Corruption

CA initiative reform: Lawmakers ignore the elephant in the room

The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported on initiative reforms that take effect today. After more than a century in California’s political spotlight, the state’s initiative process will be getting a major revise next year. Even more surprising, both Democrats and

Will MWD try — again — to sabotage client seeking new water supplies?

Chris Reed November 17, 2014

I’ve been a journalist in Socal since 1990, and I’ve never seen a story about government behavior as strange as the ones about the giant Metropolitan Water District of Southern California trying to sabotage its biggest client’s efforts to broaden

CHiPS pass around stolen nude photos of suspects

John Seiler October 29, 2014

California has come a long way from the innocent days of the “CHiPS” TV series of more than 30 years ago, starring Larry Wilcox and the heartthrob of teenage girls of that time, Eric Estrada, as state motorcycle cops. Here’s

Petty corruption all too common at CA special districts

Chris Reed August 12, 2014

The California government agencies that provide water, sewage, trash and other special services are often oblivious to ethical norms and tone-deaf to how their actions look to the outside world. Part of it may be these agencies don’t get the

Chiro settlement a reminder of board crony problem

Chris Reed July 26, 2014

This week, we got a fresh reminder of the problems created by the practice of allowing governors to appoint cronies and campaign contributors to cushy, well-paying jobs on the oversight boards of many state agencies. This is from the Sac

Speed promises for bullet train? CA says ‘never mind’

Chris Reed July 20, 2014

In 2008, California voters narrowly approved $9.95 billion in funds for a statewide high-speed rail network. When they voted for Proposition 1A, they didn’t think there was much doubt about what they were getting — a “safe, reliable, high-speed passenger

Backdrop to CalPERS’ many debacles: Agency thinks it’s great

Chris Reed July 13, 2014

The giant California Public Employees’ Retirement System, as one might suspect from its massive and self-important Sacramento headquarters, thinks it is the bomb — a flawless organization that should inspire awe in onlookers. Yes, of course, the phenomenon of government

State’s Bay Bridge follies will have bullet train encore

Chris Reed June 9, 2014

When the first stories came out about the problems with the $6.5 billion San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge construction project, there was a faintly surprised tone to some of the coverage. They can’t get stuff like welds right? Really? But I

GM vs. Toyota disparity: Our gangster government

Chris Reed May 26, 2014

In February, I wrote about the Obama administration imposing a $1.2 billion fine on Toyota for a pseudo-scandal involving the alleged “sudden acceleration” of the company’s vehicles — a media-abetted debacle that began in San Diego because a floor mat

2007 press release shows rail authority touting CEQA compliance

Chris Reed May 21, 2014

A Tuesday afternoon AP story laid out the latest courtroom developments involving the bullet-train fiasco: “SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s $68 billion bullet train project should be exempt from the state’s strict environmental review process now that it is subject