Here's your daily briefing...
Storm Tax in Works: A bill aimed at increasing the amount of storm water run-off that winds up purified, stored and re-used is winding its way through the legislature. Currently, local agencies can’t pass along the cost of such projects, which proponents say is preventing more such projects from being built. If approved in its current form, agencies such as water, sewage and irrigation districts could start billing customers.
Heartburn Over Gas: Republicans and other opponents of a recently approved, but yet-to-go-into-effect 12-cent a gallon gas tax, are complaining that gas taxes will actually climb 19-cents in 2019. The extra seven cents originates from earlier legislation that has fuel taxes ‘float’ based on gas prices. In 2008, retail gasoline prices in California briefly neared $5-per-gallon. According to AAA, the current average price per gallon in California is $3-per-gallon.
Calif., Et al. V. Trump, Round I: California and New Mexico are suing the Trump Administration over the payment rate for fossil fuels extracted from public land within the state. While the amount aren’t all that significant, the suit could have implications for the economic viability of the coal industry.
And on the California Report: Film and TV writers are once again going toe-to-toe with management in the entertainment industry and may be headed for a strike that could have economic repercussions for Southern California…Long before San Diego became famous for fish tacos, locals may have been chowing down on meaty mastodon. A study concludes that early San Diegans were inhabiting the region 130,000 years ago and doing battle with the Pleistocene-era proto-elephants. Think ‘ObamaCare’ is safe in California? Think again. Officials are warning that changes proposed by the Trump Administration will cause health insurance premiums in California to rise as much as 49 percent.