California's redevelopment agencies have been battered by Gov. Brown, but the search is on for ways around the smackdown. One possibility: the Infrastructure Finance District, a funding device that is starting to crop up in legislation. The Bee's Dan Walters tells the tale.
"The changes also are sparking a search by politicians for substitute ways to finance local development projects. One vehicle that looms large, it would appear, is the "infrastructure financing district," which bears an uncanny resemblance to redevelopment, particularly with the changes now being contemplated in the Legislature."
"Several legislators who voted to abolish the redevelopment agencies are carrying measures that would expand the scope of IFDs, as they are called, including their ability to retain property taxes from private projects to repay debt that they incur."
"San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, for instance, wants to give his city broad new powers to use IFDs to develop Treasure Island, the one-time Navy base in San Francisco Bay, and make improvements to the San Francisco waterfront for the upcoming America's Cup yacht race."
Some unexpected good news: The level of California's greenhouse gas emissions from power generation dropped during the past two years.
From Gretchen Weber at Climate Watch: "That's according to a new analysis from Thomson Reuters' Point Carbon that looked at power generated here in California, as well as electricity imported from out of state."
"According to the report (available by subscription only), emissions were down 12% over the study period. Part of the drop, not surprisingly, was due the global recession and the state's slowed economy in 2009. But the study found that even when the economy started growing again, emissions continued to decline."
"Sound mysterious? Not really, according to study co-author Ashley Lawson."
“It was actually the weather," she said. "It was relatively cooler in 2010, so people were running their air conditioners less, and it was also relatively wetter, so there was more water available for producing hydroelectricity.”
And speaking of the environment, California's iconic "whale tale" license plate has got a facelift after a legal fight, and the new design will be available next month. The Mercury News' Paul Rogers tells the tale.
"The image is already on several websites run by the California Coastal Commission, which sponsored a contest to find a new look for the popular plate."
"The main goal was to stick with the whale tail plate because it is so popular," said Peter Douglas, executive director of the Coastal Commission. "It was resonating with the public. But we wanted a more realistic depiction of a tail. And we wanted some more color."
"The cetacean switch is the result of a dispute between Wyland, the Southern California artist who goes by one name and who created the whale tail image for the first plate, and the commission. After providing the commission the artwork in 1994, Wyland had his attorney send a cease-and-desist letter to the Coastal Commission in 2008. It ordered the agency to stop using the image after Wyland asked the state to begin paying his nonprofit foundation a 20 percent royalty and the commission refused."
"Rather than fight it out in court, the commission decided to junk the old plate and start."
The casualties of the latest state budget include California's newest cities, several of which are in Riverside County. The new towns are trying to find ways around the cash crunch, reports the Press-Enterprise's Jim Miller.
"The $86 billion general fund budget costs all cities and counties. But it lands particularly hard on cities incorporated after 2004, all of which are in Riverside County: Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, Wildomar and Menifee."
"Current law entitles the cities to extra license-fee money to help them get established. Starting Aug. 1, however, the cities will begin to lose more than $14 million, costing them up to half of their general fund revenue. Officials have said the loss will force layoffs, insolvency or even disincorporation."
"Assemblyman Paul Cook, who represents Menifee, said the Legislature needs to fix the situation."
"When you change rules of the game and this money is not there, it could kill the cities," said Cook, R-Yucca Valley.
A long-standing legal fight between Malibu and the California Coastal Commission wound up in Malibu's favor Thursday -- at least for the first round. A Superior Court judge voided a commission decision that allowed a state agency to expand its operations in Ramirez Canyon on land that had been donated by celebrity Barbra Streisand.
From Capitol Weekly's John Howard: "Superior Court Judge John A.Torribio said the commission “exceeded its authority” in its 2009 decision by altering Malibu’s local coastal program and allowing a sister agency, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, to include overnight camping, hiking trails and party facilities – activities that drew opposition from neighbors and Malibu officials."
"The Conservancy, which is headquartered in the canyon, planned to appeal Judge Torribio’s decision."
“We are not going to let the lawyers keep the people out of parkland that belongs to all of the people of California,” said Conservancy Chair, Antonio Gonzalez. “This is a social justice issue, an issue of public access.”