Gov. Gavin Newsom is staying silent on a Democrat-led bill moving through the legislature that would create a “link tax” requiring big tech companies, like Google, to pay media companies for linking to their pages.
Last week, Google began removing news links to news pages while the legislation, dubbed the California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA), is under consideration. The bill, authored by Democrat Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, would effectively charge Google, Microsoft, Facebook and other big tech companies for linking to state news websites. The collected “link tax,” as Google calls it, would go toward supporting struggling newsrooms, according to the text.
While Newsom’s office declined to “comment on pending legislation” pioneered by his Democrat counterparts to Fox News Digital, the governor previously partnered with Google on initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, such as incorporating the state’s “earthquake early warning technology into all Android phones.”
At the time, Newsom gushed over the partnership, saying, “It’s not every day that Silicon Valley looks to state government for state-of-the-art innovation, but that’s exactly what is happening today.”
PRESSED BY GOP SENATOR, ZUCKERBERG APOLOGIZES MID-HEARING TO FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF BIG TECH HARMS IN AUDIENCE
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Gov. Gavin Newsom is remaining quiet regarding a new bill that would create a “link tax” requiring big tech companies to pay media companies for linking to their sites.(Screenshot/NBC)
Also in 2020, Newsom partnered with Google to give away 4,000 Chromebooks and free Wi-Fi hot spots for mobile users up to 90 days with unlimited broadband internet access to 100,000 households in rural regions of the state. In 2021, Newsom signed SB 7 into law, which changed real estate zoning laws to allow denser housing construction. Alongside him was Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker.
“To be here with Google and the incredible private sector investment and the faith and devotion to the future of this city and this region and this state is exactly where we want to be and it’s why we are here,” Newsom said to reporters at the time.
However, Google said in a statement last week the proposed CJPA, in its current form, would “up-end” its model of helping publishing sites grow their audiences without financial penalties.
“As we’ve shared when other countries have considered similar proposals, the uncapped financial exposure created by CJPA would be unworkable,” Google said in a statement. “If enacted, CJPA in its current form would create a level of business uncertainty that no company could accept.”
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The Media Research Center says that from 2008 through February 2024, “Google has utilized its power to help push to electoral victory the most liberal candidates, regardless of party, while targeting their opponents for censorship.”(Photographer: Marlena Sloss/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The big tech company said that to “prepare” for possible CJPA consequences, they have begun a soft roll-out of removing links to California news websites to test the impact it would have on the company’s “product experience.”
How much the companies would have to pay would be decided by a panel of three judges through an arbitration process under the bill.
The bill aims to stop the loss of journalism jobs, which have been disappearing rapidly as legacy media companies have struggled to profit in the digital age. More than 2,500 newspapers have closed in the U.S. since 2005, according to Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. California has lost more than 100 news organizations in the past decade, according to Wicks.
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The Real Facebook Oversight Board embarked on the Facebook Receipts project to expose how big tech lobbyists used power and influence to kill would-be-landmark antitrust bills.(iStock)
“This is a bill about basic fairness — it’s about ensuring that platforms pay for the content they repurpose,” Wicks said. “We are committed to continuing negotiations with Google and all other stakeholders to secure a brighter future for California journalists and ensure that the lights of democracy stay on.”
However, Google argues the bill “undermines news” in the Golden State.
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“To avoid an outcome where all parties lose and the California news industry is left worse off, we urge lawmakers to take a different approach,” the company said.
Big tech companies have also been targeted in recent years by state officials and Republican lawmakers, who claim the Biden administration’s alleged coordination with the search engine giants could unfairly impact the discourse around the 2024 election.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.
The IRS has released updated federal income tax brackets and standard deductions for the 2026 tax year, which will apply to returns filed in 2027.
Cheddar
It’s officially tax season. The Internal Revenue Service opened the 2026 filing period for the 2025 tax year on Jan. 26.
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Oregonians can file their 2025 federal and state income tax returns until April 15. Those who don’t file by the deadline could face a penalty and may need to request an extension.
The Oregon Department of Revenue will also begin processing state income tax returns filed electronically.
Here’s what to know about filing your 2025 taxes.
When is the first day to file 2025 income tax returns in Oregon?
Oregonians can already file their federal and state income tax returns for the 2025 tax year. The season began on Jan. 26.
