By Mark Ross, Contributing Writer
I’ve never been a serious hawk on the immigration issue. However, I side with the right on two important aspects: We need to control our borders in order to maintain our national identity. And, the immigrants who come here through proper channels need to become Americans… not remain as foreigners in enclaves.
Bart Should Fire Them All And Start Over
Word came out today that the union which represents the Bart’s station agents and train operators plans to strike starting at midnight on Sunday.
This comes after the union’s negotiators concluded an agreement with Bart management, which the union’s membership proceeded to vote down by a three-to-one margin.
The Great Water Conservation Hoax
By Mark Ross, Contributing Writer
OK class, put down your pencils and pick up your latest East Bay MUD bill. You may need a calculator… especially if you’re not all that good at gauging proportions. You should notice a subcategory under “Water Charges” called “Drought Surcharge.” This surcharge is assessed in “units” or 738 gallon increments. Should you be so profligate in your consumption as to “over consume” almost 1,500 gallons of water you will be dinged a whopping $4.00 on your bimonthly statement.
Oakland To Lay Off 200 Cops? Go Ahead, I Say
It sounds as if Oakland’s plan to play brinkmanship with the Obama administration over laying off cops may be falling on deaf ears.
From the sound of things, the federal government’s willingness to pay for local cops may top out at 50 officers, far short of the 140 Oakland would like to receive. Worse yet, receiving funding for 50 officers will not meet the minimum staffing requirement to collect Measure Y, so the city may well wind up short more like 200 officers.
The Knuckle-Dragger’s Guide to Social Nuance
By Mark Ross, Contributing Writer
Here, in the Bay Area, it’s such a marvelous treat to be a conservative. People flock to me at parties whenever I open my mouth. George W. Bush was such a catalyst for positive change… and I’ve received so much praise for voting for him… NOT.
Mandela Foods Coop Alive But Empty
My efforts to bait someone involved with the Mandela Foods Cooperative in West Oakland into a direct debate have failed miserably. But, I have had the opportunity in the past few weeks to visit the recently opened store around six times.
Each visit I’ve seen the same sort of scene inside the place — enough so that I think I can authoritatively say that I have some knowledge of the store’s current level of failure.
Does Pete Stark Really Have Syphilis of the Brain?
By Mark Ross, Contributing Writer
Back in 1972 I had the occasion to visit the Security National Bank in Walnut Creek… as part of my environmental journalist responsibilities. I didn’t get to meet with its CEO, Fortney H. “Pete” Stark, but his presence was felt. A giant peace symbol greeted me as I approached the front door.
It wasn’t long before “Pete” received, from the voters, a lifetime appointment to the U.S. House of Representatives. Ol’ Pete is now in his late seventies. A lot of the Democrat hacks-for-life from the Bay Area are getting really, really long in the tooth. Ronald V. Dellums shocked the world by voluntarily retiring from Congress… presumably in order to hand pick his successor, Babs Lee, thus costing Alameda County millions in special election expenses. Then he woke up and knew he had to save Oakland. From what? It now seems from himself.
The Beginning Of The End For Oakland
Today, Chip Johnson became the first journalist to put the reality of Oakland’s financial situation in print. Chip says the city might need to file for bankruptcy, and I agree.
Bankruptcy is an unpopular option, and several other bloggers including V Smoothe have pointed out that it wouldn’t accomplish much because the city is not locked into long-term contracts with public employees. So, the argument goes, they can simply negotiate contracts which dig the city out of its fiscal morass.
The Officer James Williams Memorial Overpass… and its connection to the death penalty
By Mark Ross, Contributing Writer
Driving along the communication trench we call Highway 580… west of High Street and East of Fruitvale… you’ll see, on either right-hand embankment, a CalTrans sign naming the bridge that 38th Avenue takes over the freeway. The story behind this obscure memorial brings to light several issues currently in play in today’s Oakland.
Early on the morning of January 10, 1999, Officer Williams was fatally wounded while searching in the landscaping along Highway 580 for a discarded shotgun. The assailant stood on the 38th Ave. overpass… from where he fired his illegal AK-47 communist bloc full automatic military rifle. Officer Williams was killed and another policeman was injured after his hand cuff case deflected the round.
$500,000 A Year Civil Servant Pensions – Only In California
Today’s Matier and Ross column does an excellent job of exposing what lies at the heart of the budget messes at the city, county and state levels in California.
Key points from the article — 246 former San Francisco employees receive pensions in excess of $100,000 a year. Fifteen are above $150,000.
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