With tax revenues from high-earning Californians rebounding in recent months, the Legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal analyst projects that the state budget remains “roughly balanced,” though spending growth is expected to drive increasing deficits in the years ahead.

In its annual fiscal outlook, issued Wednesday to prepare lawmakers for the upcoming budget process, the Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates that California will face a $2 billion deficit next year, a potential gap that could be resolved with minor solutions.

“Given the size and unpredictability of the state budget, we view this to mean the budget is roughly balanced,” the office concluded.

Tax collections are forecast to beat expectations by $7 billion for the year, largely driven by stock market gains.

But that money is projected to be offset by spending more than $10 billion higher than the current state budget assumed, including more guaranteed funding for schools and community colleges from the additional revenue. Other large unexpected costs include for fighting wildfires and an expanding caseload for state health programs for seniors, as well as a November ballot measure approved by voters that raises reimbursement rates for doctors who treat poor residents.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature passed a $298 billion budget this summer that aimed to address a major deficit, estimated to be tens of billions of dollars over the next two years.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office warned yesterday that the state is still on that path in the longer term, with a projected annual deficit of about $30 billion by the 2028-29 fiscal year, and urged lawmakers not to commit to any new ongoing spending.

“This recovery in income tax revenues is being driven by the recent stock market rally, which calls into question its sustainability in the absence of improvements to the state’s broader economy,” the office wrote, noting that hiring and consumer spending are still sluggish.

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas agreed with that assessment in a statement emphasizing a cautious approach.

“We need to show restraint with this year’s budget, because California must be prepared for any challenges, including ones from Washington,” Rivas said in a statement. “It’s not a moment for expanding programs, but for protecting and preserving services that truly benefit all Californians.”

The annual fiscal outlook by the Legislative Analyst’s Office is merely a forecast and can vary greatly from the projection by the Department of Finance that the governor uses for his budget proposal in January.

Last December, the Legislative Analyst’s Office estimated a $68 billion deficit for the next fiscal year — frustrating Newsom, whose spending plan unveiled in January relied on a smaller $38 billion expected revenue gap. He repeatedly criticized the media for its widespread reporting on the Legislative Analyst’s Office figure.

Seemingly recalling those criticisms, Legislative Analyst Gabriel Petek published an essay last week defending his office and “the value of independence” as it helps the Legislature understand the choices it may face.

“Our independent fiscal assessment underlies the Legislature’s ability to assert an informed check on the executive branch, making any added complexity from diverging estimates a worthwhile trade-off,” Petek wrote.

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

At California’s community colleges, conservative professors and students are making their voices heard — not just in the classroom but in court. Their lawsuits have already led community colleges to pay millions in settlements and legal fees.

CalMatters identified at least seven cases filed since 2020 in which professors or students have sued their community college districts for issues related to free speech. Most of the cases are still ongoing and are located in California’s Central Valley, in counties where Republicans often outnumber Democrats. Although separate, many of these lawsuits include similar allegations: that programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion are restricting the right to free speech under the First Amendment. The University of California system is facing a similar case in Santa Cruz.

In a state with 73 community college districts and 116 community colleges, such lawsuits are rare. Still, president-elect Donald Trump has used similar cases as fodder for national policy, such as a 2019 executive order he signed regarding free speech on college campuses, which he justified by pointing to a few conservative and religious students who claimed colleges had restricted their rights. Throughout his campaign for this year’s election, Trump promised to continue that focus if re-elected.

“The time has come to reclaim our once great educational institutions from the radical left,” he said in a campaign video last year, later adding that he would protect free speech and remove “all Marxist diversity, equity, and inclusion bureaucrats” from college campuses.

Even when these lawsuits get dismissed, community colleges can still pay a price. In a Riverside County lawsuit, Moreno Valley College professor Eric Thompson claimed the community college violated his right to free speech when it fired him. The lawsuit alleges that his termination was a result of various student complaints, all stemming from opinions that Thompson had presented in class or over email with the wider college community. He argued, for example, that homosexuality is the result of social factors, not genetics, and that conversion therapy should be allowed. Thompson lost the case but public records show that the district still paid nearly $900,000 in legal costs to fight it.

