By Bo Tefu
California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom an -
nounced last week that state lead-
ers had reached a deal to extend
California’s landmark cap-and-
trade program, a centerpiece of
the state’s climate policy that re -
quires businesses to pay for the
greenhouse gases they emit.
“After months of hard work
with the Legislature, we have
agreed to historic reforms that will
save money on your electric bills,
stabilize gas supply, and slash tox-
ic air pollution — all while fast-
tracking California’s transition to
a clean, green job-creating econo-
my,” said Newsom in a statement
released Sept. 10.
Assemblymember Greg Wal -
lis (R-Bermuda Dunes) criticized
the Legislature’s last-minute cap-
and-trade deal reached last week,
arguing that the process excluded
public input and ignored pressing
community concerns.
In a statement, Wallis argued
that California lawmakers rushed
through a multi-billion-dollar
agreement that locks in spend -
ing priorities until 2045 without
addressing refinery pollution, air
quality in frontline communi -
ties, or affordability challenges.
“Good policy isn’t made in se -
cret,” Wallis said. “Californians
deserve public input on decisions
that will shape our state for de -
cades — we are at our best when
we work together, not in silos.”
Wallis faulted legislative lead-
ers for moving the measure with-
out hearings or opportunities for
residents to weigh in. He said the
deal prioritized “political proj -
ects — not working families.” A
bipartisan group of legislators, he
added, offered amendments to ad-
dress affordability and environ -
mental concerns, but those pro -
posals were ignored.
The cap-and-trade system,
launched in 2013, is California’s
primary tool to reduce green -
house gas emissions by requiring
polluters to purchase allowances
for the carbon they emit. Critics
of the new deal argue it extends
the program’s structure without
adequately strengthening pollu -
tion safeguards in disadvantaged
communities. Supporters say the
agreement preserves stability in
California’s climate policy and
ensures continued funding for
clean-energy investments.
The deal is expected to reach
Newsom’s desk, where it will
likely receive his signature. New-
som has championed cap-and-
trade as part of California’s broad-
er strategy to cut emissions 40%
below 1990 levels by 2030.
can American community, which
largely votes democratic, has not
been included in the early stages
of this campaign on either side.
We should take a close look at
how we are being viewed in this
process which will affect our fu -
ture as much as anyone else in this
state. Could it be that some think
we might not understand the pro-
cess and therefore will not vote
anyway, or could it be that the
opposition assumes that all or at
least most Black people will vote
democratic while the Democrats
assume that the Black vote is in
the bag and therefore, not bother
to campaign for our support?
This might be a good time to
remind everyone of the Supreme
Court Decision in Reynolds v.
Sims (1964), which requires
states to use the total population
of a state in drawing congressio -
nal districts rather than voting el-
igible populations. This doctrine
ensures that each person’s vote
carries the same weight and that
none are more important than oth-
ers. It appears that politics, poll -
ing, and dollars are deciding that
not all votes are of equal impor -
tance by how campaign dollars
are being spent.
There exists a Constitutional
requirement of inclusion in this
political process. The Black Press
is still the most trusted messen -
ger for our communities. We are
committed to the people we serve
and have served for 198 years. We
are a part of due process under the
California State Constitution and
therefore all efforts to reach our
communities should and must in-
clude us.
We can read and we understand
the political process, having been
victims of it for more than 100
years. It should be remembered
that we not only reach our com -
munities, but we touch those we
reach.
To you, our readers, you should
measure, in part, the sincerity of
those seeking your support by
whether or not you have seen their
message in our Black newspa -
pers. How can one say they sup -
port and need our vote, but ignore
our Black press while they spend
all their dollars with White me -
dia?
Our communities, our voice,
our votes, and our press must be
as important at the beginning of
every campaign as anyone else’s.
You, the reader, validate us just as
we validate you every week with
our coverage.
Remember, every election can
be won with just one vote. Will
we be the ones to make the differ-
ence?
About the Author
Dr. John E. Warren is the Pub-
lisher of the San Diego Voice &
Viewpoint newspaper. He is also
the Chairman of the Board, Na -
tional Newspaper Publishers As -
sociation (NNP A).
postnewsgroup.comTHE POST, September. 17 - 23, 2025 Page 8
NOTICE AND DIGEST
AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE (1) REPEALING THE OAKLAND AMENDMENTS TO THE 2022 EDITION OF THE CALIFORNIA MODEL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION CODES, (2) ADOPTNG LOCAL AMENDIMENTS TO THE 2025 EDITION OF THE CALIFORNIA MODEL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION CODES, (3) AMENDING OAKLAND MUNICIPAL CODE (“O.M.C.”) CHAPTER 15.04 TO COMPLY WITH CHANGES TO STATE LAW, AND (4) ADOPTNG CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY ACT EXEMPTION FINDINGS
This Ordinance serves to repeal the Oakland Amendments to the 2022 Edition of the California Building Standards Code, while also adopting local amendments the 2025 Edition of the California Building Standards Code, and amending Oakland Municipal Code Chapter 15.04 to comply with changes in State law. The Council also found that the above actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”).
