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Almost three years after Conception fire By KAITLYN SCHALLHORN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
By MADISON HIRNEISEN THE CENTER SQUARE
DAVE MASON / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Rear Admiral John Mauger of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy testifies before a congressional subcommittee hearing Monday at the Santa Barbara City Council. Listening is National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.
U.S. Reps. Grace Napolitano, D-El Monte, and Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, listen during a witness’ testimony. Rep. Carbajal chaired the meeting in the Santa Barbara City Council chambers.
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Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
and Tennessee; the first Jewish man to represent Georgia; the first Hispanic man to represent Texas; and the first Black man to represent New Jersey.” Some Republicans appeared to welcome Judge Jackson’s nomination, but several expressed concerns during the first day of hearings. Sen. Josh Hawley has been a leading critic of Judge Jackson, claiming a “pattern of letting child porn offenders off the hook.” During the hearing, he pointed to several cases where Judge Jackson’s sentencing in child porn cases were much lower than the federal sentencing guidelines. Sen. Hawley’s argument has gained traction among critics. “The White House’s whataboutist response to Judge Jackson’s very real record in child pornography cases is dismissive, dangerous, and offensive,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said ahead of the hearing. “We need real answers.” President Biden reaffirmed his nominee in a statement as the hearings began. “Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is a brilliant legal mind with the utmost character and integrity,” he said. “She deserves to be confirmed as the next Justice of the Supreme Court.” The hearings are scheduled to go through Thursday.
(The Center Square) – California property owners paid a total of 6% more to state and local governments, according to an annual tally of collections. Property tax levies in California totaled $79.9 billion during the fiscal year that ended in June 2021, representing an increase of 6% over the last fiscal year, according to a recent report from the California State Board of Equalization (BOE). The BOE is responsible for overseeing the assessment practices of the 58 County Assessors, who value over 13 million assessments per year, according to the report. During fiscal year 2022-2021, the report states that the net statewide assessed value was $7.1 trillion, which resulted in $79.9 billion in property tax levies. The property tax levies collected during fiscal year 20202021 contributed $43 billion to schools and $36.9 billion to local governments, the report notes. “The increase in property tax levies to almost $80 billion is a clear reflection of California’s vibrant real estate market,”
Chair Malia M. Cohen said in a statement. “As we transition away from the disruptions of the COVID19 pandemic, I am heartened that these additional property tax revenues will provide significant funding for our schools and critical local government services.” Assessments and levies in California are subject to the requirements of Proposition 13, a measure passed by voters in 1978 that limited property taxes to 1% of the assessed value. The measure also put a cap on the rate of increase for a property’s assessed value, limiting it to an increase of no more than 2% per year unless there is a change in ownership or new construction. According to the report, the BOE set values for state-assessed properties in 2021 at $123.2 billion for the 2021-2022 roll – an increase of $3.5 billion from 2020-2021. The state-assessed property includes pipelines, flumes, canals, ditches and aqueducts that exist within two or more counties and property owned or used by railway or public utilities. Those state-assessed properties produced $1.94 billion in local property tax revenues in 20212022 for the state’s 58 counties, according to the report.
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Property tax levies increased 6% in California last year
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By CASEY HARPER (The Center Square) – The U.S. Senate held the first day of confirmation hearings Monday for President Joe Biden’s nominee for the Supreme Court, kicking off the consideration of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. Judge Jackson, 51, serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. She would replace Justice Stephen Breyer. He announced his retirement last month. “Justice Breyer not only gave me the greatest job that any young lawyer could ever hope to have,” Judge Jackson said in her testimony, referring to her clerkship for the retiring Justice. “But he also exemplifies what it means to be a Supreme Court Justice of the highest level of skill and integrity, civility, and grace. It is extremely humbling to be considered for Justice Breyer’s seat, and I know that I could never fill his shoes. “But if confirmed, I would hope to carry on his spirit,” she added. Democrats pointed to the potential historic significance if the Senate were to confirm Judge Jackson. She would be the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. “And looking at your record, it is clear you have the qualifications and the experience and the knowledge needed to serve on the Supreme Court,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, DCalif., said. “And as a woman, it makes me very proud of that.” Several senators gave reference to Judge Jackson’s race. “And yes – the first Black woman – nominated to serve on our nation’s highest court,” said Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif. “They could never have imagined that the senators sitting before you would include the first women to represent California, Hawaii,
Carbajal, lawmakers questions Coast Guard, NTSB on marine safety issues in Santa Barbara Officials have made progress in implementing greater safety measures for small passenger vessels, but more is still needed to be done, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal said following a hearing in Santa Barbara Monday. The House Democrat led his U.S. House Transportation Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Monday from the Santa Barbara City Hall, where he and other lawmakers questioned National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy and Rear Admiral John Mauger, the U.S. Coast Guard’s assistant commandant for prevention policy. Specifically, lawmakers asked officials about safety regulations imposed since the fatal Conception boat fire in 2019 near Santa Cruz Island as well the tragic duck boat accident in Branson, Mo., in 2018. Thirty-four people died in the Conception fire; 17 people were killed in the duck boat accident. “Today is about the fact that we lost 34 lives in a tragic accident off our coast,” Rep. Carbajal told reporters following the hearing in the Santa Barbara City Council chambers. “Today also commemorates that we are finally implementing important recommendations that will improve safety for the public to continue to enhance safety when they step aboard these vessels.” Rear Admiral Mauger said the Coast Guard is in the process of reviewing the possibility of a new rule requiring Safety Management Systems for smaller, domestic passenger vessels. An SMS is a structured procedure for safety safeguards to identify risks and improve safety management. Rear Admiral Mauger said the Coast Guard received a bevy of public input about the possibility of implementing an SMS requirement for smaller passenger vessels and is working to consider those comments, as well as the diverse nature of the industry, before implementing a new rule. Ms. Homendy encouraged the small passenger vessel industry to voluntarily implement SMS practices while the Coast Guard works on an official rule. “I do understand rulemaking can be difficult, but in the meantime, we continue to see tragedies which have taken lives. So moving forward in an expeditious manner is important, but while the Coast Guard is moving forward, there is nothing preventing the passenger vessel industry from implementing SMS voluntarily — and they should,” Ms. Homendy said. Additionally, Ms. Homendy said NTSB would continue to push for the inclusion of voyage data recorders on all domestic passenger vessels, which she said is “critical” for both investigators and companies and other stakeholders to be able to quickly Please see HEARING on A2
U.S. Supreme Court nominee hearings kick off in Senate
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