Brad Hooker
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Sacramento-based journalist covering state and local policy in CA, WA & OR for Bloomberg Tax
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Articles by Brad Hooker
New California Taxes and Fees to Top $14B Annually, Group Says Original
Tax and fee initiatives adopted during California’s 2025-2026 legislative session and signed into law will collectively cost state businesses and residents another $14.3 billion a year, a new report from a nonprofit research organization found.
New California Taxes and Fees to Top $14B Annually, Group Says
Tax and fee initiatives adopted during California’s 2025-2026 legislative session and signed into law will collectively cost state businesses and residents another $14.3 billion a year, a new report from a nonprofit research organization found.
Kimco Loses California Bid to Pair REIT Dividend Tax Benefits
Kimco Realty Corp., a real estate investment trust specializing in shopping centers, can’t use the same intercompany dividends both to reduce its taxable income in California and support a federal tax deduction, a state tax tribunal ruled in an opinion posted Monday. The California Office of Tax Appeals left intact Franchise Tax Board assessments of $203,748 for 2014 and $81,921 for 2015, plus interest.
California Sets Rounding Rules for Retailers Post-Penny Phaseout Original
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed Wednesday legislation establishing statewide rules for retailers to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel as businesses adjust to the penny phaseout. The California Common Cents Act (AB 1793) requires merchants to round the final cash portion of a transaction up or down to the nearest 5 cents in an effort to tackle shortages that have emerged since the US Mint stopped producing pennies in November 2025.
California Cracks Down on Montana-Plated Vehicles as Tax Dodge Original
California revenue officials will gain new authority to pursue residents behind the shell companies used to dodge sales taxes and fees on cars, trucks, boats, and aircraft under legislation signed Wednesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). The bill (SB 1406) by Sen. Jerry McNerney (D) targets what’s known as the Montana loophole, which results in about $20 million annually in lost tax revenue for California according to state estimates.
New California Law Caps Consultant Pay in Local Sales Tax Deals Original
Consultants who help California local governments negotiate sales tax-sharing agreements will face new limits on how much and how long they can be paid under legislation signed Wednesday by Gov. (D). The measure (SB 1172), introduced by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D), caps consultant compensation at 5% of the total tax revenue shared through an agreement or $250,000, whichever is less. The payments can’t extend beyond three years after the agreement takes effect or the project is completed.
California Enacts Journalism Tax Credit to Shore Up Local News Original
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed legislation Wednesday creating a refundable tax credit to shore up local newsrooms, which have been hollowed out by years of cuts. “We have seen what happens in the void when you lose local journalism,” Newsom said during a news conference, a nod to the Trump administration and its often-contentious relationship with the news media.
California Targets Private Detention Industry With New Taxes Original
California is imposing new tax pressure on private detention facility operators and certain companies that contract with federal immigration authorities under two bills Gov. (D) signed into law Tuesday. “California is taking action to strengthen transparency, accountability and oversight around immigration enforcement in our state,” Newsom said in a signing statement.
California Expands Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Original
California will expand a property tax exemption for disabled veterans under legislation signed Monday by Gov. . SB 296, by Sen. Bob Archuleta (D), exempts 50% of a primary residence’s value, up to $1 million, from property taxes. The incentive, which is designed to keep disabled veterans in their homes, goes to 100% for qualifying low-income households. Newsom signed the measure as part of a five-bill veterans package that also covers benefits, family leave, and higher education.
California Adds New Oversight of Individual, Business Tax Breaks Original
Some of California’s largest personal income and corporate tax incentives will be subject to independent reviews under legislation Gov. (D) signed Sunday. That includes the state’s “water’s edge” election for multinational corporations, which allows businesses operating in California to exclude profits generated by subsidiaries abroad from their taxable income. The bill also targets a research and development tax credit, the income tax basis of inherited property, and a handful of other incentives.
Newsom Signs Bills Expanding California Film and TV Tax Credits Original
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed two measures Saturday expanding tax incentives for the state’s entertainment industry, including one for post-production work. AB 2319, which takes effect in 2027, creates a credit for such post-production categories as editing, sound, music, and visual effects performed in the state.
California Rethinks Software Tax Rules After Business Pushback Original
California tax officials are reconsidering parts of proposed rules for the state’s new software tax after businesses warned Thursday that the framework could conflict with existing tax systems, potentially exposing transactions to levies in multiple states. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration is developing emergency regulations to implement SB 122, which subjects electronically delivered prewritten software and software-as-a-service to sales and use tax beginning Jan. 1.
