Latest news with #JerryBrown
Wall Street Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
California's Five-Fire Pension Alarm
Government unions rarely let a catastrophe go to waste. Behold how firefighter unions in California are seeking to exploit Los Angeles's tragic wildfires to boost their pensions. Unions are trying to cash in with a bipartisan bill that would reverse many of former Gov. Jerry Brown's modest 2013 pension reforms for new hires. Before the reforms, public-safety workers could retire at age 50 and receive a pension credit of 3% of their final salary for every year they worked. That means a 50-year-old firefighter who earned $250,000 could retire with a $187,500 annual pension for life—and thereafter work a part-time job that qualifies him for Social Security.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
DOJ launches California Title IX investigation over transgender athlete participation in sports
With the national spotlight shining on a transgender athlete in Southern California pursuing a championship, federal prosecutors are putting pressure on the state and a local school district for allowing that chase to happen in the first place. The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that it has opened an investigation into whether a California state law complies with Title IX. In August 2013, then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 1266 into law. The policy is intended to prevent sex-based discrimination in California's schools, preventing them from excluding gender groups from classes and extracurricular programs. One specific section of the bill, however, is now under fire from the current administration. "A pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil's records," AB 1266 states, requiring schools to adhere to each student's preferred gender identity rather than their sex assigned at birth. Now, the DOJ is investigating whether this clause violates Title IX. Title IX, in the words of the DOJ, ensures "equal educational opportunities and prevents discrimination based on sex in federally funded schools and athletic programs." Administration officials claim that allowing transgender girls to compete in girls' athletic competitions undermines the rights of cisgender athletes as an issue of fairness. "Title IX exists to protect women and girls in education. It is perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies," said Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "This Division will aggressively defend women's hard-fought rights to equal educational opportunities." The announcement cites the ongoing legal battle surrounding two former athletes at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Riverside. One of which alleges she lost a spot on the school's cross-country team to a transgender teammate, violating her Title IX rights as a female athlete. The administration of President Donald Trump made its stance clear on that lawsuit Wednesday and threw its support behind it, sending legal notices of its investigation to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and the California Interscholastic Federation. The DOJ also sent a notice to the Jurupa Unified School District as an openly transgender track and field athlete pursues a state title for one of its schools. AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley competes in the girls high jump during the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Track and Field preliminaries at Nathan Shapell Memorial Stadium at Yorba Linda High School on May 10, 2025 in Yorba Linda, California. Getty Images AB Hernandez, a junior at Jurupa Valley High School, placed first at the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet in both the girls' long and triple jump events. The wins ensure Hernandez a spot at the CIF State Track & Field Championships in Clovis on Saturday and Sunday. In response, the CIF announced Tuesday that it was introducing a pilot program for the 2025 state meet that will create extra spots for cisgender athletes "who would have earned the next qualifying mark" to have an opportunity to compete. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who himself has said it's "deeply unfair" to allow transgender girls to compete, called the program reasonable on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the CIF announced it would reward cisgender triple and long jump athletes "who would have earned a specific placement on the podium" had Hernandez not competed. In other words, if Hernandez places first at the state meet, the results will still credit a cisgender athlete as a state champion. The JUSD said in a statement to CBS News this week that it allowed Hernandez to compete for JVHS as required by state law. Hernandez has been subject to national scrutiny, including from the president himself. Trump took to his Truth Social platform this week to criticize California leadership, including Newsom, for allowing Hernandez to compete on the girls' team. "This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won 'everything,' and is now qualified to compete in the 'State Finals' next weekend," Trump wrote. "As a Male, he was a less than average competitor. As a Female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable. THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS." Trump also said he was considering to withhold federal funding from the state if Hernandez was allowed to compete at the state finals. While speaking with CBS News, a spokesperson for Hernandez called Trump's lashing out "bullying and discriminatory." "This person was voted into an office to work for all the people, and you're gonna spend your time picking on a child," said Kathie Moehlig, the founder and executive director of Trans Family Support Services As of Wednesday, it's not yet clear if attempts to remove Hernandez from the weekend's state meet will be successful. The CIF told KCAL News that it does not keep track of the number of transgender athletes competing in California high school sports. Austin Turner Austin Turner is a web producer at CBS Los Angeles. An Inland Empire native, Austin earned a degree in journalism from San Jose State University in 2020. Before joining CBS in 2025, he worked at KTLA, the San Jose Mercury News, the Sedona Red Rock News and various freelance outlets as a sports reporter. contributed to this report.
