Latest news with #BoardofSupervisors
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Commission recommends Kern supes OK oil review, permitting plan
A high-stakes effort to resume local oil permitting advanced this week as Kern's Planning Commission voted Thursday night to recommend approval of the county's third attempt at a massive environmental review. The board voted 4-0 with Commissioner Joe Ashley, a local oil executive, absent. Next the controversial measure will head to the county Board of Supervisors, which is scheduled to consider certifying the review and adopting a related ordinance during a special meeting June 26. Because the board is seen as likely to approve the proposal over the objections of climate and environmental justice activists, the bigger challenge for the county may be getting the approval of state appellate court judges. They have ruled, as recently as two years ago, that the county's efforts violate the California Environmental Quality Act. Kern's latest attempt includes new concessions that would raise the costs oil companies face when applying for permission to drill in the county. If the legal bid falls short, permitting will remain in the hands of Sacramento, where producers complain that the process is slow and hobbled by politics. People attending Thursday's commission meeting spoke up in opposition and support for revisions that would allow the county to permit up to 26,970 new wells by 2035. The county estimates that, based on past experience and depending on barrel prices, it will give out no more than about 19,000 drilling permits during that time, and that many of those will merely replace other wells set to be idled. Relatively few people criticized the county effort on Thursday; if history is a guide, a much greater number of opponents will weigh in when the Board of Supervisors takes up the issue. Many groups see the permitting process as overly broad "fast-tracking" at a time when oil production should be curtailed for climate and health reasons. Policy Director Ema De La Rosa at the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability urged the commission Thursday night to reject the proposal. She said oil and gas has historically impacted poor people and communities of color she said suffer disproportionately from illnesses including asthma, cancer and high-risk pregnancies. "Residents in Kern County already endure the worst air quality in the nation … and expanding these operations will only worsen the public health crisis and further burden already impacted communities," she said. Later she added, "Doubling down on fossil fuel reliance is a step in the wrong direction as the state is working toward a clean energy future." Director Lori Pesante of Sierra Club's Kern-Kaweah Chapter said in a statement ahead of Thursday's meeting it's time for the county to move past oil production. 'Kern's Planning Commission should prioritize clean air, new job opportunities in the renewable energy sector, and protecting the public from dangerous leaks and spills," she stated, "not double down on a failed approach that would give the oil industry a free pass to pollute our neighborhoods.' The architect of the county's effort, Director Lorelei Oviatt of Kern's Planning and Natural Resources Department, made the point oil production is still legal in the state, and that permitting done in Sacramento does not incorporate the 89 mitigation measures and standards Kern's system would impose for the protection of local air, water and biological and cultural resources. Oviatt said by email Friday the benefits of oil and gas production in Kern extend beyond the county, including to Southern California refineries that rely on local petroleum. "Returning Kern County to full environmentally protective permitting is critical for providing gasoline to consumers at prices we can all afford, stabilizing our local business community and providing investor confidence," she wrote. Since before it was initially adopted in 2015, the measure has been a top concern for local oil producers, which more recently are also dealing with a new state law forbidding oil work within 3,200 feet of a home, school or other sensitive site. Kern's proposed ordinance does not attempt to change that regulation. CEO Rock Zierman of the California Independent Petroleum Association trade group expressed support for the county's actions in an email Friday. "If we want any hope of saving the local oil industry and reducing gas prices, Kern must be empowered to take over permitting from the state, which is refusing to process permits in a timely manner' he stated. One of the county's newly proposed mitigation measures, included to address the appellate court's concerns, would prohibit new wells on farmland until old oil-field equipment is removed. Oil producers would also have to secure an ag easement within the county measuring the same size as any lost farmland. Additionally, oil companies applying for permits would have to pay into a fund that would match state investments in water systems serving local disadvantaged communities. Fees for each new oil well would amount to $9,732. It is projected to raise between $17.3 million and $25.9 million per year.