California Lawmakers Shield Indie Films From Tax Credit Cap Original
The California legislature approved a late-session fix Monday exempting independent film production from a new limit on tax credits, addressing concerns that the cap could undermine the state’s recently expanded incentive for Hollywood. If signed by Gov. (D), SB 186 would allow credits allocated to those productions to bypass a new cap that limits credits to $5 million or 70% of the tax liability, whichever is greater.
California Fix for Montana Plates Tax Loophole Heads to Newsom
California lawmakers are moving to shut down a tax maneuver that luxury vehicle owners use to avoid paying state taxes. The Assembly Wednesday approved a bill (SB 1406) by Sen. Jerry McNerney (D) to close what’s known as the “Montana loophole,” where Californians create shell companies in Montana to purchase and register cars, pickups, yachts, and recreational vehicles to bypass sales tax. They then use those vehicles in California. The measure passed the Senate in May.
Low-water crops for SGMA meet high-cost reality
Winter forage crops could help some growers keep SGMA-constrained land productive, but crop shifts alone won’t solve the San Joaquin Valley’s larger water and economic challenges. GSAs may struggle to finance recharge, demand management and subsidence mitigation as fewer farmed acres generate fee revenues. Small and mid-sized farms could face growing consolidation pressure as groundwater limits compound rising labor, regulatory and operating costs.
Winegrape growers put vineyards on ice
California winegrape growers facing a brutal market downturn are experimenting with mothballing vineyards — keeping vines alive with minimal labor and inputs while skipping the harvest — as a middle ground between farming at a loss and ripping out vines. University of California Cooperative Extension viticulture adviser Christopher Chen said oversupply, falling consumer demand and soaring production costs have made the current winegrape downturn unusually severe.
Farmers squeezed between pesticide limits and delayed alternatives
Farm groups warn California cannot phase out older pesticides without faster approval of safer replacements, saying growers already wait years longer than their competitors in other states. Farmworker and environmental advocates press lawmakers for quicker restrictions, stronger county enforcement, precise pesticide use notifications and reforms to DPR’s reliance on pesticide sales fees.
Avocados’ daily sex switch comes down to one gene
Scientists have identified the genetic mechanism behind avocados’ unusual habit of switching between female and male flowering phases, a discovery that could help breeders develop new varieties years faster. Research led by the University of California, Davis, found that a variation in a single gene determines whether an avocado tree follows an A- or B-type flowering schedule.
Ag order fight shifts to compost, reporting and conservation incentives
The latest round of written comments on the Central Coast’s agricultural water quality rules is broadening the debate beyond the nitrogen limits and drinking water requirements that have dominated hearings. Growers, researchers and environmental groups are now pressing the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board over whether the rewritten Ag Order will reward farming practices that reduce nitrate losses or make those practices harder to use.
California antitrust fight puts ag at the center of a debate over market power
AB 1776 would expand California antitrust law to target monopolization and monopsony, potentially giving farmers more leverage against dominant buyers and suppliers. Agriculture is divided over the bill, with supporters pointing to consolidation while major farm and food groups warn it could expose legitimate business practices and cooperatives to new legal challenges.
CAFB secures win with PG&E transmission line construction
California farm advocates have secured new communication requirements for a major PG&E transmission project cutting through agricultural land around Lodi, a provision they hope could become a model for other powerline projects across the state. The California Public Utilities Commission this month approved PG&E’s Northern San Joaquin 230-Kilovolt Transmission Project and directed the utility to implement an agricultural community communication plan developed with the California Farm Bureau.
As golden mussels spread, California wrestles with who pays — and who gets to say no
Golden mussels are spreading rapidly through California’s water system, with the latest detections reaching West Sacramento after the invasive species moved through the Delta and major state and federal water projects. Lawmakers are pursuing several responses, from statewide boat inspections and faster treatment permitting to $6 million in state funding for decontamination sites and federal legislation authorizing up to $75 million.
Pesticide transparency push puts farm data in the spotlight
Farm groups are urging DPR to limit treated-seed reporting burdens and preserve SprayDays’ current square-mile location standard. Environmental, farmworker and public health advocates are calling for exact application locations and more detailed data on treated-seed planting and exposure risks. DPR must now decide how to balance public transparency with growers’ concerns over privacy, licensing, costs and farm security.
Cap-and-invest report underscores ag’s stake in climate funding
California’s farm regions have received hundreds of millions of dollars from the state’s carbon market, helping growers replace older equipment, improve irrigation efficiency, manage manure and cut energy use at food processing plants, according to a new report. The California Air Resources Board said $15.5 billion in cap-and-invest proceeds has been implemented statewide since 2014.
