Search query: utah

On March 14th, KPBS San Diego hosted a debate for candidates in the 52nd Congressional District. Due to a time limit of one hour, KPBS invited only three candidates to participate. In a statement, "In an effort to conduct a discussion that allows for time to delve deep on the issues, KPBS has decided to limit the number of participants in this debate. KPBS has set the threshold at 10 percent favorability or above to join the broadcast debate." The invited candidates were incumbent Republican Re

Business interests have long complained that California’s onerous rules and lengthy permit processes make it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to build or redevelop. Nowhere is this truer than San Francisco where anyone can file to block a project based on its environmental impact. One public policy group says filing challenges is a “sporting pastime” for us. But is the ease at which this can be done helpful to the long-term good of a city? The same process happens with big energy projects.

The ranks of Independent voters are rising nationwide. In Massachusetts, they are the majority. According to the state's most recent enrollment statistics, released by the Secretary of the Commonwealth late last week, 52.18% of Massachusetts' registered voters are “unenrolled,” refusing to affiliate with any political party. Democrats are the second largest block of registered voters in the state, accounting for 35.9% of the total. Just 11.6% of the state's voters affiliate with the GOP. Over t

An Independent congressional candidate may be staging a run in California's 52nd district, joining a race crowded with declared partisan candidates. The challenger is former Mayor of Santee, Jack Doyle. An exploratory committee is currently looking for feedback on the strength of an independent candidacy in the district. Doyle is expected to make his decision in the coming week. Congressional District 52 is one of the most receptive districts for independents, with some of the highest Independ

From the back window of my house in North Lake Tahoe the snow looks pathetic.  It has receded from full, albeit thin, coverage of the ground to less than half of the backyard.  This has not been a good year for snowfall and the resultant snowpack, which will be evaluated again (officially) this week. Last season (2010-11) was exactly the opposite with more than 600 inches of snow on the ski mountains.  In fact, run-off from last year’s snowpack so engorged the reservoirs that they currently rem

Sacramento lawmakers spend inordinate amounts of time arguing about the budget, pensions, education, unions, water (and most everything else) without ever seeming to accomplish much. Budget problems lurch forward each year, zombie-like with no resolution. Unfunded pension liability, the elephant in the room that hardly anyone mentions, grows bigger each year. The infrastructure needs repair and the once-stellar California education is slipping badly. So what’s going on? Other states have huge p

The Pentagon wants to “desegregate” national air space. A spokesman made the announcement last week at a robotic technology conference held in Washington, D.C. Military officials say that they are working with the FAA to integrate almost 7,500 remotely piloted drones, designed for military operations overseas, into the civilian fleet of manned aircraft here at home. The drones would be used by military and private agencies for surveillance and disaster relief purposes, raising privacy as well a

California might be one step closer to rejoining nationwide settlement talks between major U.S. banks and a coalition of state attorneys general over allegations of widespread mortgage fraud. "For the past 13 months we have been working for a resolution that brings real relief to the hardest-hit homeowners, is transparent about who benefits and will ensure accountability," State Attorney General Kamala Harris said in a prepared statement released Sunday night. "We are closer now than we've been

The Sierras have had practically no snow this year. Lake Tahoe, which relies on skiing for income, has no ski areas operating at full capacity. Some only have 30% of their lifts open. Last year, they had 50 feet of snow in some places. The Sierra Nevada is at a mere 14% of normal snowpack. The southern California Metropolitan Water District (MWD) says this could be the driest year on record. This isn’t just happening in California. It’s been exceptionally warm and dry across the nation. Flowers

Let's say you ran a business that had millions of dollars in uncollected revenue, and it would take $100,000 to collect it. Spending that extra money seems like a “no-brainer” decision. But if you’re the United States government with $385 billion in underpaid or unpaid taxes, and it will take $1.5 billion to collect them, you act as if you don’t have a brain. The Obama administration recommended the extra $1.5 billion to collect the money, but Congress said no. The combination of Washington pol