This week we are going to ask you a favor. Please forward Netter News to just one friend.

It’s vital that as many people as possible know there is an election coming up with ballots dropping in your mailbox as soon as Oct 7th with the election on November 4th.

We encourage you to vote NO and get your ballot in as soon as possible!

Do read these stories and posts and tell us what gets you OUTRAGED the most (and what makes you smile)!

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First off… The Big News 👇

BREAKING NEWS

Wildfire Scam: Newsom’s Backroom Deal Shifts Fire Costs to Taxpayers

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Gov. Gavin Newsom’s late-session utility bill (SB 254) includes provisions that could shift billions in wildfire liability costs, like those from the Eaton Fire, onto Southern California Edison customers.

• The bill expands existing protections that California’s major for-profit utilities already received in 2019, shielding them further from the financial consequences of wildfires caused by their equipment.

• Consumer advocates argue these protections reduce accountability, giving utilities less incentive to prevent future disasters.

• The 231-page legislation benefits all three of the state’s largest power companies, while placing greater financial burdens on ratepayers instead of shareholders.

• Critics also point to Newsom’s campaign contributions from utility companies, implying a conflict of interest and lack of transparency.

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Feds Indict Developer Tied to Sheriff Luna and LA County’s Political Elite

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Federal prosecutors have indicted executives at the development firm Shangri‑La Industries, alleging the company siphoned off millions in Homelessness and housing funds meant for motel‑conversion projects.

• The firm is accused of funnelling campaign donations and political contributions to key local officials, including Robert Luna and members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, in what critics describe as a pay‑to‑play network.

• Evidence shows tens of thousands of dollars flowing from the developer’s CEO and staff into the campaigns of local lawmakers, timed to coincide with contract approvals and housing‐fund awards.

• Some project funds intended for low‑income housing were instead allegedly used for luxury spending, foreclosed projects, and unfinished developments, leaving substantial taxpayer losses.

• The investigation exposes how homelessness funding became a conduit for political influence and enrichment rather than assistance to those in need.

• With LA’s homelessness count still rising and millions in failing projects, the scandal raises serious questions about oversight and accountability in both government and nonprofit sectors.

Read the full story here

Investigation: California brush clearance stalling 9 months after January fires

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• California’s post-fire brush clearance efforts are falling far short, with only 0.2% of expedited wildfire mitigation projects reported as complete nine months after deadly fires devastated Los Angeles County.

• Spencer Pratt, a Pacific Palisades resident who lost his home, criticized the state’s failure to reduce wildfire fuel in key areas, arguing this neglect directly contributed to widespread destruction.

• Despite Governor Newsom’s emergency executive order aimed at accelerating fire prevention, only a fraction of the 30,000+ approved acres has seen meaningful progress, and overall brush clearance activity has dropped 22% compared to the prior year.

• Funding for fuel reduction from the state’s general fund has plummeted from nearly $1 billion to just $210 million, though some relief comes from voter-approved bond funding.

• Experts argue the state’s efforts are a drop in the bucket, given that California faces a 15-million-acre forest management backlog and that natural regeneration of flammable vegetation quickly undermines piecemeal treatments.

• Without a major expansion of logging, grazing, and controlled burns — as historically used — the state remains dangerously vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires.

Read the full story here

DOJ Announces Fraud Cases

According to federal prosecutors, the Weingart Center, where former California Senator Kevin Murray is President and CEO, purchased a property for $27.3 million in 2023 that was flipped by developer Steven Taylor just weeks after he acquired it for $11.2 million. The Weingart Center is part of an ongoing federal investigation, but Murray has not been charged.

Details of the alleged scheme

• Arrest and indictment: On October 16, 2025, federal prosecutors announced that developer Steven Taylor had been charged with seven counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering.

• The property flip: In December 2023, Taylor allegedly used fake bank statements to secure a loan to buy a senior living facility in LA's Cheviot Hills for $11.2 million.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Federal prosecutors have announced multiple criminal cases in Los Angeles focused on fraud tied to public‑fund homelessness programs and developers allegedly exploiting them.

• The article details that individuals linked to motel‑conversion housing projects are accused of funneling taxpayer money into campaigns and contracts through politically connected insiders.

• One developer is charged with making large donations to local officials coinciding with award of contracts, raising serious concerns about pay‑to‑play schemes.

• The author argues that this is emblematic of a larger pattern where public money meant for vulnerable populations is redirected into enrichment networks that benefit insiders rather than the homeless.

• The piece underscores the complicity of local elected officials, nonprofits, and developers in structuring these arrangements to secure virtually guaranteed funding and minimal oversight.

• Ultimately, Guss calls for heightened scrutiny and reform, warning that the scandals damage public trust and demand accountability at every layer of government.

Read the full story here

Delusions of Grandeur: Newsom Claims California Manufacturing Capital of America – Receipts Don't Add Up

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Governor Gavin Newsom claimed that California is the “manufacturing capital of America,” but the article argues that deeper data show the state falls well behind others in key metrics such as manufacturing output per capita.

• Although California posted nearly $400 billion in manufacturing output and about 1.2 million jobs in 2024, it ranks outside the top ten when adjusted for efficiency and growth.

• States such as Louisiana, Indiana, Iowa and Nebraska outperform California on manufacturing shipments per person, highlighting the state’s lag in real productivity.

• The article points out that California’s manufacturing employment has fallen dramatically—from nearly 1.99 million jobs in 1990 to just over 1.21 million in 2025—reflecting decades of industry decline.

• While California emphasizes innovation and research, the actual production of goods has shifted elsewhere, according to the Bay Area Council Economic Institute.

• In the end, the article frames Newsom’s boast as empty rhetoric masking structural decline rather than industrial leadership.