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When is the 2025 income tax return deadline?
The deadline for Oregonians to file their federal and state income tax returns for the 2025 tax year is on April 15.
When will Oregon issue 2025 state tax refunds?
The Oregon Department of Revenue will begin issuing refunds for electronically filed income tax returns on Feb. 15.
For tax returns filed by paper, the Department of Revenue will begin issuing refunds in early April.
According to agency, the IRS was late in sending Oregon the necessary tax forms for 2025, and as a result, Oregon could not begin processing paper-filed personal income tax returns until late March.
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Oregonians are encouraged to file electronically to receive a tax refund sooner.
“This year, if you file a paper return, you’re going to face a significant delay in receiving your refund,” said Megan Denison, the administrator of the Personal Tax and Compliance Division at the Department of Revenue. “Taxpayers who file electronically can avoid the extra wait.”
Additionally, the IRS recommends mailing in paper tax forms earlier than the April 15 deadline, as postmarks are not guaranteed for the same day.
Why is Direct File no longer available on the IRS website?
Direct File was a free tax filing program that could be found on the IRS website and used to file taxes for free.
However, following its two-year pilot phase, the Trump administration discontinued the program. The IRS announced in late 2025 that IRS Direct File will no longer be available at the beginning of 2026.
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IRS Free File is an alternative option to file federal income taxes for free in 2026 for households with an adjusted gross income of $84,000 or less.
Direct File Oregon is another option to file state income taxes for free in 2026. The program is currently in its third year and allows Oregonians to file directly with the state of Oregon for free.
How much is Oregon’s 2025 kicker rebate?
Oregon taxpayers who qualify could see a share of a $1.4 billion surplus through the state’s “kicker” credit when they file their 2025 income tax returns in 2026.
The refund amount differs depending on the individual but is calculated to be about 9.9% of their Oregon personal income tax liability for the 2024 tax year.
To get an estimate on how much their kicker could be, Oregonians can visit the Oregon Department of Revenue’s “What’s My Kicker?” calculator at revenueonline.dor.oregon.gov/tap/.
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How can Oregonians track their refunds?
Oregonians can track their tax refunds by visiting www.irs.gov/wheres-my-refund for federal tax returns, and www.oregon.gov/dor/programs/individuals/pages/where-is-my-refund.aspx for state tax returns.
Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.
The killings took place in a region exempt from federal gray wolf protections.
(Dawn Villella |AP) A gray wolf is pictured in 2004 in Minnesota. Utah officials recently killed three wolves after they were seen near livestock in Cache County.
In a rural stretch of southwestern Cache County, state officials killed three wolves earlier this month after the animals were spotted near livestock, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources confirmed Tuesday.
The wolves were shot Jan. 9 by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, said DWR spokesperson Faith Jolley, a move allowed because the animals were found in a small corner of northeastern Utah exempt from federal gray wolf protections.
The region, which lies mostly east of Interstate 15 and extends roughly as far south as Ogden, is considered part of the greater Yellowstone region, where the predator is in recovery. It is the only part of Utah where the state is allowed to manage wolves.
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(Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Across the rest of the state, the animal is considered an endangered species. It’s illegal to hunt, harass, trap, shoot or harm them without permission from the federal government.
Jolley said state law directs DWR to prevent wolves from breeding in the delisted area. While the animals were not considered a pack, she said they were believed to be traveling together.
“Lethal removals ensure they don’t establish breeding populations in Utah,” Jolley wrote in a text message.
Caroline Hargraves, a spokesperson for the state agriculture department, said the wolves were found near Avon, a small census-designated community in Cache County of about 500 residents, surrounded mostly by farmland.
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Utah leaders have long been hostile to wolves for preying on livestock and thwarting hunters. The state has doled out millions in taxpayer dollars in an effort to get gray wolves removed from the federal endangered species list.
Most confirmed wolf sightings in Utah have involved lone wolves, Jolley said, though small groups have been documented on a few occasions since the first confirmed sighting in 2002.
During the past year, she said, a handful of lone wolves have migrated into Utah from Wyoming and Colorado.
Wolves from Wyoming and Idaho have made their way into Utah at least 21 times since 2004, according to DWR. In September, the agency said it was aware of at least one lone male wolf present in the state.
