A.M. Splash: Oakland Parcel Tax Defeated; Police Dismantle Part of Occupy SF; Tents Up at UCB

Voters in Oakland's special mail-in election defeated an $80 parcel tax intended to help ease the city's budget problems. They also turned down Measure J, which would have extended Oakland's deadline to fund the Police and Fire Retirement System. Measure H, which would have changed the way the city attorney is chosen, also was defeated.

Police raided a section of the Occupy San Francisco camp early today, dismantling 15 tents that had spilled over from the original encampment in Justin Herman Plaza and arresting seven people.

About 100 protesters were gathered on the steps of UC Berkeley's Sproul Hall this morning after pitching tents and spending the night on the administration building's stairs. Campus police told the mix of students and protesters from the former Occupy Oakland encampment three times early today that they would be arrested if they did not take down the tents and leave. No one did so.

An administrative law judge on Tuesday threw out a legal challenge of a ballot measure that strips Palo Alto police and firefighters of their right to take pay and benefit disputes to outside arbitrators. In September, the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1319 filed an unfair labor practice charge with the Public Employment Relations Board. It alleged the city council had failed to "consult in good faith" with the union before placing a repeal of binding interest arbitration on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan finally rid herself of the albatross at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, but it appears her troubles did not end with the Occupy Oakland camp. Jakada Imani, Quan's nominee for the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners, withdrew his name from consideration Tuesday afternoon, a few hours shy of a confirmation vote scheduled at the City Council. It did not appear that Imani had the votes.

Lawmakers, transportation experts, farmers, laborers and folks who live beside the Caltrain tracks packed a rare Assembly subcommittee meeting in Palo Alto Tuesday to comment on the new business plan for the High-Speed Rail Authority. They offered a predictable mix of support, criticism and outright opposition.

Silicon Valley's largest drinking water provider took the first steps Tuesday toward adding fluoride to the drinking water in most of Santa Clara County, including San Jose, the largest city in the nation without the cavity-battling additive.

A whistle-blower who alleged that a San Francisco property-management company was laundering contributions to Mayor Ed Lee's campaign has been fired and threatened with eviction, an e-mail from another of his employers shows. The whistle-blower's attorney says the actions are retaliation for the man revealing to The Chronicle that employees at Archway Property Services were allegedly directed to donate the $500 maximum to Lee and then reimbursed by the company in violation of state and local laws.

Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a 14-page memo Tuesday that appears to show that Department of Energy officials urged solar manufacturer Solyndra to hold off on announcing layoffs last year until after the hotly contested midterm elections.

A federal judge has dismissed Oakland police Sgt. Derwin Longmire's discrimination suit against the city, ruling that there is no evidence that the department's aborted attempt to fire him for his handling of the Chauncey Bailey murder investigation was improper.