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Presented by the California Clean Cars Campaign: Jeremy B. White’s must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State | | | | |  | | By Jeremy B. White, Chris Ramirez, Juhi Doshi and Graph Massara | Presented by the California Clean Cars Campaign | THE BUZZ — WHOSE BACKYARD? Housing in My Backyard has gone from a fundamentally local question to a prominent statewide fight. A Berkeley battle over housing the flagship university’s expanding student population has pervaded the highest reaches of California politics. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday intervened in a court clash that could lead UC Berkeley to turn away thousands of students , filing a brief urging the California Supreme Court to pause the enrollment freeze. In doing so, Newsom sided both with the university itself and with the Berkeley City Council, which unanimously voted to back UC Berkeley’s appeal. The mayor and city council members wrote in an op-edthat the focus should be on “building the dwellings” needed “to solve this crisis,” rather than “slamming the door on the next generation of students.” (The lawsuit against Cal’s expansion hinges largely on the impact of population growth on the city’s housing.)
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The UC Berkeley campus. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images |
The standoff represents for critics the bitter politics of NIMBYism, a term applied to homeowners and long-term residents who resist more and denser housing (or at least want it “not in my backyard”). The fault lines are not always consistent — Berkeley politicians have recently gone to court over the broader impacts of a Cal enrollment boost — but the tension over increasing housing density has become the molten core of one of California’s existential debates.
Mountain lion habitat was an unexpected plot point in that story earlier this month. An attempt by wealthy South Bay enclave Woodside to sidestep housing obligations by declaring itself big cat territory drew a rebuke from Attorney General Rob Bonta, who dismissed the argument as a “deliberate and transparent attempt” to circumvent state obligations for cities to boost housing supply. Woodside ultimately backed off, but the episode demonstrated how statewide officials have more assertively compelled cities and counties to build. The Newsom administration has also intervened in housing disputes in Orange County and San Francisco. Housing density has also been a prominent topic at the Capitol. Today top YIMBY Sen. Scott Wiener will unveil legislation to exempt student and faculty housing projects from state environmental reviews. Significantly, the bill has the support of the Building Trades, a powerful statewide construction union group that has been instrumental in stymying recent housing legislation. We’ll see if its cooperation augurs a broader thaw. And a bruising ballot battle over housing has been averted — for now. Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand and fellow local officials and homeowners incensed over muscular new state housing laws were seeking a ballot initiative to let local zoning override state mandates. They had the support of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a consistent and well-funded opponent of upzoning efforts. But they’re now refocusing on the 2024 ballot. A lot could change housing-wise between now and then. BUENOS DÍAS, good Tuesday morning. Sen. Alex Padilla is filing for reelection in Los Angeles today, seeking the voter’s approval for a seat to which Padilla was appointed by Newsom. The race is expected to be a snoozer, with no serious Democrats challenging Padilla. Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit jwhite@politico.com or follow me on Twitter @jeremybwhite. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It breaks my heart that kids in our public school system still have to wear masks. If I had my way, I would let kids run around free without masks.” SF Mayor London Breed on school masking, via Yahoo News. TWEET OF THE DAY: KCBS’s Doug Sovern @SovernNation confirms a longtime Republican gubernatorial contender won’t take a third shot: “Scoop: Republican @BeastJohnCox, who ran against @GavinNewsom for governor twice, takes himself out of the running. ‘No one listened to me the last time,’ he told me. ‘No way I’m doing that again’ in 2022, he said” WHERE’S GAVIN? Joining President Joe Biden and industry, community and labor leaders in a virtual event to highlight opportunities to produce lithium and build a domestic clean energy supply chain.
| | A message from the California Clean Cars Campaign: DROUGHT. WILDFIRES. SMOG. Exhaust from cars and trucks is the number one source of climate and air pollution in California. Electric vehicles are pollution-free. Strong standards that put more electric vehicles on the road faster will protect public health, fight the climate crisis and create jobs. We need our regulators to adopt electric vehicle sales targets that achieve 75% pollution-free car sales by 2030. Click here to learn more about how we can improve California's landmark Advanced Clean Cars program. | | | |  | Top Talkers | |
NO BULL — How cow manure from New York is bolstering California's emissions goals, by POLITICO’s Marie J. French: While New York and California race to achieve ambitious emissions cuts and lead the way on fighting climate change, the two states are on a collision course over an unusual endeavor: using cow poop as fuel to power trucks.
