Political news and views from the Idyllwild perspective.
The need to modify the U.S. Forest Service’s budget process so that the cost of fighting wildfires does not jeopardize funding for other programs has reached another level. On Oct. 4, White House Director of the Office of Management of Budget, the federal budget czar, was at the Angeles National Forest to share in a national…
For the fourth time in five years, California voters are being asked to weigh in on the earlier release of certain prisoners, in this case, those convicted of “non-violent crimes.” Proposition 57, titled “The Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016,” would consider certain state-prison inmates convicted of non-violent felony offenses for release earlier than…
Two 2016 California ballot initiatives seek to amend the death penalty, with very different outcomes. One, Proposition 62 (Repeal of the Death Penalty), proposes to abolish the death penalty and substitute life sentences without possibility of parole for all first-degree murder convictions. Inmates currently on Death Row would have their sentences changed to life without…
Editor’s note: The supervisor’s seat for Riverside County’s 3rd District will be on the ballot on Nov. 8. Incumbent Chuck Washington, who was appointed in March 2015 to complete the term of former Supervisor Jeff Stone, is seeking a full four-year term. Shellie Milne, Hemet City Council member, is challenging Washington. Both candidates have agreed…
Editor’s note: The supervisor’s seat for Riverside County’s 3rd District will be on the ballot on Nov. 8. Incumbent Chuck Washington, who was appointed in March 2015 to complete the term of former Supervisor Jeff Stone, is seeking a full four-year term. Shellie Milne, Hemet City Council member, is challenging Washington. Both candidates have agreed…
The Republican official and staff person Nathan Miller, who tweeted the “Ready for Hillary” hangman, is now on the staff of 3rd District Supervisor candidate Shellie Milne. “He apologized, and who hasn’t made a mistake,” Milne said, when asked about Miller joining her staff. He tweeted his apology in August. “Nathan has stuck by me….
Proposition 61, titled by its drafters as “The California Drug Price Relief Act,” and on the ballot as “State Prescription Drug Purchases. Pricing Standards. Initiative Statute,” seeks to cap prices state agencies pay for prescription drugs to the lowest price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. VA generally pays the lowest prices under…
As of 7 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 5, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Office has announced the results of nearly all the ballots cast durng the 2014 General election. The 265,771 ballots represent about 30 percent registered voters. Slightly more than 18 percent were submitted by mail and another 102,118 ballots were cast at the…
Riverside County voters and statewide voters concurred on the disposition of the six propositions on the November ballot. Half passed and half were defeated. Voters approved the water quality and bond and the state budget propositions by nearly two to one margins. Also Proposition 47, which would change some criminal sentences to misdemeanors, was approved…
On the morning of Election Day, Nov. 4, The Field Poll release its prediction of turnout for the 2014 General election. The forecast saw a continuing decline in voter and perhaps sinking to the lowest overall. The Field Poll forecast 8.2 million Californians would cast ballots in the election, representing just 46.1 percent of registered…
