California has an outdated and inefficient form of government: the County of Los Angeles is a textbook case. Perhaps its time to merge city and county government, which would be a step in streamlining the decision-making process.
Proposition 16 is a crass measure that would not level the playing field—it would devastate it. By requiring a two-thirds vote, the utility would almost guarantee that any municipality fed up with high utility rates—or the sources generating that power—would have no chance at starting its own electricity program.
This Monday I attended a talk that Dr. Richard Bernard gave at the California Endowment. Dr. Bernard is a consultant at Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates, a public opinion firm based in Santa Monica that has worked on many high-profile campaigns in California. During his 90 minute discussion, he spoke about the political climate in [...]
Yesterday I mentioned The Forest of Nisene Marks in Aptos. If you have some time, you cannot miss the stretch of beach between Seacliff and Manresa State Beaches.
The best way to access the beach is to drive down Clubhouse Drive from the Rio Del Mar Boulevard exit off of CA-1. Turn left off of Clubhouse [...]
Last week I was in Aptos, California, visiting my parents for Christmas. They have lived in Aptos (just east of Santa Cruz) for over 12 years, yet until last Saturday, I was completely clueless about a treasure two miles from their home: The Forest of Nisene Marks, a California State Park.
For forty years, this area [...]
California’s budget mess is a topic that I’d rather leave to the political chattering class: it’s way beyond the scope of this site. But if I may briefly step up on my soapbox, I will say that as long as the two major political parties are ideologically polarized, we should consider a constitutional convention to [...]
With all the news about Ted Kennedy’s passing, I had no idea that we were starting another wildfire season, until I stepped outside to water the garden. As it turns out, 600 acres of the Angeles National Forest are consumed with flames.
And then I smelled it, that sick scent of embers mixed with dust. [...]
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