EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2019 projects continued robust growth in U.S. energy production, emergence of the United States as an energy exporter, and a cleaner U.S. electric power generation mix
Patrons of restaurants and coffee shops in Berkeley, California, who don’t bring a reusable cup for their beverage will have to pay a 25-cent fee for a disposable cup as part of an ordinance approved by city officials to reduce restaurant waste. Berkeley’s City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the fee on single-use cups […]
Los Angeles teachers returned to work Wednesday after contentious negotiations ended with a new contract and a commitment by the union and the district to work together to get more state money for schools in part by pushing to overhaul California’s property tax system. Teachers greeted students with smiles, hugs and high-fives after voting the […]
The holiday season was a brutal one for U.S. retailers, especially department stores and companies that sell luxury products, and companies and investors alike didn’t see it coming. The U.S. economy has been growing at a steady pace, and unemployment is low and consumer confidence is high. That seemed to set the stage for strong […]
A gauge of layoffs across the U.S. fell last week to the lowest level since 1969, suggesting the labor market remains on solid ground despite concerns of slowing economic growth. Initial jobless claims declined by 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 199,000 in the week ended Jan. 19, the Labor Department said Thursday. This marks the […]
Los Angeles officials are socking away money for the next recession. The nation’s second-largest city has set aside close to $500 million across several funds to help weather emergencies and financial shocks, said Matt Szabo, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s top budget adviser. It had about $192 million in reserves before the last recession, which officially lasted […]
The number of Americans without health insurance jumped to its highest level in four years, new figures show, a trend that pits Democrats who say the White House is sabotaging the Affordable Care Act against Republicans who blame high premiums under the law for locking people out of coverage. The percentage of adults without health […]
Home sales tumbled in December to their weakest level since 2015, ending a difficult year at a new low and offering fresh evidence that the housing market could be in for a bumpy ride in 2019. Some of the same forces that pounded global financial markets in the fourth quarter caused home buyers to pull […]
The decisions by Amazon and Google to expand into the New York area have led some pundits to claim that the nation’s high-tech economic future will be shaped in dense urban areas. “Big cities won Amazon and everything else,” proclaimed Neil Irwin of the New York Times. “We’re living in a world where a small […]
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to use some of the state’s budget surplus to pay down unfunded liabilities in the state’s two giant government employee pension funds drew praise from an unexpected source – the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which otherwise had a low opinion of the new governor’s 2019-20 spending plan. Next fiscal year, Newsom […]
Residents of Cascade Village, whose rent payments are subsidized by the federal government, will be moved into temporary quarters while their apartments, about 750 square feet each, are spiffed up with remodeled kitchens and bathrooms and new appliances, plus handicapped access. That’s good news for them, certainly, but it raises a serious issue: Why is […]
Gavin Newsom deserves credit for his unprecedented proposal to pay down California’s pension debt. But don’t kid yourself: The amount is a pittance compared to the overall shortfall of the state’s retirement funds. The real test will be whether the new governor supports fundamental and essential pension law changes sought by his predecessor, Jerry Brown, […]
California State University is poised to enroll thousands more Californians and step up support to help them graduate sooner, thanks to a hefty increase in state funding proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Cal State trustees will take their first collective look at the governor’s 2019-20 budget proposal and discuss plans to improve student success at […]
Because of the potential of massive flooding, the Army Corps of Engineers is rushing to begin a $500-million repair project for Whittier Narrows Dam, classified as the highest priority of any of the 13 “high risk” dams in the country. Nearly three years ago, the Army Corps of Engineers elevated the risk of failure from […]
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Merck v. Albrecht. At issue in the case is when the federal regime for regulating pharmaceutical products (principally through the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA) might preempt state regulatory regimes (principally through tort litigation). However the case is resolved, this area of law is […]