Politics, Government & Business in California's Inland Empire
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Jul. 7, 2014 – 12:00 am
At any given moment, dozens of comatose bills float around the Legislature – vessels to be filled with whatever the powers-that-be want to enact quickly and semi-clandestinely.
WASHINGTON — Jun 30, 2014, 10:08 AM ET
By SAM HANANEL
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court dealt a blow to public sector unions Monday, ruling that thousands of home health care workers in Illinois cannot be required to pay fees that help cover a union’s costs of collective bargaining.
By Jon Ortiz
jortiz@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Jun. 30, 2014 – 10:49 pm
Last Modified: Tuesday, Jul. 1, 2014 – 7:39 am
The U.S. Supreme Court chipped away at government-employee union power on Monday by ruling that Illinois home-support workers paid with public money can reject union membership.
Monday, June 30, 2014 – 09:45 a.m.
The United States Supreme Court has fired a shot across the bow of labor unions, who collect mandatory dues under agency shop agreements.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 06/28/14, 11:04 PM PDT | Updated: 1 min ago
SAN BERNARDINO >> The fire union continues to accuse the city of keeping $75 million “hidden in misleading or unmarked investment accounts” despite city officials’ position that the money was openly posted and legally can’t be used to prevent cuts to public services like the Fire Department.
Thursday, June 26, 2014 – 07:00 p.m.
A holdout San Bernardino County bargaining unit, represented by the San Bernardino Public Employees Association (SBPEA), rejected a contract offer for the third time on Wednesday evening, according to the union’s website.
By Jeremy B. White
jwhite@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Jun. 23, 2014 – 9:02 pm
Last Modified: Tuesday, Jun. 24, 2014 – 7:53 am
With the governor’s controversial Delta tunnel project a key part of the debate, lawmakers on Monday failed to advance a leading Senate proposal to put a revised water bond on the November ballot.
Monday, June 23, 2014 – 09:30 a.m.
Hats off to San Bernardino County government for pulling off a masterful victory over its largest union last week.
By Joe Nelson, The Sun
Posted: 06/19/14, 8:10 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> Five of six bargaining units of the San Bernardino Public Employees Association ratified a new contract with the county on Thursday following a ballot count met with criticism from opponents of the contract.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 06/19/14, 8:09 PM PDT |
RIVERSIDE >> San Bernardino and police union officials think they’re within a month of an agreement, but the city is so far from progress with the firefighters union that a U.S. bankruptcy judge released that union from mediation Thursday.
By Ed Mendel
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Full funding of the troubled California State Teachers Retirement System was approved by the Legislature last weekend, with most of the additional $5 billion coming from school districts that get no offsetting money from the state.
Phillip Matier And Andrew Ross
Updated 2:01 pm, Sunday, June 15, 2014
Rarely has a major court decision been met with such stony silence by California politicians as the ruling declaring that the state’s teacher tenure laws hurt poor and minority-heavy schools and are unconstitutional.
By Joe Nelson, The Sun
Posted: 06/12/14, 6:59 PM PDT | Updated: 13 secs ago
SAN BERNARDINO >> A Superior Court judge on Thursday granted a restraining order against Service Employees International Union Local 721 on behalf of the San Bernardino County Public Employees Association.
Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
June 12, 2014
Against the backdrop of a ruling declaring California’s teacher dismissal rules unconstitutional, the Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown legislation speeding the teacher firing process.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Tuesday, Jun. 10, 2014 – 10:40 pm
Last Modified: Wednesday, Jun. 11, 2014 – 8:13 am
A sociopolitical bomb exploded in a Los Angeles courtroom Tuesday when a judge declared that five key job protection laws for teachers are unconstitutional because they violate the rights of 6 million public school students to receive effective educations.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014 – 02:00 p.m.
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has commenced the process to decertify the San Bernardino Public Employees Association (SBPEA), as the designated union to represent several San Bernardino County employee bargaining units.
Published: June 6, 2014 Updated: 10:39 p.m.
Union-backed candidates and ballot measures don’t win every time in Riverside County, but this week’s district attorney race was a lesson in what drives unions to a candidate, and candidates to unions.