Notice of Publication
This Emergency Ordinance was introduced and adopted at the Special City Council meeting, Monday morning, September 15, 2025, and passed to print 8 Ayes. Final adoption occurred at the Special City Council meeting Monday morning September 15, 2025, at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Council Chamber, 3rd floor, Oakland, California and via Teleconference.
Three full copies are available for use and examination by the public in the Office of the City Clerk at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 1st floor, Oakland, California.
ASHA REED, City Clerk
Publication Date: Friday, September 19, 2025.
The bill intends to single out
a “legacy of exclusion” in ed -
ucation, Bryan said. The sup -
porters of the AB 7 took their
message to Newsom’s office at
the State Capitol Swing Space
Annex.
“Seeing 150 people go over
to the governor’s office is
powerful,” Bryan told CBM.
“There have been people in -
volved all year, all across the
state, and across the country.
There is no reason why (New-
som) shouldn’t sign it. I’m
hopeful.”
Sign Bill Granting
Admissions
Preferences ...
The Black Vote ...
Continued from page 7
Continued from page 7
By Antonio Ray Harvey
California Black Media
Assembly Bill (AB) 62, au -
thored by Assemblymember Tina
McKinnor (Inglewood), passed in
the Assembly with a 66-4 vote on
Sept. 9. It now advances to Gov.
Gavin Newsom’s desk for a sig -
nature or veto by Oct. 12.
The measure -- part of the Cal-
ifornia Legislative Black Caucus
(CLBC) multi-year “Road to Re-
pair” legislative package -- is a
reparations bill aimed at provid -
ing restitution for victims of ra -
cially motivated eminent domain
and their descendants.
“I feel so hopeful that the gov-
ernor will sign it,” McKinnor told
California Black Media (CBM)
on Sept. 11 at the State Capi -
tol. “Actually, it will help the de-
scendants of chattel slavery at the
top, but it helps every Californian
whose home or property was tak-
en through eminent domain.”
McKinnor’s bill defines “ra -
cially motivated eminent do -
main” as the acquisition of private
property by a state or local gov -
ernment for public use without
just compensation, motivated by
the owner’s race or ethnicity.
According to AB 62’s lan -
guage, the California Civil Rights
Department, upon appropriation
by the Legislature, will be di -
rected to review, investigate, and
make certain determinations re -
garding applications from per -
sons who claim they are the dis -
possessed owners.
Republican Assemblymem -
bers Carl DeMaio, Stan Ellis,
Alexandra Macedo, and Heath -
er Hardwick voted no on AB 62.
A day before its final Assembly
floor vote, the bill passed 30-7 in
the Senate.
AB 62 builds on the momen -
tum of California’s decision to re-
turn Bruce’s Beach in Los Ange-
les County to its original owners.
“People must understand, most
of the time when homes were tak-
en by eminent domain, it was the
poor people’s homes – Black and
Brown,” McKinnor said.
In February, the CLBC intro -
duced its multi-year Road to Re -
pair legislative package based
on recommendations included in
the state’s 2023 reparations task
force report. Several other repara-
tive justice bills by CLBC mem -
bers are on their way to Newsom’s
desk, including the following.
On Sept. 11, AB 766, legisla -
tion authored by Assemblymem -
ber LaShae Sharp-Collins (D-San
Diego), passed out of the Assem-
bly with a 48-14 vote. It mandates
state agencies to perform a “racial
equity analysis” on new regula -
tions and budget requests.
AB 742, authored by Assem -
blymember Sade Elhawary (D-
Los Angeles), passed 59-16 out
of the Assembly on Sept. 10. It
requires state licensing boards to
expedite applications for individ-
uals who are certified as descen -
dants of American slaves.
Last week, the Senate con -
curred with Assembly amend -
ments to Senate Bill (SB) 437, au-
thored by chair of the CLBC Sen.
Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Di-
ego), with a 29-10 vote.
The bill’s purpose is to direct
the California State Universi -
ty (CSU) to research and devel -
op methods for verifying an indi-
vidual’s status as a descendant of
a person who was enslaved in the
United States. SB 437 would au -
thorize the use of up to $6 million
to enable the CSU to conduct the
research.
Weber Pierson’s SB 518 also
advances to the governor’s desk
after receiving a 30-10 vote in the
Senate on Sept. 10. The bill estab-
lishes the Bureau for Descendants
of American Slavery within the
California Department of Justice.
