Lawmakers must decide today on a replacement water bond for the fall ballot.
Yesterday, officials and major stakeholders proclaimed mounting support for legislative Democrats’ $7 billion water bond option.
Jessica Calefeti reports in The Mercury News: “Still, if Brown and his Democratic allies hope to meet the deadline to replace the bloated, unpopular water bond originally scheduled for the November ballot, they must work feverishly over the next 24 hours to address lingering concerns that threaten to scuttle a deal, Capitol observers say.”
“Senate Republicans and Central Valley Democrats want more money dedicated to water storage projects, while legislators who represent towns near the San Joaquin River Delta are seeking stronger safeguards to block bond money from being spent on Brown's controversial plan to build twin tunnels beneath the Delta to siphon water south.”
“Assemblyman Henry Perea, D-Fresno, is actively negotiating with Brown for more than $2.5 billion for water storage. Even a little more will be essential to "landing this plane," he said.”
The federal Surface Transportation Board has publicly approved construction of the high-speed rail’s Central Valley route.
Michael Doyle reports in The Sacramento Bee: “In a 56-page report, the federal board spelled out its decision on what would be the second section of the state’s planned high-speed rail system.”
““The proposed Line will provide the public with electric-powered high-speed rail service that provides predictable and consistent travel times between major urban centers with connectivity to airports, mass transit systems, and the highway system network in the San Joaquin Valley,” the board’s majority concluded.”
A busload of Central Valley high-speed rail proponents dropped in on the rail authority’s meeting in Sacramento to show their support.
Tim Sheehan reports in The Fresno Bee: “About 40 people boarded the bus in the pre-dawn darkness at the Clovis College Center at Herndon and Fern avenues for the three-hour ride to Sacramento. The junket, organized by the Fresno County Economic Development Corp., was arranged after a divided Fresno County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 two weeks ago to reverse its position and oppose the project.”
“"What today was about was to show this (high-speed rail) board and the people of California that Fresno County and really the Valley does have a large base of support," said
"Fresno County Supervisor Henry R. Perea, who was on the losing side of the supervisors' vote. "There's a silent majority that is stepping up."”
In a rare Q&A, suspended state Sen. Rod Wright was optimistic his case would be thrown out.
Laurel Rosenthal reports in The Sacramento Bee: LR: ”You’re not the only legislator to have multiple residences, but you are in this unusual circumstance of being prosecuted, and having a jury find you guilty. How do you think your situation compares with your colleagues?
RW: “I don’t know anybody else’s fact pattern but my own. So I don’t purport to say I know what anybody else did or didn’t do. I know that all the houses in question belong to me … It’s not like I went and drummed up some place out of whole cloth … I own the place in question. I’m the taxpayer on the place in question. Now how often am I there? Well if I understood the law to put a time constraint or something like that then that’s what I would have done. I’ve never read anything like that in any law that I’ve ever seen relative to domicile. I’ve never seen anything that says if you have more than one residence, the place where you spend the most time is your domicile … I’ve never read anything in statute that said the nicest place, the place where you spend the most time, the place where you have the most of your stuff, none of those are things I’ve ever seen that spoke to that. All I know how to do is follow the law as I understand it.”
Former Microsoft head Steve Ballmer closed a $2 billion purchase of the Clippers.
Ben Bolch, Nathan Fenno, Melissa Rholin report for The Los Angeles Times: ““I am humbled and honored to be the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers,” Ballmer said in a statement. “Clipper fans are so amazing. They have remained fiercely loyal to our franchise through some extraordinary times. I will be hard core in giving the team, our great coach, staff and players the support they need to do their best work on the court. And we will do whatever necessary to provide our fans and their families with the best game-night experience in the NBA.””
“However, Donald Sterling has not given up in his fight against the sale of the Clippers.”
“Hours after the announcement of the sale, Sterling petitioned an appeals court to overturn the move.”