Updating . . .

California Policy and Politics Monday

California Democratic Party endorses billionaire tax measure -- Proposition 40, which is set to go before voters in November, would impose a one-time 5% tax on the assets of California’s roughly 200 billionaires. Delilah Brumer in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ Ben Paviour in the Sacramento Bee$ Blake Jones Politico Paul Kiernan in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/3/26

Keep an eye on these 5 deals as California lawmakers close out the legislative sessionn -- Lawmakers could tackle climate money, wildfires and California Forever before they adjourn for the year and hit the campaign trail. Yue Stella Yu and Maya C. Miller Calmatters -- 8/3/26

Kamala Harris keeps Democrats guessing about 2028 -- For now, her focus is on voting rights and the midterms. But her eye toward artificial intelligence and women’s issues could inform her next steps. Melanie Mason Politico -- 8/3/26

Garofoli: 2028 will be the AI election. Newsom and Trump agree on one plan to address it -- President Donald Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom are in broad agreement on at least one thing: how to help Americans survive being financially crushed by the AI revolution. They want Americans to own a piece of the action. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/26

Will California voters ‘orphaned’ in top-two primary be strategic in November House races? -- California’s top-two primary has left many voters ‘orphaned’ this fall, or without a candidate from their own party to vote for in some races. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/26

Is this proposition a $4 billion giveaway to a billionaire-backed LA research center? -- Proposition 38 is written in a way that very likely excludes all but one institute in the entire state: the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, whose prominent donor and co-founder is the chief backer of the proposition. Mikhail Zinshteyn Calmatters -- 8/3/26

Chabria: Prop. 39 would turn Trump conspiracy into California law. It has a chance of passing -- Today we’re talking about California’s Proposition 39, a bid to turn Trump’s election conspiracy fantasies into California law, and a proposal so disingenuous it’s caused Democratic legislators to sue the Democratic secretary of state in an attempt to stop the misinformation surrounding it. Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/26

California families won’t owe taxes on money in Trump Accounts, thanks to law change -- California families can now take full advantage of the program after state lawmakers aligned California’s tax code with the new federal program. Until recently, the state planned to tax contributions to Trump Accounts, diminishing one of the program’s key financial benefits. Lasherica Thornton EdSource -- 8/3/26

‘Don’t Flock me’: California, U.S. lawmakers debate license plate reader technology -- They’re all over our roads and really good at helping police solve crimes, but do California’s automated license plate readers need limits? Ryan Sabalow Calmatters -- 8/3/26

Wildfire

The percentage of homes surviving California wildfires is dropping, despite efforts to harden them -- At the turn of the century, wildfires destroyed only about 3% of the California homes they came into contact with. By 2020, the rate had risen to 18%, according to a new study from UC Merced. It’s an indication that decades of efforts to clear flammable plants around homes and fortify their exteriors against flames, heat and embers are being outpaced by increasingly extreme wildfire behavior and construction in fire-prone areas. Noah Haggerty in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/26

California crews dispatched to battle fast-moving wildfires in Washington state -- The multiagency California Team 7, comprising local, state and federal responders, announced it was reassigned from the Fox Fire in Oregon to the Spokane Complex wildfires and assumed command around 9 a.m. Sunday. Catherine Ho, Anthony Edwards in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/26

California relies on goats to combat fires. A wage change threatens the industry -- Goats have become a familiar sight on California hillsides, munching through weeds and brush before they can become fuel for wildfires. But the companies that put those herds to work said a change in state labor rules have made goat grazing too expensive to continue. Velvet Wu in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/26

Workplace

Trump Administration Is Undoing Plans to Boost Workplace Heat Protections -- Republicans in Washington are taking steps to roll back federal workplace heat protections as summer temperatures surge. Scott Dance in the New York Times$ -- 8/3/26

California counties monitoring for measles in farmworkers from Arizona -- A group of 140 workers in Fresno, Madera and Merced counties who relocated from Arizona is being actively monitored for symptoms. No cases of measles have been confirmed in any of the workers at this time. Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/26