“It was never about making money. It was not only about making change, but also about ensuring that change remains for future students.”
— Juliette Colunga, former student at Clovis Community College

For Daniel Ortner, an attorney who recently helped students and professors file three different lawsuits against community college districts, these cases are part of a broader trend of cracking down on controversial speech and forcing “conformity to a certain viewpoint,” especially on topics of race. Ortner works for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a nonprofit organization that focuses on free speech issues.

The community college system, the California State University system, and the UC Office of the President all have policies promoting diversity, equity and inclusion on their campuses, though each system has taken a different approach.

Ortner said the policies at the community college level are the strictest, and therefore, elicit more pushback from faculty. According to state regulations adopted in 2022, every community college district in the state must develop a policy to evaluate staff based on their ability to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

“Students must experience campus and classroom cultures that they feel they can belong to, where they can thrive and succeed” said Eloy Ortiz Oakley, then-chancellor of the community college system, during a 2022 presentation about the new regulations. Of the more than 2 million students who enrolled at one of the state’s community colleges last year, most are low-income, including some students who are former foster youth or formerly incarcerated. Most students identify as Black, Hispanic, or Asian.

The California community college system has the “most diverse student population in the nation,” said Ortiz Oakley, later adding that neither the CSU nor the UC system had similar regulations in place. “We should be proud that we’re leading the way.”

Nationally, many college systems have taken the opposite approach. A total of 25 states have proposed or signed legislation curbing how colleges support diversity, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Lawsuits over pronouns, posters, and alleged censorship

Many of the California lawsuits follow the same general contours.

According to the details of one case, David Richardson, a professor at Madera Community College, started using the pronouns “Do, Re, Mi” while attending a 2021 presentation about personal gender pronouns. When the facilitator later approached Richardson about his choice of pronouns — calling his actions “harmful to trans people” — Richardson doubled down, claiming that his choice of pronouns was part of his right to free expression. After the college disciplined him, Richardson sued the State Center Community College District, which oversees Madera Community College. The case is still pending in federal court.

The Campus Center of Bakersfield College on June 14, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Another lawsuit at Bakersfield College dates back to 2019, when two professors, Matthew Garrett and Erin Miller, put together a campus talk about “free speech” and “campus censorship.” During the talk, Garrett and Miller criticized the school for supporting Kern Sol News, a nonprofit news site, and criticized specific professors at the school’s Social Justice Institute. Bakersfield College administrators then wrote a note in their personnel files, criticizing Garrett and Miller for “unprofessional conduct,” effectively “chilling” their First Amendment rights, according to the lawsuit.

The Kern Community College District settled with Garrett this summer, paying him $2.4 million on the condition that he drop all of his legal complaints against the district. It’s less than 1% of the district’s annual budget, but for a faculty member, many of whom make around $100,000 a year, it’s a significant sum. Miller is continuing with the case.

In the settlement, both Garrett and the district deny any wrongdoing. “The settlement is in the best interest of the District and allows us to focus on the future and continue to deliver quality higher education for students of Kern County without any further legal distractions,” said Norma Rojas, a spokesperson for the Kern Community College District, in a written statement. “To be clear, the dispute with Matthew Garrett was a disciplinary matter due to his disruptive actions on campus, none of which concerned freedom of speech.”

Miller and Garrett declined multiple requests to comment.

Another Central Valley case stems from an incident in 2021. At the time, Juliette Colunga was a student at Clovis Community College and on the leadership team of her college’s chapter of the Young America’s Foundation, a national conservative organization with local branches at over 2,000 college campuses. She and two other students placed a set of posters across campus that criticized communism, which the college then removed after other students complained. Later, Colunga and her co-leaders asked to put up pro-life posters, but school leaders said they could only be placed in a different location, far from the spot where they usually placed their content. With help from Ortner and the Young America’s Foundation, she and the other student leaders sued, alleging that the school district’s actions violated their First Amendment Rights.

This summer, the State Center Community College District, which oversees Clovis Community College, agreed to pay her, the other student leaders, her attorneys, and the Young America’s Foundation $330,000 as part of a legal settlement. The district also agreed to implement a new policy for displaying posters on campus and to provide “First Amendment training” to all of its managers.

“It was never about making money,” Colunga said. “It was not only about making change, but also about ensuring that change remains for future students.”