To read story by Richard K. De Atley in the Press-Enterprise, click here.
Thursday, May 22, 2014 – 04:00 p.m.
It was only a matter of time.
San Bernardino County’s largest union, the San Bernardino Public Employees Association (SBPEA), now faces a serious decertification effort from the Service Employees International Union, an AFL-CIO member.
Published: May 21, 2014 – Updated: 11:05 p.m.
Southern California’s three largest supermarket chains and the union that represents their store workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, bringing several months of often-intense negotiations to what will likely be a successful conclusion.
To read story by Jack Katzanek in the Press-Enterprise, click here.
By Neil Nisperos, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 05/20/14, 7:05 PM PDT | Updated: 36 secs ago
SAN BERNARDINO >> Dozens of San Bernardino County workers, unhappy with a new contract proposal, expressed concern and hope at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday. The concern: That the county’s fiscal health is coming at their expense. The hope: Fair wages, and a better contract.
By Doug Saunders, The Sun
Posted: 05/19/14, 9:37 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> Some members outside of the San Bernardino Public Employees Association office Monday night were visibly angry and frustrated with the lack of representation they say they’ve been receiving.
Published: May 17, 2014 Updated: 7:38 p.m.
Members of a Riverside County public employee union will get $16 million in raises and other benefits over two years to settle grievances the union brought over its 2012 contract.
To read story by Jeff Horseman in the Press-Enterprise, click here.
Friday, May 16, 2014 – 10:00 a.m.
The State Bar of California has closed an investigation into several lawyers of former Upland-based law firm Lackie, Dammeier, McGill and Ethir.
By Joe Nelson, The Sun
Posted: 05/14/14, 8:18 PM PDT |
Dissatisfied with their leadership and a proposed new contract with the county, members of the San Bernardino Public Employees Association are pushing other members to vote “no” on the contract and “yes” to new representation by another union.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 – 02: 15 p.m.
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has mounted a full-court press in an effort to takeover San Bernardino County’s largest labor union.
By Neil Nisperos, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Posted: 05/08/14, 10:14 PM PDT |
An independent committee, sponsored by the Service Employees International Union, is spending half of a million dollars in support of Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod’s bid for Fourth District County Supervisor.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 05/06/14, 11:28 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> The citizen charter review committee voted 7-2 Tuesday night to recommend that the City Council ask voters to repeal Section 186 and instead set salaries for police and firefighters by collective bargaining.
By Jim Steinberg, The Sun
Posted: 05/01/14, 6:50 PM PDT |
COLTON >> More than 400 registered nurses picketed Thursday in front of Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.
“The primary issues are patient care and nursing safety,” said Jed Smith, a labor representative with the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United.
Corina Knoll
April 30, 2014, 7:50 p.m.
Months after it unsuccessfully sought to stop the Los Angeles Times from publishing information gleaned from officers’ personnel files, a union representing Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies has been ordered to pay the newspaper more than $41,000 in legal fees.
April 28, 2014; 05:03 PM
Several law enforcement unions on Monday called for Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach to resign from office in the wake of allegations that he illegally tampered with opponent Mike Hestrin’s campaign signs in Indio last week.
To read story by Richard K. De Atley in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Friday, April 18, 2014 – 09:00 a.m.
In a surprise turn of events, the union representing San Bernardino County prosecutors, public defenders and child support lawyers has decided not to pursue legal fees from the only candidate challenging incumbent District Attorney Mike Ramos.
March 24, 2014; 12:23 PM
Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 was still missing as of early last week. But it somehow found its way into the 28th Senate District race.
To read column by Jeff Horseman in The PE Political Empire Blog, click here.
Sunday, March 23, 2014 – 10:00 a.m.
The barbs are still flying inside the San Bernardino County Public Attorneys Association (SBCPAA), this weekend.
The union, which represents Deputy District Attorneys, Deputy Public Defenders and Child Support Attorneys, has itself in the midst of an internal squabble, due to the apparently unpopular actions of its executive board and president, John Thomas.
March 20, 2014; 03:59 PM
A candidate for San Bernardino County District Attorney accepted campaign contributions from family and associates of a defendant at the center of a high-profile criminal corruption case, according to finance reports.
