intheav.com Blogs - PKShaw - Patricia K. Shaw

Did People Read the Mailer?

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:19:47 +0000

Recently, a mailer was sent out which asked recipients if they felt things were better, or worse, than they were before. Is there a difference? Take the politics out of it; they really don't belong. The question is more of one that requires more of a rational response. (Personaly, if it were me I would be more likely to go up to the podium at the meeting and demand an answer, every month, until I received it) Now I don't know about you, but something kind of stinks out there - and despite what policy wonks tell you, every ratepayer deserves to know why they are paying twice what others are paying. The last two elected were Republicans and in spite of that, are just as quiet as anyone who has ever served. Must not have anything to do with party.

In case you were wondering . . .

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 22:28:18 +0000

Mr. Andrew Mercy sent an email out to many of the Republicans in this area. In part his email said the following: This week, tomorrow, on Tuesday September 13 at 5:00pm, our local GOP candidates need your support. The League of Women Voters, a supposedly non-partisan group dominated by local democrats or those connected with bureaucrat union efforts to raise taxes and allow Sec. 8 thugs to run rampant in the AV, is sponsoring a Meet the Candidate Night at the Chimbole Cultural Center at 38300 Sierra Hwy, (corner of Palmdale Blvd and Sierra Hwy.) The event is free to enter. Since it will get media coverage, it's vital for us to show up in force to support the conservatives running for local office. Otherwise this organization will use the event to negatively harm our candidates. Republican endorsed candidates include Jack Seefus and Lew Stults for the Antelope Valley College Board and Raul Figueroa and Linda Godin for Palmdale Water District. This is categorically, unequivocally, and undeniably FALSE. Board members of the League of Women Voters Antelope Valley have worked diligently to create a League that is completely non-partisan with the following methods: 1. Decided from the beginning not to be involved in any way with advocacy on issues - we understand there is a branch of both LWVUS (national) and LWVC (state) that does do this but LWVAV has not, and will not. 2. Started the board with half Republicans and half Democrats. (at the moment the board is overwhelmingly made up of Republicans) 3. Created a stricter non-partisan policy (which can be viewed on our website at www.lwvav.org) than is typical for local Leagues. 4. Include a statement on every piece of print media that we generate that says " we do not support or endorse any candidate or party". 5. Any board member who decides to participate in partisan activity must resign immediately. Just this past weekend one of the candidates running in the November election used our Facebook group to promote her candidacy and we immediately deleted all such postings and closed our Facebook group to prevent it from happening again. We will now only maintain a 'fan page', which has tighter controls. Thus far we have only held one candidate debate, last year's Assembly race between Steve Knight and Linda Jones, and we purposefully used Cathy Hart as our moderator so nobody could claim partisan bias. Looking at the attached list of this elections candidate debate list, one can clearly see we chose moderators more for their professional expertise than their political party. Although we are unaware of any of our members being "connected with bureaucrat union efforts to raise taxes and allow Sec. 8 thugs to run rampant in the AV", we do know we aren't "dominated" by any such people, and that our board members are the ones who make all the decisions regarding our endeavors, and I assure you that each and every one of them, including those who are registered Democrats, are livid over such an assertion. We respectfully demand a retraction, and an apology, from Mr. Mercy. Patricia K. Shaw LWVAV President

10th Anniversary 9/11 Ceremony

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:32:58 +0000

On Sunday, September 11th, there will be a ceremony at the Fallen Heroes Memorial, in front of the Antelope Valley Mall, beginning at 9 a.m. Conducting the ceremony will be the Captains from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, Angeles National Forestry Station, and California Department of Corrections. The public is welcome to join in commemorating the men and women who sacrificed their lives to save others that horrific day, as well as the ones who have done so in service to us here in the Antelope Valley.