Kristen Kuenzli Corey, general counsel to the State Center Community College District, declined to comment on Colunga’s lawsuit, Richardson’s lawsuit, and another similar lawsuit. She pointed to the pleadings in the cases as evidence of the district’s position.

Do public employees, students have the right to free speech?

In general, the free speech provision of the First Amendment governs the relationship between people and government. Faculty and students at a public college have a right to free speech under the First Amendment, but in a slightly more limited manner, said David Snyder, the executive director of the First Amendment Coalition. Various courts have found that public institutions can limit the free speech rights of its employees — in this case, faculty — if an employee’s behavior runs counter to the mission of the institution. Schools also have a right to restrict their students’ speech, but only if it disrupts education. The most famous example is the “Tinker test,” where the U.S. Supreme Court said that students had a First Amendment right to free speech, as long as their conduct did not “materially and substantially interfere” with education.

Students walking at the Madera Community College campus on Aug. 28, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

“What also matters is what the school’s policies say,” Snyder said. Regardless of the constitutional questions, a professor or student can sue if they feel the school’s actions contradict its policies.

In addition to its policy on diversity, equity and inclusion, California’s community college system also has a policy on academic freedom, which states that faculty, staff, and students should have “the opportunity to express their opinions at the campus level.”

The regulations around diversity, equity and inclusion do not conflict with the academic freedom policy or otherwise “censor or compel speech,” said Paul Feist, a spokesperson for the community college system, and he pointed to a lawsuit filed by Bakersfield College professor Daymon Johnson as evidence. Johnson does not agree with the college’s principles of diversity, equity and inclusion and claims that being forced to adhere to them would infringe on his rights, according to the case. A judge recently dismissed Johnson’s claims, though he has appealed the ruling. Neither the district nor Johnson responded to requests for comment.

Of the seven lawsuits identified by CalMatters, most have taken years to resolve.

Colunga’s lawsuit settled this summer — almost three years after she and the other student leaders first put up the posters at Clovis Community College. By the time the case settled, she had already graduated and transferred to The Master’s University, a private, four-year Christian college near Los Angeles.

She said the school doesn’t have an official chapter of Young America’s Foundation, but she’s trying to get one started.

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Adam Echelman covers California’s community colleges in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education.

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Jessie (Big Jess) Suelzle
April 18, 1983 - November 10, 2024

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the tragic passing of Jessie Suelzle on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at the young age of 41.

Jessie was born on April 18, 1983 at Redwood Memorial Hospital and grew up in Hydesville. Jessie graduated from Fortuna High School in 2002. After high school, Jessie worked as a security guard before starting his 20-year career with the City of Fortuna. During his career with the city, Jessie made many lifelong friends, which he referred to as his work family.

Jessie had many hobbies. He loved hunting, softball, basketball, riding his Harley, going to the lake, but most of all, he loved his family and friends. If you knew Big Jess, you know that he lived life to the fullest. He was known as the life of the party, gave great bear hugs, and was always willing to lend a helping hand. He had a heart bigger than life. Big Jess had a huge presence in the local softball community. He umpired games as well as played for many years. He also played men’s league basketball, coached youth basketball, and refereed for the Eel River Valley schools.

Jessie is survived by his daughter Malia Suelzle, brother Chris (Jennifer) Boswell, nephews (neffs) Logan and Kaden Boswell, niece Jordan Boswell (Baby J), mother Debbie Suelzle, sister Rebecca Suelzle niece Gracie Linn, nephews Tyler Linn and Landon LaBranche, cousins Steve and Kathy Kuchac and many friends. Jessie is preceded in death by his father Brian, nana Darleen, great-grandmother Helen and Great Aunt Betty.

There will be a celebration of life on Sunday, December 15 at the River Lodge beginning at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider bringing an unwrapped toy to be donated to United Bikers of Northern California (UBNC) annual toy drive. Jessie loved kids and attending the annual toy run.

Our family would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone at the scene of the accident. We take comfort in knowing Jessie and Amy were surrounded by so many great people.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Jessie Suelzle’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Sandra May Carter
Dec. 22, 1954 - Nov. 16, 2024

Sandra passed away peacefully on November 16, 2024 due to complications from an infection. She was know to most as Sandy and known as Boop to close friends, family and grandchildren.