San Francisco Chronicle
14-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Here's how SFPD is proposing to cut down on overtime
San Francisco's interim police chief is proposing changes that he says will increase the number of officers fighting crime while also reducing the department's massive overtime spending. Yep, who recently took over from Chief Bill Scott, told the Board of Supervisors during a special budget meeting on Friday that he wants to start using retired police officers to staff a police reserve unit and special event officer program. The program would supplement police staffing and potentially cut down on the need for as much overtime as the department deals with what it says is a shortage of hundreds of officers. The number of police officers earning more than $100,000 in overtime more than tripled from 2021 to 2023, fueling concerns about officer performance, burnout and unsustainable taxpayer expenses. The chief's proposal comes as city officials pour over Mayor Daniel Lurie's proposed budget, which must close a roughly $800 million deficit. The plan calls for laying off over 100 workers, eliminating hundreds of vacant positions and cutting nearly $200 million in grant funds and contracts. The mayor's budget retains funding for police, fire and other public safety agencies as part of his pledge to revitalize the city by focusing on safety and the economy. The Board of Supervisors will hear from every city department throughout June and propose changes for the mayor to consider. The mayor must sign the budget by Aug. 1. Yep said retired officers in the new reserve unit will have full police powers and be assigned based on experience, whether that's working a foot beat or doing behind-the-scenes investigative work for the department. Meanwhile, retirees in the special events officer program would be assigned to specific events, such as Super Bowl celebrations, protests or festivals, and also have full police powers. The plan also calls for retaining the department's existing community ambassador program staffed by unarmed retirees on foot patrols in neighborhoods the department struggles to staff. Yep admitted he's still working on the details, but that the programs 'would give our current officers a break from mandatory overtime.' The department said the move would mean increasing the temporary salary budget from $3.4 million to $8.1 million. As a result, the department's proposed overtime budget would grow from $71 million to about $80 million. But Yep explained that by paying retirees a flat rate that is less than the overtime rate, the move will eventually yield savings. In May, San Francisco supervisors lambasted the department over its apparent inability to rein in public safety costs but ultimately approved $61 million in funds for overtime spending. A recent audit found that SFPD's overtime spending more than doubled from $52.9 million in 2018 to $108.4 million in 2023. The audit also found that about 12% of the cops who worked overtime were responsible for nearly a third of all SFPD overtime spending in the last year of the review. The department is also trying to save money by laying off six people in its civilian workforce and will eliminate 25 vacant civilian positions. Still, Supervisor Connie Chan, who chairs the Board of Supervisors budget committee, said that the department needs to do more to help close budget gaps. Chan is worried about social services funding that's on the chopping block in Lurie's proposed budget. Chan said the department should lower overtime spending and asked Yep to consider eliminating civilian management positions to find more savings. 'It's regrettable to hear about layoffs of some of the police department staff, particularly civilians,' Chan said. 'But I'm saying this to every department. I'd really like for you to work with us to evaluate the need for certain management positions. I know it's tough… but consider… are those necessary?'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Looking Back at Gavin Newsom's Career—and National Ambitions
California Gov. Gavin Newsom attends a press conference about President Donald Trump's tariffs, at an almond farm in Ceres, Calif., on April 16, 2025. Credit - Noah Berger—AP President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom's clash over the deployment of federal troops in Los Angeles has escalated a longstanding feud between the two to new heights—and may be setting the stage for a bigger political battle come 2028. The recent standoff has brightened the spotlight on Newsom, who was already considered a leading contender for the Democratic nomination in the next presidential election after building up his national profile with major policy moves and confrontations with Republicans. Since becoming Governor in 2019, Newsom has embraced his role as the top official of the most populous U.S. state, which often leads the country in implementing progressive policies. The 57-year-old has been assertive in his opposition to the Trump Administration, most recently challenging federal 'border czar' Tom Homan to arrest him after Homan indicated he would detain anybody who interferes with federal immigration actions. 'Democracy is under assault before our eyes,' Newsom said in an emphatic public address Tuesday evening. 