His signature followed narrow passage in the Legislature and intense lobbying by farmworkers. Assembly Bill 1066 will raise overtime wages for agricultural workers incrementally over four years, ultimately matching other industries by requiring time-and-a-half pay for more than eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a week.
Business Roundtable today released its third quarter 2016 CEO Economic Outlook Survey, and the results continue to underwhelm. Over the next six months, CEOs report lower expectations for sales, roughly unchanged plans for hiring, and nearly flat plans for capital spending.
In California, cities and counties control what is built in their communities. But study after study has pointed to the hurdles local governments put in front of development — such as parking requirements and lengthy environmental reviews — as reasons why homes aren’t built at the rate needed to keep pace with rising prices.
China has accused more than 20 additional car makers, including Nissan and Hyundai, of breaking rules on green car subsidies, according to a state media report, widening a scandal over a $4.5 billion annual payout program.
Apple has quietly moved thousands of employees into a campus that is bigger than any other that the company currently has—and it’s not its Cupertino, Calif. headquarters.
In February 2015, the Center completed a review of the many competing estimates of green jobs creation in California, entitled California Green Jobs: A Review of Current Estimates. As stated in that review, the policy interest in green jobs is not new to California.
The latest new vehicle sales data from California New Car Dealers Association shows continued but slowing growth in California’s purchases of new cars and trucks. Key findings from the data:
• Total light vehicle sales in 2016 Q2: 542,565. Up 1.8% from 2015 Q2.
• Market share, cars: 54.8%. Down from 59.3% in 2015 Q2.
• Market share, light trucks: 45.2%. Up from 40.7% in 2015 Q2.
• California average price per gallon regular gasoline, 2016 Q2: $2.81. Down from $3.50 in 2015 Q2.
Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Rises to 5.5%; Total Employment Up 35,500 Labor Force Participation Rate Improves to 62.1% State Employment Growth Rankings Nonfarm Jobs Increase 36,400 Five Industries Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels Two-Tier Economy Persists Nine California MSAs in the 10 Worst Unemployment Rates Nationally New Housing Units Down 1.2% in Second Quarter
Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Rises to 5.4%; Total Employment Eases by 3,200 Labor Force Participation Rate Unchanged at 61.9% State Employment Growth Rankings Nonfarm Jobs Increase 40,300 Five Industries Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels Two-Tier Economy Persists 8 California MSAs in the 10 Worst Unemployment Rates Nationally
Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Eases to 5.2%; Total Employment Edges Up 9,600 Broader Unemployment Measures Remain Above Pre-Recession Lows State Employment Growth Rankings Nonfarm Jobs Increase 15,200 Six Industries Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels Two-Tier Economy Persists 8 California MSAs in the 10 Worst Unemployment Rates Nationally Manufacturing Remains Leading Source of Employment for Immigrants to California
Many believe the current tax system does not serve California as well as it might, and that a review of the entire structure is long overdue. Post – Proposition 13 revenues from the sales and use tax, the corporation tax, and the property tax have diminished. This has increased California’s dependence on the personal income tax. The increasing volatility of the state’s economy (and the stock market) has translated into greater unpredictability of state tax revenue, presenting challenges for budget forecasts.
If the proposal is approved by the state’s Public Utilities Commission, California’s carbon dioxide emissions will either increase or decline far less than if Diablo Canyon’s two reactors, which generated about 9 percent of the state’s electricity last year, remained in operation. If this deal goes through, California will become a model of how not to deal with climate change.
Volkswagen AG confessed last fall to installing “defeat devices” in diesel cars that overrode nitrogen-oxide controls. For these sins of emission, VW has agreed to compensate consumers and perform green acts of contrition including promoting electric cars, which may be another way for the government to supercharge Elon Musk’s Tesla.
Gordon Schremp, senior fuels analyst for the California Energy Commission, said he was aware of Harris’ investigation of the state’s refiners. . . “There have been all kinds of major allegations,” Schremp said. “I’ve seen [attorney general investigations] with all kinds of price spikes. I don’t know of an incidence where they’ve come back and said, yes we’ve found manipulation in the gasoline market.”
The Nov. 8 ballot includes the largest number of measures – 17 – since 2000, when 20 measures qualified, according to the California secretary of state’s office. The most all time was in November 1914, when 48 measures appeared.