By Howard Yune in Napa Valley Register

March 14, 2016

By Dan Lawton in Contra Costa Times

March 12, 2016

Murder and mayhem are rare in the affluent suburbs of the Tri-Valley, where you’re more likely to catch an elbow at Whole Foods than a bullet. But property crime — specifically shoplifting, vehicle breaks-ins and nonviolent thefts — have surged as of late.

All five cities in the region in 2015 posted their highest totals for thefts in at least four years, and overall the region experienced a 42 percent increase in such crimes.

Read more at Contra Costa Times

By Press Enterprise Editorial in The Orange County Register

March 13, 2016

Where’s the budget savings from Proposition 47? It’s a question voters are asking about the 2014 initiative, which reduced felony and misdemeanor penalties for many nonviolent and nonserious drug and property crimes. The voter pamphlet language that sold the initiative promised, “This measure will save significant state corrections dollars on an annual basis. Preliminary estimates range from $150 million to $250 million per year.”

But in his January budget proposal for fiscal year 2016-17, which begins July 1, Gov. Jerry Brown penciled in just $29.3 million in savings. A month ago, however, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office released a study that concluded, “We find that the administration likely underestimates the savings and overestimates the costs resulting from” Prop. 47.

Read more at The Orange County Register

By John Seiler in The Orange County Register

March 13, 2016

A couple days ago, I took a break from the Register and drove to the Starbucks on 17th Street and Grand Avenue in Santa Ana, where I saw three homeless people. I’ve seen many more in Orange County in recent weeks, commonly at freeway off-ramps, begging for money. Are homeless numbers really up?

“Yes, that’s an easy one,” Chet Parker told me; the deputy Orange County sheriff is homeless liaison officer for the city of Lake Forest. “The economy and high housing costs are just a giant piece of it. People who normally might be homeless for one or two months are remaining longer.”

Read more at The Orange County Register

By David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times

March 11, 2016

The crews showed up with chain saws 18 months ago, ripping into coast live oaks, black walnuts and other trees that lined the hillsides of Brentwood’s Sullivan Canyon.

To the alarm of his neighbors, real estate developer Sam Shakib had secured permission from the city of Los Angeles to chop down 56 trees, part of a much larger plan for developing two mansions on the sprawling 12-acre site.

Read more at Los Angeles Times

By David DeBolt in the Contra Costa Times

March 10, 2016

RICHMOND — A violent gang feud historically fought on city streets has expanded to one of the Bay Area’s busiest freeways, Interstate 80, where 70 million motorists drive each year, law enforcement sources say.

Freeway shootings are not new to the East Bay, but this latest run — two dead and others injured, two seriously, in seven shootings since November — suggests gang members are choosing the busy commuter route to settle conflicts.

Read more in the Contra Costa Times

By Paul Elias in The San Diego Union-Tribune

March 9, 2016

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The California Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Gov. Jerry Brown can continue pursuing a plan to reduce the state’s prison inmate population by releasing certain non-violent felons early while it considers a legal challenge.

The high court’s brief order means Brown’s supporters can gather signatures to qualify a measure for the November ballot while the court decides whether the governor made improper, late additions to a proposed juvenile justice proposed proposition.

Read more at The San Diego Union-Tribune

By Kate Mather in Los Angeles Times

March 8, 2016

Killings in Los Angeles have surged by 27.5% so far in 2016 compared to the same period last year as the city continued to see a rise in violent crime, LAPDofficials said Tuesday.

The jump in homicides along with double-digit increases in aggravated assaults and robberies meant Los Angeles has experienced a 12.7% rise in violent offenses, LAPD Asst. Chief Earl Paysinger told police commissioners at their weekly meeting Tuesday.

Read more at Los Angeles Times

By Joel Fox at Fox & Hounds

March 9, 2016

On the 40^th anniversary of Proposition 13 passing, the iconic property tax measure could very well be a leading issue on the 2018 ballot both with a ballot initiative or two and a prime topic in the gubernatorial campaign.

There has been a never-ending campaign to change or even end the tax protections of Proposition 13. Fewer Californians remember the days that prompted voters to overwhelming cast aside opposition from elected officials from both political parties and overwhelmingly pass Proposition 13. As demographics and ideology of California voters have changed over the last four decades, there is a growing sense from Prop 13 opponents that the iconic measure might be vulnerable.

Read more at Fox & Hounds

By Maggie Kreins in The Sacramento Bee

March 1, 2016

Is Proposition 47 working the way it was sold to voters?

Los Angeles and Sacramento are just the latest California cities to report increases in crime. While the rest of the nation is enjoying a steady decline in the overall crime rate, we see mounting evidence to suggest something different – and not good – is going on in the Golden State.