Governor Proposes More Cuts, Tax Hikes as State Faces New $16B Budget Gap

Figure up from $9 billion projected in January.

Gov. Jerry Brown's revised budget numbers released Saturday show that California's budget deficit is nearly $6 billion more than the governor projected in January. The New York Times reported that California now faces a $16 billion gap, up from $9 billion, in round numbers. How that'll impact cities, however, remains unclear — at least until voters weigh in at the polls in November on Brown's tax initiative. "This means that we will have to go much further, and make cuts far greater than I asked for at the beginning of the year," Brown said on Youtube, where he released his original statement. "But we can't fill a hole of this magnitude with cuts alone, without doing severe damage to our schools." "That's why I'm bypassing the gridlock, …

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Leno Hammers Tax Breaks to Large Corporations

In the wake of Gov. Jerry Brown's May revise of the state budget crisis, the state senator blames much of the problem on the previous administration.

Sen. Mark Leno, Novato's representative in the state Senate, said unavoidable budget cuts — prompted by the Schwarzenegger administration's leftover deficit — will have to be handled with sensitivity to prevent further harm to the economy and local budgets. Leno, D-San Francisco and chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, released his remarks Monday after hearing of Gov. Jerry Brown's revised budget proposal — one that estimated the state's structural deficit at $16 billion rather than the $9 billion mentioned a few months earlier. On Monday, Brown proposed more than $8 billion in cuts on a wide array of state services plus a 5 percent pay cut for state workers, which would save $402 million in the coming fiscal year, …

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San Rafael's EV Charging Stations to be Unveiled at Car Show

The city will break in its new electric vehicle charging stations in the A Street garage during May Madness Classic Car event on May 12.

San Rafael will break in its new electric vehicle charging stations with style at the 25th Annual May Madness Classic Car event on May 12.  Mayor Gary Phillips will cut the ribbon for the stations on Saturday, May 12 at 3:15 p.m. in the A Street public garage. The charging stations join two others that the city previously installed at the C Street garage, working in conjunction with the Transportation Authority of Marin, Marin Clean Energy and Sustainable San Rafael. A high-end Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid sports car (like the one Justin Bieber drives) and an affordably-priced Mitsubishi “i” all-electric hatchback will be the first cars to charge up at the new stations, bracketing the range of electric vehicles that are quickly penetrating …

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Letters to the Editor

Op-Ed: Has ABAG Become Irrelevant?

Regional association keeps displaying signs of a disconnect with the people it is supposed to represent.

A little while ago, I attended a Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers meeting to listen to a presentation given by Ken Kirkey, ABAG Director of Planning. Kirkey gave an update on the One Bay Area plan and the latest Regional Housing Needs Allocation. He was supposed to answer questions that councilmembers had submitted prior to the meeting but neglected to answer many of them. Residents were also given the opportunity to ask questions. In response, Kirkey oftentimes gave rote answers that had little to do with the actual questions, stated that the question(s) were outside ABAG’s purview, or simply stated that regardless of why a community would have difficulties complying with the RHNA numbers, they would have to plan for …

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Supes to Consider 'Alcopop-Free Zones'

County Supervisors will also review a resolution opposing Ross Valley Sanitary District rate hike, among other items at meeting Tuesday

Previews & Reviews:  Board Meeting Highlights The following provides a list of selected highlights from the Board agenda, and is not meant to be an exhaustive list of the entire agenda.  Please check out the Cyberagenda for a copy of the complete agenda as well as copies of these reports and others. Previews Here is the agenda for May 8.  1.  May to be Proclaimed as Elder Abuse Awareness Month At the request of Supervisor Kinsey, the Board will be considering adoption of a resolution proclaiming May, 2012 as "Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month." Need more info? See the draft Resolution. Contact: Clerk of the Board staff at BOS@marincounty.org 2.  “Alcopop-Free Zones” to be Considered At the request of Supervisors Arnold and Kinsey…

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