January 30, 2012, 4:50 PM
California's high-speed rail project will cost far less than the state's current estimate of nearly $100 billion, and environmental fees paid by carbon producers will be a source of funding, Gov. Jerry Brown said in an interview aired in Los Angeles on Sunday. The Democratic...
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January 9, 2012, 12:05 AM
There are no sidewalks, bike lanes or public transportation in Forks of Salmon, a tiny, forest-shrouded community deep in the mountains of Siskiyou County. For seven of the 10 students at Forks of Salmon Elementary School, getting to class means taking a 45-minute school bus ride on 18 miles of a...
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December 12, 2011, 12:05 AM
Amid a crippling state budget deficit and a national debate over raising taxes on the wealthy, the California Board of Equalization has added 16 new companies and individuals to its list of unpaid delinquent sales and use taxes for the fourth quarter of 2011. According to the tax agency,...
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December 2, 2011, 12:05 AM
Fewer than 1 out of 4 schools in California is staffed with a credentialed librarian, according to the state Department of Education. Recent figures compiled by the department show there are about 900 school librarians in the state – that’s down from more than 1,100 two years...
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November 29, 2011, 12:05 AM
California's attempt to divert $1 billion from First 5 commissions to state health services is illegal, a Fresno County judge ruled last week. Lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown had sought First 5 funds in March to help close what was then a $26 billion budget shortfall. After...
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November 21, 2011, 12:05 AM
California needs to pay attention to potential strains on county services as it implements Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to shift nonviolent criminals and parolees to counties, a RAND Corp. study says. The study [PDF], “Understanding the Public Health Implications of Prisoner Reentry in...
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November 8, 2011, 12:05 AM
For schools facing shrinking budgets, a branded scoreboard on the football field or advertisement on a school bus can bring some much-needed cash. But such corporate sponsorships also could undermine students' critical thinking skills, education policy experts warn. While commercialism in...
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October 17, 2011, 12:05 AM
Budget shortfalls have pushed California's spending on public schools to a historic low, relative to the rest of the United States, according to a new analysis by the California Budget Project. California ranks 46th in the U.S. in K-12 spending per student. It spent $2,856 less per...
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September 26, 2011, 12:05 AM
More than 6 million California adults provide care for a family member or friend with a long-term illness or disability. These informal caregivers manage bills and medications, clean and cook, and help their loved ones with tasks they can no longer do themselves – often at the expense of...
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September 19, 2011, 12:05 AM
Compensation for executive directors of an early childhood development program in California counties ranged from $47,803 to more than $240,000 in fiscal year 2009-10, according to a California Watch analysis. Median compensation for the executive directors of First 5 county commissions...
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September 9, 2011, 12:05 AM
As Gov. Jerry Brown heralded a last-minute tax deal yesterday, a Senate report warned of the unexpected ballooning costs of corporate tax breaks. Brown and a couple of legislators announced bipartisan agreement in the state Assembly on a plan to tighten corporate tax calculations, generating...
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August 26, 2011, 12:38 AM
Driven by dramatic budget cuts that will shutter four campus libraries, staffers at UC San Diego are removing roughly 150,000 books and journals from their collections by summer’s end – selling volumes to the highest bidder or donating them. If UCSD students or researchers want to...
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August 24, 2011, 12:05 AM
Frank Quan's family has lived at China Camp, catching and selling shrimp, since the 1890s. He's the last remaining resident of a Chinese fishing village that once thrived on San Pablo Bay. Now the state is closing China Camp State Park along with dozens of other parks because of budget cuts...
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August 24, 2011, 12:05 AM
"Lone resident of bygone shrimper village faces eviction" tells the story of 85-year-old Frank Quan, who could be forced to move from his home in China Camp State Park, one of 70 slated for closure amid a state budget cut. Below are some frequently asked questions regarding the proposed closures....
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August 24, 2011, 12:05 AM
Frank Quan is 85 years old, and he has lived nearly his entire life in one place – a tiny wooden shack perched on the shore of San Pablo Bay. But by next summer, Quan could be forced to move: His house is in a state park slated for closure. In an unusual arrangement with...
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