Latest news with #California-specific
Miami Herald
27-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Fourth of July barbecues will cost more in California. Here's a breakdown
Fireworks aren't the only thing accompanying Californians' Fourth of July celebrations this year - higher grocery prices will as well. A California cookout for 10 guests will cost $90.06, compared with the national average of $70.92 and Western regional average of $73.50, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual "marketbasket" survey. California-specific costs were included for the first time this year. The survey uses data collected by volunteer shoppers across the country, including Farm Bureau members and others, from stores in every state and Puerto Rico to give consumers a snapshot of food costs. This year's national average of $7.09 per person for a cookout, marks the second-highest cost since the survey began in 2013. California shoppers face steep premiums on cookout staples. Ground beef costs $14.33 for two pounds - $1 more than the national average. Chicken breasts run $12.48 for two pounds versus $7.79 nationally, while three pounds of pork chops cost $19.30, compared with $14.13 nationwide. Even basic items carry higher price tags in California. Hamburger buns cost $3.42 per package ($1.07 above average) and cheese runs $3.87 per pound (33 cents more). Fresh strawberries cost $6.14 for two pints versus $4.69 nationally, while two and a half pounds of homemade potato salad totals $4.92 compared with $3.54 elsewhere, the American Farm Bureau Federation said. Ice cream, cookies and lemonade also cost more in the Golden State. "Inflation and lower availability of some food items continue to keep prices stubbornly high for America's families," said Samantha Ayoub, associate economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation. Several factors account for the higher costs in California and nationwide. Trump administration tariffs on Mexico and Canada, two of the biggest suppliers of fresh produce, have increased import costs, which most retailers pass on to consumers. In March, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on most goods from Canada and Mexico. The American Farm Bureau Federation's assessment focuses mostly on food and drink items primarily grown and produced in the U.S., making it challenging to determine the full tariff impacts. However, steel and aluminum tariffs have increased costs for canned goods such as pork and beans. "Market uncertainty remains a challenge for many California producers, but we are hopeful the announcements of several recent trade deals is an indication that the administration is making progress on this front," Matthew Viohl, California Farm Bureau director of policy advocacy, said in an emailed statement. Reduced cattle availability and recovering chicken populations hit by avian flu also pushed prices higher. Additionally, ICE raids across California have created widespread fear among agricultural workers, disrupting farm operations and potentially threatening food production. Workforce disruptions could threaten the state's ability to supply healthy food, drive up grocery prices for all Americans and jeopardize California's position as the nation's agricultural leader, said Bryan Little, senior director of policy advocacy for the California Farm Bureau. Higher grocery costs, however, don't benefit farmers, who receive only 15% of each retail food dollar while facing rising expenses for labor, transportation and taxes. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Los Angeles Times
26-06-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Fourth of July barbecues will cost more in California. Here's a breakdown
Fireworks aren't the only thing accompanying Californians' Fourth of July celebrations this year — higher grocery prices will as well. A California cookout for 10 guests will cost $90.06, compared to the national average of $70.92 and Western regional average of $73.50, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual 'marketbasket' survey. California-specific costs were included for the first time this year. The survey uses data collected by volunteer shoppers across the country, including Farm Bureau members and others, from stores in every state and Puerto Rice to give consumers a snapshot of food costs. This year's national average of $7.09 per person for a cookout, marks the second-highest cost since the survey began in 2013. California shoppers face steep premiums on cookout staples. Ground beef costs $14.33 for two pounds — $1 more than the national average. Chicken breasts run $12.48 for two pounds versus $7.79 nationally, while three pounds of pork chops cost $19.30 compared to $14.13 nationwide. Even basic items carry higher price tags in California. Hamburger buns cost $3.42 per package ($1.07 above average) and cheese runs $3.87 per pound (33 cents more). Fresh strawberries cost $6.14 for two pints versus $4.69 nationally, while two and a half pounds of homemade potato salad totals $4.92 compared to $3.54 elsewhere, the American Farm Bureau said. Ice cream, cookies and lemonade also cost more in the Golden State. 