By California Black Media

On May 8, the California Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, a measure that has already been approved for the November ballot. It calls for restricting the state Legislature and Governor’s ability to increase taxes without statewide voter approval.

California business owners back the measure while Labor unions have rallied in opposition to it.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats have petitioned the Supreme Court to remove the proposal from the ballot since the California Constitution requires a constitutional convention to ratify the ballot with a two-thirds majority vote in the legislature.

Democrats and labor unions stated that the ballot measure could limit state and local funding thus crippling the state’s ability to produce new sources of revenue. A reduction in revenue may result in government programs and initiatives being underfunded,” they say.

Legislative Democrats also argued that the measure’s economic impact will make it harder to resolve the state’s budget deficit.

Business owners and company leaders advocating for the ballot measure stated that the tax initiative can help form new checks and balances on taxation and attract companies to invest in California creating more jobs.

President of the California Business Roundtable Rob Lapsley, a supporter of the tax initiative, said that people are fed up with the state’s high taxes.

“This gives the people of California the right to vote on future taxes, and voters are going to support it if it’s on the ballot,” Lapsley said.

Opposers of the tax initiative, mainly labor unions and state workers such as teachers, police officers, and firefighters, have aligned with Legislative Democrats to reject the tax law.

Executive director of Service Employees International Union California Tia Orr said the tax law was created to benefit wealthy corporations and deceive the average taxpayer.

“I want to make it clear that the ‘Taxpayer Deception Act’ let’s wealthy corporations, who can afford expensive campaigns, to block taxes on their industries while regular Californians, regular people, shoulder more of the cost of critical services,” Orr said.

The California Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling on the future of the initiative by June 27 this year.

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By California Black Media

Family members, friends, colleagues, and business associates across California are mourning the tragic loss of Peggy Moore, 60, and her wife Hope Wood, 48. The couple passed away in a car accident that occurred on May 10 in San Diego County.

According to multiple reports, the fatal collision on State Route 76 claimed the lives of four people, with another person sustaining serve injuries.

In 2019, Moore and Wood founded Hope Action Change, an organizational development consultancy and coaching firm. They both had experience working as organizers, strategists, and leaders in education, electoral and issue-based campaigns, and public affairs.

The couple first met while working on Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in 2008.

The news of their passing has elicited a wave of condolences from numerous business and political leaders and Black-led organizations across the state.

“I met Peggy back in 2004. She’s been an amazing sister friend of mine,” said LaNiece Jones, a member of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA).

“This morning, my heart broke with the news of the sudden death of Peggy and her dear wife, Hope. My sincere condolences to the family and friends of Peggy and Hope. I am still in shock. Both Peggy and Hope are brilliant and caring individuals who deeply loved giving to the community and the community deeply loved them back.”

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Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) took to social media platform X to share her grief.

“I’m heartbroken to hear of the tragic loss of Peggy Moore and Hope Wood. Peggy was a friend, an activist, and one of the best organizers I knew. Her passion and fight for justice and equality is what brought her and Hope together,” wrote Lee.

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By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

With a 4-1 vote on May 8, the Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation advanced Senate Bill (SB) 1327, a proposed law that would impose a “mitigation fee” on major digital technology companies. If the bill passes, fees collected would provide $500 million in employment tax credits to news organizations across the state.

SB 1327 is currently under review by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Sen. Steven Glazer (D-Contra Costa), the chairperson of the Revenue and Taxation committee and author of SB 1327, believes the bill would help bolster journalistic integrity and enable media outlets to hold the government accountable through incisive and balanced reporting.

“I have voted on more than 10,000 bills. I can’t think of a more important legislative measure that I am working on than this measure,” Glazer said of SB 1327.. It’s about preserving and protecting our democracy.”

Senators Glazer, Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), Bill Dodd (D-Napa), and Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) voted for SB 1327 while Brian Dahle (R-Lassen County) voted against it.  California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) vice chair Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) abstained from voting.

Bradford expressed reservations about the bill, while also acknowledging the author’s efforts to protect local journalism.

“My biggest concern is ethnic media,” said Bradford. “Even though it says that they will be considered here at the end of the day, as always, they are usually left out and still need more assistance.”

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SB 1327 would impose fees on digital technology companies with a minimum of $2.5 billion in annual advertising revenue. The money collected would be allocated to publishers of numerous community and ethnic media outlets.

During a news conference on April 29, Glazer said that SB 1327 aims to “ensure that newsrooms keep our citizens informed and democracy accountable to the people.”

“The mitigations proposed in this bill would largely be used to finance an employers’ hiring and retention tax credit available to all qualifying news organizations from any government interference or involvement in their content,” Glazer explained at the State Capitol Swing Space Annex.

Local media outlets employing 10 or more full-time journalists would receive a basic credit equivalent to 25% of wages paid while media outlets with fewer than 10 employees with an expectation of expanding their workforce would receive a credit equal to 35% of wages paid. A reporter earning a yearly salary of $60,000 would generate 24,000 in tax credits, according to Glazer.

SB 1327 would also allocate $25 million annually to non-profit local news organizations that would not benefit from tax credits.

Paul Cobb, the publisher of the Oakland Post, a Black media outlet that has less than 10 employees, acknowledged his agreement with some aspects of SB 1327, but expressed a desire to further examine the details of the legislation. The Oakland Post is the largest Black publication in Northern California.

“SB 1327 presents an opportunity for the Governor to continue the recent California Legislative reparations policy initiatives by issuing an executive order directing all government agencies to provide Public Notice placements to qualified ethnic local media,” Cobb said.

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