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Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Housing Wire
by: Kerry Curry
In the words of housing consultant John Burns, bulk sales of REOs could be a “game changer” for the U.S. housing market.
The Obama administration this summer floated the idea of selling foreclosed homes to investors, who would agree to rent them out.
Monday, January 30th, 2012
California Progress Report
by: Trent Lange
California Clean Money Campaign
Last week, the California Assembly Appropriations Committee voted AB 1148, the California DISCLOSE Act, to the Assembly floor for a full vote next Tuesday, January 31st. Coming two days before the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s infamous Citizens United decision that unleashed unlimited anonymous spending on campaigns across the country, the vote moves forward a bill that would shine a spotlight on political spending so voters know who is behind the ads they’re seeing.
Friday, January 20th, 2012
The 14-member California Citizens Redistricting Commission met Wednesday in Culver City to hear public input about possible amendments to the California Government Code.
Culver City Patch
by Kelly Hartog
On Jan. 18, the 14-member California Citizens Redistricting Commission held a public input meeting at Culver City Council Chambers to hear possible amendments to the California Government Code sections 8251-8253.6.
A group presentation was submitted by California Common Cause; the Asian Pacific American Legal Center; California Forward; Claiming Our Democracy; The Greenlining Institute California; the California Citizens Redistricting Commission; the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) and the League of Women Voters of California.
The main focus of the group’s suggested changes centered on budget and timing issues, including ensuring the public has adequate time to comment on the process and that transparency remain key.
Read the full article here.
Thursday, January 19th, 2012
Se convierte en la primera mujer latina en ocupar dicho puesto
La Opinion
by: Araceli Martinez Ortega
SACRAMENTO.— Catherine Sandoval, quien creció en el este de Los Ángeles se convirtió ayer en la primera mujer latina en ser confirmada como miembro de la Comisión de Servicios Públicos de California (CPUC) por el Comité de Reglas del Senado.
Aunque será hasta hoy cuando se lleve a cabo la confirmación por el pleno del Senado, se da por un hecho que no tendrá problemas para recibir los votos y convertirse en uno de los 5 comisionados de la CPUC, además de la única mujer.
Sandoval de 51 años, fue designada al cargo por el gobernador Jerry Brown en enero de 2011, tiempo en el cual ha estado ya en pleno ejercicio de su cargo, pendiente de su confirmación, que debe hacerse un año más tarde.”Este puesto es tan importante porque todos pagamos por la electricidad, agua, teléfono y nuestra meta es que los precios no suban tanto y haya competencia e innovación en el mercado”, dijo Sandoval en entrevista con La Opinión antes de entrar a la audiencia de confirmación en el Comité de Reglas del Senado, a la que se hizo acompañar por toda su familia.
Ser la primera mujer latina en convertirse en miembro de la CPUC, aseguró es un gran honor y una gran oportunidad para servir a la gente de California sobre también a quienes no hablan inglés y enfrentan barreras adicionales para acceder a los servicios públicos.
Sandoval, de 51 años, se graduó en Artes de la Universidad de Yale; estudió jurisprudencia en la Escuela de Derecho de Stanford; e hizo maestría en Ciencias Políticas en la Universidad Oxford donde se convirtió en la primera latina en recibir la reconocida beca Rhodes.
Al cargo trae su experiencia como asesora en vivienda para la Agencia de Negocios, Transporte y Vivienda; su trabajo en la Comisión Federal de Comunicaciones; y como litigante en la firma de abogados Munger, Tolles y Olson así como profesora de Derecho de la Universidad de Santa Clara.
Como miembro de la CPUC, tiene un sueldo de 128,109 dólares al año y el cargo dura seis años.
Samuel Kang, abogado general del Instituto Greenlining, con sede en Oakland, dijo que podría decirse que la CPUC es la agencia es la más poderosa y estrechamente escudriñada en el estado., “por lo que cualquier nombramiento en un ambiente tan demandante necesita una combinación inusual de intelecto, integridad y liderazgo, y bajo esas medidas, el gobernador no pudo encontrar mejor selección que Sandoval”.
La abogada latina fue cuestionada durante horas por los legisladores sobre el trabajo y las políticas de la CPUC sobre todo porque la confirmación viene en momentos en que la confianza pública en la CPUC ha sufrido una serie de problemas incluyendo la falta de prevención en desastres. como la explosión de gas en San Bruno en 2010, una desgracia que ocurrió antes de que Sandoval llegara al cargo
Thursday, January 12th, 2012
Insurance Journal
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Thursday announced the formation of an Insurance Diversity Task Force to make recommendations about diversity in the insurance industry, including the diversity of corporate governing boards and procurement from diverse businesses.
Task force members will identify and promote insurance companies that are doing a good job on diversity issues, examine the diversity of insurance company governing boards, identify actions the Department of Insurance can take to encourage insurance companies to utilize diverse suppliers, and make recommendations for changes to the law, according to the Department of Insurance.
Thursday, January 12th, 2012
San Francisco Bay Guardian
by: Lisa Carmack
With the upcoming anniversary of the Citizens United decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allowed corporations to make unlimited campaign contributions, California Assembly member Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) is pushing a bill to ensure that corporate entities making political donations are required to at least disclose those contributions.
The California Disclose Act, AB 1148, specifically addresses accountability in election campaign ads, forcing corporate sponsors to step out from behind cryptic political action committee (PAC) names when they fund political advertisements.
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
The Huffington Post
by: Alex Brant-Zawadzki
Former Supreme Court Justice John Brandeis said it best. When it comes to political skull-duggery, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” he said.
On Sunday, Jan. 8, 2011, the old guard of San Francisco politics gathered in the Latino Room of the San Francisco Main Library to bring more light into the state’s political processes by kick-starting the campaign to support AB 1148, the California DISCLOSE Act. Hosted by the California Clean Money Campaign, the event included representatives from nearly every progressive political group in the city, from the Harvey Milk LGBT Club to the Older Women’s League to the SF Green Party to Progressive Democrats of America. All have united to try to minimize the impacts of the Supreme Court’s recent Citizens United ruling.
Monday, January 9th, 2012
San Jose Merucury News
By Steve Johnson
Acknowledging they haven’t done enough to ensure companies such as PG&E operate safely, state regulators are considering major changes in the way they approve utility rate increases to reduce the chance of another catastrophe like the 2010 San Bruno natural gas explosion.
But the idea — due to be hashed out at a California Public Utilities Commission workshop on Wednesday — could wind up boosting customer bills, some consumer advocates fear. It could also force the agency to do more checking on how utilities spend the money they get.
Monday, January 9th, 2012
New York Times
By Aaron Glantz
From the street, the new San Francisco location of the Internet banking giant INGDirect U.S.A. does not look like a place where financial transactions are made.
The three-story glass-and-steel storefront near Union Square has no windows where tellers take deposits and dispense cash and no desks for loan officers. Instead, there are 13 flat-screen televisions; beanbag chairs; a deli counter that sells coffee, cookies and sandwiches; and plenty of tables and outlets for customers using the free wireless Internet access.
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
Advocates say Cordray brings strong pro-consumer credentials to this important job.
Salem-News.Com
by: Tim King
(SALEM) – “Today I’m appointing Richard as America’s consumer watchdog,” U.S. President Barack Obama said today at Cleveland, Ohio’s Shaker Heights High School.
Richard Cordray, an American politician, is the former Attorney General of Ohio. President Barack Obama announced he would nominate Cordray to lead the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today.