To read story by Imran Ghori in The Press Enterprise, click here.
Thursday, March 20, 2014 – 09:00 a.m.
A picture speaks a thousand words.
We’ve been covering the dust-up over the ballot statement of San Bernardino County District Attorney candidate Grover Merritt.
Monday, March 17, 2014 – 09:00 p.m.
In the first major round of mudslinging in the San Bernadino County District Attorneys election, a new revelation has surfaced.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 03/12/14, 6:28 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> Plans for a charter review committee are moving forward despite a letter from the police union challenging the legality of the process.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Mar. 10, 2014 – 6:18 pm
When Jerry Brown signed legislation giving California’s public employees collective bargaining rights during his first governorship, he – wittingly or otherwise – began a major political shift.
Alice Walton | March 10th, 2014, 3:25pm
Speaking to KPCC Monday, Mayor Eric Garcetti said he will run for re-election in 2017, but would not commit to serving out a second term if another office beckoned.
Saturday, March 8, 2014 – 10:30 a.m.
Former partners of a now-dissolved Upland law firm appear to be readying a lawsuit to take on the largest provider of legal defense services for peace officers in California, and the Western United States.
March 06, 2014; 03:27 PM
Amidst a recent history of contentious contract negotiations between three national supermarket chains and the union that represents store workers, the talks involving Stater Bros. are usually less tense and show results faster.
To read story by Jack Katzanek in The Press Enterprise, click here.
By Christina Villacorte, Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 02/20/14, 8:13 PM PST | Updated: 9 hrs ago
Realizing they both have a lot to lose if public employee retirement costs continue spiraling out of control, Los Angeles County and its labor unions have agreed to what they called “sweeping reforms” that could save as much as $840 million over the next 30 years.
Article by: FENIT NIRAPPIL , Associated Press
Updated: February 16, 2014 – 10:50 AM
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A rift between Gov. Jerry Brown and the board overseeing the nation’s largest public pension fund over rising liabilities tied to longer retiree life expectancies highlights a concern about how decisions are made at an agency with tremendous influence over state finances.
Posted by MIKE REICHER
Published: Feb. 14, 2014 Updated: Feb. 16, 2014 1:17 p.m.
Most agree that taxpayers should pay police well for risking their lives in the line of duty.
But should they be paid for the time they spend strapping on their gun belt and bulletproof vest? Or tying their boot laces? What if the department insists they dress in the stationhouse, instead of at home?
Thursday, February 13, 2014 – 12:00 p.m.
Attorneys from a now-dissolved Upland-based law firm haven’t went away by any stretch of the imagination…..
By Matt Weiser
mweiser@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Feb. 3, 2014 – 12:00 am
California’s Senate leader is drafting legislation that would expedite help for communities facing what may become the worst drought in state history.
By Jon Ortiz
jortiz@sacbee.com
Published: Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014 – 2:18 pm
Efforts to put a public pension measure on the November ballot dimmed Thursday when proponents said they would sue to challenge the language assigned their measure by California Attorney General Kamala Harris.
Posted: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 8:41 pm | Updated: 8:35 am, Wed Jan 29, 2014.
By NORBERTO SANTANA JR.
What a difference a county line makes.
In San Diego, a majority Republican Board of Supervisors is handing out big salary raises to sheriff’s deputies. Meanwhile, Orange County’s all-Republican Board of Supervisors is not only holding the line on salaries but demanding that deputies pay significantly more toward their pensions.
Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
January 24, 2014
Union membership declined in California last year, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says in a new report.
By Robert Barnes, The Washington Post
Posted: 01/22/14, 8:06 AM PST |
The Supreme Court on Monday debated what one liberal justice said would be a “radical” restructuring of organized labor by prohibiting states from requiring public employees to pay fees to the unions that represent them.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Jan. 20, 2014 – 12:00 am
When Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled his proposed 2014-15 budget this month – one based on estimates of sharply increased state revenues – a reporter asked him whether, in retrospect, California needed the tax increase he had persuaded voters to approve in 2012.
