July 18, 2017

Orange County

Voice of OC: Weeks after committing taxpayers to a new $315 Million Building, County reveals its design

For months, top county officials have had renderings of the new Building 16, but kept them under wraps from the public, including before and after county supervisors signed off May 9 on issuing the estimated $315 million in taxpayer-funded bond debt.

 

OC Register: Republicans easily outpace Democratic challengers raising funds in 4 Orange County congressional races

Several Democrats have gotten off to unusually strong fundraising starts in challenges of Orange County’s four Republican members of Congress, but the incumbents performed even better and easily outpaced their opponents, according to semi-annual campaign disclosures filed over the weekend.

 

The Guardian: Cinderella is homeless, Ariel ‘can’t afford to live on land’: Disney under fire for pay

Activists protest Disneyland’s low wages saying it contributes to homelessness, after custodian living in her car was found dead outside gym where she showered.

 

Labor

People’s World: Garbage workers in CA win union after a ten-year fight

Safety and wages were key issues, the workers told Teamster Magazine. The firm’s bosses “don’t care about safety,” said 11-year driver Francisco Coverrubias. “I would go out on a route and they want me to overflow the truck. That’s not permitted by law. If the Highway Patrol caught me with overloads, I could go to jail.”

 

California

OC Register: California’s economy outstrips other states’ — including Texas

For many years, Californians have heard “experts” (read: folks who figure to profit by touting the theory) claim their state suffers from a lousy business climate and is steadily losing middle-class population and jobs to other states, especially arch-rival Texas.

 

LA Times: California Legislature extends state's cap-and-trade program in rare bipartisan effort to address climate changet

Working together, eight Republicans joined with Democrats to continue the cap-and-trade program, which requires companies to buy permits to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Publication Date: July 18, 2017