'Inflation and lower availability of some food items continue to keep prices stubbornly high for America's families,' said American Farm Bureau Associate Economist Samantha Ayoub. Several factors account for the higher costs in California and nationwide. Trump administration tariffs on Mexico and Canada, two of the biggest suppliers of fresh produce, have increased import costs, which most retailers pass on to consumers. In March, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on most goods from Canada and Mexico. Strawberries, potatoes, and lemons — all cookout staples — may cost more as a direct result of these tariffs. The American Farm Bureau Federation's assessment focuses mostly on food and drink items primarily grown and produced in the U.S., making it challenging to determine the full tariff impacts. However, steel and aluminum tariffs have increased costs for canned goods like pork and beans. 'Market uncertainty remains a challenge for many California producers, but we are hopeful the announcements of several recent trade deals is an indication that the administration is making progress on this front,' Matthew Viohl, California Farm Bureau director of policy advocacy, said in an email statement. Reduced cattle availability and recovering chicken populations hit by avian flu also pushed prices higher. Additionally, ICE raids across California have created widespread fear among agricultural workers, disrupting farm operations and potentially threatening food production. Workforce disruptions could threaten the state's ability to supply healthy food, drive up grocery prices for all Americans and jeopardize California's position as the nation's agricultural leader, said Bryan Little, senior director of policy advocacy for the California Farm Bureau. Higher grocery costs, however, don't benefit farmers, who receive only 15% of each retail food dollar while facing rising expenses for labor, transportation and taxes.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
United States Congressional Candidate Peter Coe Verbica Unveils 25-Point Federal Plan to Help Make California Affordable Again
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. and SAN JOSE, Calif. and SANTA CRUZ, Calif. and MONTEREY, Calif., June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- US. Congressional Candidate Peter Coe Verbica, author of Hard-Won Cowboy Wisdom and a CFP® professional, releases a comprehensive plan outlining 25 federal initiatives to combat California's growing affordability crisis. Verbica is running for US Congress, California District 19, which includes Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. While many of the cost drivers (such as housing, gas, utilities, and insurance) are the result of decades of restrictive state policies, Candidate for Congress Verbica emphasizes that federal lawmakers still have powerful tools to ease the burden on California families and businesses. "California's affordability crisis is pushing out teachers, nurses, firefighters, small businesses, and young families," states Peter Coe Verbica. "While Sacramento bears responsibility for many of these cost pressures, if elected, I will focus on delivering federal solutions that can provide real relief." STATE POLICIES AT THE ROOT OF THE CRISIS US. Congressional Candidate Verbica notes several long-standing California-specific issues that have contributed to the affordability problem: Housing shortages caused by decades of underbuilding and abuse of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); Gas prices inflated by abnormal fuel blend mandates and layered state taxes; Utility rate hikes driven by wildfire liability and lack of infrastructure modernization; Water scarcity and costs worsened by failure to build new dams or reservoirs in over 50 years, despite voters approving Proposition 1 which allocated $7.5 billion to water infrastructure in 2014; Insurance market instability due to rigid regulatory frameworks like Prop 103; Punitive labor laws such as the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), making it riskier to hire workers; An overall anti-business climate marked by overregulation and litigation threats. 25 ACTIONS A FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE CAN TAKE TO HELP Despite these state-level challenges, Candidate for Congress Verbica lays out 25 actionable federal strategies aimed at reducing costs and improving conditions for California residents: Housing Tie the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding to local zoning reform and faster permitting. Expand Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocations. Reform the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to streamline federal land development. Repurpose federal surplus land for housing. Fund scalable modular housing technology. Pilot CEQA-exempt housing projects on federal land. Create federal grants for local governments that & Transportation Standardize clean fuel blends nationally. Request EPA waivers to allow broader gasoline availability. Investigate fuel market manipulation. Expand EV charging networks in low-income areas. Incentivize remote work through federal tax & Wildfire Resilience Increase Federal Emergency Management (FEMA)/ Department of Energy (DOE) grid-hardening grants. Launch a federal wildfire reinsurance or bond market. Fund fuel reduction on federal forest land. Modernize interstate grid connectivity through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).Water Infrastructure Fund critical storage projects like Sites Reservoir. Invest in desalination and recycling initiatives. Direct United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Interior support to agriculture efficiency. Reform