The Money Hole

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 03:38:46 +0000

Makes sense to me:

Register Now For Palmdale Partners Academy

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:31:31 +0000

Registration is now open for the City of Palmdale�s Fall 2011 session of the Palmdale Partners Academy, which will begin Saturday, Sept. 17 and continue one Saturday each month from 9 am to 1 pm through December. Residents may register online at www.cityofpalmdale.org, or by contacting Trish Jones at 661/267-5181. Priority registration will be given to residents of Palmdale. Registration ends Friday, Sept. 9. A component of the Partners for a Better Palmdale program, the academy is designed to present citizens with a first-hand look at city operations and services. �The Palmdale Partners Academy will help volunteer citizens gain a better understanding of local government, the community, the resources and how to get things done,� said Palmdale�s Community Programs Supervisor Trish Jones, who is overseeing the academy. During the academy sessions, participants will interact with city staff and learn the challenges facing municipal governments as well as gain insight into the City�s future goals and objectives. The academy schedule of classes is as follows: Saturday, September 17, 2011 "The Greatest Story Ever Told." An introduction to the City of Palmdale, its Past, Present and Future. "It Keeps You Running." A behind-the-scenes look at the administrative aspects of the City. Saturday, October 15, 2011 "Law and Order: Palmdale� An overview of Palmdale's efforts to prevent crime and how the City works with the criminal justice system locally. Saturday, November 19, 2011 "Clean Sweep - The Care and Maintenance of a City" An overview of the programs and departments that keep the streets, buildings and parks clean and operational. "Ch-Ch-Changes." An introduction to development services and the many departments responsible for the economic and structural growth of the City. Saturday, December 3, 2011 "You've Gotta Have Friends" A discussion of the City's collaborative efforts in the areas of education and business support. "For the People." An introduction to the activities and services offered to the citizens of Palmdale. Tuesday, December 10, 2011 "Back to the Future" An overview of the Partners for a Better Palmdale and discussion of the academy and its future. For more information on the academy, contact Trish Jones at 661/267-5400 or by e-mail at tjones@cityofpalmdale.org.

CEC Grants Permit for Palmdale Hybrid Power Plant

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:20:16 +0000

Just over three years to the day when the City of Palmdale filed its Application for Certification, the California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted the Presiding Member�s Proposed Decision to approve the Palmdale Hybrid Power Plant (PHPP) project. �This is truly an historic day for Palmdale and the entire Antelope Valley,� said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. �We are one step closer to having a facility that will produce enough electricity to power 600,000 homes and do so with incredible reliability and efficiency. It will produce much needed jobs right here at home---600 construction jobs, 40 to 50 permanent high paying jobs to operate the facility, and infuse over $5 million into the local economy annually.� The CEC committee recommended approval of the PHPP in its presiding member's proposed decision (PMPD) which was released on June 16. In reviewing the 570-megawatt facility, the committee said that as mitigated, it will have no significant impacts on the environment and complies with all applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards. �We�re very pleased with the CEC�s decision, and commend them for all the work they�ve put into this project over the past three years,� said Palmdale Assistant City Manager Laurie Lile. �This project was the most thoroughly analyzed project I have been associated with. I cannot thank our Council, staff and partners enough for all their direction and support which helped take this vision one step closer to fulfillment.� �The PHPP will be the cleanest, most efficient power plant of its size in the world,� said Palmdale City Manager Steve Williams. �It will produce power day or night, use a combination of clean natural gas and solar, and be a major help in retiring older gross polluting power plants.� The Palmdale Hybrid Power Plant, which will be located on Avenue M near Sierra Highway, consists of natural gas-fired combined-cycle generating equipment integrated with solar thermal generating equipment. During the day, the parabolic solar thermal collectors will contribute up to 10 percent of the peak power generated. The solar field will provide heat directly to the heat recovery steam generators to produce steam, reducing the natural gas used at the facility. The City of Palmdale plans to start construction after securing a developer and power purchase agreement for the project. Commercial operation is planned for the summer of 2013. To learn more about the Palmdale Hybrid Power Plant, please visit http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/palmdale/documents/index.html.

Palmdale Aerospace Academy

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:29:40 +0000

The Palmdale School District announced today the formation of the Palmdale Aerospace Academy. This will be a K-12 school with a curriculum focused on mathematics and science. A few months ago the Human Relations Director from Lockheed Martin told an audience gathered to hear a discussion about the education achievement gap between the United States and other countries, there will be a severe shortage of engineers in the next twenty years. Therefore, this could not be a better time to develop such a school. This will be the first high school within the Palmdale School District jurisdiction, and as explained by Superintendent Roger Gallizzi, it was necessary to ensure this type of education continues through to the college level. Students will be earning college credits while going to high school and will graduate with both a high school diploma as well as an Associate of Arts degree. NASA, the Palmdale Aerospace Institute, Edwards Air Force Base, and several aerospace companies will be providing support and it is hoped that each will adopt a classroom and provide state of the art learning equipment. Parental/community involvement will be vital. Enrollment will first be filled with students living within PSD boundaries. The school will be located at Avenue R and 20th Street East, providing easy access to the SAGE Planetarium, and will open in September, 2012.

