Damien Newton
Recent Posts
Boxer, LaHood to Discuss Federal Transportation Bill at L.A. Town Hall
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As transportation reformers continue to wait for the Senate to join the House in offering a new federal transportation bill, Senate environment committee chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will hold a town hall meeting at the headquarters of L.A.’s Metro transit authority on Friday, February 19. Boxer and LaHood get on […]
Much Ado About Nothing? New State Rules for “Pay-As-You-Drive” Insurance
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I’m guessing his car insurance would be higher than mine. Photo: Clubjuggler/Flickr Last week, State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced that his commission adopted new rules allowing and encouraging auto insurance companies to create "pay as you drive" (PAYD) insurance policies. PAYD policies, which charge drivers per mile driven for their insurance, provide another financial […]
Cartoon Tuesday: What Does Alabama Have Against California and Bikes?
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The online news outlet Digital City reports that the state of Alabama has banned the sale of Cycles Gladiator wine, produced by California winery Hahn Family Wines because of what it terms an inappropriate label. Digital City reports: A poster advertising bicycles dating back to 1895 is causing quiet a stir in Alabama. Hahn Family […]
CALPIRG, Smart Growth America Slam State Stimulus Spending
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With the passage of the stimulus bill last spring, states had a 120 day deadline to obligate at least half of the transportation funding allocated to them. To mark that federal deadline, CALPIRG and Smart Growth America released a report today detailing how California is spending its stimulus money. The news isn’t good. Despite all […]
“Shovel Ready” High Speed Rail? CA Is Ahead of the Game
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Photo: Sacramento Bee Yesterday, Vice President Joe Biden, met with governors from eight different states that are competing for High Speed Rail funding. Streetsblog’s D.C. Correspondent wrote a story about the national implications of the meeting available at our New York site. While neither Schwarzenegger nor another representative from California was present, there was good […]
Governor Schwarzenegger Finds Another Way to Rob Transit
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Photo: Trinity County California Republican Party This morning when I saw the L.A. Times headline about new budget cuts announced by Governor Schwarzenegger, I wasn’t worried. After all, I knew this time there wasn’t anything else he could do to hurt transportation and transit. How much more damage could be done after he abolished state […]
State Senator Takes on Parking Requirements
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Last week, State Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) introduced legislation that takes aim at how California’s municipalities think about parking and parking requirements. What SB 518 (PDF) is missing in co-sponsors it makes up for in chutzpah. If enacted, the legislation would require that every municipality in the state earn at least "20 points" in […]
California Transit Association: “Armageddon Scenario Has Arrived”
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Transit advocates around the state are trying to grapple with the new reality that the budget compromise worked out between Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature completely abolishes the State Transit Assistance (STA) and the $536 million that it dedicated to subsidizing transit operations. There are multiple villains in this story, but the blackest hat […]