New Capitol Weekly - Latest Comments

Re: A critical look at the Low Carbon Fuel Standard

John Jodka — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:45:23 -0000

Look whatever happens, we all can be assured of 2 things: taxes will rise as will fuel prices. If I were running an oil company I would not invest in CA as its not good ROI

Re: Governor's global warming policy needs close look

Rob — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 02:49:58 -0000

I think you need to rethink how effective SB 375 is...

"Senator Steinberg’s SB 375, the landmark law created incentives for smart growth’s climate benefits."

Its being used to further other political interests by radical politicians.

Re: A critical look at the Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Glen — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 01:10:35 -0000

These idealistically irresponsible Assholes could literally cripple the entire state! Why shouldn't they be jailed for incompeytence if they go through with this?

Re: A critical look at the Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Simon Mui — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:29:57 -0000

Fans may remember “Thelma and Louise” went off the cliff because of a wholly exaggerated sense of despair, based in part on misinformation. It would be a shame if this happened again. The LCFS is already delivering cleaner, alternative fuels to the state. Wouldn’t Californians all be better served if the oil industry invested in a bridge to a cleaner future? Now that’s a movie I’d want to see.

Re: A critical look at the Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Eric Eisenhammer — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:18:44 -0000

Florida policymakers just repealed their low carbon fuel standard to protect consumers from gas price hikes and engine damage. Sometimes people make mistakes, but a wise person can admit when they are wrong. It's too bad LCFS backers don't have that maturity.

Re: A critical look at the Low Carbon Fuel Standard

EricinSF — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:11:04 -0000

I wonder how Susan Sarandon & Geena Davis feel about the petroleum industry trading on their famous roles

Re: A critical look at the Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Susan Frank — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:09:49 -0000

It's time for the BCG study to be put to rest. Recently, an expert review panel convened by UC Davis made it clear that the study was flawed, saying "we are concerned about some of its assumptions, methodologies and results,” and used words and phrases including, “limited,” “incomplete,” “based on an admittedly unlikely scenario,” “pessimistic,” and “may be outdated,” to describe the WSPA study. http://policyinstitute.ucdavis...

Re: A critical look at the Low Carbon Fuel Standard

StopFoolingCa — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:03:10 -0000

The "Fuels Cliff" is really just a pothole for companies who can't innovate. #stopfoolingCA

Re: Environmentalists take close look at Brown

Jerry Cadagan — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:47:42 -0000

This article should have mentioned that California's conservation community (as well as the fishing and tribal interests in the State) are pretty much unanimously opposed to the Governor's economically and environmentally disastrous Peripheral Tunnels plan.

Re: Environmentalists take close look at Brown

CharliePeters — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:27:32 -0000

Will Mary Nichols, John Wallauch, Kamala Harris, and Governor Brown support the UN, Bill Clinton, Gary Condit, Al Gore, Pete Wilson, Gray Davis, Dianne Feinstein Barbara Boxer and the World Bank (GMO fuel) waiver?

Can CO2, ozone and pm (asthma) be reduced with a GMO fuel waiver?

Re: Brown: Prop. 39 helps justify disputed $500 million cap-and-trade loan

Need for Targeting — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:51:22 -0000

Target Prop 39 funds. New research from the San Francisco Department of Public Health suggests targeting homes in SF for energy efficiency upgrades is likely to yield greater health benefit and reduce exposure to air and noise pollution for more impacted areas. This concept should be applied to more adversely impacted school districts.

To read their new health impact assessment:
http://www.sfphes.org/componen...

Re: New law blocks supplemental public pensions

althink — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 00:02:38 -0000

re "Are PARS pensions regarded as vested rights with the same legal protection as CalPERS pensions?"

Even CalPERS would not argue PARS pensions have the same legal protection as CalPERS pensions, especially in bankruptcy. From the Stockton case, CalPERS now knows that contracts can be impaired in bankruptcy. However, CalPERS additional unproven theory is that CalPERS pensions cannot be changed because they are a state agency and therefore not subject to bankruptcy law. Clearly PARS cannot make that argument. CalPERS is only trying to keep San Bernadino out of bankruptcy because they do not want their last line of defense, their state agency defense, to be overruled.

Re: Delta project price tag rises – with the controversy

John Muir — Thu, 30 May 2013 16:19:56 -0000

Here is a key quote from this article -- "Proponents say the BDCP will restore the Delta’s ecosystem".

If that is true why does every fishing organization, conservation organization and tribe in the State of California oppose the Governor's project? It sounds to this old timer that the proponents of this boondoggle project are claiming ecosystem benefits as a smoke screen to hide their true motivation --- favoring their campaign contributors in the corporate agri-biz world down in the southern San Joaquin Valley.