Plant 42 - No problems with Palmdale Power Plant

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:53:22 +0000

A memorandum issued on behalf of Air Force Plant (AFP) 42, stated that �after review and analysis of the placement, and air quality rules, regarding the planned Palmdale Hybrid Power Plant (PHPP) project, we, the Air Force and our Plant 42 contractors, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, are unable to identify any issues or impacts to our current programs and operations at AFP 42.� The statement comes just days before the California Energy Commission�s public hearing in Palmdale this Thursday, July 14, to hear public comments regarding the CEC committee�s recommendation to approve of the planned PHPP to be located on Avenue M near Sierra Highway in Palmdale. �This is more great news on what will be a great project for the entire Antelope Valley,� said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. �It is one more step towards getting approval of our permit, which we are confident will be issued by the end of the month.� The official statement was prepared to address concerns that emissions from the proposed power plant project adjacent to AFP 42 may have a deleterious impact upon operations and programs at AFP 42 as a result of current EPA air quality rules. The CEC committee recommended approval of the PHPP In its presiding member's proposed decision (PMPD) which was released on June 16. In reviewing the 570-megawatt facility, the committee said that as mitigated, it will have no significant impacts on the environment and complies with all applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards. �Once build, the PHPP will be the cleanest, most efficient power plant of its size in the world,� said Palmdale City Manager Steve Williams. �It will help not only the Antelope Valley, but the entire Southland as well as its operation will help retire older gross polluting power plants.� The final decision will be made by the full Energy Commission on July 27. The Palmdale Hybrid Power Plant project consists of natural gas-fired combined-cycle generating equipment integrated with solar thermal generating equipment. During the day, the parabolic solar thermal collectors will contribute up to 10 percent of the peak power generated. The solar field will provide heat directly to the heat recovery steam generators to produce steam, reducing the natural gas used at the facility. The City of Palmdale plans to start construction after securing a developer and power purchase agreement for the project. Commercial operation is planned for the summer of 2013.