UNDER FIRE — “Cheating Scandals Trigger Dropped Endorsements For DA Spitzer, Baytieh Judge Campaigns,” by the Voice of OC’s Nick Gerda: “Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer is losing his endorsement from his counterpart in neighboring San Diego County, as Spitzer faces accusations from within law enforcement that he improperly dropped the death penalty in a murder case to hide racial statements he made while discussing the case.” — “What happened to the family in this 1942 photo? It’s a story of persecution and resilience, ” by the SF Chronicle’s Peter Hartlaub: “There are dozens of photos like the one of Philip Miyamoto in The Chronicle archive, a haunting visual essay of businesses shutting down, citizens of Japanese ancestry turning in short-wave radios and families on buses or trains out of town.” REMEMBERING THE PAST — “My Family Lost Our Farm During Japanese Incarceration. I Went Searching for What Remains, ” by Mother Jones’ Ruth Chizuko Murai: “But not all losses are quantifiable, even in estimates. How can we count the communities dispersed, the culture disappeared? In the 80 years since, there’s been another loss: the memories of survivors of this forced removal.” BEAR GONE WILD — “ Hank the Tank, a 500-Pound Bear, Ransacks a California Community,” by the New York Times’ Alyssa Lukpat: “Since the summer, a black bear known as Hank the Tank has made a 500-pound nuisance of himself in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., breaking into more than two dozen homes to rummage for food and leaving a trail of damage behind.” | | | | JOIN THURSDAY TO HEAR FROM MAYORS ACROSS AMERICA: The Fifty: America’s Mayors will convene mayors from across the country to discuss their policy agendas, including the enforcement of Covid measures such as vaccine and mask mandates. We’ll also discuss how mayors are dealing with the fallout of the pandemic on their local economies and workforce, affordable housing and homelessness, and criminal justice reforms. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | |
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — OC CASH: Democratic physician Asif Mahmood is announcing having raised $1 million in the month since he launched a challenge to Republican Rep. Young Kim in CA-40. Kim had piled up more than $4 million this cycle and wielded some $2.6 million on hand as of the end of last year.
CENTRAL VALLEY SHUFFLE: Democrats are averting a same-party state Senate clash of incumbents after Sen. Melissa Hurtado announced she will seek re-election in the newly drawn 16th Senate district, rather than the nascent SD-14 where Sen. Anna Caballero is already seeking another term. Leadership looks to have been involved, with Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins pledging “my full support as well as the support of the Senate Democratic Caucus” as part of Hurtado’s announcement. We will see what happens with already-declared SD-16 Democratic contenders Nicole Parra , Rob Fuentes and Imelda Ceja. “I welcome all challengers,” Parra tweeted after Hurtado’s announcement. CA-42 — “Prominent Latino Democrats fight over rare open California congressional seat,” by the LA Times’ Seema Mehta: “Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia and state Assemblymember Cristina Garcia are running to represent the new 42nd Congressional District, a Latino majority district that was created in December by the state’s redistricting commission as California loses a congressional seat for the first time in its history.” CLOSE CALL — “Two liberal San Francisco politicians are locked into the Assembly race. Here’s what will separate them, ” by the SF Chronicle’s Joe Garofoli: “It will be a race that will split racial and ethnic blocs and the LGBTQ community, too. And of course Democrats, since nearly three in four city residents are registered as one.” — “Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso’s real estate empire poses possible conflicts of interest. Here’s his plan, ” by the LA Times’ Roger Vincent, Julia Wick: “Caruso has said that he will put his company, which owns and operates billions of dollars’ worth of commercial properties in Southern California, into a blind trust and allow others to take the helm if he achieves office at the end of the year.” ‘WIN FOR DEMOCRACY’ — “Pat yourself on the back, California. Gerrymandering has been squashed, ” by the LA Times’ editorial board: “While it’s still possible to challenge California’s maps in federal court, that isn’t likely because the state’s approach prioritizes drawing districts that comply with the federal Voting Rights Act requirements to ensure representation of racial and ethnic groups.” FACING RESISTANCE — “ They Wanted to Roll Back Tough-on-Crime Policies. Then Violent Crime Surged,” by the New York Times’ Astead W. Herndon. | | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | — Newsom announces Texas-style bill that would let residents sue gun makers, by POLITICO’s Susannah Luthi and Jeremy B. White: State Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) on Friday unveiled new legislation that would allow Californians to sue makers and sellers of assault weapons, .50 BMG rifles, ghost guns or ghost gun kits. Officials didn’t go into the details of the bill, but made it clear that it’s based on a Texas law allowing people to sue abortion providers. SWITCHING SIDES — “Los Angeles County D.A. Gascón backtracks on policies on juveniles, life sentences, ” by the LA Times’ James Queally: “Los Angeles County prosecutors can now seek to try juveniles as adults and pursue life sentences against defendants in certain cases, according to memos issued Friday by Dist. Atty. George Gascón, marking a major shift in his all-or-nothing stances on certain criminal justice reform issues.” — “ Oakland plan to close schools sparks protest, vandalism at board member’s home,” by the SF Chronicle’s Jill Tucker, Andres Picon and Danielle Echeverria: “Despite intense