CBS News
5 days ago
- General
- CBS News
DOJ launches California Title IX investigation over transgender athletes in youth sports
With the national spotlight shining on a transgender athlete in Southern California pursuing a championship, federal prosecutors are putting pressure on the state and a local school district for allowing that chase to happen in the first place. The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that it has opened an investigation into whether a California state law complies with Title IX. In August 2013, then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 1266 into law. The policy is intended to prevent sex-based discrimination in California's schools, preventing them from excluding gender groups from classes and extracurricular programs. One specific section of the bill, however, is now under fire from the current administration. "A pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil's records," AB 1266 states, requiring schools to adhere to each student's preferred gender identity rather than their sex assigned at birth. Now, the DOJ is investigating whether this clause violates Title IX. Title IX, in the words of the DOJ, ensures "equal educational opportunities and prevents discrimination based on sex in federally funded schools and athletic programs." Administration officials claim that allowing transgender girls to compete in girls' athletic competitions undermines the rights of cisgender athletes as an issue of fairness. Title IX exists to protect women and girls in education. It is perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies," said Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "This Division will aggressively defend women's hard-fought rights to equal educational opportunities." The announcement cites the ongoing legal battle surrounding two former athletes at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Riverside. One of which alleges she lost a spot on the school's cross-country team to a transgender teammate, violating her Title IX rights as a female athlete. The administration of President Donald Trump made its stance clear on that lawsuit Wednesday and threw its support behind it, sending legal notices of its investigation to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and the California Interscholastic Federation. The DOJ also sent a notice to the Jurupa Unified School District as an openly transgender track and field athlete pursues a state title for one of its schools. AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley competes in the girls high jump during the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Track and Field preliminaries at Nathan Shapell Memorial Stadium at Yorba Linda High School on May 10, 2025 in Yorba Linda, California. Getty Images AB Hernandez, a junior at Jurupa Valley High School, placed first at the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet in both the girls' long and triple jump events. The wins ensure Hernandez a spot at the CIF State Track & Field Championships in Clovis on Saturday and Sunday. In response, the CIF announced Tuesday that it was introducing a pilot program for the 2025 state meet that will create extra spots for cisgender athletes "who would have earned the next qualifying mark" to have an opportunity to compete. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who himself has said it's "deeply unfair" to allow transgender girls to compete, called the program reasonable on Tuesday. The JUSD said in a statement to CBS News this week that it allowed Hernandez to compete for JVHS as required by state law. Hernandez has been subject to national scrutiny, including from the president himself. Trump took to his Truth Social platform this week to criticize California leadership, including Newsom, for allowing Hernandez to compete on the girls' team. "This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won 'everything,' and is now qualified to compete in the 'State Finals' next weekend," Trump wrote. "As a Male, he was a less than average competitor. As a Female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable. THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS." Trump also said he was considering to withhold federal funding from the state if Hernandez was allowed to compete at the state finals. While speaking with CBS News, a spokesperson for Hernandez called Trump's lashing out "bullying and discriminatory." "This person was voted into an office to work for all the people, and you're gonna spend your time picking on a child," said Kathie Moehlig, the founder and executive director of Trans Family Support Services As of Wednesday, it's not yet clear if attempts to remove Hernandez from the weekend's state meet will be successful.