federal Environmental Species Act (ESA) water-use rules to balance & Business Climate Consider the preemption of harmful labor regulations for interstate commerce. Establish a federal "safe harbor" employment category for startups, gig workers, and agricultural employees. Hold hearings on the economic impact of PAGA. Provide tax incentives for reshoring California manufacturing. Expand Small Business Administration (SBA) legal and compliance resources for small businesses. A FEDERAL PARTNER IN STATEWIDE REFORM "The cost of living in California shouldn't be a reason to leave," US. Congressional Candidate Verbica adds. "We can't solve everything in Washington, but we can be a strong partner in turning things around. This plan is just the beginning, and we look forward to the very real possibility of working in cooperation with a Republican governor in California." US. Congressional Candidate Verbica plans to introduce or support legislation aligned with these recommendations, while coordinating with local officials, stakeholders, and agencies to ensure federal support is targeted where it's most needed. Incumbent politicians had their chance, and they refused to structurally fix social security for current and future generations. They are not the solution; they are part of the problem. Vote for Peter Verbica for Congress. Peter Coe Verbica is a fiscal conservative running for United States Congress, California District 19. The district covers Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties. Verbica grew up on a cattle ranch and graduated from Bellarmine College Prep, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara University School of Law, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Peter Verbica is a CFP® professional and a Principal and Managing Director at Silicon Private Wealth. He has four adult daughters. He and his wife enjoy hiking, playing tennis and horseback riding. His family donated the heart of Henry Coe State Park, the largest state park in Northern California. For more information on the campaign, please visit Paid for by Verbica for Congress. Contact:Peter Coe Verbica***@ Photo(s): Press release distributed by PRLog View original content: SOURCE Verbica for Congress
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rachel Maddow: As Trump melts down over L.A. protests, Americans prep for nationwide 'No Kings' rallies
This is an adapted excerpt from the June 9 episode of 'The Rachel Maddow Show.' What is the most important story in the country right now? In this moment, there is no question of what the United States is up against. The intentions of Donald Trump are not a mystery. There's no suspense. There's no ambiguity. We know exactly who he is and exactly what he wants. It's as plain as day. But the question we are contending with, the real black box, the real drama, the story that does need to be dug up and told in our country because it is as yet undecided, is this: Will he succeed? Will he get what he wants? That question will be answered not by Trump or his actions, but by the people of this country. And so the most important story of our time is this one: What is this country going to allow him to do? This is an attempted authoritarian overthrow of the United States Constitution and the U.S. government. This is the attempted imposition of a dictatorial regime. The question now is whether it will work. The answer won't come from the White House; it will come from the streets, the courts, the states and in Congress. The strength of the movement against Trump is what will determine our fate as a country. Because what we're seeing over and over again is that organizing against him works. Fighting him in court works. Pushing back works. Protesting in the streets works. On Friday, large-scale protests broke out in Los Angeles over the administration's militarized immigration raids. By Saturday, Trump was fulminating against those protests and announced he would federalize the National Guard, the first time a president has done that against the wishes of a state's governor in 60 years. (When it was done 60 years ago, it was to protect protesters, not to threaten them with military force.) The response of the American people to that move is exactly what you would expect: In Los Angeles, bigger protests than ever, and across the country, solidarity protests in Atlanta; Baltimore; Boston; Chicago; Tampa, Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina; and in Washington, D.C., outside the Justice Department headquarters. There is nothing California-specific about what is going on here. When Trump issued his order to federalize the National Guard this weekend, it was not specific to Los Angeles, and it was not specific to California; he could use that order to send National Guard troops anywhere. On Monday, Trump took things a step further and announced he's sending 700 Marines to Los Angeles. That is a portrait of weakness. That is what you get when you have a supposed leader who cannot figure out how to get the support of his people, and knows it. That is what you get when you have a weak and unpopular president, who sees the people against him and can't defend his actions. But, despite what Trump wants, the protests won't stop. In fact, this coming Saturday, we will likely see the largest protests yet against Trump and his administration. As the president holds his military parade in Washington, people across the country are set to take