State Senate Advances Minimum Wage Boost
The state Senate passed a billed from San Francisco Senator Mark Leno that would raise the state's minimum wage next year. The minimum wage would go from $9 an hour to $11 starting on January 1. By 2017, the minimum wage would hit $13 an hour. Leno, a Democrat, said the bill was necessary because nearly a quarter of the state's 38 million residents live in poverty. Republicans who opposed the bill said it would force businesses to lay off workers.
Cities Look to Regulate Sugary Drinks Without Ballot Fights
Last year, San Francisco tried to pass a soda tax. When it was defeated, some saw that as a sign. If the famously progressive city couldn't regulate the sale of soda, was it time to give up? Instead, San Francisco supervisors have moved ahead with three ordinances to regulate soft drinks. Other cities are trying to find different ways, aside from taxes, to deter people from the sugary drinks.
Without Water Meters, How Does a Town Conserve?
All those mandatory water restrictions we've been talking about took effect this week. But what if there are no water meters to gauge a town's progress? Plenty of small communities in the Central Valley don't have them, including Sultana, about 35 miles south of Fresno.