Read the full story here

Perfect Quote For Today

Newsom Nursed Bottle of Tequial While LA Burned

Save Prop. 13 — CLICK ON TILE BELOW:

The Exact Land Grab Newsom Said Would Never Happen

Coalition of Agricultural and Rural Groups Announces Opposition to Proposition 50

Organizations sound alarm over Proposition 50’s threat to rural representation

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— A coalition of rural and agricultural groups, including farm bureaus, agricultural associations, and rural advocacy organizations from across California, announced its opposition to Proposition 50, citing the controversial ballot measure’s detrimental impact on rural representation. The coalition opposes giving Sacramento politicians the power to redraw congressional maps, which would shift nearly a third of rural voters into new districts and dilute the remaining rural districts—all for the political gain of a few incumbent politicians.

“The California Citizens Redistricting Commission created maps that respected rural voices by concentrating agricultural communities together. Proposition 50 will undo that progress and replace it with politician-drawn maps that will dilute our representation, making it harder for farmers to advocate for critical issues like water delivery,” said Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau.

For rural and agricultural communities, Prop 50’s proposed maps will have direct effects on their ability to organize and influence policy in Congress, as they are set to lose seats reserved for rural communities. As one example, Modoc County and Marin County would be merged under Prop 50, putting farming communities near the Oregon Border in the same district as the Golden Gate Bridge. 

“Proposition 50 redistributes political and economic power away from the farmers and ranchers who sustain California’s agricultural heritage and economy. Farming is already challenging enough in the current environment, but Proposition 50 will leave us without the focused representation we deserve. That’s wrong and why we oppose Proposition 50,” added Colleen Cecil, executive director of the Butte County Farm Bureau. 

Accounting for population, California loses two rural districts under Prop 50’s proposed maps. Using landmass as a metric, it loses three rural districts and two districts when analyzing farm parcels. This shift in political power has direct consequences, as agricultural regions share infrastructure needs, such as water delivery and land use policies, as well as economic concerns like trade policy and labor regulation. When these regions are split, rural and agricultural political representation weakens, and members of Congress are likely to prioritize urban or suburban policy issues because the rural vote no longer represents a meaningful share of any single district.

"Under Proposition 50, taking away rural districts means urban interests will dominate even more, further sidelining the unique challenges faced by rural counties across the state. Proposition 50 isn’t about fair representation—it’s a power grab that weakens our ability to address vital issues that keep rural California thriving," said Bob Nelson, second vice chair for Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) and supervisor for Santa Barbara County.

The following rural and agricultural groups oppose Proposition 50:

• California Farm Bureau

• California Farm Workers and Families

• California State Beekeepers Association

• California Wool Growers Association

• Rural County Representatives of California

• Alameda County Farm Bureau

• Amador County Farm Bureau

• Butte County Farm Bureau

• Calaveras County Farm Bureau

• Colusa County Farm Bureau

• Contra Costa County Farm Bureau

• El Dorado County Farm Bureau

• Fresno County Farm Bureau

• Glenn County Farm Bureau

• Humboldt County Farm Bureau

• Imperial County Farm Bureau

• Kern County Farm Bureau

• Lake County Farm Bureau

• Madera County Farm Bureau

• Mariposa County Farm Bureau

• Mendocino County Farm Bureau

• Merced County Farm Bureau

• Modoc County Farm Bureau

• Monterey County Farm Bureau

• Napa County Farm Bureau

• Nevada County Farm Bureau

• Placer County Farm Bureau

• Plumas-Sierra County Farm Bureau

• Riverside County Farm Bureau

• Sacramento County Farm Bureau

• San Bernardino County Farm Bureau

• San Joaquin Farm Bureau

• San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau

• Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau

• Shasta County Farm Bureau

• Solano County Farm Bureau

• Sonoma County Farm Bureau

• Stanislaus County Farm Bureau

• Tehama County Farm Bureau

• Tulare County Farm Bureau

• Tuolumne County Farm Bureau

• Yolo County Farm Bureau

• Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau

To view the full coalition opposing Prop 50, click here.

About No on Prop 50 – Stop Sacramento's Power Grab
No on Prop 50 – Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab is a leading ballot measure committee created to defeat Proposition 50 and push back against Sacramento's partisan and costly special election. Learn more at Stop50.com.  

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Dan Dow was first elected District Attorney of San Luis Obispo County on June
3rd, 2014, and assumed office on November 7, 2014. He was re-elected to a
second term on June 5, 2018, and to a third term on June 7, 2022.

As a career prosecutor, Dan has focused on sexual assault, child abuse, and
domestic violence cases. Throughout his career, Dan has dedicated himself to
protecting victims, ensuring justice, and reducing crime in our community.

He was instrumental in the creation of the San Luis Obispo County Veterans Treatment
Court in 2013, he formed the SLO County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force in
2014, created the Misdemeanor Diversion Program in 2015, and established the
Central Coast Cyber Forensic Lab in 2017. Dan serves on the Board of Directors
for the California District Attorneys’ Association.

Dan has served in the US Army since 1989 and currently serves as a Colonel in the
California Army National Guard where he is assigned as Staff Judge Advocate for
the 40th Infantry Division. He has been deployed overseas three times since 9/11.

He returned from a 7-month deployment to Kuwait and Jordan in April 2024 under
Operation Spartan Shield. He was deployed to Iraq in 2010 under Operation Iraqi
Freedom where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal; and to Kosovo in 2003
under Operation Enduring Freedom.

Dan attended Santa Clara University School of Law earning his Juris Doctorate
and California State University, Hayward where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in
Political Science, Pre-Law. Dan and his wife Wendy have been married for 33
years and have two children.

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