Daniel Borenstein, staff columnist
Posted: 01/17/2014 01:43:25 PM PST
Updated: 01/17/2014 02:51:52 PM PST
State and local governments face more pension rate increases as the nation’s largest retirement fund continues to fix its flawed accounting, this time by acknowledging that future generations will live longer.
The State Worker with Jon Ortiz blog logo
Chronicling civil-service life for California state workers
By Jon Ortiz
jortiz@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014 – 1:01 pm
Last Modified: Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014 – 1:26 pm
Although millions of dollars in state employee pay raises ride on estimates of government revenue in 2014-15, Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget proposal Friday won’t give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on across-the-board compensation hikes.
Monday, January 6, 2013 – 11:45 a.m.
The Former President of the San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters seems alittle unhappy with the union he headed-up for twelve years.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Friday, Dec. 20, 2013 – 12:00 am
The powerful political forces that have been skirmishing for years over the direction of California’s public schools appear to be headed for a multi-front political and legal war next year.
By David Siders
dsiders@sacbee.com
Published: Friday, Dec. 13, 2013 – 12:00 am
Public support for labor unions has plunged in California, with more voters for the first time saying they do more harm than good, according to a new Field Poll.
By Christina Villacorte, Los Angeles Daily News
and Kelly Goff, Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 12/10/13, 8:08 PM PST | Updated: 1 hr ago
The union boss for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday stepped to the defense of deputies arrested in misconduct at county jails, accusing the FBI of waging a “vendetta” against some of them and adding that some of their behavior was authorized by higher-ups in the department.
December 03, 2013; 09:12 PM
Riverside officials got one new contract with city workers squared away Tuesday, Dec. 3, but negotiations are far from over — and may get tougher.
The City Council approved a contract with about 800 employees represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 721, the first group to the bargaining table this year. The three-year pact will cost the city $2.1 million and gives all SEIU members raises of 1 percent.
To read story by Alicia Robinson in The Press-Enterpise, click here.
Sunday, November 24, 2013 – 10:00 a.m.
The drama surrounding the, now-closed, Upland-based law firm of Lackie, Dammeier, McGill and Ethir doesn’t seem to be abating in any way.
Sunday, November 17, 2013 – 08:45 a.m.
A San Bernardino County employee union has won another legal battle with San Bernardino County.
This time it’s over forced retirement system contributions.
By Joe Nelson, The Sun
Posted: 11/14/13, 7:40 PM PST | Updated: 1 hr ago
An Upland law firm accused of double and triple-billing police union clients across Southern California and bullying two Costa Mesa councilmen now stands accused of planting a GPS tracking device on one of those councilmen’s cars.
By Adolfo Flores and Paloma Esquivel
November 13, 2013, 9:35 p.m.
An Upland law firm accused of bullying civic leaders faced new accusations Wednesday of planting a GPS device on the car of a Costa Mesa official as a way to intimidate him.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 11/12/13, 9:16 PM PST |
SAN BERNARDINO >> The police union has withdrawn its endorsement of Anthony Jones in his run-off campaign for City Council after it received music videos in which Jones raps lyrics that that they say glorify crime and violence and denigrate women.
By William Cutting
Saturday, October 26, 2031 – 04:45 p.m.
InlandPolitics.com posted some photos of campaign literature hitting the mailboxes in San Bernardino by the San Bernardino Police Officers Association (POA).
In one mailer, an image depicts Councilman Fred Shorett as a “clone” of Mayor Pat Morris with a parody from the Austin Powers movie franchise.
Saturday, October 26, 2013 – 12:45 P.M.
The upcoming San Bernardino City Council election has finally heated up.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 – 08:55 a.m.
The San Bernardino City Council has a tough few months ahead of it.
Battles over gutting the fire and police unions by way of outsourcing is at the forefront.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 10/22/13, 5:09 PM PDT | Updated: 6 hrs ago
SAN BERNARDINO >> A third attempt to get proposals to run fire protection services for the city will come at the next City Council meeting — theoretically without an absent council member to block its passage.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 10/20/13, 10:05 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> A controversial move toward potentially outsourcing the city’s fire protection services that previously failed by one vote will be reconsidered today, when the City Council has its first meeting since the resignation of opponent Chas Kelley.
