California Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Checks and Balances Project

Checks and Balances Project Seeks State Probe of Ridgecrest CA Mayor’s Potential Financial Conflicts

2017-11-20

Our complaint to Calif. Fair Political Practices Commission Asks for Investigation of Mayor Peggy Breeden After City Attorney Ignores Questions

Ridgecrest City Attorney Claims Mayor Breeden Isn’t Conflicted, But Won’t Give Reasons Why

2017-11-9

Possible Financial Conflict of Interest in PACE Vote Raises Questions In the eight years we’ve been asking questions about the ethical conduct of dozens of government officials and the influence of lobbyists and corporate managers, we’ve never come across a response quite like the one we received on October 30, 2017, from City of Ridgecrest’s… Read more »

National Assoc of Realtors Lobbyist Jeanne Radsick Misstates Facts About PACE to Taft CA City Council

2017-11-2

Ms. Radsick likes to refer to herself as a “local realtor” when she lobbies government officials. But, in fact, she is a director of the National Association of Realtors and the California Association of Realtors.

Checks and Balances Project Moves to Discovery Phase in Lawsuits on Bakersfield “Political Cover” Scandal

2017-10-13

Despite Mounting Evidence of Collusion with Bakersfield Realtor Lobbyists, City and County Attorneys Withhold Documents and Electronic Communications.

News Release: Twin Lawsuits Filed to Compel Bakersfield Officials to Come Clean on Deal that Led to Anti-PACE Votes

2017-08-10

Suits Triggered by Claim of Influential Realtor Lobbyist That She Had Secured Support to Kill PACE Program in Exchange for “Political Cover”

Realtor Lobbyist Denies Fix Is In For Bakersfield City Council Vote to Kill Homeowners Program

2017-07-19

Despite her claims of securing votes, Ms. Schaefer denied the Kern County Supervisors or Bakersfield City Council has been influenced by her tactics.

Checks and Balances Project Demands Kern County Board of Supervisors Cure and Correct anti-PACE Program Vote

2017-07-18

C&BP demanded answers to possible collusion by members of the Kern County Board of Supervisors with the realtor’s lobby before the Board killed a popular program that homeowners use to finance improvements.

Why Did California Realtors Do an About Face on PACE?

2017-07-11

Checks and Balances Project received a reader tip in May alleging the California Association of REALTORS (C.A.R.) has subjected Bakersfield, California, among other localities, to an intense anti-PACE campaign. PACE or Property Assessed Clean Energy programs provide homeowners in California, Missouri and Florida with upfront financing for energy efficient and renewable energy improvements to their… Read more »

Bakersfield CA Councilmember Bob Smith Subject of Public Records Inquiry

2017-06-14

A Local Spotlight on the National Effort to Undermine Property Assessed Clean Energy Recent reports have called our attention to what appears to be a coordinated attack on Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE). PACE allows homeowners to finance residential and commercial energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, as well as hurricane-mitigation and other improvements, through… Read more »

San Bruno Disaster Emails Published in a New, Searchable Database

2016-06-13

Today, we publish 120,746 emails and attachments exchanged between Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).