Ben Franklin stuck that in Poor Richard's Almanac 250 years ago. These days, with both the literal water well and metaphorical financial well drying up in San Diego, Mayor Jerry Sanders is letting us know the worth of water. And guess what? It's apparently worth much more in your house than it is at your office.
The Center on Policy Initiatives has released a (pdf) study analyzing the mayor's new proposal to raise the cost of water in the city. This proposal is currently flying through its council appointment and shows little signs of being held up, much less stopped. This is, primarily, because nobody disputes the goal of the measure- raise water prices to fix an antiquated and dangerous sewer system. As is so often the case though, the devil is in the details.
{This is Part 2 of my special report on the proposed extension of the 241 Toll Road to San Onofre State Beach (aka Trestles). If you'd like, you can find the other stories in the "Speeding Our Way to Trestles" series here. As the debate heats up over Trestles and the 241, I'd like to go in depth and examine all the issues involved... And I'd love for you to come along for the ride as we explore what can be done to relieve traffic in South Orange County AND Save Trestles Beach. Enjoy! : ) }
Hmmm... This is interesting. I guess I'm not the only one who has questions about the proposed 241 Toll Road extension to Trestles. Art Pedroza also has problems with this, and he's talking about it on Orange Juice, albeit for a somewhat different reason.
I heard a strange story yesterday from a pajarito. Turns out that the proposed extension of the 241 will be done under the auspices of a PLA. I have not checked on that yet, but it could be true. All county public works projects were under a PLA for some time, and perhaps this one has been on the books long enough to do so as well.
For those who don't know, a PLA is a "project labor agreement." It bans non-union contractors from bidding on public works under PLAs unless they hire their workers from the union hall. PLAs reduce bidders, increase costs, and cause delays. The only ones who benefit from PLAs are of course the unions.
So can the TCA and the OC GOP machine lose their conservatives on the 241 Extension if it looks like they're getting "too cozy with the unions"? Follow me after the flip for more (including more San Onofre/San Clemente visuals!) on how conservatives may be torn on this prickly issue...
(OK, it's now done. Enjoy! : ) - promoted by atdleft)
{This is Part 1 of my special report on the proposed extension of the 241 Toll Road to San Onofre State Beach (aka Trestles). If you'd like, you can find the other stories in the "Speeding Our Way to Trestles" series here. As the debate heats up over Trestles and the 241, I'd like to go in depth and examine all the issues involved... And I'd love for you to come along for the ride as we explore what can be done to relieve traffic in South Orange County AND Save Trestles Beach. Enjoy! : ) }
Last night, the Orange County Democratic Central Committee narrowly approved a resolution opposing the extension of the 241 toll road through San Onofre State Beach. The vote was 30 in favor, and 26 against. Environmentalists from South County rose to the podium to demonstrate how the 241 extension through San Onofre would destroy the world-famous beach that everyone so loves. Soon after, labor leaders rose to the podium to stress to everyone that this project means good union jobs, and that to lose this project would mean losing these good union jobs. Even after the vote had been completed, the controversy remained. Frank Barbaro, the DPOC Chairman, even asked both sides to come to the next Executive Board meeting early so they can all work out some sort of compromise that everyone could live with. Amazing how one little resolution could cause so much strife...
But it isn't just one little resolution. It is about a contentious stretch of land that can either bring good jobs and an easier commute, or a great beach and great wildlife, depending on who one asks. So what's the big deal about this? Follow me after the flip and see why this all matters (and yes, I have more photos for you as well)...
Rep. Gary Miller (news, bio, voting record) grew up poor. Even though he's now worth more than $13 million, he says he's still worried about his family's financial security.
So, while federal authorities investigate some of his real estate transactions, he says he'll keep on making deals.
Thirteen million doesn't go far in this go-go world of ours, you see. I mean, just think, his great-grandchildren might have to GO TO WORK!
(OK, I FINALLY finished uploading all these photos! I hope you enjoy them! ; ) - promoted by atdleft)
Laguna Beach has always had a special place in my heart. Perhaps it is because Laguna is so unigue among the beach cities here. Or perhaps, it is all the natural beauty. Or perhaps, it is the flavor of the town itself. Or perhaps, it is all of this and more...
But what happens if all of this is lost? What happens if my beloved Laguna is lost as it gets sucked into the surreal circus of MTV? What happens if Laguna loses its own self and gets lost into the unreal "reality" of its neighbors?
This is why I wrote my letter to Laguna. Follow me after the flip to see more (including more photos!)...
(After a really rough day today, here's a good story with a happy ending. : ) - promoted by atdleft)
Finally, a happy ending is near for a quintessential Orange County tale of rustic beauty and development run amok! Not so long ago, a few developers wanted to turn this historic beachside community into a mega-resort. Today, the city of Newport Beach is agreeing to help out in saving this little beach of dreams for all to enjoy.
Join me after the flip for a little bit of history, and a full illustration of this coastal beauty that I'd like to share with you! : )
Following reports and complaints of fishy land deals, the Feds have been investigating Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA), making him the 20th member of the 109th Congress to fall under federal scrutiny.
Miller, a real estate developer by trade, came to the attention of the FBI when a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group complained last summer that the congressman hadn't paid taxes on two land deals he was involved in, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports.
I'm losing count, how many CA Republicans from the 109th Congress have been under investigation? Cunningham, Hunter, Lewis, Doolittle, Miller... who am I missing?
This investigation started last year, perhaps after this article in the LA Times, which recounted how Miller was trying to use eminent domain laws to get out of paying taxes on real estate he sold in Monrovia. Later, I wrote about the almost cartoonishly evil case of Miller's property in Rancho Cucamonga, where he played upon a family's grief to drive down the purchase price of a property, which he then threatened to overdevelop and turn into a deathtrap unless the city bought him out.
I can tell you good news - there IS a movement afoot to have a netroots-backed challenger in this district. That's all I can say for right now. Miller is not only being watched by the FBI, but by the progressive community, and he will be hard-pressed to escape either.
Over the last few months, the LA Times has been documentingthe sordid dealings of Republican Rep. Gary Miller from the Inland Empire area of Southern California. Miller, a developer, bought property in Monrovia which he claimed the city took from him through eminent domain (which they didn't, he just said that so he could shield the $10 million sale from capital gains taxes), paid himself $25,000 in rent from his campaign funds to run a re-election office on the site, even though he was running unopposed, and tried to appoint a Monrovia city councilman to the National Park Service Advisory Board as a kind of bribe to get the city to buy that property.
Well, judging from today's story, you ain't seen nothing yet.
You should really go read it in full to appreciate what kind of a slimeball Rep. Miller is, but I'll summarize the highlights (or lowlights). It's almost comical in terms of its cruelty and greediness.
California News Roundup for today on the flip. Teasers: Education spending, Angelides v. Westly, open space purchases in Sonoma County, lobbying "reform", development, transit, parks, fish, and Prop. 82.