Sandra May Short was born in Chiseldon, Whitshire, England to James and Irene Short, December 22, 1954. James Short served in the Air Force, stationed in England, where he met Irene Gruber and married. They had two daughters, Kathy and Sandy. The family moved to his home in Eureka in 1956, when they settled and had more children.

Sandy was introduced to her first husband, Michael E. Burns, by their friend Mike Sweeney at Jacobs Junior High in Eureka. They got married in August 1972, moving in 1977 to Deming, New Mexico, where they had their daughter, Sarah, in 1979.

Soon after, Sandy moved back to Eureka to be with her family. She met and married James Carter in 1992, adding his children Julie and Mike Carter to the family. Sandy loved to go to town and socialize with her husband, Jim. They had many favorite places, like Baywood Golf & Country Club, BC’s, AA Bar & Grill, Sidelines, The Alibi and Everett’s. She was creative and loved doing arts and crafts at home.

Jim was an avid golfer, so they traveled around to different tournaments through the years. They retired in 2007 and enjoyed gardening, cooking, playing with their cats and being grandparents. Together they loved being able to help take care of their grandson James a couple of days during the week until he started school. They played, painted and gardened with him. It was a very special time for the three of them.

Sandy is survived by:

Children: Sarah Burns (Travis), Mike Carter (Wendy) and Julie Gibson; Grandchildren: James Fike, Daphne, Shane and Trace Carter; brothers: Robert Short (Jennifer), Linden Short (Lisa) and Andrew Howard (Jessica); nieces and nephews: Michelle Wilkins, JJ Jeffers, Tabatha Reese, AJ & Seth Howard, Brandon & Sean Amis, Rhiannon & Linden Short, Eric & Becky Strombeck, Natalie & Ronnie Wright; cousins Joanie and JimBob Hartman; several great nieces and nephews and great-great-nieces and nephews; cats Cherokee and Flameo.

Sandy is proceeded in death by:

Husband James V. Carter; mother-in-law Marcelle Carter; mother Irene Howard; father James Short; stepdad Art Howard, Aunt Vickie Hartman; cousin Curtis Hartman; sisters Kathy Jeffers & V’Lee Wright; brother-in-law Skip Jeffers; nephew Beau Jeffers; and best friend Lisa Miller.

There will be a small private memorial at a later date. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to Sarah Burns on Facebook. In the meantime, toast to her with your favorite beverage, as this is a family tradition that we will keep alive as well.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your local pet rescue.

Today the Sequoia Park Zoo issued what might seem to the untrained eye to be an innocuous press release promoting their second annual Zoo Lights holiday event. (Two miles of lights! Wow!)

But contained within is very specific wording that should raise eyebrows in the Eel River Valley: The zoo hopes to inspire you to visit it by claiming that, for the first time this year, they plan to illuminate the “Tallest Living Christmas Tree in the World.”

Whoa, zoo. That’s Ferndale’s turf. 

Since 1934, Ferndale has lit a Sitka spruce located at the end of Francis Street to celebrate the season and they’ve historically also employed the “Tallest Living Christmas Tree” verbiage in hopes of drawing shoppers and revelers across Fernbridge. The undisputed local Christmas destination, the Cream City also hosts numerous holiday-themed events annually, including the Lighted Tractor Parade. 

Is the Sequoia Park Zoo gunning for Ferndale’s Christmas Champion status? Well, they don’t out and say that, nor do they provide any corroborating evidence that they should be awarded the title, but read the release below and judge their intentions for yourself:

The City of Eureka’s Sequoia Park Zoo is set to sparkle with the second annual Zoo Lights! Proudly presented by Eureka Lodging Alliance, this year will feature over two miles of lights, reimagined holiday displays, and the illumination of the Tallest Living Christmas Tree in the world.

“Naturally, it’s a redwood!” says Jim Campbell-Spickler, Sequoia Park Zoo Director. “We can’t think of a better way to share the Christmas spirit with our community than by decorating this iconic tree for the holidays.”

After a comprehensive climb and direct tape-drop measurement, the impressive redwood is now ready for the installation of the special holiday lights and ornaments. The Zoo plans to share sneak peeks of the process on social media and will release the official height of the tree in the days before Zoo Lights opens to the public.