Palmdale Offers Free Bus Ride to Support AV HSR Route at Bakersfield Meeting

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:24:17 +0000

The City of Palmdale is offering a free bus ride to persons interested in voicing their support to keep the Antelope Valley route of proposed high speed rail at the upcoming California High Speed Rail Association (CHRSA) board meeting on July 14 in Bakersfield. The bus will depart from Palmdale City Hall, 38300 Sierra Highway at 8:30 am sharp on Thursday, July 14. Interested persons need to reserve a seat by calling Saynne Redifer, Assistant to the City Manager at 661-267-5114. The CHRSA Board meeting will be held at the Kern County Board Chambers, 1115 Truxtun Avenue, in Bakersfield. �We need to show up in force and let the board hear us loud and clear that the studies have been done and the only high speed rail route that makes any sense is one that goes through the Antelope Valley with a stop in Palmdale,� said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. �To make the kind of investment that this project requires without including the Antelope Valley, which currently makes up 10 percent of the ridership is ludicrous. It is the Antelope Valley, not the Grapevine that will see substantial growth in population and demand for this kind of service.� The proposed route originally linked the Central Valley to Los Angeles through the Antelope Valley, with a stop in Palmdale. The CHSRA is considering bypassing the Antelope Valley and take the route over the Grapevine and into Bakersfield. �I am encouraging all residents and businesses to oppose the CHRSA�s proposal to waste taxpayer money to pay for another useless study that directly violates the intent and spirit of the voter-approved Prop 1A bonds,� Ledford said. The route between the Central Valley and Los Angeles going through Palmdale was selected after a lengthy process. According to the CHSRA Web site (http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/CHSRTemplate_STDwoBanner.aspx?pageid=8557)as part of the Statewide Program EIR/EIS document (certified November 2005), the Authority selected the alignment through the SR-58/Soledad Canyon Corridor (Antelope Valley) with a high-speed train station at Palmdale as the preferred option for crossing the Tehachapi Mountains between the Central Valley and Southern California. Although the longer Antelope Valley alignment would add about 7 to 10 minutes to express service travel times between northern and southern California and have less intercity ridership potential (trips between regions) than the I-5 alignment option, it would have fewer potential environmental impacts, be less subject to seismic activity, and have considerably less tunneling and thereby have fewer constructability issues, and would increase connectivity and accessibility. The most significant difference in regards to potential environmental impacts between the Antelope Valley option and I-5 alignments is in regards to major parklands. The Antelope Valley alignment is not planned to go through major parks. In contrast, the I-5 options would potentially impact Fort Tejon Historic Park, Angeles and Los Padres National Forests, Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area, Pyramid Lake and other local parks. The Antelope Valley alignment would also have a lower overall potential for water-related impacts, less potential impacts to wetlands and non-wetland waters, and was forecast to have less impacts on urbanized land and farmland conversion than the I-5 options (because the I-5 options would result in more growth in the Central Valley). The Antelope Valley alignment traverses less challenging terrain than the I-5 options, which would result in considerably less tunneling overall (13 miles/21 km of tunneling for the Antelope Valley option versus 23 miles/37 km miles for I-5 options), and considerably shorter tunnels (maximum length of 3.4 miles/5.5 km for the Antelope Valley option versus two tunnels greater than 5 miles/8 km for the I-5 options) which would result in fewer constructability issues. Although the Antelope Valley option is about 35 miles longer than the I-5 alignment options, it is estimated to be slightly less expensive to construct as a result of less tunneling through the Tehachapi Mountains. In addition, due to its more gentle gradient, geology, topology and other features, the SR-58/Soledad Canyon Corridor offers greater opportunities for using potential high-speed train alignment variations, particularly through the mountainous areas of the corridor, to avoid impacts to environmental resources. In contrast, the more challenging terrain of the I-5 Corridor greatly limits the ability to avoid sensitive resources and seismic constraints. The alignment optimization system (Quantm) that was utilized to identify and evaluate approximately 12 million alignment options for each mountain crossing could only find one practicable alignment option through the Tehachapi Mountains for the I-5 Corridor. Additional seismic hazards relating to the I-5 alignment further differentiate these options from the Antelope Valley alignment. Since the I-5 alignment options follow the San Gabriel fault for over 20 miles and cross through the area where the San Andreas and Garlock faults meet, they would have greater seismic hazard and constructability issues than the Antelope Valley option. The Authority concluded that there are additional seismic hazards and risks for the I-5 alignment options from paralleling the San Gabriel fault, and also from traversing the "triangle" where the San Andreas and Garlock faults meet. The Antelope Valley option would provide direct service to the Palmdale/Lancaster area, which increases the connectivity and accessibility of the high-speed train network. The Antelope Valley is the fastest growing area in Los Angeles County and currently regional population forecasts estimate the Antelope Valley population could exceed 1 million by the year 2020. The high-speed train system would also provide connectivity to Palmdale Airport and Metrolink commuter rail service. Public and agency support for the Antelope Valley option is strong in Los Angeles County and beyond because of the increased connectivity and accessibility it would provide for the Antelope Valley. Agencies which have indicated support for the Antelope Valley alignment include: Senate Majority Leader and Nevada Senator Harry Reid, the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LAMTA), Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the City of Palmdale, City of Lancaster, County of Kern, Kern Council of Governments, and the City of Bakersfield.

Palmdale Power Plant Gets Approval Recommendation

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:52:28 +0000

A California Energy Commission committee is recommending the approval of the planned Palmdale Hybrid Power Project in Los Angeles County. In its presiding member's proposed decision (PMPD) released today, the committee reviewing the project said the 570-megawatt facility, as mitigated, will have no significant impacts on the environment and complies with all applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards. The proposed decision was based solely on the record of facts which were established during the facility's evidentiary hearings as part of the application for certification. The PMPD is not a final decision on the project. The committee released the document for 30 days of public comment. The committee will consider input before bringing the proposed decision to the full Energy Commission. The entire document can be found here: http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/palmdale/documents/index.html The PMPD determined that the record, which contains a detailed environmental impact assessment required by the California Environmental Quality Act, was adequate. The record includes the Energy Commission staff's thorough and independent assessment of the project's potential impacts on the environment, public health, and safety. The proposed project consists of natural gas-fired combined-cycle generating equipment integrated with solar thermal generating equipment. During daylight hours when the parabolic solar thermal collectors are in use, the solar field will contribute up to 10 percent of the peak power generated. The solar field will provide heat directly to the heat recovery steam generators to produce steam, reducing the natural gas used at the facility. The Palmdale project, which is being proposed by the city of Palmdale, would be located on a 377-acre industrial site located in the northern portion of the city. The site is part of a 613.4-acre property owned by the city. The property is located northwest of the Los Angeles/Palmdale Regional Airport and U.S. Air Force Plant 42. The city of Palmdale plans to start construction after securing a developer and power purchase agreement for the project. Commercial operation is planned for the summer of 2013.

