Labor’s workload just got lighter

Your afternoon must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State

Jun 20, 2024 View in browser   By Emily Schultheis, Lara Korte and Alex Nieves The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a proposed ballot initiative to make raising taxes harder was unconstitutional. | AP LABOR'S NEXT MOVE: One clear winner from today's bombshell state Supreme Court ruling that pulled a tax measure off the November ballot: California’s labor unions. The decision to invalidate the Taxpayer Protection Act, which would have made it harder to pass or raise taxes in California, handed a major victory to unions and their members. “I’m beyond excited!!!” the SEIU’s Tia Orr posted on X after the ruling, adding, the “threat to destroy California w/ greed and hubris lost today.” Just two days earlier, labor groups and business interests struck a deal to remove another initiative from the ballot that would have repealed a 2004 law allowing workers to sue their employers on behalf of the state and other employees. Taken together, this week’s ballot activity underscores the rapidly shifting political situation for labor groups as the final slate of measures for November starts to solidify: In a span of mere days, labor’s two biggest headaches — and the ones on which they’d planned to spend heavily to defeat — have disappeared from the ballot. "We thought we were going to have a lot of ballot measures, but it's looking smaller and smaller, which is fantastic,” California Labor Federation head Lorena Gonzalez told POLITICO. These groups suddenly have a lighter political workload and a ballot measure war chest with nowhere obvious to put it, raising the question: Where will labor focus its attention this fall? Gonzalez said this week’s wins allow the Labor Federation to put its resources toward other issues — like the close California House races that could determine control of Congress and electing labor advocates to the Legislature. There’s also a November ballot measure to raise the minimum wage to $18 per hour, a proposal that had been overshadowed by other ballot fights and had gotten next to no attention or funding this spring. As of this afternoon, major players in the ballot measure world were still regrouping after the California Supreme Court’s ruling, so it will likely take time for the dust to settle. Union members will vote next month on candidate and ballot measure endorsements, which will give a clearer sense of where they focus their money and resources this fall.   SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, our newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW.     WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell speaks at a rally in opposition to an oil well setbacks referendum. | AP PRESSURE RISING: Environmental opponents of a ballot initiative to overturn restrictions on oil wells announced a new $1 million ad campaign Thursday aimed at getting the oil industry to withdraw the initiative by next week's deadline. The Campaign for a Safe and Healthy California is running the ad, shared exclusively with POLITICO, in Sacramento-area media ahead of the June 27 deadline to withdraw initiatives from the November ballot. It features four prominent women involved in the campaign: Actress Jane Fonda, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, philanthropist Wendy Schmidt and activist Nalleli Cobo. It’s the coalition's second million-dollar-plus ad-buy in the last two months. The California Independent Petroleum Association, which qualified a measure challenging 2022's Senate Bill 1137, has framed the law as an existential threat to oil drilling in California that would harm small drillers and consumers. The law, which restricts oil drilling within 3,200 feet of areas like neighborhoods, schools and hospitals, has been put on hold while the initiative is pending. — Will McCarthy IN OTHER NEWS FISH TALES: California wildlife officials have granted temporary protections to white sturgeon, the largest freshwater fish in North America, because of its declining numbers from drought and habitat destruction. The decision bans the fishing of white sturgeon. It also means that the state will need to outline how it will limit harm to the fish from the pumps and pipes it uses to move water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to Southern California. More permanent protections could come if wildlife officials decide to officially declare white sturgeon threatened or endangered under the California Endangered Species Act after a year-long review. The agency’s move on Wednesday followed a petition by environmental and fishing groups who said they wanted to protect the fish — which can live over 100 years — from becoming extinct because of further climate change and habitat disruption. — Camille von Kaenel SMOKE UP: Visitors to this year’s California State Fair will have the option of smoking a joint before chowing down on a corn dog. The summer fair in Sacramento will for the first time include a designated area to purchase and consume pot products, cannabis dispensary chain Embarc announced. The 30,000-square-foot consumption lounge will be open most days during the fair’s July 12 to 28 schedule. California State Fair organizers have since 2022 included an educational cannabis exhibit and awards competition to promote the new legal market. WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY — FBI agents raided Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s home this morning. (POLITICO) — Immigration fears are pushing centrists to the right in the U.S. and Europe. (POLITICO) — Donald Sutherland, known for his roles in “MASH,” “Ordinary People” and “The Hunger Games,” is dead at 88. (Los Angeles Times) AROUND THE STATE — San Diego’s revised budget includes nearly $47 million in new spending, largely for behavioral health and public safety. (San Diego Union-Tribune) — The San Francisco International Airport this week will reopen a runway that was closed for construction in January. The move is expected to ease flight delays. (San Francisco Chronicle) — A former candidate for Fresno City Council, Antonio Gastelum, was convicted today for his role in a multi-year pension fraud scheme. — compiled by Tyler Katzenberger   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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