In addition to the Tallest Living Christmas Tree in the world, the second year of Zoo Lights will feature expanded hours, new lighted areas, and more than a dozen holiday displays across the Zoo - including a whimsical pollinator garden, gingerbread fairy house, bear-y merry boardwalk, and more!

“We are fortunate to have the Eureka Lodging Alliance as the Zoo Lights presenting sponsor,” says Miles Slattery, Eureka City Manager. “They have been a long-standing supporter of the Zoo and Redwood Sky Walk, and their contribution to Zoo Lights this year has made some incredible expansions possible!”
 
Zoo Lights opens on Saturday, December 14, 2024 and runs select nights through January 5, 2025. Beginning November 26, Zoo Lights tickets may be purchased at the Zoo ticket booth in advance or on the night of the event. Adverse weather may require closure at any time.
 
Sequoia Park Zoo is excited to bring Zoo Lights back for another year of holiday magic, and we look forward to celebrating the holidays with our community! Visit redwoodzoo.org for event details and updates.
 
What:  Zoo Lights presented by Eureka Lodging Alliance When: Select nights December 14, 2024 - January 5, 2025             5:00p-8:00p, last entry at 7:30p

Where: Sequoia Park Zoo
            3414 W Street
            Eureka, CA 95503

Cost:   $5 per person ($4 EBT/BIC/WIC/Zoo members)

UPDATE, 12:08 p.m.: The Outpost has received a message from Garcia’s daughter. She says he goes by “Miguel,” not Michael.

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

At 6:01 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, Michael Garcia, age 47, of Bakersfield, was found in his jail cell by correctional deputies following an apparent suicide attempt. Rescue efforts were initiated and performed by deputies until Emergency Medical Services arrived. Garcia was transported by paramedics to the hospital for treatment. Garcia is currently in critical condition.

Garcia was placed in custody at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility (HCCF) on Oct. 24 for assault with a deadly weapon and battery. Per policy, HCCF deputies conduct cell checks at least every 30 minutes. A cell check was completed at 5:38 p.m., and Garcia was found 23 minutes later at 6:01 p.m.

Due to the seriousness of this incident at the HCCF, the county critical incident protocol was followed. The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) was activated following the incident. Investigators from local law enforcement agencies and the District Attorney responded to the correctional facility to investigate. The investigation is ongoing, and updates will be released at a later date.

Upon completion of the CIRT investigation, the Humboldt County District Attorney will review all facts and evidence in this investigation to determine whether any criminal liability exists.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

The Sanctuary, Arcata’s nonprofit community center, suffered extensive damage last night during the storm currently attacking the West Coast. 

A large portion of the weatherproofing on the roof was torn off by wind. There are large, leaking cracks in the ceiling, and inside the only barrier between the water and the floor are dozens of buckets and paint trays. 

But it is in better shape than it was this morning. The puddles inside are gone, and the roof is patched with a temporary cover. Building owner Katie Belknap credited the volunteers who showed up to help before she even got there this morning. Almost 30 of them brought buckets, mops, dehumidifiers, food and warm drinks and cleaned up much of the damage. Belknap is working on getting insurance money to pay professionals to dry out the building and repair the roof properly. 

Piles of roofing outside the Sanctuary. By Dezmond Remington.

The weatherproofing started coming off of the roof around 11 p.m. last night. It hit a neighbor’s home. He wasn’t able to reach Belknap, and she was unaware of the problem until 7:30 this morning. 

Belknap and some of the volunteers are not optimistic about how well the jerry-rigged roof will hold up under the rain the next few days, though they have covered the holes best they can with tarps and plastic and weighed it down with large wooden planks. Belknap was surprised by the damage; she had been on the roof recently and thought it looked to be in good shape. 

Belknap does not know when the Sanctuary might be reopened. For time being, the Playhouse in Arcata has offered to host all of their events. Belknap said that donations would be welcome if anyone wants to help with the restoration.

Volunteer Tom Becker said he was happy to help with the work. 

“I love Katie and I love this place,” Becker said. “We’re a community, and this is a great community center.”

“I wish I could get all the volunteers hot tubs at Cafe Mokka,” Belknap said, “Or at least some gift certificates so they could buy themselves some dinner.”