Tag "redevelopment"
Back to homepageRedevelopment Agencies on the Brink
JUNE 20, 2011 By STEVEN GREENHUT Hours before the midnight Wednesday deadline for passing a state budget, legislative Democrats rammed through a ridiculous, gimmick-laden, majority-vote spending plan that failed to reform anything and failed to impress Gov. Jerry Brown, who
Read MoreRedevelopment Makeover
Katy Grimes: When Gov. Jerry Brown first called for eliminating the state’s 425 redevelopment agencies, on the surface it appeared a sincere effort. But his proposal was surprisingly not supported by Republicans. And since it was proposed by Brown, a Democrat,
Read MoreGov. Brown's Budget Showdown
Katy Grimes: Yesterday’s May Budget Revise with Gov. Jerry Brown started off as a”No surprises” press conference. However, while the swords are still drawn in the political party duel over spending, revenue and tax increases, I am wondering if anyone
Read MoreKey Graph Shows Housing Boom-Bust
John Seiler: Except for Nevada, California was hardest hit by the boom-bust of the housing market during the previous decade. Most explanations show how prices doubled or even tripled in many places — then crashed back down to earth, in
Read MoreSacto's Ongoing Redevelopment Disaster
APRIL 19, 2011 By RICHARD TRAINOR Since its inception in 1953, the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency has been driven by scandals, sweetheart deals for connected developers, cockeyed projects and ineptitude. In 1991, this reporter wrote the official history of
Read MorePublic Pensions Crowding Out Services
APRIL 12, 2011 By WAYNE LUSVARDI A Chinese folk tale tells of a sculptor that placed fake money on a tree to trick villagers into cutting it down for him. But so many people believed the tree to be sacred
Read MoreRepublicans Still Don't Get It
John Seiler: Yesterday John & Ken on KFI-640 here in Southern California talked with Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, Republican of Hesperia. John & Ken attacked Republicans for being spineless. Donnelly said things had changed, that the GOP now was courageous and
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Brown's Punch & Judy Budget Show
MARCH 30, 2011 By JOHN SEILER California’s budget comedy resembles an old Punch & Judy puppet show, with Gov. Jerry Brown in the role of Punch, whom Wikipedia describes: He carries a stick as large as himself, which he freely uses
Read MoreEarmark $$$ Railroads Taxpayers
MARCH 14, 2011 On the corner of 13th and R Streets in Sacramento sits a charming home built in the late 1800’s, surrounded by lovely garden trellises and arbors of historic old vine rose bushes. Nearby is a light rail
Read MoreController Critiques Redevelopment
John Seiler: State Controller John Chiang Monday entered the fray over redevelopment agencies with a new report labeling them not accountable. It looked at only 18 agencies, but their experience is typical of that of agencies across the state. The
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