'This moment we have feared has arrived.' Here's what to know about the Governor's political career so far and what it could signal about a potential future campaign for the White House. Newsom garnered national attention shortly after becoming San Francisco's mayor—the city's youngest in more than a century—when he gave the green light to issue municipal marriage licenses to same-sex couples on Feb. 12, 2004, more than a decade before same-sex marriage was legalized across the country. Newsom had been mayor for just one month at the time, after previously serving on the city's Parking and Traffic Commission and Board of Supervisors. He first entered government in 1996 after beginning his career as a well-connected businessman. His order at City Hall defied both the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act—a federal law that defined marriage as between a woman and a man—and a state law approved by voters in 2000 that did the same thing. Newsom's attempt to bring marriage equality to San Francisco came after Massachusetts became the first state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage after its Supreme Judicial Court's November 2003 decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health. The move drew controversy, however, including from Democratic Party leadership, as well as legal challenges, as public support at the time was still divided. After more than 4,000 same-sex couples were married, the California Supreme Court ruled the licenses void. The legal battle over marriage equality in the state was not resolved until the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. Near the end of his second term as mayor, in April 2009, Newsom announced on Twitter that he planned to run for Governor. But he pulled out of the race just six months later as it became clear former Gov. Jerry Brown was the clear frontrunner. In March 2010, Newsom announced that he would instead seek the office of lieutenant governor, and he beat his Republican challenger by more than 10% of the vote in the November election. The California politician continued to prove his boundary-pushing progressive bona fides in his support of Proposition 64, a state ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana that passed in 2016. When the first-term Trump Administration later threatened to potentially crack down on such laws, Newsom issued a letter urging the federal government to work with states like his. 'We can't continue to keep doing what we've done and expect a different result,' he wrote to the President. 'The government must not strip the legal and publicly supported industry of its business, and hand it back to drug cartels and criminals.' In addition to marijuana legalization, Newsom staked out progressive positions on issues including capital punishment, supporting an unsuccessful proposition to ban it, and gun control, supporting a successful proposition to require background checks for purchasers of ammunition and to prohibit possession of high-capacity magazines. But throughout and even before Newsom's first tenure in Sacramento, he made clear his frustration with the limits of the lieutenant governorship. And as early as 2015, just after his reelection in the role, he announced his intention to run for the state's top job in 2018, to succeed Brown who was in his final term. 'I've never been a fan of pretense or procrastination. After all, our state is defined by its independent, outspoken spirit. When Californians see something we truly believe in, we say so and act accordingly—without evasiveness or equivocation,' he posted on Facebook. 'I make this promise—this won't be an ordinary campaign—but, then again, California has always been an extraordinary place.' Newsom was elected in a landslide and took office in January 2019. In his first year as Governor, he signed a flurry of laws, from requiring public colleges to offer abortion medication to banning smoking on state parks and beaches. He also increasingly put the Golden State on a collision course with Trump, who was well into his first term as President. Newsom called Trump's plans to build a border wall as part of a national emergency a 'national disgrace,' accusing the President of 'manufacturing a crisis' at the border. And he lashed out at the Administration for trying to reverse the state's strict auto emissions standards. Tensions escalated in 2019 following the Administration's attempt to alter existing pumping regulations to increase the supply and delivery of water to Central Valley farmers, which Newsom criticized on environmental grounds. In 2020, Newsom tackled a record-setting wildfire season that saw nearly 9,000 fires burn that year, according to Cal Fire. A state of emergency request for disaster relief aid was initially rejected by the Trump Administration because it 'was not supported by the relevant data that States must provide for approval,' White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere wrote in an October 2020 statement, but it was approved hours after the rejection following a phone call between Trump and Newsom. Despite their historic hostility, Trump and Newsom praised each other at times in relation to cooperation on the fires and