[Sosfbay-discuss] Some MSM Criticism of Arnold

[alexcathy at aol.com]

Dear Green Friends,

I've been surfing the Internet this morning and we are starting to see 
a trickle of criticism of Arnold's boondoggle in the mainstream media.  
Here are some points of interest to Greens.


FINANCING -- Much of the money would come from the federal government 
and "private investment" -- uncertain.  Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa 
Cruz, noted that for every dollar California taxpayers pay to the 
federal government, just 79 cents is returned to the state. He said 
recent cuts imposed by Congress will make that ratio smaller.

Voters will be asked to approve a $68 billion bond with no idea of how 
all this money is really going to be spent

Jon Coupal, president of the [rightwing] Howard Jarvis Taxpayers 
Association, said the group is pleased with Schwarzenegger's efforts to 
improve the state's business climate and his refusal to raise taxes.

"But we have concerns about the magnitude of the debt that's being 
talked about here," he said.

LEGISLATURE -- a two-thirds majority will be required to put it on a 
ballot. Several Republicans said they want to see more private industry 
involvement in public works projects and fewer environmental controls.

"We need to be innovative about getting more bang for our buck by 
harnessing private initiative, demanding quicker design processes and 
reforming overly burdensome and bureaucratic environmental laws that 
have crippled this state," said Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta.

Obviously, the Republicans will tolerate no changes in California's 
crazy tax laws while simultaneously insisting on the relaxation of 
"burdensome and bureaucratic environmental laws" (a la Bush in New 
Orleans) in order to "save money."

The assumed cost savings of using private enterprise was disputed by 
Ted Toppin, a spokesman for the 10,000-member Professional Engineers in 
California Government. He said it *COSTS LESS* to use state employees 
than private firms to do design work.


HIGHWAYS, HIGHWAYS, AND MORE HIGHWAYS -- Nearly half of the governor's 
proposed spending -- $107 billion -- is consumed by transportation 
projects. Of that, $88 billion is targeted for highway and road 
improvements. Rail transit would receive $4.5 billion over the 10-year 
life of the proposal.

The first transportation bond the governor proposes for the June ballot 
spends half of its $6 billion on highway projects, $2 billion on port 
improvements and $400 million for intercity rail expansion.

"It completely ignores funding for transit, in my opinion," said Tony 
Rice a lobbyist for the California Transit Association. "Why build 
freeways so someone can live 75 miles from work. Why not make it easier 
to live near where you work?"

Rice cited a study commissioned by the state Senate three years ago 
that found a $100 million unfunded need for transportation projects, of 
which one-third was transit.

The governor also wants to remove from the November ballot a $9.95 
billion bond to provide seed money for a high-speed rail system linking 
Northern and Southern California.


NO GREEN PLANNING OR LAND-USE -- "The governor made a critical campaign 
pledge to cut the state's air pollution in half, and he's committed to 
an aggressive plan to tackle global warming. How does this new proposal 
get us on a path to achieving those goals?" said Ann Notthoff, 
legislative director of the Natural Resources Defense Council in 
California.

"The state shouldn't throw big money at infrastructure projects without 
efficient land-use policies," said Bill Allayaud, a lobbyist for the 
Sierra Club in Sacramento.


NOTHING FOR HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE -- Doctors and other health care 
providers and advocates were perplexed by Schwarzenegger's failure to 
mention California's burdened emergency rooms and high number of 
uninsured citizens.


[Source: San Francisco Chronicle]

SANTA CLARA COUNTY -- ROADS AND HIGHWAYS --

The extra state aid means that millions could be set aside to:

? Widen Highway 101 from Morgan Hill south to the San Benito County 
line.
? Help pay for ramps at the intersection of Highways 152 and 156 east 
of Gilroy.
? Widen portions of Highway 156 in San Benito and Monterey counties.
? Add merge lanes on 101 along the Peninsula.
? Add a northbound carpool lane on I-680 from Milpitas to Pleasanton.

[Source: San Jose Mercury News]

EDUCATION -- CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS -- NOTHING FOR REFORM

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS EDITORIAL: GOVERNOR IS LIGHT ON EDUCATION REFORM
Friday, January 6, 2006


In disclosing his plans for public school spending in advance of last 
night's State of the State address, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger quieted 
critics and may have quelled a source of contention with Democrats in 
the Legislature.

To our disappointment, he apparently also has deferred until his second 
term -- assuming he gets one -- the larger goal of tying significant 
increases in spending to major education reforms.

The additional $4.3 billion that Schwarzenegger is proposing would 
bring K-12 spending to $49 billion -- a 16 percent increase over two 
years. That's more than school districts assumed a year ago that they'd 
get. But they argue they're legally entitled to more. It's also less 
than they deserve.

The extra money for education comes from projections for a state 
surplus this year, although a deficit is predicted for 2007. 
Nonetheless, the increase is a healthy chunk of change and a fair 
increase, given the extra pot of money.

Unfortunately, districts with declining enrollment, like San Jose 
Unified and other local districts, won't see that much of a bump. And 
they won't be free to spend some of the new money on basics: new texts, 
smaller classes, heating, health care or higher pay. Schwarzenegger 
wants to direct more than $300 million to new grants for arts and 
physical education, support for new teachers in low-achieving districts 
and extra help for students struggling with the high school exit exam.

In general, local districts should be left alone to set their own 
priorities, to choose between smaller math classes or a middle school 
band. But in order to instigate systemic change, force efficiency and 
create equity in funding, there are times when the governor and 
Legislature should attach strings. We're disappointed that a governor 
who favors merit pay, smaller schools and incentives to teach in poor 
districts didn't steer more new money in those directions.



* * *

SUMMARY AND PREDICTIONS

FINANCING -- Democrats, once again, will fight for passing the bond 
issue, but will not dare talk about Proposition 13 and taxes.  The 
expectation of help for "blue" California from "red" Washington is pure 
fantasy.  Any California congressman or state legislator, Democrat or 
Republican, who thinks Washington will help us is clearly unfit to 
serve and shouls be voted out of office for that reason alone.

LOCAL TAXES -- In order to qualify for matching funds from Sacramento, 
urban areas around Los Angeles and San Francisco will have to try to 
raise local taxes, thus triggering the usual demagoguery about "Tax and 
Spend Liberal Democrats."

HIGHWAYS -- Democrats will fight for more money for projects in the 
coastal cities where they live, but will not challenge the strategic 
priorities.  on "mass transit" notice how even Arnold's liberal 
Democrat critics don't even mention buses.  Poor people ride buses.  
Buses are not "sexy" and don't generate construction jobs.  One 
unintended consequence of this program will almost certainly be MORE 
sprawling development, including more sprawling development along 
Highway 101 in Santa Clara County.

HEALTH CARE AND HOSPITALS -- Unbelievable that this big issue is 
ignored.  Greens can talk about what's happened with the San Jose 
Medical Center and the Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, in the 
latter case, including a critique of the cronyism and incompetence of 
the Democratic Party Bosses.

EDUCATION -- Democrats will fight for more money and the Teachers Union 
will pressure the Dems to fight for more money for teachers.  Greens 
should emphasize nothing will be solved by giving more power to 
Sacramento and "throwing money" at schools.


Alex Walker