SB 437 and SB 518 are “one
step closer to the Governor’s desk
and to becoming California law,”
Weber Pierson stated.
Legislature Approves
Five Black Caucus
Reparations Bills,
Sending Them
to Newsom
Mayor Bass Endorses
Former L.A. Mayor
Villaraigosa for
California Governor
Newsom, Legislators Reach
Cap and Trade Deal;
Republicans Slam Proposal
Your EV Will No Longer
Give You the Privilege to
Drive in HOV Lanes
Asm. Sharp-Collins’s Assembly Bill 766 requires state agencies and departments to integrate racial equity and inclusive practices into their strategic plans. It advances to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature or veto. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. File photo. iStock.
By Bo Tefu
California Black Media
Los Angeles Mayor Karen
Bass, on Sept. 9, endorsed former
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Vil-
laraigosa for California governor,
highlighting his ability to unite
communities and address the
state’s most pressing challenges.
Bass cited Villaraigosa’s ex -
perience and coalition-building
skills as key reasons for her sup -
port. “That’s why I’m supporting
Antonio for governor — a leader
who can unite our state with our
shared values and ensure that ba-
sics like high-quality schools,
safe neighborhoods, affordable
homes, and good-paying job op -
portunities are available and ac -
cessible for all Californians,” she
said.
Villaraigosa, who served as
mayor from 2005 to 2013 and was
previously Assembly Speaker,
described Bass’ endorsement as
a boost to his 2026 campaign. He
emphasized his focus on afford -
ability and economic opportuni -
ty statewide. “Our children can’t
buy a home without our help. I’m
focused on affordability,” Villara-
igosa said in an interview on Sept.
9. The two leaders share a long
political history, with Villaraigosa
having endorsed Bass in her suc -
cessful 2022 mayoral campaign.
Bass’ endorsement signals strong
support from Los Angeles’ politi-
cal class and could give Villarai -
gosa early momentum as the gu -
bernatorial race heats up.
Several other Democrats are
running for governor in 2026, in-
cluding former California Assem-
bly Speaker and Senate Pro Tem
Toni Atkins; former United States
Secretary of Health and Human
Services and former Califor -
nia Attorney Gen. Xavier Becer -
ra; former U.S. Rep. Katie Por -
ter; California State Superinten -
dent of Public Instruction Tony
Thurmond; and former Califor -
nia State Controller Betty Yee.
Republicans Steve Hilton, a busi-
nessman and TV Show host, and
Riverside County Sheriff Chad
Bianco are also in the race.
Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis has
dropped out to run for state trea -
surer.
By Bo Tefu
California Black Media
California drivers with Clean
Air Vehicle decals will lose their
ability to drive solo in carpool
lanes starting Oct. 1, as the federal
government did not extend fund -
ing for the program, officials an -
nounced.
The program, which has en -
couraged adoption of clean and
zero-emission vehicles for more
than two decades, currently ben -
efits roughly 500,000 drivers in
the state.
The decals also provided ac -
cess to reduced toll rates in some
areas, a perk that will end with the
program. “Californians are com -
mitted to lowering their carbon
footprint and these decals helped
drivers be good stewards of our
highways and environment,” said
Steve Gordon, director of the Cal-
ifornia Department of Motor Ve-
hicles in a statement. “By taking
away this program, hundreds of
thousands of California’s drivers
will pay the price. It’s a lose-lose
and we urge the federal govern -
ment to retain this program.”
The carpool lane benefit was
originally designed to incentiv -
ize electric and low-emission ve-
hicle purchases. More than a mil-
lion motorists have applied for the
decal since its inception, and Cal-
ifornia is one of 13 states that of-
fered the perk. Vehicles that qual-
ified included fuel-cell electric,
natural gas, or plug-in electric
models.
Gov. Gavin Newsom blamed
congressional Republicans and
President Donald Trump for the
program’s expiration, calling it a
“traffic jam” that threatens envi -
ronmental progress and commut-
ing efficiency. “That’s Trump’s
America: more traffic, more smog
and a government more commit -
ted to slashing proven programs
than solving real problems,”
Newsom said in a statement.
Last year, Newsom signed a
state bill extending the program
through 2027, but federal approv-
al is required to continue the ben-
efits. The program ends simulta -
neously with the $7,500 federal
tax credit for new electric vehi -
cles, further reducing incentives
for EV buyers.
California Energy Commis -
sion data shows that 25% of
new cars sold in the state are ze -
ro-emission vehicles, reflecting
growing consumer interest de -
spite program cuts. Drivers may
continue using carpool lanes only
if they meet the multiple-occu -
pant requirement. California law
provides a 60-day grace period af-
ter the program ends before cita -
tions are issued for decal misuse.