CBS News
08-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Trump dares Newsom to run for president, calls California high-speed rail project "out of control"
SACRAMENTO — While speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, President Trump slammed California's costly high-speed rail project and challenged Governor Gavin Newsom to run for president. The California high-speed rail project was the brainchild of former California Governor Jerry Brown and has now become Newsom's issue. The project is expected to create nearly 500 miles of tracks connecting the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles. "A little train going from San Francisco to Los Angeles that's being run by Gavin Newscum, the governor of California. Ever heard of Gavin Newscum?" Mr. Trump said. "That train is the worst cost overrun thing I've ever seen. ... It's hundreds of billions for a stupid project that should've never been built." Trump called the project "out of control" and said the federal government is "not going to pay for that thing." The price tag for the project is now estimated at $130 billion, almost $100 billion more than when Brown first proposed it in 2008. Newsom's office fired back at the president's comments. "Hard pass on fiscal tips from the self-described 'king of debt' who ran a steak company, a casino, and a global economy all into the ground," said Daniel Villaseñor, a spokesperson for Newsom's office. Mr. Trump challenged the governor to run for president in 2028 but said something like the high-speed rail project would likely prevent Newsom from winning. "I'd love him to run for president on the other side," Mr. Trump said. "I'd love to see that, but I don't think he's going to be running because that one project alone, well, that and the fires and a lot of other things pretty much put him out of the race." Ethan Elkind with the UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy and the Environment says California's high-speed rail project is facing money troubles, with or without federal funding. "There's no question that there is no money right now anywhere in sight to finish the system," Elkind said. "The question is, can they at least get a usable section up and running? I think that's pretty dicey right now." As of Wednesday, Newsom's press office said 119 miles are under active construction, while another 171 miles are under active development. The governor's office added that the project has also "generated nearly $22 billion in economic output" and that extensions to Merced and Bakersfield were being designed. "Governor Brown really made this a priority. Governor Newsom has never been a full-throated supporter of the project," Elkind said. Political expert Jack Pitney is not convinced the issue resonates with voters. "I don't think most Californians are lying awake at night thinking about the fate of high-speed rail, given the timeline is already pushed so far into the future," Pitney said. According to an Emerson poll published in February, 54% of Californians still support high-speed rail, even with the costs. Mr. Trump's comments Tuesday came during a meeting in the Oval Office with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The president also criticized Newsom's request for a federal tax credit to "Make America Film Again," which followed Mr. Trump's announcement that he would impose 100% tariffs on all films produced outside the country.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Here's why Santa Cruz just added a soda tax, in defiance of a statewide ban
A new so-called "soda tax" that was approved by voters in the city of Santa Cruz went into effect on Thursday, the first tax of its kind to be passed in California since a ban was signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018. The tax — approved by voters in November — adds a 2-cents-per-ounce tax on nonalcoholic beverages that have one or more caloric added sweeteners and that have 40 or more calories per 12 fluid ounces of beverage, including sodas, coffees, sweetened ice teas, energy drinks and slushies. Four other cities in California, including San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland and Albany, already have a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages on the books, with Berkeley being the first city in the country to do so. But Santa Cruz is the first one to institute a new one since legislators and business leaders struck a deal that was signed by the previous governor that prohibited local governments from imposing taxes on soda until 2031. Santa Cruz City Councilmember Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, who was one of the proponents of the soda tax, told Lookout Santa Cruz after the measure passed in November that the campaign was framed as a battle between Santa Cruz and the American Beverage Assn. 'That really resonated with people, that this was big industry trying to manipulate and strong-arm local voters,' Kalantari-Johnson told the publication. 'We won't let big industry decide for us.' Santa Cruz's sugary drink tax doesn't apply to beverages intended for medical use, beverages that continue less than 40 calories per 12 fluid ounces of drink, beverages for infants, supplemental or meal replacement beverages, milk products, 100% natural vegetable or fruit juice, concentrates, sweetened medication (such as cough syrup) and alcoholic beverages. 'Santa Cruz demonstrates that when presented with the facts about the dangers of sugary drinks, voters see through the soda industry's multi-million-dollar efforts to deceive them with misinformation,' Nancy Brown, chief executive of the American Heart Assn., said in a recent statement. 'The American Heart Association was proud to support the ballot measure and remains committed to the city of Santa Cruz in this years-long David vs. Goliath effort against the beverage industry." Steve Maviglio, a spokesperson for the American Beverage Assn. which lobbied heavily against soda taxes, decried the latest measure in a statement. 'Santa Cruz is implementing a tax that violates a popular statewide ban on grocery taxes and that was opposed by a broad coalition of small businesses, progressive leaders, labor unions, and social justice organizations as an unfair burden on working families already struggling with record-high prices," he wrote in an email. The American Beverage Assn. has also launched a campaign called "Your Cart Your Choice." "The price increases from a tax hurt lower-income communities and people who work paycheck to paycheck the most," according to the campaign's website. "More taxes are the last thing working families need right now amid crippling inflation, supply chain issues and the price of gas making everyday items more expensive already." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
