• California Allows Local Governments to Opt Out of Public Records Laws
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   June 19, 2013
• A budget bill awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown's signature would make it optional for local governments to comply with several key provisions of the California Public Records Act.

• Some States Get to Delay Using Tests in Teacher Evaluations
• Source: Education Week   |   Nation   |   June 19, 2013
• The U.S. Department of Education will allow some states that have gotten waivers from pieces of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to postpone using student growth on state tests as a factor in personnel decisions for up to one additional year —until the 2016-17 school year.
• 1 Comments

• Bill to Require Notification of Spying Operations Advances in New Jersey
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   June 19, 2013
• A state Senate panel advanced legislation that would require out-of-state law enforcement agencies to notify New Jersey authorities before conducting counterterrorism operations within its borders.

• Governments Offer Amazon Millions in Tax Breaks it Doesn't Need
• Source: Miami Herald   |   Nation   |   June 19, 2013
• When Amazon expands, state and local governments practically line up to offer to pay the company to move.

• Florida Blocks Local Votes on Mandatory Paid-Sick-Time Measures
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Florida   |   June 18, 2013
• Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Friday that would block local governments from enacting mandatory paid-sick-time measures, such as the one pending in Orange County.

• Garcetti Aims to Be Different Kind of L.A. Mayor
• Source: The Los Angeles Times   |   Los Angeles, Calif.   |   June 18, 2013
• Since his victory last month, Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti has set himself to the task of being a more low-key public official than his predecessor. He is not using a transition team studded with big names and has scraped plans for a black-tie inaugural ball, opting instead for a public party in Grand Park with music and food.

• National Shortage of Large Air Tankers Hampers Firefighting Efforts
• Source: The Denver Post   |   Nation   |   June 18, 2013
• A growing challenge for fire commanders attempting to slow and contain dangerous fires is a continued shortage of large air tankers that are available to them.

• Fracking Fuels Water Battles in Drought Plagued States
• Source: AP/Politico   |   Nation   |   June 18, 2013
• In Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming, the vast majority of the counties where fracking is occurring are also suffering from drought, according to an Associated Press analysis of industry-compiled fracking data and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s official drought designations.

• Phildadelphia Schools Face Severe Budget Cuts
• Source: The New York Times   |   Philadelphia, Pa.   |   June 17, 2013
• Lacking adequate state funding and using a draconian budget passed by the Philadelphia School District last month, some schools may be forced to cut all support staff including nurses, aides, counselors, and security monitors and still be short money for books. Mayor Michael A. Nutter is seeking an additional $304 million in extra revenue from the city, the state and teachers' givebacks, but thus far has failed to come up with the money.

• California's Inland City Budgets Remain Weak
• Source: The Sacramento Bee   |   California   |   June 17, 2013
• California's monthly report on jobs and unemployment includes a county-by-county breakdown that shows a sharp east-west economic split with cities along the coast recovering well from the recession while inland cities remain mired in deficits and high unemployment.

• Bloomberg Explores Requiring Food Composting in NYC
• Source: The New York Times   |   New York City   |   June 17, 2013
• Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who has tried to curb soda consumption, ban smoking in parks and encourage bike riding, is taking on a new cause: requiring New Yorkers to separate their food scraps for composting.

• Detroit EM Proposes End to Retirees' Health Coverage
• BY: Dylan Scott   |   Detroit   |   June 14, 2013
• Following in Chicago's footsteps, the city's emergency manager wants to send retired public employees to Obamacare’s health insurance marketplaces to buy coverage -- a plan that's likely to face lawsuits.
• 2 Comments

• EPA Orders Minnesota to Increase Water Pollution Prevention Efforts
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Minnesota   |   June 14, 2013
• About a dozen states face similar petitions pending at the EPA, most filed by citizen groups that say state regulators are not doing enough to enforce the Clean Water Act.

• Private Preschools See More Public Funds as Classes Grow
• Source: New York Times   |   Nation   |   June 14, 2013
• Across the country, states and districts are increasingly funneling public funds to religious schools, private nursery schools and a variety of community-based nonprofit organizations that conduct preschool classes.

• Philadelphia Council OKs New Property, Cigarette Taxes
• Source: Philadelphia Inquirer   |   Philadelphia   |   June 14, 2013
• Regarding school funding, Council unanimously passed a new $2-per-pack cigarette tax as part of Mayor Nutter's plan to help the school district close a $304 million budget hole.

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Comments

• Water Fluoridation Debate Divides Portland, Oregon
  
  "Portland only advocates for rich white people things, like bike lanes...."
• Chicago Police Tactics Reverse Rising Homicide Rate
  
  "Sorry Doc but you're short on facts (again). Its not about gun control laws, its about..."
• Detroit EM Proposes End to Retirees' Health Coverage
  
  "This was so predictable.
  It won't end here this will spread
  across the Country. No more..."
• California School Suspensions Seen as Caused by 'Defiance'
  
  "I find it interesting that if a person makes too much noise, or is disruptive in a movie..."
• Portland Voters Reject Fluoridation for the 4th Time Since 1956
  
  "Biking is the best medicine?
  
  Or, it just might knock out all your teeth?
  
  Or, no fluoride..."