part in what organizers are calling the 'No Kings Day of Defiance.' More than 1,800 rallies are planned nationwide — peaceful, organized and united. Trump already can't handle the number of protests against him, and it's about to increase exponentially. What we are seeing right now in California is a president panicking. Since polling began, we have never in the history of the U.S. presidency seen a president who is less popular than this one at this point in his presidency, and we have never seen a president less politically equipped than this one to turn that around. Someone convinced Trump that attacking immigrants would work for him, that the American people would love it; that the crueler he was, the more political capital he would accrue. Instead, the opposite has happened: In town after town, school after school, city after city, it has run him into a wall — and he has no idea what to do. Remember, in Trump's first term, when he reportedly suggested nuking hurricanes to stop them from hitting the U.S.? Now in his second term, he's trying the equivalent: Trump has no idea what to do with the sustained, growing, intractable and indomitable protest and opposition of the American people against him, so he's decided to try to stop it by using the Army. What we're learning, now more than ever, is that the movement against Trump is unstoppable. This article was originally published on
Los Angeles Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
With its climate progress under assault, California takes up a multipronged defense
Less than six months into his second term as president, Donald Trump has initiated or proposed more than 150 actions that experts say are detrimental to the environment, which range from cancelling climate grant programs to loosening regulations that govern air and water quality. Many of these actions have been part of the president's larger goals of reining in government spending, increasing energy independence and restructuring federal agencies. But some also appear to target one state in particular: California. Long known as a nationwide leader in climate and environmental policy, the Golden State has been in Trump's crosshairs since his first administration, when he sparred with Gov. Gavin Newsom over issues such as forest and water-supply management. In recent months, Trump has escalated his California-specific efforts, including vowing to block the state's ability to set strict tailpipe emission standards — a battle that has wound all the way up to the Senate. Many of the president's actions in the first 100 or so days of this administration have not only called out California by name, but also disproportionately targeted it. A leaked list of pending program cuts from the Department of Energy includes 53 projects in California — more than any other state — as well as more projects in blue states than red ones. In April, the president named California in an executive order directing the Department of Justice to seek out and 'stop the enforcement of' state laws that address climate change, in which he described California's first-of-its-kind cap-and-trade program as an unfair means of punishing businesses for their use of fossil fuels. Experts say it's not surprising that the president is coming for California's environmental progress. Trump received record donations from oil and gas companies during his campaign. Meanwhile, California, a Democratic stronghold, has set aggressive climate targets that seek to limit those industries and transition the state to carbon neutrality by 2045. 'One hundred percent, California is targeted,' said Mary Creasman, chief executive of the nonprofit California Environmental Voters. 'It's along the same lines as everything we have seen from this president: political retaliation at every turn toward anybody who disagrees with him on anything — and California disagrees with him on a lot.' But California also has the tools, means and motivation to to fight back, Creasman and others said, including through litigation and legislation. Already, the state has filed or joined nearly 50 legal actions against the current administration, at least seven of which pertain to the environment. Among them is a lawsuit challenging the president's declaration of a national energy emergency, which calls for for increased fossil fuel production, waived environmental reviews and the fast-tracking of projects in potentially sensitive ecosystems and habitats. 'These procedures misuse authorities meant for disaster response and bypass important health and environmental protections for the benefit of the fossil fuel industry,' California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta wrote in a statement about that case. Bonta has also joined a lawsuit against the administration's plans to freeze federal funding for a number of programs that Trump has disparaged as 'woke,' including environmental measures. Other suits challenge attempts to claw back funding for the construction of electric vehicle charging stations across the country; wind energy development; and the AmeriCorps program that deploys young people to disaster-relief organizations. The California attorney general has also joined a motion to defend the Environmental Protection Agency's chemical-accident safety rules from state and federal efforts to weaken or repeal it, and has signed onto an amicus brief opposing mass federal layoffs at agencies such as the EPA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. State lawmakers — including Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla — have thrown their hats in the ring as well, penning letters to the heads of various agencies in opposition to climate grant cuts at the EPA, the closure of the federal disaster tracking system and other issues. Such challenges are a critical line of defense for California and other states working to preserve climate progress, said Pete Maysmith, president of the League of Conservation Voters, a D.C.