City of Palmdale Fights for High Speed Rail Stop

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:07:21 +0000

Roelof van Ark, Chief Executive Officer California High-Speed Rail Authority 770 L Street Suite 800 Sacramento, CA 95814 Re: Proposal Of California High Speed Rail Authority To Undertake A Conceptual Study Of The I-S Grapevine Route From Bakersfield To Los Angeles As An Alternative To The Bakersfield-Palmdale And Palmdale-Los Angeles Segments Of The Route Selected In The. Final Program EIR/EIS Dear Mr. van Ark: The City of Palmdale ("the City") is dismayed to learn that the California High Speed Rail Authority ("the Authority") has been authorized by its Board of Directors to spend $700,000 on a conceptual study of the previously rejected I-S Grapevine route from Bakersfield to Los Angeles ("Conceptual Study") to determine whether this route should be considered as an alternative to the Bakersfield-Palmdale and Palmdale- Los Angeles routes studied and selected in the High Speed Rail Statewide Final Program EIR/EIS for which the record of decision was executed on November 18, 2005 ("Final Program EIRIEIS"). The City strongly objects to this proposal because: (1) the federal funding to be used by the Authority does not authorize use of these monies for this purpose; and (2) revisiting routes that have been studied and rejected in the Program EIR/EIS, such as the 1-5 Grapevine route, could drastically increase the cost of the program, devastate local and regional economies who have made investments in reliance on the selected routes and delay the project by years or more. The City demands that you abort any plans to pursue this Conceptual Study and instead move forward on the project level engineering and environmental analyses specifically authorized by the Federal and state funds. I. Federal Grant Money Cannot Be Used for the Conceptual Study In your testimony before the California Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee on May 5, 2011, you stated that the $700,000 estimated cost for the Conceptual Study would be financed from federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("ARRA") funds, specifically from the budget for regional consultants, and state Proposition 1A funds, split 50/50. This statement was recently confirmed by Authority staff. As you know, the ARRA funds provided to the Authority for the High Speed Rail project ("HSR project") may only be used for the express purposes and tasks designated in the Grant/Cooperative Agreement. (See Agreement No. RF-HSR-00090-10-01-00 and Amendments.) The Conceptual Study is not within the delineated purposes and tasks identified in the Grant/Cooperative Agreement; therefore, use of these funds for this purpose would be an improper use of federal grant funds subjecting the Authority to potential legal action and possibly resulting in the loss of all ARRA funds for the HSR project. The Grant/Cooperative Agreement specifically states that "Allowable Costs" are those that conform with the project description and statement of work. Furthermore, scoping and exploring options other than those identified in the Program EIRIEIS is specifically excluded from the scope of work. (Id. at pp. 17-18.) As mentioned above, the Program EIR/EIS identified a specific corridor for project level analysis with seven specifically delineated geographic segments. Each Regional Consultant is responsible for a particular segment. For each segment of the corridor, the designated Regional Consultant must develop engineering, planning and environmental data, prepare one or more project site-specific EIR/EIS documents, and provide right-of-way preservation and acquisition services, all within the delineated corridor. The Regional Consultants' work must be consistent with and build on the Authority's previous work. Funds to be used by the Regional Consultants may not be used to reconsider previously rejected options or to consider routing alternatives outside the designated corridor. The proposed Conceptual Study is not within the scope of tasks identified in the Statement of Work for the ARRA funds and is specifically excluded from the tasks to be performed by the Regional Consultants. It does not build on previous work, but instead backtracks and reopens decisions made in the Program EIR/EIS. As such, using ARRA funding for the Conceptual Study would be a misuse of federal grant funds and could result in the loss of all ARRA funding for the HSR project. This would be a devastating and terminal blow to the HSR project. II. Revisiting Previously Rejected Routes For The High Speed Rail Project Will Waste Millions In Taxpayer Dollars, Devastate Local And Regional Economies That Have Made Significant Investments Based On The Selected Route And Cause Crippling Or Potentially Terminal Project Delays For the past eight years, the Antelope Valley route has been an integral part of the HSR project alignment. It is shown on the project plans and reports. It is shown on the Authority's website. (See http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov.) It was described in the bond measure, Proposition 1A, which the California voters approved to authorize $9 billion to fund the project. It was incorporated into the scope of work authorized by the ARRA grant received from the federal government to assist in the planning and development of the nation's first real high speed rail system. (See Section I. above.) As such, the Antelope Valley