Sunday, October, 20, 2013 – 10:15 a.m.
There could be more to come regarding the abrupt departure of the General Manager to the San Bernardino Public Employees Association (SBPEA).
Friday, October 18, 2013 – 01:00 p.m.
The San Bernardino City Council Agenda now has an interesting item listed for Monday, October 21, 2013.
Thursday, October 17, 2013 – 09:00 a.m.
The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) of the Peace Officer’s Research Association of California (PORAC), says it has filed multiple complaints against the Upland-based law firm Lackie, Dammeier, McGill and Ethir.
The action comes after LDF trustee’s allege the law firm, a former member of the trust’s defense panel, engaged in overbilling practices.
By Paloma Esquivel and Joseph Serna
October 16, 2013, 9:21 p.m.
Orange County district attorney’s investigators have raided the offices of an Upland law firm accused of bullying civic leaders across Southern California in its aggressive representation of police and their unions.
Posted: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 3:47 pm | Updated: 7:19 am, Wed Oct 16, 2013.
By NICK GERDA
Orange County district attorney investigators obtained a search warrant late last week seeking records at the offices of an aggressive law firm accused of bullying city leaders across Southern California on behalf of police unions.
By Paul Pringle
October 7, 2013, 9:43 p.m.
The former president of California’s biggest union local was sentenced Monday to 33 months in federal prison for stealing from his low-income members to finance an expensive lifestyle that included being married to two women at the same time.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 10/06/13, 7:49 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> The police and fire unions whose financial support was pivotal in recent elections have spent almost nothing in comparison this year, financial statements from the candidates for mayor, city attorney and City Council show.
By Dan Walters
dwalters@sacbee.com
Published: Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013 – 10:32 pm
Last Modified: Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013 – 11:01 pm
Susan Bonilla and Joan Buchanan are Democrats who represent adjacent Assembly districts in the affluent East Bay suburbs along the Interstate 680 corridor.
By Jon Ortiz
jortiz@sacbee.com
Published: Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013 – 12:10 am
With the first deadline looming for a new public-pension proposal to make the November 2014 ballot, a Texas nonprofit has emerged in a behind-the-scenes battle poised to break into public view next year.
By Ryan Hagen, The Sun
Posted: 09/30/13, 8:33 PM PDT |
SAN BERNARDINO >> Councilman Rikke Van Johnson has said several times as he campaigns for mayor that voters should support him because he’s demonstrated his independence by never taking money from the police or fire unions.
By Chris Megerian
September 23, 2013, 4:35 p.m.
SACRAMENTO — Advocates trying to place initiatives on California’s ballot may face new requirements under a bill approved by the Legislature this month.
By Joe Nelson, San Bernardino Sun
Posted: 09/20/13, 8:43 PM PDT |
An Upland law firm that grew in the past 16 years to be one of the biggest in Southern California representing police unions is dissolving amid allegations of fraudulent billing practices, officials said.
Friday, September 20, 2013 – 05:45 p.m.
The law firm of Lackie, Dammeier, McGill and Ethir has formerly notified their clients by email of their decision to cease operations effective immediately.
Friday, September 20, 2013 – 12:00 p.m.
There’s been much written regarding the “purported” billing dispute between a statewide peace officer organization’s legal defense fund and an Upland-based law firm.
A dispute that has led to the firms pending dissolution.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013 – 10:00 a.m.
The Salvos continue to fly, while the stakes escalate, in a legal dispute between the Peace Officer’s Research Association of California (PORAC), it’s Legal Defense Fund (LDF), and the Upland-based law firm of Lackie, Dammeier, McGill and Ethir.
By Marc Lifsher
September 15, 2013, 8:38 p.m.
SACRAMENTO — Two of the Capitol’s major political players, business and organized labor, chalked up big victories during marathon sessions at the end of the 2013 legislative year.
By BYRON TAU and JENNIFER HABERKORN | 9/13/13 7:20 PM EDT Updated: 9/13/13 8:29 PM EDT
The Obama administration on Friday told labor union leaders that their health plans would not be eligible for tax subsidies under Obamacare next year.