Resisting Newsom’s homeless plan
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to provide vacant state property to local governments to shelter homeless people is running into resistance from local leaders, CalMatters’ Nigel Duara reports.
The state expects to make 100 parcels available this year to local officers who apply. Some state funding is available to local governments.
But locals are skeptical that the state will cover their costs, Duara reports. Costs include the cost of food, bedding and transportation, liability arising from fire or violence, plus administration and security.
- Oceanside Mayor Peter Weiss: “It’s unlikely the governor is going to come to the city of Oceanside and say, here’s several million dollars to go build a new sobering center, or a new shelter. Just because the governor orders something doesn’t mean anything’s going to happen.”
- Richmond Mayor Tom Butt: “The governor’s task force on homelessness decided that cities and counties should be responsible for this. I think that’s just wrong.”
- Political reality: Homeless people set up encampments on vacant city and county land, and sleep on city sidewalks and in doorways. An Increasingly frustrated public probably cares less about state vs local rivalry than in moving people into shelters.
Jason Elliott, Newsom’s senior counselor on housing and homelessness: “Local government has a responsibility to put their hands up and be part of the solution. A good number at the county and city level are answering the call by leaning forward and embracing solutions.”
—CALMatters
The power of small dollars
Bernie Sanders raised $25 million from 648,000 individuals in January, at an average of $18 each. It’s one reason why Sanders will be in the primary race until the end.
One of Sanders’ donors was Bob Bogardus, a software developer from Carmel. He sent daily donations of $2.70 to Sanders in 2019, CalMatters’ Elizabeth Castillo reports.
- Bogardus: “We love Bernie and he makes everything fun and we’re really proud to participate in that way.”
Sanders can tap his massive base of small donors repeatedly before they reach the maximum federal cap of $2,800 per election. That will ensure he will have sufficient money to wage a 50-state campaign leading up to the convention in Milwaukee.
Sanders is not alone in his ability to tap the small bucks. President Donald Trump also attracts huge sums of small donations.
- Obama’s playbook: Barack Obama’s ability to tap small dollar donors was one reason he won the Democratic nomination in 2008.
The phenomenon democratizes campaign giving. It’s a counter to the million dollar donations that have flowed in greater numbers since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision and other rulings that allow for ever larger donations to federal campaigns.
—CALMatters
An Uber loss but fights goes on
California’s labor-backed law that seeks to require companies to hire workers rather than rely on independent contractors withstood an initial court challenge.
U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee of Los Angeles rejected Uber and Postmates’ request for a preliminary injunction.
- Gee: “Plaintiffs have not shown serious questions going to the merits—the critical factor in determining whether to issue a preliminary injunction—and, though company plaintiffs have shown some measure of likelihood of irreparable harm, the balance of equities and the public interest weigh in favor of permitting the state to enforce this legislation.”
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce sided with Uber, illustrating the national implications of the law, authored by Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego.
- Gonzalez: “It’s clear Judge Gee found no merit in Uber and Postmates’ argument that they suffer irreparable harm under AB5 and denied their injunction. She chose to let the law stand and, as such, it is now the responsibility of California to enforce the law on behalf of these workers.”
The matter is not over. Lawsuits will continue, and Uber and other companies that depend on independent contractors have amassed $110 million in campaign committees for an initiative headed for the November ballot.
—CALMatters
When a newspaper does it job
Sutter County gun owners were none too pleased when Sheriff Brandon Barnes informed them via Facebook that The San Francisco Chronicle filed a California Public Records Act request for all 3,700 concealed firearms permit holders.
The Sacramento Bee’s Ryan Sabalow reports gun owners have reacted by threatening The Chron and its staffers, prompting the paper to increase security.
- Sabalow: Gun owners believe knowledge of firearm ownership should be private, partly because of they hold Second Amendment rights sacred and partly out of fears public knowledge of their weapons could lead to theft or violence if someone knows they are armed.
Chronicle Editor Audrey Cooper told Sabalow the paper has no plans to publish personal information off the permits. Rather, the paper is looking to aggregate information and look for broader trends.
- Cooper: “Any time your family is threatened because you’re trying to do a decent and ethical job, it is very alarming and a very sad state. Some of (the people harassing the newsroom) are just gleeful that physical harm comes to journalists without knowing any of us on a personal level or listening to what we intend and how we do our jobs, which I think is a really sad state of American discourse.”
Context: In September, The Chron reported a security company executive received a concealed carry permit after giving $45,000 to a campaign committee to help reelect Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith in 2018.
—CALMatters
