From the AP's Juliet WIlliams: "The board that oversees California's high-speed rail project endorsed a 114-mile route for the second segment of the bullet train from Fresno to Bakersfield during its meeting Thursday."
"The California High-Speed Rail Authority board gave approval to proceed with the route, allowing the agency to request environmental and rail approval from federal officials."
"The path now recommended by staff marks a turnaround from its previous choice for the segment near the Central Valley town of Hanford, home to some of the fiercest opposition to the $68 billion project. The board previously endorsed a route that would travel west of the town, but now is recommending that the bullet train go east of it."
When the FBI mounted its sting operation targeting state Sen. Ron Calderon, among others, an undercover agent assumed the role of a Hollywood film executive. Ironically, the film company really exists.
From the LA Daily News' Dakota Smith: "The studio was also an apparent cover for an FBI sting. Located steps from the condo conversions and trendy cafes of the Arts District, United Pacific Studios served as a film set and an assumed front for the federal government’s probe of state Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello."
"While some media reports have described the company as a fake business, similar to the film “Argo,” United Pacific Studios was a functioning production house at least since 2007, according to online records, friends and business associates. Executives at companies ranging from San Fernando Valley prop houses to film festivals worked or knew of United Pacific Studios, and news of the FBI investigation left many puzzled this week."
“They had pretty good rates as far as studios,” said Ricardo Ramirez, a director who lives in La Habra Heights. “They did B films, indies.”
More irony: Tax credits for the film industry were at the heart of the FBI's sting, and one of the films that got those credits was 'Argo,' a movie about an undercover movie executive.
From the Bee's Jim Miller: "California’s relatively young TV and motion picture tax-credit program helped produce “Moneyball,” the exploration of pro baseball’s business side. Credits went to “We Bought a Zoo,” the Matt Damon comedy about a family’s foray into zoo ownership."
"But perhaps the highest-profile production claiming the tax break was “Argo,” the 2012 rescue drama centered on a government agent posing as a movie producer."
"Now the film credit has a marquee role in an “Argo”-esque Capitol bribery scandal involving an FBI agent posing as a film studio owner. Last week, cable news channel Al Jazeera America released an FBI affidavit, filed under seal in U.S. District Court, that detailed a sting targeting state Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello. Calderon allegedly received $60,000 in bribes from the agent in return for pushing legislation to make low-budget independent films eligible for the credit."
Everyone wants better access to public decision making and documentation, but at the end of the day, who pays?
From Capitol Weekly's Summer ParkerPerry: "In Sacramento, where lawmakers for years have grappled with strapped state budgets, the answer is easy: Yes. But locals say no, noting that they are forced to comply with a state law and that the state should reimburse them for the costs, about $20 million annually, according to the Commission on State Mandates."
"Lawmakers in both houses unanimously approved the constitutional amendment, SCA 3, and put it on the June 2014 ballot. The amendment by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco and co-authored by a number of other lawmakers, including the Senate leader and the chair of the Assembly Local Government Committee, requires the local governments to pay the costs of complying with the Brown Act and the Public Records Act."
“Local governments will have the constitutional obligation to provide both access to public records and notice of open meetings without expecting support from the General Fund,” Leno said. The goal, he added, is “to maintain transparency and maintain fiscal responsibility … It will require each government at each level to cover the costs of complying with the PRA and the Brown open meeting act.”
Tea party advocate and gubernatorial candidate, Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Twin Peaks, posted a campaign video on YouTube but the Assembly says he's violated the rules about using the Assembly's TV hookup for political purposes.
From the Bee's David Siders: "Patriot, Not Politician," posted by Donnelly's gubernatorial campaign on YouTube in April, features extensive clips of the Twin Peaks assemblyman speaking on the floor of the lower house."
"State law prohibits the use of any "television signal generated by the Assembly ... for any political or commercial purpose," and Waldie said he plans to issue the Donnelly campaign a cease and desist letter Friday."
"The floor shots are definitely ours," he said."
And from our "Everybody Loves a Politician" file comes word of Rob Ford, the mayor of Toronto whose escapades are startling the whole country. It started with a video of crack smoking and has gone downhill from there.
"A new video has surfaced showing Mayor Rob Ford acting wildly and belligerent and using threatening words including "kill" and "murder" with reference to an unidentified person."
"The video was this week being shopped around by someone looking to make thousands of dollars. The Toronto Sun discussed the video with the vendor but did not purchase it or enter into negotiations."
"The anonymous person sent the Toronto Sun two short clips from the video which appear to show the mayor impaired and in an apparent rage and in an inebriated state..."
"A source close to the mayor confirmed it is Ford in the video and that it "looks a lot worse than it really is" since "he sometimes goes off on tangents" and a few minutes later everything is fine."
Yep, just a great guy ....
