear face coverings.
Schools Face Unfamiliar Quandary: How Should We Spend All This Money?
Wall Street Journal
This summer, school-district administrators are asking their communities to ponder an unusual question: What do we do with all of this money?
Higher Ed:
College of the Sequoias launches career training with ‘Ag Irrigation Academy’
Business Journal
In response to the urgent need for skilled workers who can design, install and maintain new water-saving agriculture irrigation technology, College of the Sequoias (COS) has opened the Ag Irrigation Academy.
Returns on CSUB endowment surpass 30%
Bakersfield Californian
It was a prosperous year for Cal State Bakersfield's endowment as the fund's financial returns closed the fiscal year at a strong 30.41 percent.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Bakersfield and much of Kern expecting second run of dangerous, excessive heat
Bakersfield Californian
Every summer is hot in the San Joaquin Valley, but days when the temperature exceeds 110 degrees are rare. This summer? Maybe not so rare.
See also:
● California heat wave: Just how hot is it going to get in Modesto this weekend? Modesto Bee
● California Braces for Dangerous Weekend of Record-Setting Heat New York Times
Strong magnitude-6 earthquake, more than 100 aftershocks rattle Central California, Sierra
Modesto Bee
An earthquake jolted Central California on Thursday afternoon, shaking up residents of the Sierra Nevada foothills and the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys.
See also:
● Did you feel it? Fresno, Merced and the Valley shaken by Thursday afternoon earthquake Fresno Bee
● Here’s where Thursday’s quake ranks with two memorable temblors felt in Fresno, Valley Fresno Bee
● Earthquake initially centered in Farmington was ‘phantom’ but felt real to residents Modesto Bee
● Sacramento, Central Valley felt earthquake longer and stronger than others. Here’s why Sacramento Bee
California could see more rattlesnakes in future due to climate change, new study says
Modesto Bee
As widespread drought continues to ravage the western United States, rattlesnake sightings are on the rise. “They’re desperate for water,” explained Emily Taylor, a Cal Poly reptile biologist and rattlesnake expert.
Dire drought warning: California says ‘nearly all’ salmon could die in Sacramento River
Sacramento Bee
The drought is making the Sacramento River so hot that “nearly all” of an endangered salmon species’ juveniles could be cooked to death this fall, California officials warned this week.
PEW
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recently outlined a broad menu of policy recommendations aimed at improving the way that states prepare for and deal with natural disasters.
Energy:
As heat wave rolls in, California grid manager calls another Flex Alert, urges conservation
Sacramento Bee
The California Independent System Operator issued a Flex Alert for Friday afternoon and evening as temperatures are expected to zoom past 100 degrees and put renewed pressure on the state’s power network.
Editorial: PG&E wants to stick you with an 18% rate increase. That’s an outrage
Fresno Bee
PG&E’s recent request for an 18% rate increase — and no, we didn’t forget a decimal point — is about as tone deaf as you can get.
Global Wind, Solar Capacity Rose at Sharpest Pace Ever Last Year, BP Says
Wall Street Journal
Global wind- and solar-power capacity grew at a record pace last year even as the pandemic sent overall energy demand sharply lower, oil giant BP said in its annual review of global energy markets.
Why Rising Oil Prices Are Unlikely to Kill the Economic Recovery
Wall Street Journal
The recent bout of higher oil prices is unlikely to make much of a dent in the global recovery, according to economists who say strong growth and flush consumers in advanced economies will help the world absorb much of the blow from costlier crude.
American Frackers Show Restraint as Oil Tops $70
Wall Street Journal
Shale companies pumped with abandon anytime oil prices rose sharply last decade. But as crude tops $70 a barrel, they are barely doing enough to sustain U.S. production.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Global COVID-19 deaths hit 4 million amid rush to vaccinate
Fresno Bee
The global death toll from COVID-19 eclipsed 4 million Wednesday as the crisis increasingly becomes a race between the vaccine and the highly contagious delta variant.
The Delta Variant Isn't Just Hyper-Contagious. It Also Grows More Rapidly Inside You
VPR
After months of data collection, scientists agree: The delta variant is the most contagious version of the coronavirus worldwide. It spreads about 225% faster than the original version of the virus, and it's currently dominating the outbreak in the United States.
See also:
● What to Know About the Delta and Delta Plus Coronavirus Variants U.S. News
● COVID vaccines still work against Delta variant, study says Los Angeles Times
In Children, Risk of Covid-19 Death or Serious Illness Remains Extremely Low, New Studies Find
Wall Street Journal
Children are at extremely slim risk of dying from Covid-19, according to some of the most comprehensive studies to date, which indicate the threat might be even lower than previously thought.
Human Services:
Pfizer to seek OK for 3rd COVID-19 vaccine dose, says shots still protect
abc30
Pfizer is about to seek U.S. authorization for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, saying Thursday that another shot within 12 months could dramatically boost immunity and maybe help ward off the latest worrisome coronavirus mutant.