the Covid-19 pandemic—during the latter, in March 2020, Trump called Newsom 'terrific' and said 'We're getting along really well.' But the friendship wouldn't last long. A special recall election put Newsom's position at risk in 2021 as voters expressed ire over his policies on immigration, homelessness, and the death penalty. Newsom eventually survived that election with 62% of the vote, though Republicans, including Trump, called the results 'rigged.' Newsom was reelected by a 59% margin in November 2022. But despite his popularity in the heavily Democratic state, Newsom's governorship has continued to hit snags. The state's crime rate rose in 2023 compared to nationwide figures, though it went down last year; homelessness in the state reached a record-high in 2024; and in 2025, by one measure, California was ranked the most expensive state to live in. Further recall efforts have been initiated, including a campaign launched earlier this year by the organization Saving California, whose leader Randy Economy was the spokesperson and organizer of the failed 'People's Recall' campaign in 2021. The new effort has until Sept. 4 to collect more than 1.3 million signatures to trigger a special election. Newsom silenced talk of a presidential run in 2024 and instead threw his support behind President Joe Biden's reelection and later the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris. Still, Newsom didn't shy from the national spotlight. In November 2023, he debated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Fox News, an event that felt to many like a preview of 2028. 'I'm not there running for reelection as Governor. I'm not running for President, either,' said Newsom shortly before the debate. 'I'm going to defend Biden, for better or worse, rich or poor, 'til death do me part.' In February 2024, the California Governor ran a television ad in Tennessee in a fight against abortion travel bans. 'Don't let them hold Tennessee women hostage,' the voiceover in the advertisement says, referring to 'Trump Republicans.' The campaign highlighted Democrats' key promise that they would defend abortion rights. Following Biden's troubling debate performance against Trump in June 2024, as calls for the then-President to drop out of the race mounted, Newsom was floated as a potential replacement candidate, but he again shot down any entertainment of the idea and publicly stood by Biden before ultimately endorsing fellow Californian Harris after Biden withdrew himself. Despite his decision not to run for president in 2024, Newsom is widely believed to be setting the stage for a potential 2028 campaign. The Governor, who is term-limited and set to leave office in January 2027, has taken steps, observers have noticed, to try to appeal to a broader base while also seeking to raise his profile as a foil to the current President. In February, he launched a podcast, 'This is Gavin Newsom,' on which he has hosted high-profile figures in the MAGA world, including former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and right-wing activist and media personality Charlie Kirk. On policy, he has diverged from other Democrats by pushing for the clearing of homeless encampments and proposing limits on healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrants. He also broke with his history of progressive stances on LGBTQ+ issues when he announced that he thought the presence of transgender athletes in women's sports was 'deeply unfair.' At the same time, building on his past battles with the Trump Administration, Newsom has positioned himself as a leading opponent of the Republican President. Following Trump's reelection, Newsom convened a special session of the California legislature with the stated goal of safeguarding the state against potential 'federal overreach' from the incoming Administration. He and Trump locked horns again not long after the President returned to office when Trump blamed California's water management practices for deadly wildfires in Los Angeles. And their contentious relationship has broken out into even more open conflict in the past week as Trump has deployed National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests over immigration raids despite Newsom's opposition to the federal intervention. Newsom has condemned the President as 'dictatorial' and filed a lawsuit against the Administration over the military mobilization. In his address Tuesday, Newsom warned the nation that the situation in Southern California is 'about all of us.' 'This isn't just about protests here in Los Angeles. When Donald Trump sought blanket authority to commandeer the National Guard, he made that order apply to every state,' he said. 'California may be first, but it clearly will not end here,' Newsom added. 'Other states are next. Democracy is next.' Contact us at letters@
San Francisco Chronicle
11-06-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
London Breed's former chief of staff to lead urban think tank SPUR
