California's planned bullet train has drawn fire from the usual suspects, but now heat is coming from an unusual quarter -- those who count themselves as among the most ardent admirers of high speed rail.
From the LAT's Ralph Vartabedian: "The California bullet-train project has collided with farmers, political conservatives and wealthy suburbanites who would like to see the $68-billion system killed. Now it is facing tough criticism from an unlikely quarter: within the ranks of high-speed rail's true believers."
"Some longtime backers of the project are objecting to political compromises that they say undermine legal safeguards for the massive investment, notably a design that would move passengers between urban destinations faster than air travel, as well as requirements intended to prevent a half-built system."
"Among those raising objections is a Bay Area high-speed rail trailblazer who for decades played a pivotal role in building public and political support for the system. Quentin Kopp chaired the state Senate transportation committee for years and co-wrote legislation that launched the bullet-train project. He later served as board chairman of the state agency overseeing construction of the system."
The battle over sequestration and budget-tightening in DC is a lot more than a far-off political fight. It means job loss.
From the OC Register's Erika Ritchie, Chris Haire, Asher Klein and Roxana Kopetman: "More than 2,600 military civilian employees at Camp Pendleton, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and other Southern California bases could face work furloughs in the next few weeks — the largest and most visible impact to the Orange County area from the latest round of federal deficit-reduction efforts."
"Camp Pendleton, a major U.S. Marine Corps base, appears to face the largest hit with up to 1,793 employees facing furloughs, which involve loss of work for possibly an undetermined time but aren't technically layoffs. Camp Pendleton is not alone."
"Besides 116 positions expected to be affected at Los Alamitos, jobs at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, where a majority of the 680 personnel are civilians, could be cut as well. Furloughs "are a distinct possibility if not a probability," Gregg Smith, the Seal Beach station's public information officer, said Wednesday."
Military employees aren't the only ones taking it in the shorts. Federal court workers are feeling a similar pinch.
From the Chronicle's Bob Egelko: "Funding cuts caused by the budget sequestration have hit the Bay Area's federal courts, which will close their doors and furlough staff without pay for one day a month from May through September."
"U.S. District Court officials announced Thursday that the shutdown will begin May 3 in San Francisco, San Jose and Eureka, and May 6 in Oakland, and continue on the first Friday and Monday of succeeding months. The staggered schedule allows cases to be moved to courts that are open if an emergency requires a hearing that day."
"Nationally, funding reductions that took effect March 1 after Republicans balked at Democratic proposals to raise taxes have hit the judiciary hard. The U.S. Judicial Conference says the courts will lose nearly $350 million, or 5 percent of their revenue."
It's always dicey to predict how justices are going to decide based on their questions during oral arguments, but signals were sent during the U.S. Supreme Court's consideration of Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act that they might be willing to strike down portions of the federal act.
From the AP's Mark Sherman: "Concluding two days of intense debate, the Supreme Court signaled Wednesday it could give a boost to same-sex marriage by striking down the federal law that denies legally married gay spouses a wide range of benefits offered to other couples."
"As the court wrapped up its remarkable arguments over gay marriage in America, a majority of the justices indicated they will invalidate part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act — if they can get past procedural problems similar to those that appeared to mark Tuesday's case over California's ban on same-sex marriage."
"Since the federal law was enacted in 1996, nine states and the District of Columbia have made it legal for gays and lesbians to marry. Same-sex unions also were legal in California for nearly five months in 2008 before the Proposition 8 ban."
California lawmakers are in their spring break, and while they aren't going to Palm Springs or Fort Lauderdale, they are off to Poland and Taiwan.
From the LAT's Patrick McGreevy: "The trip to Eastern Europe is sponsored by the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy, which is bankrolled by groups lobbying the Legislature, including PG&E, Chevron, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Southern California Edison, among others."
"The delegation to Poland includes Senate Republican leader Robert Huff of Diamond Bar and Sen.Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Assemblymen Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach), Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), Henry Perea (D-Fresno) and Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont)."
"The trip includes visits to Warsaw, Krakow and Konin, according to P.J. Johnston, a spokesman for the foundation."