backlash, hunger strikes and the threat of new hunger strikes and protests, the Oakland school board rejected a resolution Friday night to postpone the closures and mergers of 11 schools.” — “ Even freeways that don’t get built leave a scar. How one Bay Area city is healing,” by the LA Times’ Liam Dillon: “Hayward’s escape from limbo could foreshadow the future in Los Angeles, where transportation officials are just now preparing to dispose of hundreds of homes and other properties they began acquiring in the 1960s for the ill-fated extension of the 710 Freeway through the San Gabriel Valley.” MASKS OFF — “LAUSD makes outdoor masking optional starting next week,” by the Los Angeles Daily News’ Linh Tat: ”All students and staff in the nation’s second-largest K-12 system will be allowed to shed their masks outdoors starting next week, the Los Angeles Unified School District’s new superintendent announced Friday, Feb. 18.” — “Group sues to reinstate Mark Ridley-Thomas, block Herb Wesson from filling his seat,” by the LA Times’ David Zahniser: “A civil rights group asked a judge on Friday to strike down the Los Angeles City Council’s suspension of Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas and halt the plan for replacing him with former Councilman Herb Wesson.” TAXING THE RICH — “Another effort to tax ‘extreme wealth’ in California is launched in Legislature,” by the LA Times’ Mackenzie Mays: “ The new bill by Assembly Member Alex Lee (D-San Jose) reintroduces a proposed tax hike for the state’s richest residents, potentially affecting about 15,000 Californians, or 0.07% of taxpayers. The proposal would apply a 1% tax on those with a net worth of at least $50 million and a 1.5% tax on those worth more than $1 billion.” DELAYS AHEAD —“Feds say BART’s San Jose extension likely delayed till 2034, ” by the Mercury News’ Maggie Angst. —“California tribe confronts crisis of missing, murdered women,” by the AP’s Gillian Flaccus: “The crisis has prompted the Yurok Tribe to declare a state of emergency and brought increased urgency to efforts to build the first comprehensive database of such cases in California.”
| | | | A message from the California Clean Cars Campaign:   | | | | | BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL | |
SWALWELL’S SUCCESS — “Judge allows ‘one-of-a-kind’ lawsuit against Donald Trump over Jan. 6 riot to proceed,” by the SF Chronicle’s Tal Kopan: “East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell can pursue his lawsuit to hold former President Donald Trump accountable for the violent insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a judge held in a scathing ruling delivered Friday.”
ANGELENO TAPPED — “Jill Biden names a decorator for her East Wing office,” by the Washington Post’s Jura Koncious.
| | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | — Tech giants recruit defenders among communities of color, by POLITICO’s Emily Birnbaum: The tech companies are participating in a lobbying tradition: Large corporations have long donated to so-called affinity organizations that later take the companies’ side in Congress. | | MEDIA MATTERS | | SF CHRONICLE DISPUTE — “ A Newspaper Union Clash Could Have Bigger Implications For Worker Rights In Biden Era,” by HuffPost’s Dave Jamieson: “Because she was chastised for discussing union matters over work email, [SF Chronicle copy editor Caroline] Grannan’s case involves a tricky part of labor law that changed during the presidencies of both Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and may change again under Joe Biden.“ | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | MIXTAPE | | BEHIND THE TURNTABLES — “Meet the Long Beach DJ spinning the soundtrack at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics,” by the Long Beach Post’s Cheantay Jensen. — “Ex-Santa Clara Councilman Dominic Caserta charged with forgery, falsifying financial statements,” by the Mercury News’ Grace Hase. — “Displacement-Proofing San Francisco’s Tenderloin District,” by Bloomberg’s Sarah Holder. LOVE FOR L.A. — “Escape from L.A.? No, most people like it here, poll finds,” by the LA Times’ Thomas Curwen and Jonah Valdez. — “ A war to halt logging in Northern California reignites. Will it end differently this time?” by the LA Times’ Lila Seidman. —“Inside California's Cannabis Crisis,” by Rolling Stone’s Mary Jane Gibson.
| | TRANSITIONS | | ENGAGED — Peter Hamby, host of Snapchat’s “Good Luck America” and founding partner of Puck News, on Friday proposed to Katie Warshaw, a former Marty Walsh aide who’s now an MBA candidate at UCLA Anderson School of Management. | | BIRTHDAYS | | MONDAY: LinkedIn Executive Chairman Jeff Weiner … David Geffen … Anna Hubbard … Ashley Etienne SUNDAY: Michael Zegen SATURDAY: Facebook’s Sean Conner … Howard Stringer … Alicia Rose … Mick MacLaverty … David Gross ... Joshua Schank | | A message from the California Clean Cars Campaign: California is home to the most polluted air in the United States. The American Lung Associationranked seven California cities in the top 10 of the most ozone polluted cities in the country. Polluted air contributes to asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer and premature death, and harms the those most vulnerable like our seniors and children.
It’s time to take big steps toward creating a safer, healthier future. If we don’t significantly cut our climate pollution the average 6-year-old today will live through roughly three times as many climate disasters and experience twice as many wildfires as their grandparents.
With stronger early electric vehicle sales targets we can help protect health and mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
We need Governor Newsom and the Air Resources Board to act boldly in setting new electric vehicle sales targets in the Advanced Clean Cars program! | | |
CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this -only service offers,click here.
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