Modernize

May 6, 2013

For those who want to change the California Environmental Quality Act, the term of preference is "modernize" -- a term that is getting over-used nearly as much as "job-killer."

 

From Capitol Weekly's Greg Lucas: "The “modernize” chant began late in the last legislative session, although back then “reform of CEQA” was the phrase of choice."

 

"Reform” efforts fizzled when Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, a Sacramento Democrat, and a cadre of environmental groups swatted down a business-backed overhaul of the law by then-Sen. Michael Rubio, a Shafter Democrat. Rubio resigned in February to become a government affairs executive for Chevron Corporation. This year, “reform” is out and “modernize” is in."

 

"Five months into the legislative session, Democratic lawmakers still say CEQA needs modernization. Republican legislators couldn’t agree more.  Modernizing CEQA is wholeheartedly endorsed by the California Chamber of Commerce, their business allies, any number of developers and some environmental groups. The governor says he backs modernization too – at some point."

 

Nathan Fletcher -- former Republican, former independent, former mayoral candidate in San Diego -- is now a Democrat.

 

From the U-T's Matthew T. Hall: "For most of his four years as a California assemblyman, San Diego's Nathan Fletcher was as a rising star in the state Republican party."

 

"Now, at 36, he may be one in the Democratic party."

 

"Here's how his political affiliation shifted over the weekend, how San Diegans and others on either side of the spectrum debated it and how Fletcher spent his weekend at the center of so many people's attention."

 

A dry winter last year, a dry winter this year and the water outllook for the summer is not good.

 

From the Fresno Bee's Mark Grossi: "A dry winter forced farmers in the Westlands Water District to run their wells far more last summer than they usually would. The underground water table dropped a staggering 48 feet."

 

"After another dry winter in California, Westlands farmers this summer will pump even more water, probably enough to fill 80% of Millerton Lake. Even so, many thousands of farmland acres will be left to grow tumbleweeds, and some crops already planted will wither..."

 

"It's going to be a long summer all over the Valley," said Gary Serrato, general manager of the Fresno Irrigation District, a 245,000-acre agency that includes the Fresno-Clovis area."

 

Efforts to provide permanent protections for the homeless are running afoul of local authorities, who say the plan is too costly and poorly thought out.
From Capitol Weekly's John Howard: "It began as a seemingly benign attempt to protect California's daily homeless population of 160,000 but it has turned into a significant political dispute, with local governments across the state saying the plan would hamstring their authority and make a bad situation far worse."
"At issue is a difficult balancing act between empathy for the homeless on one hand and fears of law enforcement, local governments and business interests on the other."
"Assemblyman Tom Ammiano's proposed Homeless Bill of Rights would allow homeless people to rest, eat and sleep in public places without being harassed. It would let them stay in a car, pickup or RV, as long as the vehicle is legally parked, and it would protect anyone who offers helps to the homeless – including public employees on public property – from retribution or legal sanctions."
In yet another splash of cold water on strapped San Bernardino, CalPERS says it won't finance the unpaid amount that the city owes the huge pension fund.
From Calpensions' Ed Mendel: "Bankrupt San Bernardino’s new budget restarts CalPERS payments in July after skipping about $13 million in payments this fiscal year. But the next step in the city plan, getting CalPERS to refinance the unpaid bill, is a no-go at this point."

"The giant pension fund, alarmed by the unprecedented decision to stop making required pension contributions, is in no mood to give the city an easy out that might tempt other struggling local governments to take the same path."

 

"Restarting general fund pension contributions will not cause the California Public Employees Retirement System to drop its opposition to San Bernardino’s eligibility for bankruptcy, Amy Norris, a CalPERS spokeswoman, said last week."

 

And from our "At the Beach" file comes a collection of photos of bathers from the turn of the last century. It has nothing to do with politics or governance, it's just fun.