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Morning Roundup 12.4.07
By Centinel | December 4, 2007
The “hickiest” town in America, Portantino’s frugality, toll fund diversion, and even a Ron Paul mention, all under the jump.
Come on, Pasadena. The float must go. Even if it’s Bill Paparian leading the protests.
P.S. That billboard is sweet.
Anthony Portantino Rejects Pay Raise:
It’s nice to wonder what your representative officials have been doing lately and then find out they turned down a chance to make more money at taxpayer expense. Neat.
Let’s see…the state handed out $5,000 and $2,500 “garden grants” so kids could have gardens at their schools. A couple things: how much does it cost to create a garden? Are carrot seeds really that expensive? More to the point: the money had to go from Arcadia to Sacramento and then back to Arcadia. So, how much do you think that $2,500 grant actually cost the residents of Arcadia. Between paying from some desk monkey in Sacramento to shuffle the papers, the state tax folks to sort out the money transfer, and a “garden czar” who oversees this program, I’m guessing that’s a garden that cost a lot of green.
But what am I saying? The kids got their gardens; ergo, the state is good.
No one seems to be rioting yet, but maybe that’s because I can only find this headline. Rodney King was an Altadena resident, once upon a time.
Independents Can’t Vote in Republican Primaries in CA:
Why? LAist speculates:
Does the CA GOP’s lack of interest in attracting independent voters reflect a concern that many would be quicker to vote for a Ron Paul or Mike Huckabee than for a Republican candidate that has relied much heavier on the fund-raising, lobbying, and campaigning efforts of state GOP officials?
Hmm, Ron Paul, diehard principled libertarian who attracts an eclectic following or Mike Huckabee, Baptist minister/pseudo0conservative/health Nazi who wants us all to be un-fat just because he once was the size of the Goodyear blimp. Somehow, I’m not sure that it’s Mike Huckabee that the independents will be clamoring to vote for. Ron Paul, on the other hand, seems to be a perfect match for so much of the oddness of California politics.
Dreier Responds to Pasadena Now:
Rep. David Dreier has belatedly acknowledged James Macpherson’s exporting of local news to India…and he wants to make it easier.
A U.S. congressman said on Sunday he planned to introduce legislation calling for the United States to begin talks with India on a free trade agreement.
Rep. David Dreier, a California Republican, said at the World Economic Forum India summit such a move would be a building block towards the success of the Doha Round of global trade talks or the next World Trade Organisation (WTO) round.
At least, I’m assuming that’s what this whole free trade with India thing is about.
Daily Bulletin Shocks World, Says Cities Should Pay For Their Own Damn Light Rail:
You’re not going to believe this:
Should cities from Pasadena in the west to Ontario in the east expect to have to pitch in money of their own to see the Gold Line light-rail extension completed?
They should if they want to see the thing built.
…But, really, it’s only appropriate that local city halls pitch in something to help fund the mass-transit line that will help out local residents in their transportation needs.
What. A. Concept. The people who get the transit system pay for the transit system. For most rational human beings, this wouldn’t be news. For folks who plan things like public transit systems, it’s a “cold reality.”
Pomona Still Wants More Police Officers:
Yep.
Cities Could Save Money With Competition:
At the risk of turning this blog into a libertarian rag, I will acknowledge reader AA’s insistent emails and link to this Reason study, which found that San Diego could save a bundle of money with managed competition for city services. AA does make a good point in that there is an enormous amount of fat in the provision of public services, but between Reason and Ron Paul, we fear we are starting to look like shameless capitalists, almost as bad as another local blogger.
Former Claremont Mayor Rips on Victorville:
I’m not sure why Sandra Baldonado hates Victorville, but she definitely does.
A video has surfaced on YouTube.com that has an audio recording of former Claremont Mayor Sandra Baldonado sharing her views on Victorville.
“I started my day in beautiful downtown Victorville,” Baldonado says. “In the courthouse, I mean you see, really, hicks. I swear I felt like I was in West Virginia.”
Baldonado went on to say that Victorville residents are “the hickiest people you’ve ever seen.”
For your information former mayor, “hickiest” is not a word, but I imagine y’all knew that.
Um, of course “hickiest” is a word. It was that that girl in high school who was always indiscreetly with her over-zealous BF who loved to play “I’m a remora” on her neck. Clearly, Victorvillians (heh) just have trouble expressing their affection.
Last 5 posts in Transportation
- Antonovich to Los Angeles: Give Us Our Fair Share - July 22nd, 2008
- Congressional Reps Oppose Toll Lane Conversions - July 21st, 2008
- 710 Tunnel Action - July 15th, 2008
- How to Write a Newspaper Article - July 11th, 2008
- Foothill Transit in Paris? - July 3rd, 2008
Topics: Transportation, City Council, Government, Media, Pasadena, Pomona, Cops and Robbers, Claremont |
