By Miriam Raftery

October 19, 2017 (San Francisco) — President Donald Trump’s executive order to cancel cost-sharing subsidy payments required by the Affordable Care Act passed by Congress is being challenged in court by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.  Becerra has filed a motion asking the court to compel the federal government to “follow the law and pay the subsidies that millions of Americans rely on to lower the out-of-pocket costs in their insurance plans,” according to a press release issued by his office.

By Miriam Raftery

October 19, 2017 (San Diego) – Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill 932 authorizing suspension of state and local building standards for three years upon declaration of a shelter crisis in specified areas, including the City of San Diego, in order to create homeless shelters on an emergency basis.

By Miriam Raftery

October 17, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed Senate Bill 649, a bill by State Senator Ben Hueso, a San Diego Democrat whose district includes large portions of rural East County.  The bill would have allowed wireless technology companies to install 5G mini and micro cell sites on any government-owned property without county or city oversight.

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

October 17, 2017 (San  Diego’s East County) -- Recently we sat down with Andrew Zelt, a Republican challenger running against Rep. Duncan D. Hunter in the 50^th Congressional District. He’s a sergeant in the Sheriff’s Department, where he’s spent his career, and a resident of Rancho San Diego.

Zelt says he’s running because he can no longer support Hunter, who is under investigation by the Justice Department for  allegedly using campaign donations for personal use. (Hunter has denied wrongdoing but did repay his campaign around $60,000 for vacations, payments to his child's school, oral surgery, jewelry and other expenses.)

“My top priority is listening to the people, finding out what are some of the things that affect you, your day to day lives, and then expand on that to the nation," he says, adding, "What are some of your concerns about the way our nation is going?”

  Hear our in-depth interview at the audio link, which originally aired late this summer on KNSJ radio, or scroll down for highlights.

East County News Service

October 14, 2017 (San Diego) – Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill by California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) that will protect California’s urban forests, a critical step in the state’s efforts to fight climate change.

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

October 13, 2017 (Sacramento) --  Some California groups are predicting that President Donald Trump's new executive order on health care could undermine health-insurance markets and lead to higher premiums for many people. The order, issued Thursday, directs federal agencies to loosen regulations, to allow small businesses to band together and offer low-cost plans across state lines that don't meet the minimum coverage standards of the Affordable Care Act.



Rachel Linn Gish, communications director for the California nonprofit group, Health Access, warns these plans will be similar to those outlawed by the ACA as "junk insurance," that cover very little in the event of a serious injury or illness.

By Miriam Raftery

October 9, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump has rolled out a tax reform plan that would slash the corporate tax rate from 35% to 20% and cap at 25% the rate for “pass through” entities from small businesses to large pass-through entities such as hedge funds.  It eliminates inheritance taxes on large estates and changes tax brackets from seven to just three—12%, 25% and 35%.  So, the poorest taxpayers now paying 10% would pay more, while the wealthiest now paying 39.6% would pay less.

By Miriam Raftery

October 4, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Today, Assemblyman Randy Voepel (R-Santee) announced he will be holding a "Listening Tour" through multiple communities within the 71st Assembly District including Santee, Julian, Lakeside, El Cajon, Ramona and Idyllwild.  The Listening Tour will provide an opportunity for constituents to hear a legislative update, ask questions, and offer ideas for how to improve California.

By Miriam Raftery

October 1, 2017  (Campo) – After being blocked on a neighborhood watch forum, Campo-Lake Morena Community Planning Group member Keven Owens posted a profanity-laced podcast on his “Erroneous Opinions” webpage in which he threatened to punch 69-year-old Claudia Millerbragg in the face.

A partial transcript of his more than 20 minute rant is below, asprovided in writing by Owens in an email response after ECM sent him an inquiry. You can hear an audio excerpt at the audio link above published under the Fair Use doctrine on a matter of clear public interest:

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Governor's Office

October 2, 2017 (Sacramento) - Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law 15 bills that aim to ease the state’s affordable housing crisis, but which also restrict the abilities of local governments, environmentalists and neighborhood groups to block projects in their communities.

In a signing statement, the Governor says, “These new laws will help cut red tape and encourage more affordable housing, including shelter for the growing number of homeless in California.”

Here are summaries of the new laws:

By Miriam Raftery

September 27, 2017 (Sacramento) -- Donald Trump is the first president in modern times who did not release his tax return. But if he wants to be on the ballot for reelection in 2020, he may soon have to make his tax documents public.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Screenshot, CNN debate

September 26, 2017 (Washington D.C.) -- In a lively debate on the future of healthcare in America hosted by CNN last night, Republicans Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) authors of a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) sought to defend their measure while admitting they lack enough votes for passage. 

By Miriam Raftery

September 24, 2017 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa City Council will take up several hot issues at its meeting on Tuesday, September 26^th at 6 p.m. The Council’s decision could make it easier for developers to increase density and decrease parking, create new marijuana regulations, and declare La Mesa a ‘ferret friendly” city.

A proposed change in meeting time and openings on several boards and commissions are also on the agenda.

Photo by Sonia Carcoilo, Government of Ontario:  Governor Brown (right), Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne (left) and Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard (center) sign agreement to expand cap-and-trade partnership.

Source: Governor’s office and government of Ontario, Canada

September 24, 2017 (Quebec City) – California Governor Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown Jr. yesterday signed an agreement with the leaders of Quebec and Ontario to officially integrate their cap-and-trade programs, expanding the three-year partnership between California and Quebec to include Ontario, Canada's most populous province and leading industrial region. The agreement takes effect January 1, 2018.

By Ken Stone

Reprinted from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Network

Photo, left:  Nathan Fletcher said after his endorsement: “Every candidate is going to fight and have their base of support. And what we see as Democrats is we come together, post primary and focus on what we have to do, which is Democrats winning the seat.” Photo via Wikimedia Commons

September 20, 2017 (San Diego) -- Former GOP Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher easily won the San Diego County Democratic Party’s endorsement Tuesday night in his bid to “take back our county government.”