-based nonprofit advocacy group. 'We have to litigate, we have to organize, we have to win elections,' Maysmith said. 'We need our champs in Congress — many of whom call California home — to stand up and fight against things like trying to revoke the clean air waiver that California has had for 50 years.' Indeed, the battle over clean air waivers is among the state's most ferocious fights so far. For decades, California has been granted special authority to set its own vehicle-emission standards by utilizing waivers issued by the EPA. Clean Air Act waivers have been fundamental to the state's efforts to limit greenhouse gases and transition to electric vehicles, such as its ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. But Trump has moved to block the state's authority to do so, and earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives agreed with him. Now the battle is set for a vote in the Senate, which could happen as soon as this week. Cliff Rechtschaffen, a member of the California Air Resources Board, believes the president is targeting the state in part because of its special authority. 'I think California stands out because we are the leader on so many things, including our clean car and zero-emission vehicle standard,' Rechtschaffen said. Should California lose the Senate battle, the state will challenge it in the court system, he said. California can achieve a similar outcome without the waivers, Rechtschaffen said, such as raising registration fees or imposing taxes on heavily polluting vehicles — a tactic deployed in Norway that resulted in nearly all new cars purchased there last year being electric vehicles. California could also consider instituting a statewide 'indirect source' rule that would require ports and other facilities to limit pollution in the surrounding area, which could, for example, compel trucking companies using those ports to deploy low- or no-emissions vehicles. While the Clean Air Act issue is complicated, other battles may be simpler. That includes Trump's bid to halt the state's cap-and-trade program, which sets limits on companies' greenhouse gas emissions and allows them to sell 'credits' for unused emissions to other companies. Experts say he does not actually have the authority to end California's program. 'It's not really something that Trump or the attorney general can do. If you want to stop the enforcement of state law, you have to go to court, and that's the jurisdiction of the court,' Maggie Coulter, a senior attorney with the Climate Law Institute at the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, said about the executive order. Rechtschaffen agreed, noting that the state does not need federal authority to maintain a cap-and-trade program. Neither the EPA nor Congress has created a national cap-and-trade program that preempts state programs, 'so it's completely lawful under state law, and I don't see anything under current federal law that would threaten our program,' he said. Beyond defending itself in the courtroom, California can also use legislation to go on the offensive, according to Creasman, of California Environmental Voters. The state is already flexing its legislative strength with two 2023 laws slated to go into effect next year. Senate Bills 253 and 261 will require large corporations that do business in California to measure and publicly disclose their carbon emissions. Creasman said the laws leverage California's market size to help push national policy, and could be a model for similar efforts in the future. Another law winding through the state legislature, Senate Bill 684 — known as the 'Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act' — would require fossil fuel polluters to pay for their share of damages and disasters caused by their emissions. The funds would be put toward projects and programs to prepare for and respond to climate change. 'As we see the federal government starting to shrink resources, 'Polluters Pay' is a really important mechanism,' Creasman said. Should the federal government succeed at rolling back protections under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and other rules, California could also consider a concept known as 'trigger laws' to restore state standards set under the previous administration, Creasman said. Trigger laws become enforceable only by specific events or conditions. One recent prominent example was when several states used the laws to trigger immediate abortion bans in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade. This combination of weapons in California's arsenal — litigation, legislation and a large economy — mean California can mount a good defense when it comes to the environment, Creasman added. 'It is dangerous to not approach this moment with the gravity and reality of what we're in — and what we're in is a fight for our lives,' she said. Times staff writer Kevin Rector contributed to this report.