Grizzly bill charges forward with ranchers caught in the path
SB 1305 has advanced on a party-line vote despite opposition from ranchers, beekeepers, rural counties and Republicans concerned about livestock losses and public safety. Agriculture groups say California’s troubled wolf program shows the state lacks the funding, staffing and trust needed to manage another apex predator. Supporters stress the bill authorizes only a feasibility roadmap, but ranchers fear it would lay the groundwork for eventual grizzly reintroduction.
Eastern broccoli could buffer California drought losses
Expanding broccoli production along the East Coast could help the produce industry offset drought-driven supply losses in California while reducing transportation costs and food miles, according to a new Cornell University study. The study, published in Agribusiness, modeled how the fresh broccoli supply chain could respond when drought reduces shipments from California, the dominant supplier to Eastern markets.
Dairies warn nitrate order could accelerate farm closures
Dairy groups say the draft order is too complex and costly, warning that overlapping mandates and pond requirements could push more Central Valley farms to close or consolidate. The Central Valley water board shares many of the implementation concerns, arguing the order would overwhelm limited staff and duplicate permitting work.
State ag board wades into SB 54 fight as packaging deadlines loom
The State Board of Food and Agriculture is weighing in on SB 54, raising concerns that packaging deadlines could arrive before viable alternatives are available. Growers and processors warn of steep compliance costs, unclear producer responsibilities and potential disruptions to products like strawberry clamshell packaging. The dispute is widening through CalRecycle’s exemption debate and two lawsuits challenging the rules from opposing directions.
California wolves rely heavily on cattle, UC Davis study finds
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have found cattle made up more than half the summer diet of gray wolves studied in northeastern California, adding new evidence to ranchers’ concerns as the protected predators expand across the state. The peer reviewed study, published in PLOS One, analyzed 98 wolf scat samples collected in 2022 and 2023 from the Lassen and Harvey pack territories.
Climate squeeze could push California wine country north — and into fire danger
California’s premier wine regions could become less suitable for grape production as the climate warms, while areas opening to vineyards farther north may face a growing wildfire threat, according to a new study. Researchers at Japan’s Tohoku University projected substantial declines in climatic suitability in Napa and Sonoma counties, as well as in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, under both moderate- and high-emissions scenarios.
DPR speeds pesticide reviews, warns deadlines could strain science
California pesticide regulators say they are making progress toward shortening reviews of chemicals already on the market. Yet they warn that new statutory deadlines could collide with the time needed to develop complex science and regulations. A new report to the Legislature outlines how the Department of Pesticide Regulation plans to meet a goal established under AB 2113 of completing new pesticide reevaluations within five years.
Dubai chocolate craze helps pistachios defy tree nut downturn
A viral dessert trend is helping California pistachios remain a bright spot in an otherwise difficult economy for permanent crops, with strong demand expected to cushion growers from a sharply smaller harvest this year. A new Terrain report points to the global popularity of “Dubai chocolate” — a chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream, shredded pastry and tahini — as the clearest example the expanding role of pistachios as an ingredient.
Coexistence bill offers ranchers a framework, but no new money
SB 1135 would make California’s wildlife coexistence and wolf compensation programs permanent but provides no new funding. Ag groups dropped their opposition after amendments gave ranchers more flexibility on deterrence requirements and compensation eligibility. The state budget omitted a $30 million wolf funding request, leaving future payments, collaring, staffing and prevention work in doubt.
California tries again to fix permitting delays for groundwater recharge
AB 2026 would streamline groundwater recharge permits, giving farmers and water agencies more flexibility to secure approvals before wet weather arrives. Supporters say current permitting remains too slow and expensive, leaving irrigation districts unable to fully capitalize on brief periods of high flows. The bill seeks to expand recharge without weakening environmental protections, as lawmakers balance water reliability with concerns over fish, downstream users and groundwater quality.
Winter forage could keep SGMA-idled farmland productive, report finds
San Joaquin Valley farmers facing groundwater cutbacks could plant low-water winter forage crops on some land otherwise destined for fallowing, generating modest returns while reducing dust and preserving agricultural capacity, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California report. PPIC estimates implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act could remove between 500,000 and 900,000 acres — as much as 20% of the valley’s irrigated farmland — from full production.
Economists see bioeconomy as a potential lifeline for California agriculture
California could turn mounting pressure on agriculture — from groundwater restrictions, labor shortages and climate change — into new revenue streams by converting crop residues and other biological materials into energy, fertilizers and higher-value products, according to a collection of papers from University of California agricultural economists.
Biologicals summit confronts an industry trust gap
California regulators are speeding biological product reviews, but growers say faster approvals will not overcome doubts about field performance. Biological companies face tight investment conditions and must prove their products deliver consistent results and clear economic value. Growers, researchers and regulators emphasize commercial field trials, stronger efficacy data and collaboration to build trust and expand adoption.
