Image not recoveredimg_0812.jpg
- Budget Framework reached in Sacramento, but will it pass? Both the LA Times and the SacBee are reporting that top legislators in both parties and the Governor have reached a budget framework that would close the states $42 billion budget gap by cutting some $15 billion in spending, raising $14.4 billion in new taxes, borrowing some $10 billion and engaging in some new accounting schemes. This whopper of a bill would still cut some $5 billion from education (SacBee, LA Times says it’s $8billion), and the new taxes feel quite punitive: under the framework, the sales tax would go up 1 penny (to become 9.75% in LACO), vehicle license fees would nearly double to 1.15 % of a car’s value, the gas tax would go up $0.12, and remarkably, a 2.5% to 5% surcharge on income taxes would also be levied. The framework also includes a spending cap provision, but that would have to be passed by voters in a ballot measure and the time span of the new taxes would be affected by whether the spending cap is passed. The tax hikes and spending cuts could also change if California receives $9 billion or more in federal stimulus money. Word is that the Assembly and Senate will vote on this tomorrow, but will it pass? Senator Dave Cogdill, a Republican, told the Times that he had “negotiated to the point where I think it doesn’t get any better.” I hope to see some reaction to this plan by Senators Strickland and Runner and Assemblyman Smyth, all of whom represent the SCV.
- 2007 called, they want their story on the Open Space Initiative back: The Times has a detailed story today on Santa Clarita’s Open Space plan, an initiative which was passed by SCV land owners back in 2007. Reporter Ann Simmons spoke to Councilwoman Laurene Weste, who said the city has already acquired some 3,200 acres of land it will preserve. Here’s what Weste had to say about her baby: “You can’t put a price on this. Its value is incalucable. It will grow forever. I truly believe that this is the legacy Santa Clarita will have for its future.” There’s also a few quotes from Jim Farley and Sterling King, the two guys who opposed the plan back in 2007. The city gets about $1.2 million per year from the fees collected, the TImes says.
- Valencia residents want more sound walls on I-5: If CalTrans goes through with putting carpool lanes up and down the length of I5 in Santa Clarita, residents of Valencia who live near the freeway are concerned that noise will increase and are asking that CalTrans look into installing sound walls along the freeway. Those cost quite a bit however- up to $2 million per mile, a cost not paid by the residents, who, afterall, purchased their houses knowing they were next to the main north/south freeway in the state. Signal
- Speaking of I5, it’s the fourth most dangerous highway in the nation: That’s according to FoxNews, which says 158 deaths occurred on Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County over the last five years, making that freeway the fourth deadliest nationwide. Now the article mentions the I 5 Santa Clarita, but it’s not clear (nor likely) that it’s referring to the I5 only in the SCV. The article leads with the massive tunnel fire that happened in the Newhall pass in October 2007.
- Pets left behind in foreclosures are clogging up local shelters: Dogs and cats which once enjoyed a life living in SCV homes are now back at local animal shelters after their homes were foreclosed on, according to The Signal. There are so many abandoned pets from foreclosed homes that a woman from the Castaic animal shelter says it’s “hard to keep track of” the amount. Some dogs and cats find themselves confused; in one instance, a 9 year old rottweiler was adopted out to a local family a few years ago and is now back in the same New Leash on Life shelter.
- But maybe there’s hope for all the pooches and pussycats: Assemblyman Cameron Smyth has introduced a bill that seeks to encourage pet adoption from shelters by providing “up to $300 worth of adoption expenses” starting next January, according to the Union Tribune. Smyth says “Maybe a tax break will sway them [the public] to make the decision to adopt,” and save a life. Smyth’s bill is just one of a few ideas coming out of Sacramento focusing on animal welfare. Another innovative bill from our Assemblyman!
- More on County-level tax revolt against state: Jim Holt reports with some flair that tax rebellion from Southern California counties is “mushrooming.” Says Tony Bell, Antonovich Spokesman: “Local governments must let the state know of the full impact their inaction will have on our ability to provide vital services.” Interesting to note that Bell also says the state must “elminate term limits” for its legislators, that’s something he knows about since his boss has been a Supe since I walked around in Star Wars pajamas.
- Liberal blog says Smyth has big fat target on his back: The California Majority Report blog is beginning a new series on state Republican lawmakers who may be vulnerable to Democrats in 2010, and it opens its series by saying Cameron Smyth won reelection in 2008 “by an uncomfortable 55 to 45 percent.” It continues: Smyth’s “District is becoming increasingly Democratic. Republicans still have a five point or so registration advantage, but Obama performed well here,” in 2008. The post says Smtyh was once a “somewhat pragmatic Assembly member who occasionally embraced bipartisanship [but has taken] a hard turn to the right.” Overlal, the fact that Smyth is now the number two Republican in the State Assembly makes him a “big, fat ripe target for Democrats in 2010; there’s nothing quite so sweet as knocking out a member of the GOP leadership.” This all pressupposes there’s actually an attractive Democratic candidate in the SCV. CA Majority Report
- Tour of California begins this weekend: It all starts on Valentine’s Day in Sacramento. Some 140+ riders will begin there and make their way down the state, landing in Santa Clarita for stage 7 on February 21. You can watch the tour at the official website and Versus will have coverage as well.
- Sign of the times- Elite magazine no longer published? The website for elite SCV magazine, that super-glossy mag of beautiful people detailing the finer side of life in the SCV, returns a “Not Found” error now, and I haven’t seen any of these arrive in my parents’ 91381 mailbox. But don’t despair too much, a new magazine has arrived, the not so attractively named 661 Magazine. So for those keeping count, we still have InsideSCV, Magazine of Santa Clarita, and 661. Elite Magazine is, in fact, alive and well. I apologize for the error and should have checked with the publishers before speculating.
- Smyth’s new website: It’s pretty nice for a .gov website, featuring RSS feeds for his videos, opinion pieces, press releases, and other types of media. There’s even an embedded video player on the site. KHTS has more.
- When he’s not trying to help the car dealers, Buck McKeon rails on about card check: He has an 800+ word op/ed in today’s Washington Times on the evilness that is the card check legislation. “Yes, they do want to unionize your gas station,” says Buck.