Workplace AI surveillance limits considered by lawmakers. What would the bill do? -- Proponents of the legislation say the surveillance violates workers’ right to privacy and can be discriminatory. Opponents say the tools that would be banned by the measure are part of important workplace safety mechanisms. Sofia Williams in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/26

Housing

Developer proposes 30-unit housing project in wealthy Atherton -- In the latest flash point in the push to erect more housing near public transit, a Bay Area developer submitted an application July 9 to put 30 units spread over five, three-story buildings on a one-acre lot. Six of the proposed townhouse units would be designated as affordable and, if approved, built where a single-family home has existed. Delilah Brumer in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/26

All-cash home sales used to be relatively uncommon in San Francisco. Not anymore -- Historically, San Francisco’s high home prices have kept all-cash purchases uncommon, at least compared with the rest of the U.S. After all, very few buyers have enough money to buy a $1.8 million house outright. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/26

A San Francisco Apartment Tower Ignites a Generational Fight Over Housing -- Plan to build 800 apartments in upscale district turns into debate over whether longtime residents will make room for newcomers. Owen Tucker-Smith in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/3/26

Climate

High surf and severe erosion trigger Point Dume closures and Long Beach surge warnings -- In a social media post Saturday, the department said the overnight erosion had left the bluff edge unstable, with “drop-offs of up to 8 feet” in some areas. In response, the county closed Westward Beach Road past the pay gate and the 373-spot parking lot for the beach. Noah Haggerty and Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/26

Fierce floods or wild waves? How San Diego is preparing for a winter of extreme weather under El Niño -- When the super El Niño arrives this winter, San Diego could be in for raging floods that gush through canyons and hillsides. Or it could face sparse rainfall and heightened fire risk. It could also see monster waves carve away beaches and pummel piers. Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 8/3/26

Border

A California university is cutting ties with the Border Patrol after student outcry -- Following a CalMatters investigation, students and faculty at UC San Diego protested against campus police for collaborating with Border Patrol through a federal grant program. The university will stop participating in the program and aiding patrols, sources and internal documents confirm. Phoebe Huss Calmatters -- 8/3/26

Education

California schools are facing a declining enrollment timebomb that could mean more layoffs, school closures -- Lowered birth rates and affordability issues have affected enrollment, and school district operations, across the state. Charlie Borl, Jordan B. Darling, Bella Kim, Teresa Liu and David Wilson in the LA Daily News -- 8/3/26

Also

We toured Hollywood Burbank Airport’s newest terminal. Here’s what you can expect -- The scene inside Hollywood Burbank Airport’s new terminal this week was a mix of power tools and work benches, plastic-wrapped TSA security devices and a glimpse into efforts to make the airport faster and safer once it opens in October. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/26

S.F.’s Bridge to Nowhere demolished, daylighting a busy block shrouded for decades -- The 300-foot bridge, used most consistently by skateboarders thrashing up its benches, had to come down as part of a redesign of Portsmouth Square, which is now underway after more than a decade of planning. Sam Whiting in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/26

Lopez: Dodger Stadium gondola plan about to hit heavy turbulence as state park defenders play hardball -- Mounting opposition now includes seven former state park officials and four former members of the state Park and Recreation Commission. A hearing on the matter is expected in the fall, and it’s sure to be a cage fight. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/26

POTUS 47

GOP holdouts say they will back Blanche’s attorney general nomination after striking deal over fund -- The statement from Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis came after Blanche issued an order late Sunday formally rescinding the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who believe they were unfairly prosecuted by the Justice Department. Mary Clare Jalonick, Alanna Durkin Richer Associated Press -- 8/3/26

Trump Pivots Back to Diplomacy as Iran Victory Eludes Him -- After days of threats to launch a new offensive against Iran, President Trump is once again trying to achieve through diplomacy what he has yet to accomplish through war. Michael R. Gordon, Alexander Ward and Philip Wegmann in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/3/26

New Round of Trump Threats and Pullbacks Raises Uncertainty in Mideast -- Analysts and lawmakers are trying to divine whether Mr. Trump’s latest announcement means negotiations with Iran will truly get underway Monday or if the president is just working through unappealing options. Katie Rogers in the New York Times$ -- 8/3/26