communities and businesses, which currently support a population of 450,000 to 500,000 residents, have planned to accommodate the transportation needs of this growth by developing an impressive multimodal network that is not duplicated at any other possible station location. This facility is situated at the confluence of the Metrolink passenger rail line, the High Desert Corridor freeway connection between State Route 14 and Interstate 15, the future alignment of the privately funded Desert Xpress high speed rail system providing inter-state service to Las Vegas, future connection to Palmdale Regional Airport, local and commuter bus service, bike lanes, and regional arterial streets. In addition to making significant improvements to our infrastructure, the Antelope Valley businesses and industries have been making investment decisions based on the anticipation of a High-Speed Rail Station in Palmdale. Therefore it should come as no surprise that the Antelope Valley residents and businesses2 are outraged by the Authority's recent decision to waste $700,000 of the taxpayers' money to "revisit" and "reanalyze" the I-S Grapevine route, which was eliminated a decade ago after many years of vetting and studying. The Grapevine route has been reviewed by the Authority and its consultants since the late 1980s and early 1990s, with a preliminary engineering feasibility study commissioned by Caltrans and completed by Parsons Brinckerhoff in 1994. A subsequent 2003 study commissioned by the City of Palmdale and performed by Transmetrics, an international firm with reputable experience in complex rail infrastructure projects, evaluated the degree of risk between the Grapevine and the Antelope Valley alignments, and concluded that the risks from construction delays, cost overruns and encountering adverse geologic conditions was significantly higher on the Grapevine alignment. The Transmetrics study specifically warned that the 1-5 alignment could be particularly risky because the route runs parallel to dangerous faults, as opposed to generally perpendicular crossings on the Palmdale routes. Tracks parallel to faults raise the chances of a tunnel collapse during a quake. The results of the study were made available to the Authority in 2003, and the Authority staff agreed with the study's conclusions as statedin a 2005 environmental summary that discussed the Grapevine's seismic conditions: "The limited constructability of the 1-5 alignment option combined with a high risk of seismic impacts makes the I-S alignment option likely to be impractical." The City forwarded another copy of the Transmetric study to the Authority and its staff in May, 2011, when it learned of the Authority's intention to spend nearly $1 million on a "do over" of the rejected Grapevine route. Moreover, the economic analyses and business plan for the entire system have been based on a rail system that serves the transportation needs of the residents of the Antelope Valley. It is estimated that approximately 475,000 people live in the Antelope Valley as opposed to about 275,000 in the Castaic-Santa Clarita-Newhall corridor (the I-S Grapevine route). And, the decision to eliminate the 1-5 Grapevine alignment was made by the Authority in 2005 after thorough review of both technical and economic information that demonstrated that the Antelope Valley alignment was superior. Revisiting routes that have been studied and rejected in the Program EIRIEIS, such as the I-S Grapevine route, could drastically and unnecessarily increase the cost of the program and delay the project by years or render it economically infeasible. There are numerous longabandoned routes that could be continually resurrected and reconsidered throughout California, resulting in a never ending and paralyzing practice of studies and analyses. The voters adopted Proposition 1 A based on representations that the funds would be used to finalize environmental review and construct a high speed rail system in California that travelled through the Palmdale area. The voters did not authorize the Authority to use the bond funds to reconsider previously rejected routes and undertake a recycled analysis that was previously rejected. Thus, the decision to "reconsider" a chosen route such as Bakersfield-Palmdale-Los Angeles, which was specifically mentioned in Proposition 1A as approved by the voters of California, poses serious questions regarding the Authority's motives and its misuse of state funds. Based on the information set forth above, we are confident that the Authority will take all necessary action to immediately cease this misguided effort to fund a Conceptual Study of the I-S Grapevine alignment as an alternative for the Bakersfield-Palmdale and Palmdale- Los Angeles segments of the system. The Antelope Valley connection is important to the viability of the entire system and should be retained as set forth in the Final Program EIR'EIS. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. Please respond to this letter on or before June 10, 2011, indicating whether the Authority intends to terminate any and all studies of the 1-5 Grapevine route. If the Authority chooses to proceed with its current course of action, please be advised that the City will take all appropriate legal action. If you have any questions or need any additional information, please contact City Manager Stephen H. Williams or myself at (661) 267-5100. Very truly yours, Wm. Matthew Ditzhazy, City Attorney

