Infrastructure

Will Enviros Bend on CEQA Reform?

Jan. 28, 2012 CEQA, the California Environmental Quality Act, has long been the third rail of politics here in theGoldenState. If a politician dare touch it, he or she is dead to the state’s powerful environmental lobby. Gov. Jerry Brown

CA Politicians Pander on Foreclosures

CalWatchdog Staff January 27, 2012

JAN. 27, 2011 By WAYNE LUSVARDI On the eve of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, 16 California House Democrats pleaded for more relief for homeowners in foreclosure. It was all show and no go, however. It was all

Root Canal For Single-Payer Health Bill

CalWatchdog Staff January 26, 2012

JAN. 26, 2012 By KATY GRIMES Despite warnings that tooth decay in children can lead to a life in prison, the latest attempt at a single-payer health care bill in California failed to pass the Senate Thursday. Surprising many supporters,

No Silver Bullet For Rail Plan

CalWatchdog Staff January 25, 2012

JAN. 25, 2012 By KATY GRIMES Like Dracula rising from the grave, High-Speed Rail just won’t die. Even with the latest in a long line of damning reports blasting the growing rail monster, the reports have had the impact of a Nerf gun.

Hollywood-Style Rail Pander

CalWatchdog Staff January 24, 2012

Katy Grimes: In the OMG category, I caught a 30 second commercial tonight on a local Sacramento television channel that asked, “Wanna go to the Grammys? Get your creative juices flowing and create a 30 second commercial about the excitement

CA Boasts 2/3 of U.S. Shale Oil Reserves

CalWatchdog Staff January 24, 2012

JAN. 24, 2012 By WAYNE LUSVARDI Back on Dec. 21, 2011, Gov. Jerry Brown said at a Jewish Menorah-lighting ceremony, “Today’s miracle is not to find more oil, but to utilize the sun.” Brown was touting solar energy projects. But

SMUD’s Creative Rate Increase Lingo

CalWatchdog Staff January 23, 2012

Katy Grimes: The Sacramento Municipal Utility District is changing some of its rate terminology in order to charge higher rates. The utility company claims that it really is “an effort to better define for customers what they are paying for and

Spain’s High-Speed Boondoggle

CalWatchdog Staff January 17, 2012

John Seiler: Spain also has wasted money on a high-speed rail boondoggle, one they actually built. The Bee ran an article on it that tried to make the Iberian choo-choo sound better than it is. But the facts still were

Brown: Botch Housing Even More

CalWatchdog Staff January 17, 2012

John Seiler: The housing crisis of recent years was caused by the government itself. The Federal Reserve Board — a quasi-private bank whose directors are appointed by the president — has debased the dollar while keeping interest rates artificially low.

Market, Not Govt., Builds Cheaper Housing

CalWatchdog Staff January 17, 2012

JAN. 17, 2012 By WAYNE LUSVARDI Is the demise of redevelopment hurting the poor? El Monte Mayor Andre Quintero says it is. He’s bemoaning that, when Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature killed redevelopment, the source of funds for affordable