THE BUZZ— OIL OPTICS: California is heading in the right direction to see a drop in gasoline prices in the approaching weeks, just because the world’s leading oil producers announced plans yesterday to cut production by 2 million barrels per day.
It’s not a lot that California is insulated from OPEC’s influence, but relatively that the aspects driving the state’s high gas prices in the primary place are expected to calm down within the near future. California’s supply has been squeezed during the last month due, partially, to 6 oil refineries undergoing maintenance. But experts and analysts say the state’s $6.43 per gallon average often is the peak, as refineries come back online, more supply is imported from out of state and California makes an early transition to winter mix gasoline.
“I believe, by next week, we may have dropped probably 50 cents a gallon… I believe we’re gonna see it turn around in a short time,” said Severin Borenstein, faculty director of the UC Berkeley Energy Institute at Haas. One other analyst, Patrick De Haan, noted that California’s spot prices fell $1.25 per gallon on Wednesday, a probable harbinger of lower prices on the pump.
With that drop in prices on the horizon, California drivers aren’t prone to notice any increase from OPEC’s decision, Borenstein said, which could take weeks to point out up at gas stations in any case. The California Energy Commission said Wednesday the OPEC decision is similar to a few 1 percent cut in supply, and expected to have a “relatively modest impact on the worth of gasoline in California.”
Nevertheless, concerns about what (or, perhaps, whom) is driving high gas prices continues to be a spotlight of the political class. Democrats across the country are apprehensive about the way it could affect their possibilities within the midterms, and Republicans in California are using the high prices as a line of attack in battleground races.
Gov. Gavin Newsom last week called for the Legislature to pass a windfall tax on oil corporations, which, he said, need to supply a proof as to why gas prices are so high and must be held answerable for “fleecing” customers. His office yesterday again identified that the worth for consumers rose in September despite the worth of crude oil falling. California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild similarly put out an announcement Wednesday saying refinery issues don’t fully explain the high cost of California gasoline.
Passing a windfall tax (which some lawmakers tried and did not do that 12 months) would require Newsom to either call a special session or wait until January when the Legislature reconvenes, which might delay relief that much further.
The prospect of a special session also presents plentiful pitfalls for Democrats. Passing a tax in an election 12 months would potentially give more cannon fodder to their Republican opponents. Then there’s the problem of speakership politics — Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) continues to be very much vying for Speaker Anthony Rendon’s job, and people dynamics could make it difficult for the caucus to unite and pass laws under a time crunch.
BUENOS DÍAS, good Thursday morning. Opponents of Proposition 1, the initiative to enshire abortion rights within the California Structure, are expected to assemble on the Capitol this morning. Speaking of conservative causes, Republican donors are gathering in Orange County tonight for a fundraiser scheduled to feature NRSC chair Sen. Rick Scott and U.S. Senate candidates Mehmet Oz and Adam Laxalt.
Programming Note: We’ll be off this Monday for Indigenous Peoples Day but shall be back in your inboxes on Tuesday.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Let’s be clear: Selling drugs is just not legal. Using drugs out within the open is totally unacceptable.” San Francisco Mayor London Breed once more pledging to crack down on open drug use and sales on Wednesday, via the Associated Press.
TWEET OF THE DAY:
WHERE’S GAVIN? In San Francisco with other West Coast leaders to sign a climate agreement.
— “For Pelosi and McCarthy, a Toxic Relationship Worsens as Elections Approach,” by the Latest York Times’ Annie Karni: “The connection between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the person who’s almost certainly to succeed her should Republicans win control of the House in next month’s elections is barely civil.”
— “Bodies of kidnapped Merced County family found. ‘Our worst fears have been confirmed,’” by the Merced Sun-Star: “Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke confirmed on Wednesday night that the bodies of 4 kidnapped members of the family were found.”
PROP PREP — “Addiction experts fear the fallout if California voters legalize sports betting,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Mark Kreidler: “Because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that states could legalize betting on sports, California — with 40 million people and various skilled teams — has been the nice white whale, eluding gambling corporations and casino-hosting tribal communities.”
— “Candidate’s financial history under scrutiny in California controller’s race,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Taryn Luna: “The one Democrat within the November contest for California controller is facing scrutiny over the recent suspension of a business license and the foreclosure of her San Francisco condo greater than a decade ago.
KEEPING IT LOCAL — “Health care employees union is using ballot measures to treatment low wages amid a workforce shortage,” by CalMatters’ Ana B. Ibarra: “California’s largest health care employees union isn’t any stranger to taking its fights to the ballot — each statewide and locally. Up to now five years, it has pitched to voters initiatives on issues starting from staffing at dialysis clinics to cost caps for specific health care providers.”
