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California Policy and Politics Monday

After a bruising battle for Warner Bros., David Ellison faces daunting challenges in Hollywood -- The Paramount Skydance chief executive will have to work hard to repair badly frayed relations with Hollywood talent who fiercely opposed the consolidation of two historic studios as a bad deal for workers. Stacy Perman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/28/26

‘Love letter’: California AG takes aim at Trump’s links to Big Oil -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta is angling for a high-profile legal fight with the president that he says could derail the administration’s sweeping effort to gut climate regulations. Zack Colman Politico -- 9/28/26

California donors have funded both sides of Democrats’ primary battles -- Californians have given more to far-left candidates and their moderate opponents than donors from any other state. California donors helped fund the Senate primary victories of progressives Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota. Ben Wieder and Gabrielle LaMarr LeMee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/28/26

More than $200 million spent fighting and supporting billionaire tax measure, and more to come -- Opponents of California’s proposed one-time 5% tax on billionaires’ assets and measures designed to block it have raised $187 million, compared with $32 million for supporters. Proposition 40’s supporters say the tax would offset looming federal healthcare cuts; opponents argue it threatens the state’s budget and economy. Likely voters are divided: 45% said they support the billionaire tax and 42% oppose it. Seema Mehta and Gabrielle LaMarr LeMee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/28/26

Garofoli: Planned Parenthood staffers are rebelling against the group’s billionaire tax stance -- And a new ad campaign launching Monday takes aim at one of the biggest head-scratching political alliances in the battle over Prop 40 — the opposition of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, which usually links arms with other progressive institutions, but in this case is siding with California billionaires and Gov. Gavin Newsom in opposing the measure. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/28/26

New California safety laws tighten commercial rules after Lineage fire in Boyle Heights -- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed new safety laws after a June fire at a Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse sent noxious smoke into nearby neighborhoods and drew rats and flies. One law lets local agencies impose fines of up to $50,000 per violation on companies that threaten public health and safety. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/28/26

Newsom signs bills aimed at protecting LGBTQ people, citing Trump administration attacks -- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills Saturday that increases protections for LGBTQ people in California, saying the legislation was needed because of recent moves by the Trump administration that threaten that support. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/28/26

Skelton: Voter ID ballot measure fixes a problem that doesn’t exist -- What’s so wrong about requiring every Californian to show a government ID before they’re allowed to vote? That’s what Proposition 39 backers ask. And it’s a fair question. Here are some valid answers: George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/28/26

Barabak: War games and draft lawsuits: Democrats work to Trump-proof November election -- Stepping in for an absentee Congress, Democratic attorneys general are ready to fight efforts to undermine or overturn the midterm balloting. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/28/26

Thousands flock to interfaith march in San Diego to proclaim dignity for immigrants -- Thousands of San Diegans of several faiths marched by Balboa Park on Sunday to call for the dignity of migrants and refugees as the Trump administration’s roundups of immigrants have recently reached new highs. The afternoon event, under a bright gray sky that shed occasional bouts of rain, evoked vibes of a 1960s peace march. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 9/28/26

Weeks after childcare fraud charges, defense lawyers challenge feds’ handling of probe, raise fairness concerns -- They took issue with accusations based on limited surveillance, complained of anti-immigrant bias and said the arrests were used as 'clickbait, not rule of law'. Alex Riggins and Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 9/28/26

Environment

Sea level rise is reshaping a California beach town and threatening a key rail line -- For years, residents of this Southern California beach town could walk a mile along a stretch of cream-colored sand and dip their toes in the waves lapping ashore. That trip has been cut short. Amy Taxin Associated Press Jill Cowan in the New York Times$ -- 9/28/26

Develop

Frozen for years, this $1 billion downtown S.F. office project is ready to move forward -- The AI office boom has revived a long-stalled downtown San Francisco megaproject, but one hurdle remains for the development to put cranes in the skyline. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/28/26

Education

AI is changing higher education. Here’s how California schools are responding -- While the California State University system declared itself “AI-empowered” a year and a half ago, the University of California began working on its systemwide strategy recently. The California Community Colleges system, meanwhile, is hoping to secure the funding it believes it needs for AI adoption in the next state budget cycle. Tarini Mehta in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/28/26

Schools get easier access to arts funds, but LAUSD faces suit over alleged misspending -- More state money to pay for arts teachers will reach local schools if legislation signed Sunday by Gov. Gavin Newsom works out as intended, but the new law will not resolve a lawsuit accusing the Los Angeles school district of misspending as much as $77 million in its share of the funding. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/28/26

After 5 years, ethnic studies rollout in Southern California classrooms is still a hodgepodge -- Amid a lack of state funding, shifting political dynamics and added scrutiny in the classroom, response to landmark state law has been mixed. Still, teachers across the region are trying to make it work, to the delight of many students. Ellen Wang in the Orange County Register$ -- 9/28/26

See where California state superintendent candidates stand on major education issues -- In November, California voters will choose between two candidates vying to be the next state superintendent of public instruction. But this election comes with a plot twist: The job has changed. Since the June primary, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers have rewritten the elected seat’s job description. Yuxuan Xie and John Fensterwald EdSource -- 9/28/26

Also

San Diego aircraft carrier deploys to Middle East uncertain how long its mission will last -- The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt left San Diego Sunday on deployment to the Middle East, a mission that might turn out to be longer than normal because the Navy needs more ships. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 9/28/26

Dogs Will Fight Bears. But Not Because of the Reason You Might Think -- The internet loves an underdog story, especially when the underdog is an actual dog going up against a bear. Last week, a French bulldog named Cassie made headlines for engaging with a bear that attacked its owner outside their home in Northern California. Alexander Nazaryan in the New York Times$ -- 9/28/26

POTUS 47

The Moves That Backfired on Trump and Drove Interest Rates and Inflation Higher -- The president’s advisers said fiscal restraint and deregulation would bring down prices and borrowing costs. Then came tariffs, war and an investment boom. Nick Timiraos and Meridith McGraw in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 9/28/26

At every turn, Trump’s ideas for aiding U.S. consumers run into resistance -- From beef to diesel, White House efforts to bring down prices — the top concern among midterm voters — have failed so far to pan out. Riley Beggin in the Washington Post$ -- 9/28/26

A Trump 2024 Campaign Ad Returns, Now Brought to You by the Government -- The ad, which ethics experts said could violate federal law, shows Mr. Trump vowing to “expel the warmongers” from the government and fight the “deep state,” even as he wages a war with Iran. Bayliss Wagner in the New York Times$ Katherine Doyle in the Washington Post$ -- 9/28/26

Trump now says the Kennedy Center could be deadly. Months ago, it was ‘great.’ -- The president’s assessment of the Kennedy Center’s physical condition grew increasingly dire after his name went up on the building and revenue began to plunge. Jonathan Edwards and Travis M. Andrews in the Washington Post$ -- 9/28/26

Trump Brought Venezuelan Gold to the U.S., but Refiners Won’t Touch It -- The administration is brokering deals in a notoriously corrupt industry, including one with a company that the United States deems a security threat. Anatoly Kurmanaev, Tyler Pager and Rebecca R. Ruiz in the New York Times$ -- 9/28/26