‘American wine’ fight divides longtime allies as growers seek relief
AB 1585 would have required wine labeled “American” to be made entirely from U.S.-grown grapes, offering growers modest relief as vineyards are removed and contracts disappear. The bill split longtime allies, with winegrape growers and family wineries backing it while major wine companies opposed limits on imported blends and warned of higher costs and labeling problems.
California needs more biological tools as pest pressures mount, says Ross
California agriculture must move faster to develop and deploy biological pest control tools as invasive species, climate change and the loss of conventional products put more pressure on growers, Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture told a crowd of farmers, entrepreneurs and researchers gathered at the Salinas Biological Summit on Tuesday.
Sites clears a key water right hurdle — but the strings attached leave uncertainty
The draft water right finds enough Sacramento River water is available for Sites Reservoir but attaches conditions that could sharply reduce project yield. Sites officials and participating agencies warn the restrictions could undermine affordability, investor commitments and the project’s planned construction schedule.
California Farm Bureau warns legal ruling could chill nonprofit advocacy
The California Farm Bureau is urging the state Supreme Court to review a ruling that could leave nonprofit organizations facing steep attorney fees when they intervene in lawsuits challenging government actions. CAFB’s legal team submitted an amicus curiae letter last week supporting a petition from CropLife America, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment and the Western Plant Health Association.
New fertilizer mandates could punish those who stay in compliance, growers warn
Central Coast farm groups say the revised Ag Order 4.0 keeps an unworkable nitrogen standard in place while raising costs for growers who remain in compliance. Growers question whether the proposed alternative water supply program offers enough incentive to justify new per-acre assessments and replacement water obligations.
Water board order puts ag communities at center of nitrate cleanup
The Central Valley water board approved its first management zone order, starting enforceable timelines for well testing, water replacement, nitrate reductions and long-term drinking water solutions. Agriculture, dairy and local cities backed the approach as a practical pathway that gives dischargers certainty and up to 35 years to make major nutrient management and groundwater improvements.
California pest system faces mounting pressure from trade, travel and e-commerce
California’s pest prevention system is working, but officials say it is under growing strain from global trade, travel, e-commerce, staffing gaps and aging infrastructure. A new report argues prevention is far cheaper than eradication, pointing to recent fruit fly outbreaks that cost more than $200 million and common pests that already cut into the value of California’s top crops.
DPR proposes to raise pesticide penalties
California pesticide regulators are proposing a major overhaul of enforcement rules for pesticide use violations, a move that could mean steeper fines and more scrutiny for growers, applicators, pest control businesses and other regulated operations when violations involve worker, bystander or environmental risks. The Department of Pesticide Regulation says the package is the first significant update to its enforcement response regulations since 2006.
Water board drafts new dairy order as industry warns of farm losses
California's State Water Resources Control Board is teeing up a major rewrite of dairy wastewater rules for the Central Valley, proposing a framework that would eventually force dairies to match manure and fertilizer applications with groundwater protections for nitrate.
Bettencourt tapped to lead Reclamation
President Donald Trump is expected to nominate Aubrey Bettencourt to lead the Bureau of Reclamation, putting a California agriculture and water policy veteran in charge of one of the West’s most consequential federal water agencies. Bettencourt, a third-generation Central Valley farmer, recently stepped down as chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, where she oversaw conservation programs that provide technical and financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and private landowners.
CDFA races to contain vineyard pest found in Costco grapevines
CDFA is urging consumers to report grapevines purchased from Northern California Costco stores after glassy-winged sharpshooters were found on nursery stock shipped from a Fresno nursery, triggering a statewide containment response aimed at protecting winegrape regions from Pierce’s disease. The first pest was detected May 19 on grapevine stock at a Costco in Sonoma, CDFA Undersecretary Christine Birdsong told the State Board of Food and Agriculture last week.
Clean air bill targeting freight hubs stalls over cost concerns for supply chains
AB 1777 stalled after freight, business and farm groups warned it could give CARB broad authority over warehouses, ports, cold storage, packing houses and other supply chain facilities tied to truck emissions. Environmental groups argued the bill was a needed backup tool as federal rollbacks threaten California’s clean air plans and leave CARB searching for ways to close a major NOx reduction gap.
State Water Project bill stirs fight over Delta tunnel
AB 2215 would extend State Water Project permit deadlines to 2046, a move supporters say is needed to protect water reliability, affordability and future infrastructure investments. Water contractors, labor, business groups and farm interests argue the bill would preserve flexibility for a system serving 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland.
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