Latest news with #November2026
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Petition to make city attorney an elected position fails in Grover Beach
A petition to make the role of city attorney an elected position in Grover Beach came up short on Wednesday when the petitioners failed to submit any signatures by the deadline. In August, citizens grassroots group GroverH2O filed a notice of intent to circulate a petition to make the role of city attorney elected, with a 180-day window to collect enough valid signatures by June 4 kicking off on Dec. 7. The petition sought to put the issue of an elected city attorney on the November 2026 ballot, and would have required valid signatures from 10% of the city's registered voters — or a minimum of 811 people — by the June 4 deadline. But as of Wednesday, the city had not received any signature submissions from the proponents, bringing the issue to a close for the time being, according to city manager Matt Bronson. The Tribune reached out to GroverH2O for comment but did not receive a reply as of Friday afternoon. In the past year, GroverH2O has succeeded in gathering enough signatures to get an initiative asking voters if the role of city clerk should be elected rather than appointed, with the issue set to appear on the November 2026 ballot. Grover H2O was also successful in raising enough signatures to get a recall campaign on the November 2024 ballot against District 2 Councilmember Dan Rushing for his vote to raise water and wastewater rates to pay for Grover Beach's share of the now-defunct Central Coast Blue water recycling project. During the recall petition process, city clerk Wendi Sims initially denied Grover H2O's recall petition, contesting the factual accuracy of several of the group's stated reasons to start the petition. The dispute over the recall petition's content led to Grover H2O's lawsuit against the city, which was represented by Lozano Smith attorney Robert Lomeli. In April, attorney Stew Jenkins, speaking on behalf of Grover H2O, said that the efforts to make both the city attorney and city clerk elected are a response to the city's handling of Grover H2O's petitions. 'The appointed Grover Beach city attorney firm has violated the public interest by impairing access to city records, authorizing closed City Council meetings, been complicit in impairing voters' right to circulate and file petitions for recall in violation of California's Constitution and election law, filed appeal of a Superior Court ruling ordering certification of recall without prior City Council approval, has contracts with cities and districts all over California, and charges the City of Grover Beach for part-time civil work more than the state of California pays the attorney general for full-time representation in civil and criminal matters,' GroverH2O's notice of intent said. 'The voters find that the office of appointed city attorney shall be immediately terminated for cause, as against the public interest.' In their statement of reasons to launch the petition included in the initial notice of intent, petitioners argued that the city's current legal representation from firm Lozano Smith also risks a potential conflict of interest becuase they represent multiple government municipalities, though assistant city manager Kristin Eriksson said the firm's other government contracts are all outside of San Luis Obispo County. In California, only around 11 of 482 municipalities have elected city attorneys, with most serving larger cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego due to their population size, according to a 2013 League of California Cities guidebook for new city attorneys. In an email, Eriksson said the city doesn't know how many valid signatures were collected by GroverH2O in the 180-day window because no petition was submitted. Eriksson said the city has not received any further communications with the group on further attempts to make the city attorney an elected position. 'Because they did not submit the requisite signatures on the initial petition, they would have to start the process over by first submitting a new Notice of Intent,' Eriksson said.
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Over 150,000 will see benefit payments cut under major PIP changes, DWP confirms – are you affected?
OVER 150,000 on benefits will see their payments cut under Personal Independence Payments (PIP) changes, the DWP has confirmed. The Government is shaking up the way PIP is assessed meaning hundreds of thousands will miss out from November 2026. It comes as ministers look to cut the increasing welfare bill by clawing back billions of pounds of benefits. But the changes will also have a knock-on effect on carers who qualify for benefits because they look after someone on PIP. From late next year, new and existing PIP claimants being reassessed will have to score a minimum of four points in at least one activity to receive the Daily Living Component. The higher rate of the Daily Living Component is currently worth £110.40 a week. Claimants will also have to score at least eight points when being assessed. The Government estimates this means by 2029/30 around 800,000 won't receive the Daily Living Component of PIP. But it has also confirmed 150,000 will be missing out on Carer's Allowance or the Universal Credit Carer's Element by 2029/30 too. This is because to receive either of these carer's benefits you have to be caring for someone who receives the Daily Living part of PIP. It means new and existing PIP claimants finding they are no longer eligible will disqualify their carer's from next November when the changes kick in. What are Carer's Allowance and the carer's element of Universal Credit? Carer's Allowance is paid to those caring for someone else (who is on benefits) for at least 35 hours a week and is worth £83.30 a week. Three key benefits that YOU could be missing out on, and one even gives you a free TV Licence You don't have to be related to the person you care for, or live with them, to qualify. If you are on Carer's Allowance you also receive National Insurance credits which contribute to your NI record. What classes as someone needing "care" is based on them qualifying for a number of benefits. These are: Personal Independence Payment - Daily Living Component Disability Living Allowance - the middle or highest care rate Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance - the middle or highest care rate Attendance Allowance Pension Age Disability Payment Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension Armed Forces Independence Payment Child Disability Payment - the middle or highest care rate Adult Disability Payment - daily living component at the standard or enhanced rate The person you are caring for must also need help with certain tasks including: washing and cooking, being taken to the doctors and household tasks like managing bills or going food shopping. Carer's Allowance is issued to those living in England, Wales or Scotland aged 16 or over. It's worth noting, receiving Carer's Allowance can impact the benefits the person you are caring for gets. For example, they will usually stop receiving a severe disability premium or an extra amount for severe disability premium if they are on Pension Credit. You can apply for Carer's Allowance and find out more about the exact eligibility criteria via The carer's element of Universal Credit is added to your Universal Credit standard allowance if you care for someone and they receive a number of qualifying benefits. These are: Adult Disability Payment – standard or enhanced award Armed Forces Independence Payment Attendance Allowance Child Disability Payment – middle or highest care award Constant Attendance Allowance - full day rate, intermediate rate or exceptional rate with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Constant Attendance Allowance - full day rate with a War Disablement Pension Disability Living Allowance – middle or highest care rate Personal Independence Payment – either rate of the Daily Living Part To get the carer's element you'll also need to be providing 35 hours a week of care to the person receiving the qualifying benefit. You get an extra monthly amount worth £201.68. If you are receiving an extra amount because you have a limited capability for work and work related activity (LCWRA), you won't qualify for the extra carer's element part. Meanwhile, if the person you care for gets the severe disability premium, it will stop when you claim the carer's element of Universal Credit. Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for. .