Sean Elsbernd, a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors who most recently served as chief of staff to former Mayor London Breed, has been tapped to become chief executive officer of the urban think tank SPUR. Elsbernd will replace Alicia John-Baptiste, who left the position in February to become chief of infrastructure, climate and mobility for Mayor Daniel Lurie. A city hall insider who has served as both an elected politician and low-key, behind-the-scenes power broker, Elsbernd led city and county operations for Breed and oversaw the city's regional partnerships and state legislative work. He previously served as state director for the late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. 'Sean is a thoughtful and values-driven leader with deep knowledge of how Bay Area government works and how to build strong public partnerships that move policy forward,' said Lydia Tan, Chair of SPUR's Board of Directors. 'He understands SPUR's mission and brings the experience and vision we need to lead the organization into its next chapter.' SPUR, which has offices in San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco, bills itself as a 'good government' think tank that publishes policy reports laying out the case for how to improve public transit, preserve the environment, build more housing and make government more efficient and effective. Recent policy reports include: '10 ideas for equitable transportation in Oakland'; how the Bay Area could grow its population without increasing water demand; and how to reform the region's sales taxes. While SPUR doesn't endorse individual candidates its ideas are often in sync with the moderate faction of the city's political spectrum while its board of directors and membership is dominated by real estate developers, architects, nonprofit leaders and affordable housing leaders. Recently, Mayor Daniel Lurie implemented SPUR's recommendation to reorganize the Mayor's Office and create new roles to improve collaboration and accountability. SPUR also played a central role in advocating for $5.1 billion in state funding that included $400 million for Bay Area transit operations. Elsbernd has held several transit leadership roles, including serving as Chair of the Caltrain Board of Directors and as a Director of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. He led San Francisco's COVID response, providing oversight of the Department of Public Health and Department of Emergency Management. 'Having worked with Sean for years in various roles, I know he is the right person to help SPUR boost our local economies, advance new ideas and reforms and improve the lives of our residents,' said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard. Elsbernd officially assumes the role later this month and has already begun working closely with staff, the board of directors and regional leaders to carry the organization's mission forward, according to SPUR. The organization, which holds regular talks and panels at its Urban Center at 654 Mission St., had $5.9 million in expenses in the last fiscal year. It generated $4.6 million in revenues – a combination of membership fees, grants and special events. The nonprofit took in another in another $1.3 million in donations, according to the group's annual report. 'I'm honored to be joining SPUR,' Elsbernd said. 'Throughout my public service career, I've admired SPUR's work from both inside local government and as a resident of this region. The chance to lead an organization that's driving practical, forward-looking solutions is a privilege.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Meet the candidates in the runoff for the Board of Supervisors District 1 seat
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Two candidates remain in the special election race for the vacant seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors representing South County, and voting is already underway. The runoff for the empty District 1 seat, which was set after no candidate received enough votes to win outright earlier this year, pits two South Bay mayors against each other: Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann. Both are vying to serve the remainder of the term former Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas abruptly vacated in the weeks after winning re-election. D1 Special Election: What to know | The Candidates | How to vote | More Stories Moreover, the race is going to be decisive in shaping majority control of the technically nonpartisan body the next few years. Republicans have the opportunity with McCann to take back the reins just four years after Democrats became the majority party at the county. Ballots were distributed to registered voters in District 1 last Monday, June 3 with early voting beginning via mail and drop-box shortly after. In-person vote centers will begin opening up on Saturday, June 21, ahead of the final day to vote on Tuesday, July 1. For those looking for more information on the race for a seat on the Board of Supervisors, here is an introduction to both remaining candidates. The Board of Supervisors has a wide array of responsibilities in presiding over the county, spanning executive, legislative and judicial powers. Its primary duty is to set policies for most county departments, which largely encompass public health and safety, and unincorporated areas. The board can also direct litigation on behalf of the county, appoint people to certain roles and commissions, and approve contracts for services. Similarly