Re: California, home of high-tech, has tough time upgrading own computers

althink — Thu, 30 May 2013 00:12:59 -0000

At least one new system was completed, SDI Online. Cost was 158M$ only 123M$ over budget. Most of the cost increase was because the state did not know what it was asking for. Most of the increase, 84M$ of the increase, came during the contracting phase. In other words, the state agreed that it missed 84M$ and many months of requirements in its own estimate. See: "EDD computer project came in late, overbudget" at http://www.ocregister.com/arti... .

Re: California, home of high-tech, has tough time upgrading own computers

John Thomas Flynn — Tue, 28 May 2013 19:39:06 -0000

STATE PAYROLL SYSTEM: TAKE IT AWAY FROM CONTROLLER’S OFFICE: My article is up today in the San Diego Union Tribune

http://techleader.tv/?s=payrol...

Re: In Monterey, judge rejects cap on pension payments

althink — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:02:12 -0000

I am shocked NOT that a Superior Court judge ruled for the union. As a group, in labor matters, Superior Court judges are little more than extension of the unions and are effectively a public union themselves. But I am curious if the Iowa Law Review of the "CA Rule" was part of the case? See: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/pa... .

When it comes to changing CA public employee pension benefits prospectively, I was encouraged when I recently read the following from UC: "UC does reserve the right, however, to change pension benefits prospectively, both for current and future employees and to change retirement health benefits for current and future retirees." See http://ucrpfuture.universityof... . Apparently UC also disagrees with the union friendly judge.

Re: A conversation with Assembly GOP Leader Connie Conway

RT — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:10:52 -0000

The GOP in California is a mess.
They have gotten in their current mess the old-fashioned way, they earned it.
Where is the GOP on issues? Unless you go on a GOP website, you may have no
idea. Who is the face of the GOP? I know they have one, but why are they not on
TV, on the radio, and online spreading the message?

The problem is that the GOP establishment that runs California's
GOP has no idea how to deal with the current political climate in California. They do not know how to compete against the takers and their allies. They continue to moan
a little from time to time on a given issue but do little else other than fold
up like a cheap lawn chair. The GOP in California needs a new framework that takes a clear stand on taxes and social programs.

The good news for the GOP in California is that as things gets worse budget wise (and they will) they may become more popular. However, if they do not get their act together, and become a force,the GOP will become much like the Green or Liberation Party, that gets the support of a few loyalists but has no ability to effect change.

Re: Ghost of politics past pops up in 2014 governor's race

RT — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:29:07 -0000

The problem with Maldonado is not simply his recent misstep with
on the prison issue, but that this misstep illustrates his lack of political
ability. As an Independent with hopes of an option better than Brown, Maldonado
is not the answer. If Brown can do what he did to megabucks Whitman, he will
not even break a sweat in crushing Maldonado.

Re: A conversation with Assembly GOP Leader Connie Conway

Nancy Conway — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:52:55 -0000

Nice perspective and attitude. Makes me proud!

Re: Landmark state water plan defended – by those who want to build it

Jan McCleery — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:59:19 -0000

Burt's right - First, the tunnels will not stop the reverse flows in the Delta. In fact, the United States National Marine Fisheries
Service says that the tunnels will cause Georgiana Slough and the Sacramento
River to reverse flow at times and may cause extinction of Salmon in the
Sacramento River. Second, salmon experts say the fish need more flows to stay healthy, not less. Removing water before it flows through the delta will be lethal to the salmon runs. What we need to save the fish is less exporting, not even the same level but less. We need to go back to the 1990's levels (or less) - before the salmon began to collapse. The push now should be to build desal, conserve, and find approaches to re-charge the ground water basins. NOT to build tunnels.

Re: Brown taps cap-and-trade money

mthstar — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:45:08 -0000

Can you say, Lawsuit?
Does the proposed budget specify exactly where the money will come from to pay it back with interest? If not, it's just a money grab and empty promise.

Re: Brown taps cap-and-trade money

CharliePeters — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:40:03 -0000

Can CO2, ozone and pm (asthma) be reduced with a GMO fuel waiver?

Re: Brown taps cap-and-trade money

CharliePeters — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:39:48 -0000

Can CALIFORNIA CHeCK our water tap for GMO fuel alcohol?

Re: Landmark state water plan defended – by those who want to build it

Burt Wilson — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:59:45 -0000

The building of twin tunnels will NOT stop the reverse flows in the Delta due to pumping from the Harvey O. Banks pumping plant. And the new, so-called "designer" fish screens have not been designed or built yet.

Re: Brown taps cap-and-trade money

Don Wood — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:40:48 -0000

What bunk. This was a cash grab, pure and simple. The Brown administration could have directed these funds to the California Department of Community Services, the California Energy Commission or the CPUC to support existing energy conservation programs already being operated by local DCS contractor community based organizations weatherizing low income homes, CEC contractors of the energy conservation programs already being managed by the state's energy utilities under the management of the CPUC. None of those alternatives would have taken any time to implement or cause planning delays, since the programs are already up and running. The money could simply have been used to increase their scope and production, but Brown decided to grab it for other purposes that have nothing to do with addressing climate change or energy problems the state faces. Shame on Jerry.