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House Covid Bill More About Politics Than Immediate Covid Relief

Late Friday, the House took its first vote to pass President Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package, the first step toward their goal of enacting the plan into law before a March 14 deadline when some unemployment benefits will expire. Much of last week’s media coverage of the plan centered around ...
Blog

Trespassers Will Be Sued On Sight

When United Farm Workers organizers swarmed over a private farm in Dorris, Calif., during the 2015 harvest, it’s likely they had no fear of consequences. After all, unions enjoy a well-stocked basket of government-granted privileges and protections. Almost a half century ago, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in the United ...
Blog

Winners and Losers – February 26

Tim Anaya, Senior Director of Communications and PRI’s Sacramento Office Winner: Fans of Tina Turner – If you’re a big Tina fan like I am, you were very excited this week to see the release of the first trailer of a much-anticipated documentary on Tina and her life and career ...
Blog

Could Earmarks End Congress’ Partisan Gridlock?

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has told House Democrats that earmarks are coming back in 2021. According to Punchbowl News, which originally broke the scoop on earmarks, Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Sen. Patrick Leahy – Congress’ lead appropriators – are preparing to bring back “member-directed spending” for next fiscal year’s ...
Blackouts

Power Outages: California, Texas, next the U.S?

California was the object of ridicule last year when residents experienced widespread power outages due to high temperatures and wildfires.  Now, during an historic cold spell, Texas is under fire for an energy infrastructure that left much of the state without power. The finger pointing will go on for months ...
Blog

‘And Now, The Rest of the Story’ on Controversial Voter Outreach Sweetheart Deal

No one who is younger than 40 will remember the late legendary radio commentator Paul Harvey.  Every afternoon, he would begin his daily radio program by promising to tell us “the rest of the story.” Thanks to a provision slipped into a budget trailer bill last week, Californians now know ...
Blog

Solutions For The Homelessness Crisis – A Handbook For Policymakers

Does anyone recall that one year ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom devoted his entire State of the State address to solving homelessness, declaring that “we must do everything we can to ensure no Californian is homeless,” pledging to “reduce street homelessness quickly and humanely through emergency actions,” and promising to “be ...
Blog

Winners and Losers – February 19

Tim Anaya, Senior Director of Communications and PRI’s Sacramento Office  Winner: Baseball Fans – With all the awful news we are bombarded with these days, baseball fans were cheered by pitchers and catchers reporting this week to Arizona or Florida for spring training.  Now, if we can only actually watch ...
Blog

Groundhog Day for Minimum Wage

At first, we were relieved to find that Pres. Biden’s proposal to include a $15 minimum wage hike in the COVID-19 relief package was just a bad nightmare.  But when Californians woke up the other day, the idea was back on track.  Unlike Bill Murray, who thanks to the magic ...
Blog

Cheers to Giving Restaurants Freedom to Sell To-Go Cocktails with Dinner

If you’re a foodie like me, one of the worst parts of the Covid-19 pandemic has been not being able to go out to a great restaurant for lunch or dinner. It’s been sad to see many of my favorite restaurants here in Sacramento – including Biba, 33rd Street Bistro, ...
Blog

House Covid Bill More About Politics Than Immediate Covid Relief

Late Friday, the House took its first vote to pass President Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package, the first step toward their goal of enacting the plan into law before a March 14 deadline when some unemployment benefits will expire. Much of last week’s media coverage of the plan centered around ...
Blog

Trespassers Will Be Sued On Sight

When United Farm Workers organizers swarmed over a private farm in Dorris, Calif., during the 2015 harvest, it’s likely they had no fear of consequences. After all, unions enjoy a well-stocked basket of government-granted privileges and protections. Almost a half century ago, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in the United ...
Blog

Winners and Losers – February 26

Tim Anaya, Senior Director of Communications and PRI’s Sacramento Office Winner: Fans of Tina Turner – If you’re a big Tina fan like I am, you were very excited this week to see the release of the first trailer of a much-anticipated documentary on Tina and her life and career ...
Blog

Could Earmarks End Congress’ Partisan Gridlock?

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has told House Democrats that earmarks are coming back in 2021. According to Punchbowl News, which originally broke the scoop on earmarks, Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Sen. Patrick Leahy – Congress’ lead appropriators – are preparing to bring back “member-directed spending” for next fiscal year’s ...
Blackouts

Power Outages: California, Texas, next the U.S?

California was the object of ridicule last year when residents experienced widespread power outages due to high temperatures and wildfires.  Now, during an historic cold spell, Texas is under fire for an energy infrastructure that left much of the state without power. The finger pointing will go on for months ...
Blog

‘And Now, The Rest of the Story’ on Controversial Voter Outreach Sweetheart Deal

No one who is younger than 40 will remember the late legendary radio commentator Paul Harvey.  Every afternoon, he would begin his daily radio program by promising to tell us “the rest of the story.” Thanks to a provision slipped into a budget trailer bill last week, Californians now know ...
Blog

Solutions For The Homelessness Crisis – A Handbook For Policymakers

Does anyone recall that one year ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom devoted his entire State of the State address to solving homelessness, declaring that “we must do everything we can to ensure no Californian is homeless,” pledging to “reduce street homelessness quickly and humanely through emergency actions,” and promising to “be ...
Blog

Winners and Losers – February 19

Tim Anaya, Senior Director of Communications and PRI’s Sacramento Office  Winner: Baseball Fans – With all the awful news we are bombarded with these days, baseball fans were cheered by pitchers and catchers reporting this week to Arizona or Florida for spring training.  Now, if we can only actually watch ...
Blog

Groundhog Day for Minimum Wage

At first, we were relieved to find that Pres. Biden’s proposal to include a $15 minimum wage hike in the COVID-19 relief package was just a bad nightmare.  But when Californians woke up the other day, the idea was back on track.  Unlike Bill Murray, who thanks to the magic ...
Blog

Cheers to Giving Restaurants Freedom to Sell To-Go Cocktails with Dinner

If you’re a foodie like me, one of the worst parts of the Covid-19 pandemic has been not being able to go out to a great restaurant for lunch or dinner. It’s been sad to see many of my favorite restaurants here in Sacramento – including Biba, 33rd Street Bistro, ...
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