to other legislative offices, voting is based on districts, meaning residents are only able to vote for the candidate hoping to represent their area. To find out which district you live in, the county has a map showing the supervisorial district boundaries available on its website. Here are the candidates, listed in alphabetical order by last name: Paloma Aguirre is the current mayor of Imperial Beach. Since assuming the role in 2022, the Democrat's public profile as grown significantly, specifically for her stalwart advocacy on the Tijuana River sewage crisis. A first-generation Mexican American, Aguirre was born in San Francisco before her family returned to Mexico. In 2001, she moved back to the U.S. to attend University of San Diego, receiving a B.A. in Psychology. She also holds a Master of Advanced Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. After graduating, she worked as a community organizer in south San Diego, focusing on issues tied to immigration, foreclosure and predatory lending. She also worked with the marine conservation nonprofit, WILDCOAST, before her election to Imperial Beach City Council. These issues that defined her pre-politics career are at the center of her campaign for higher office on the Board of Supervisors. Her priorities include addressing the sewage crisis, preventing rent gouging, bringing down homelessness, and 'holding the line on utility costs.' During a community forum earlier this year, Aguirre says she wants to work to ensure the county is carrying its weight on these issues, especially as it relates to the Tijuana River sewage crisis and homelessness. 'It's time we get our fair share from the county,' she said. According to her campaign, Aguirre has been endorsed by a number of major actors in local politics like the San Diego County Democratic Party, San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, the Sierra Club, Equality California and a number of local union chapters. A coalition of several of these unions — like SEIU and the California Labor Federation AFL-CIO —have set up an independent political action committee in support of her campaign. County records show more than $590,000 has been raised by the PAC for outside spending, largely on mailers. Aguirre has also received a number of endorsements from elected officials, including: Senator Adam Schiff, Reps. Juan Vargas and Sara Jacobs, State Senator Steve Padilla, National City Mayor Ron Morrison, and San Diego County Supervisors Monica Montgomery Steppe and Terra Lawson Remer. Chula Vista City Councilmember Carolina Chavez, one of the other Democrats who ran for the District 1 seat, similarly endorsed her. John McCann is the current mayor of Chula Vista. The self-identified moderate Republican has been a fixture of Chula Vista local politics for more than two decades, having held various roles over the years since he first became an elected official in 2002. Born and raised in Chula Vista, McCann holds a bachelor's and master's in economics from San Diego State University. Prior to entering politics, McCann served in the U.S. Navy, deploying during the Iraq War. He also worked for the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. In a conversation with KUSI earlier this year, McCann touted his record throughout his tenure in Chula Vista city governance, describing his approach to issues like public safety, neighborhood improvements, traffic decongestion and small business growth as 'common sense.' Specifically, he points to the city's reduction in crime under changes to the police department like its new drone system and doubling of officer patrols, successes of its Homeless Outreach Team, and work to eventually remove the toll on State Route 125. Should be be elected to the District 1 seat, McCann says he would bring this pragmatic approach to the county, pursuing policies that expand wraparound services for unhoused people, tackle immigration, accelerate construction of for-sale, market-rate homes in unincorporated areas and steward its resources in a fiscally responsible way. 'We need to be able to look at what are important to us, preserve those, and look at other things that are 'nice to haves' and look at how we can cut those instead,' McCann said. McCann has been endorsed by a number of groups like the San Diego County Republican Party, Deputy Sheriffs' Association of San Diego, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Club of San Diego and the San Diego Association of Realtors, according to his campaign. He has also received the endorsement of a number of former and current elected officials, including Greg Cox, who held District 1 seat before Vargas; Supervisors Jim Desmond and Joel Anderson; County Assessor Jordan Marks; and State Senator Brian Jones, among others. As far as outside spending goes, two independent political action committees have been set up to expressly support McCann's candidacy, county campaign finance records show. Collectively, these committees have raised over $456,500 with donations mostly coming from organizations in and around real estate spaces, like the Southern California Housing Association and Building Industry Association of San Diego County, as well as the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
