John A. Pérez When the Legislature shifted funds from local redevelopment agencies to schools and public safety, we recognized that there needed to be a way for communities to continue pursuing some of the beneficial efforts of redevelopment agencies, including economic development, affordable housing and environmental protection. Unfortunately, following a…

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Jerry Brown filed a ballot initiative on Monday asking California voters to increase taxes on themselves to generate more money for schools and public safety. Brown posted an open letter to the people of California on his website, saying he wants to temporarily increase taxes on…

As thousands of students, faculty members, and activists gathered at the campuses of the University of California at Davis, Merced, and Los Angeles, about 50 concerned demonstrators squeezed into the main venue of a four-way teleconferenced Board of Regents meeting at the UCSF-Mission Bay campus on Monday morning to make…

UC regents are spread out across the state for an unusual board meeting Monday. The UC Board of Regents canceled a meeting last week after law enforcement warned that protests could turn violent. The board instead decided to hold a teleconference-type meeting from its Los Angeles, Davis, Merced and Mission…

Hundreds of students angry over rising tuition fees and campus violence against peaceful protesters converged on University of California campuses as the UC Regents met via teleconference on four campuses in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Merced and Davis. No arrests were made at any of the UC campuses, UC officials…

Former Los Angeles Police Department chief Bill Bratton has been tapped by the University of California to lead an official inquiry into the use of pepper spray by UC Davis police on passive student protesters. UC Davis chancellor Linda Katehi and Assembly Speaker John Perez reportedly urged the creation of…

Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) spent the day before Thanksgiving giving back to the 46th Assembly District community, joining with local volunteers to distribute 350 Thanksgiving turkeys, reusable shopping bags, and other food items to local families in need. "Our state and local communities continue to struggle through…

First came the video of campus police jabbing students with batons at UC Berkeley, and then, less than two weeks later, pepper-spraying them at UC Davis. To many academics, it was an outrage. On late-night TV, California once again became a national joke. "When they say Berkeley is crunchy," comedian…

DAVIS, Calif. (KCRA) -- By Monday night, student protesters had set up more than 60 tents on the same campus quad where students were told last week they could not set up tents during a protest Friday. During that protest, officers pepper sprayed about a dozen students who refused to…

By: Assemblyman Michael Allen Once again, Veterans Day finds our armed women and men in harm's way. And once again, Veterans Day finds their sacrifices given lip service by politicians and civilians alike. A recent Washington Post article highlighted the fact that despite having people in uniform engaged on multiple…