See also:
● Pfizer to seek OK for a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine Los Angeles Times
● Pfizer to Ask Regulators to Authorize Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Wall Street Journal
Covid-19 Vaccination Drive Reaches Frustration Stage—Persuading the Hesitant
Wall Street Journal
As the pace of vaccinations in the U.S. stalls, health officials have embarked on a painstaking effort to get shots to undecided or isolated Americans. That often requires bringing vaccines directly to the unvaccinated and talking to them one by one.
See also:
● Trump country continues to fall behind on COVID-19 vaccinations Axios
IMMIGRATION
ICE to avoid detaining pregnant, nursing and postpartum women
Washington Post
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will no longer detain most pregnant, nursing and postpartum women for deportation, reversing a Trump-era rule that permitted officials to jail thousands of immigrants in those circumstances, according to a new policy released Friday.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Clovis CA mayor: city will continue to grow to meet demand
Fresno Bee
Clovis, California, has been one of the fastest growing cities in the state in recent years, and its mayor said this week he doesn’t expect that to slow down.
The oldest building in Fresno is being restored — and it just got tagged
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s oldest building — a largely unknown downtown landmark that only recently had its original brickwork uncovered after being hidden behind stucco since the 1960s — was vandalized this week.
New construction near Grapevine highlights surge in local speculative development
Bakersfield Californian
Speculative development is picking up across Kern County's industrial real estate industry, evident most recently in a large warehouse now under construction along Interstate 5 at the Tejon Ranch Commerce Center.
Housing:
John Cox discusses California's homelessness crisis during stop in Fresno
abc30
One of Gov. Gavin Newsom's opponents in the upcoming recall election made a stop in Fresno on Wednesday.
'One more door': Bakersfield Homeless Center debuts 40-bed expansion
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield Homeless Center debuted a new 40-bed expansion Thursday, the latest in a string of projects meant to address homelessness in the city.
Inside one city’s multimillion-dollar effort to convert motels into affordable housing
CalMatters
State-funding efforts to shelter unhoused residents in converted motels could be a game-changer for Motel Drive, an area of Fresno that city leaders say has long been overrun by drugs, human trafficking, and prostitution.
PUBLIC FINANCES
California has $5.2 billion in COVID aid to help you pay rent, utility debts. How to apply
Sacramento Bee
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law to extend the state’s eviction moratorium through September and boost funding for a rent relief program set up to keep tenants and landlords out of debt.
Californians Want Policies that Close the Gap between Rich and Poor
PPIC
Income inequality has been a growing problem in California for several decades that has worsened because of the pandemic. Most Californians now see two Californias—one for the rich and one for the poor—and beyond recognizing this situation, most want action.
Regular SBA lending thrives even during COVID relief efforts
Business Journal
Beginning in March 2020, banks were busy juggling Covid-19 relief as Congress sent it down the pipeline. Meanwhile, they were still writing regular business loans.
Net Taxpayer Outmigration Increased During 2017-2019
Legislative Analyst’s Office
New IRS data show that California experienced more net outmigration of tax filers to other states from 2017-2019 than from 2012-2016, and this outmigration is increasingly concentrated among older, more affluent people.
How Far American Rescue Plan Dollars Will Stretch Varies by State
PEW
State governments are beginning to receive the first allocations from $193.5 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which they can deploy for a wide range of uses as they contend with fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Editorial: The Global Tax Deal Is Bad for the U.S.
Wall Street Journal
Leaders from 130 countries last week agreed to a major overhaul of global tax rules, and we have some advice for Congress: Read the fine print carefully.
TRANSPORTATION
A mystery no more: We found out what really caused the Fresno airport jet fuel shortage
Fresno Bee
A shortage of labor – most notably, delivery truck drivers – appears to be the underlying reason for shortages of jet fuel that disrupted some flights at Fresno Yosemite International Airport over the past week.
See also:
● Four things to know about FAT: Fuel issues aside, plenty is happening at Fresno airport Fresno Bee
Public Transit Is a Public Good. It’s Time to Fund It That Way.
Mother Jones
It seems we’re approaching more of a bipartisan consensus on the need for federal transit funding. Biden’s infrastructure plan allocates an additional $85 billion for transit; even the Republican counteroffer includes $61 billion—twice the record-setting amount from the March rescue package.
WATER
Gavin Newsom calls on Californians to cut water use by 15%, expands drought emergency
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded his drought emergency declaration Thursday and called on Californians to reduce water consumption by 15%.
See also:
● Californians asked to reduce water use as Gov. Newsom declares drought emergency in more counties abc30
● Governor asks Californians to voluntarily cut water use Business Journal
● Governor asks Californians to voluntarily cut water use Bakersfield Californian
● Newsom asks all Californians to voluntarily reduce water usage by 15% amid drought Los Angeles Times
● Drought: Gov. Newsom asks Californians to cut water use by 15% Mercury News
● Newsom urges all Californians to cut water use by 15% CalMatters
“Xtra”
Fresno Bee
Logan’s Roadhouse is gone. The restaurant known for steaks and letting customers throw peanut shells on the floor closed earlier this year.
Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth
Think you can tell the difference between True and False?
Do you really know what is fake news?
Support the Maddy Daily
Thank you!
Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.
Subscribe to the Maddy Daily HERE
Or, to Subscribe or Unsubscribe: email amyboam@csufresno.edu