I’d like to share some thoughts on today’s approval of the 241 Tollway by the F/ETCA Board of Directors.

Schizophrenia In the Schwarzenegger Administration The Schwarzenegger Administration has been torn internally over the 241 tollway, and it shows in its inability to formulate a coherent stance.

For example, there’s this paragraph from today’s administration statement on the 241 alignment (sent out under the rubrics of Sunne McPeak and Mike Chrisman):

Natural Resources Defense Council Senior Project Attorney James Birkelund was informing the press that the F/ETCA’s approval of the 241 completion will be challenged in court within 30 days.

Gee, that’s a surprise.

The suit will be filed by the usual suspects: the Sierra Club, Audubon Society, California State Parks Foundation, Endangered Habitats League, Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club.

I overheard Birkelund stating that NRDC continues to "stand behind" the flimsy KCA report that purports to prove that widening the I-5 in San Clemente by a single lane in each direction will solve congestion problems there and obviate the need for completing the 241. This report was written based on two days of an engineer driving this stretch of the I-5 and eyeballing the area to see how many properties would be taken. The KCA report also contends only a couple of dozens properties would need to be seized in order to do this — instead of the several hundred as stated in the Final EIR.

It’s worth noting that KCA didn’t use Orange County Assesor… Read More

UC Board of Regents chair Gerald Parsky and UC President Robert Dynes gave anemic testimony yesterday about why the UC has been wasting the taxpayers money with bloated compensation packages, bonuses and other employee perks for the system’s high-level employees.

Parsky basically told legislators that UC has ignored reforms passed in the early 1990s.

According to the SF Chronicle, Parsky said, "The policies that were put in place post-1992 were very clear, very extensive and called for public disclosure. The letter and spirit of the principles have not been followed in every instance."

Dynes said UC accountability systems are "broken" and that he deserves an "incomplete" rather than a letter grade for his performance as… Read More

The Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridors Agency Board of Directors just voted to approve the Final EIR on the 241 tollroad completion, as well as the Green Alternative alignment.

All but one F/ETCA director voted to certify the FEIR — the predictable exception being Irvine Councilman Larry Agran.

Only three of the 15 directors voted against the Green Alignment — those three being Agran, Dana Point Councilwoman Lara Anderson and Santa Ana Councilwoman Lisa Bist.… Read More

I’m sitting in the overflow room at the TCA, listening to board members voicing their opinions on the 241 FEIR and preferred alignment.

It’ clear that both will be approved. The Schwarzenegger Administration has released a weasely joint statement from Transportation & Housing Sec. Sunne McPeak and Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman on the topic:

Transportation and Housing Sunne McPeak on the extension of Route 241:

"The Schwarzenegger Administration has been studying the proposed Foothill Toll Road in Orange and San Diego Counties, and the Governor and other high-ranking officials from his Administration have personally toured the area.

… Read More

Today’s main page is loaded with a ton of material today, and took an exceptionally long amount of time (I’ve been at it since 6am) to put together. Because of it, I won’t be able to expound long in today’s commentary.

THE GOP CONVENTION Tomorrow I will be writing on the State Republican Party Convention, and what I expect to see happen there. If you want a preview, you can see how I artfully got Carla Marinucci to quote me saying "green eggs & ham" in a sentence in her pre-convention piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, which is featured on the main page.

Speaking of the GOP Convention – there are two exciting ways to enhance your participation if you are going, and are a reader of the FlashReport! Both are highlighted on the main page — we are having a great panel discussion featuring many of the contributors you read on the FR Weblog (sign up now, it is almost full), and also I am pleased to thank Congressman Darrell Issa who is throwing a party to celebrate the tremendous success we’ve had in our five months of being… Read More

Today’s main page is loaded with a ton of material today, and took an exceptionally long amount of time (I’ve been at it since 6am) to put together. Because of it, I won’t be able to expound long in today’s commentary. THE GOP CONVENTION Tomorrow I will be writing on the State Republican Party Convention, and what I expect to see happen there. If you want a preview, you can see how I artfully got Carla Marinucci to quote me saying "green eggs & ham" in a sentence in her pre-convention piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, which is featured on the main page.

Speaking of the GOP Convention – there are two exciting ways to enhance your participation if you are going, and are a reader of the FlashReport! Both are highlighted on the main page — we are having a great panel discussion featuring many of the contributors you read on the FR Weblog (sign up now, it is almost full), and also I am pleased to thank Congressman Darrell Issa who is throwing a party to celebrate the tremendous… Read More

Lately, one of the subjects of water-cooler conversations has been whether or not Congressman Bill Thomas (R-Bakersfield) will seek another term in the House of Representatives. Thomas has been in the house for decades, and it is often talked about that he is ready to retire. That having been said, it is also frequently talked about that he is persuing a way to continue to have as much say in the next session of Congress, given that the House rules prohibit the moderate GOPer from California from serving beyond this, his third term as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Thomas is a controversial character, who has ruffled a lot of feathers and is disliked by many. That said, he has been in Congress for a long time, and often times it is seniority, not popularity, that decided your fate. Now, though, Thomas may be at a crossroads where he will need friends, and that is not his long suit. On the other hand, he recently chose wisely on the race for House Majority Leader, weighing in at the end, quite publicly, for John Boehner.

So, will he stay or will he go? I don’t know. But here is a recent… Read More