— “Mike Garcia fights to maintain his seat in Congress while Christy Smith seeks a winning message,” by the Los Angeles Day by day News’ Marianne Love: “A 3rd time could possibly be a charm for Democratic challenger Christy Smith within the upcoming U.S. Congressional District 27 race against incumbent Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita.”
RECALL BUZZ — “Group begins recall against Sacramento Councilman Loloee, says he doesn’t live in district,” by the Sacramento Bee’s Theresa Clift: “The town launched an inquiry into Loloee’s residence in early July after The Sacramento Bee reported that one other family lives at the house where Loloee is registered to vote and that neighbors to the property said that they had not seen the councilman there.”
HISTORY LESSON — “Republicans could tilt Assembly speakership feud,” Opines Dan Walters for CalMatters: “An ambitious member of the state Assembly declares that he has enough votes to develop into speaker and demands that the incumbent step down. The present speaker refuses and the contenders spend months attempting to get enough of their supporters elected to settle the dispute.”
— “Racism’s impact on health care in California,” by Axios’ Sabrina Moreno: “Nearly a 3rd of Black Californians reported being treated unfairly within the health care system due to their race, in line with a report from the California Health Care Foundation.”
SALT IN THE SALTON — “As Salton Sea faces ecological collapse, a plan to avoid wasting it with ocean water is rejected,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Ian James: “By moving desalinated seawater across the desert, they are saying, California could stop its largest lake from shrinking and growing saltier and will restore its once-thriving ecosystem.”
— “Alex Villanueva’s Unlikely Rise To Power — 7 Takeaways From Our Latest Podcast About The Sheriff,” by LAist’s Francisco Aviles Pino: “LAist Studios’ recent podcast, Imperfect Paradise: The Sheriff, charts Villanueva’s unlikely rise to power and his controversial tenure.”
WATER POLITICS — “Meet the California farmers awash in Colorado River water, even in a drought,” by NPR’s Dan Charles: “A couple of hundred farms within the southern tip of California, along the Mexican border, may hold the important thing to saving the drought-plagued Colorado River from collapse.”
— “Latest California law desires to help minority state employees get promoted. Here’s how it really works,” by the Sacramento Bee’s Wes Venteicher: “An ambitious bill that aimed to make promotions more accessible for minorities and ladies in California state government was winnowed right down to just a couple of provisions by the point Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it last month.”
POTUS POLLING: President Joe Biden’s approval rating amongst Californians is barely up from early August, in line with a recent poll released yesterday from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Fifty-two percent of California voters now approve of his job performance overall, while 43 percent disapprove.
In terms of ongoing investigations regarding former President Donald Trump, 46 percent of California voters think he’ll likely face criminal charges — that number is, unsurprisingly, much higher amongst Democrats (61 percent) than Republicans (20 percent). Of all voters, 49 percent think it’s unlikely Trump will face criminal charges.
— Biden’s Operation Warp Speed revival stumbles out of the gate, by POLITICO’s Adam Cancryn and Erin Banco: As Covid’s Omicron wave ebbed earlier this 12 months, top Biden administration health officials began developing a plan to fortify the nation’s defenses against the subsequent potentially dangerous coronavirus strain.
FRAUD ON THE RISE — “Zelle fraud is on the rise—and lots of victims are denied refunds,” by Ars Technica’s Ashley Belanger: “By 2021, Zelle was processing nearly twice the variety of payments as Venmo, but as the quantity of Zelle payments increased, so did rumors about increased fraud.”
— “‘Rust’ criminal probe will proceed, D.A. says, after Alec Baldwin settles lawsuit with family of cinematographer killed,” by the Los Angeles Times’ Summer Lin, Anousha Sakoui and Meg James: “Nearly a 12 months after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the film set of “Rust” in an incident involving a prop gun fired by producer and actor Alec Baldwin in Latest Mexico, the Hutchins family and Baldwin have reached an undisclosed settlement in a wrongful-death lawsuit.”
THE CRITICS & THE CANINES — “‘This signals the collapse’: Latest S.F. fancy dog restaurant ignites debate,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Elena Kadvany.
— “What Will Occur to a Scofflaw, His Composting Toilet and Two Acres of Land?” by the Latest York Times’ Achy Obejas.
— “Nicole Mann Becomes First Native American Woman to Go to Space,” by the Wall Street Journal’s Joseph Pisani.
— “The ‘floating cube’ tower for S.F. looks great — but don’t consider what you see,” Opines John King for the San Francisco Chronicle’s.
— “Marc Andreessen Compares California to Rome Circa 250 A.D.,” by Bloomberg’s Lizette Chapman.
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