LWVAV Quarterly Topic Luncheon

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:53:04 +0000

Our next "Topic Luncheon" will take place on Thursday, April 28 at 11:30am at the Palmdale Hotel, 300 W. Palmdale Blvd. Topics will include: California Redevelopment Agencies, Palmdale Power Plant, Media Bias Myth?, Governor Brown's Budget, US Foreign Policy, and Public Transportation. $20 admission - limited seating (RSVP to 274-1277 to guarantee a spot) If there are topics you would like to see discussed at a future event, please let me know.

"Freeloading" 101

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:34:51 +0000

John Stossel, formerly of ABC News, had an interesting special on last night entitled "Freeloading". In it he highlighted various forms of scamming, starting with himself dressed as a homeless person and discovering how much money can be earned by sitting on a busy street holding a sign and a cup. (turns out it matters not what the sign says - people are just as generous if the sign says "cold and hungry" or "I need a beer") He ended the piece with a story about how General Electric, despite making billions in profit last year, paid not a cent in taxes. (as they say, it helps to have friends in high places) But for me, the most interesting part came in the middle of the show when he highlighted a little something that has come to be called the "Pigford Scandal".

Some examples . . .

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:43:10 +0000

. . . of what we will lose if the Governor takes away redevelopment money. From the City of Palmdale website: Sheriff Dept. $83,590 � Rehab of Sheriff sub-station $1,308,328 - Land Acquisition (11.5 acres) for a new 47,000 sf Sheriff sub station in the City of Palmdale located at the south east corner of Sierra Highway and Avenue Q Fire Dept $500,000 - land acquisition for new Fire station (#136 located immediately north of the intersection of Town Center Drive and Bolz Ranch Road). Schools $241,745 � Highland High School athletic field backstops and stadium lighting City Hall and Civic Center $1,550,215 � land acquisition Cultural Center $2,124,372 � land acquisition and rehab Hammack Center $2,175,570 � land acquisition and rehab Marie Kerr Park $1,892,674 � land acquisition Desert Air Golf Course $219,000 - Building & parking lot Courson Park $399,600 - Field house, pool bldg, rehab Palmdale Playhouse $3,853,200 � land acquisition and rehab $84,247 � dressing room rehab $171,177 � Playhouse fencing Library $64,390 � main library expansion $317,253 � library remodel to accommodate the consolidation of the Children�s Youth Library Youth Library $2,654,999 � Youth library design and construction Senior Center $66,680 � roof repairs Legacy Commons for Active Seniors $1,815,710 � land acquisition, design and construction of a new 15,000 sf Senior Center as a part of the Courson Connection project in the City�s downtown. Conference Center $3,038,819 � land acquisition (9 acres) and architectural design for 71,000 sf conference center to be located in the Palmdale Trade & Commerce Center adjacent to the Embassy Suites hotel. Facility to attract outside events as well as local events, creating demand for Palmdale hotels, restaurants and retail stores. Power Plant Permit $4,742,393 - Costs to obtain a permit from the State of California for the development of a hybrid power plant, combining a natural gas fired power plant expected to generate 550 megawatts and an additional 50 megawatts with solar panels. The hybrid power plant is expected to provide safe, affordable, reliable power that is vital to keeping businesses and jobs in Palmdale. Infrastructure $647,469 � Improvements to Palmdale Boulevard $443,358 � Drainage improvements, Palmdale Blvd & 22nd St $46,711 � Improvements to Ave R-8 & 20th St East $509,682 - Trunk sewer along 10th St West, from Avenue M to Avenue O (2 miles) $15,479 � Improvements at Rancho Vista Blvd & Sierra Highway $180,000 � Improvements at Tierra Subida $2,500,000 � Design and construction of drainage basins in the Rancho Vista Golf Course $7,158,598 - Amargosa Creek Drainage, along 10th St West from 14 Freeway to Avenue O. Allowed development of Fairway Business Park, and Destination O-8 (Sam�s Club center) and Destination O-4 (Wal-Mart center). $174,828 � Drainage and street improvements at Avenue O-8 behind the AV Mall to the 14 Freeway $920,727 - Amargosa Creek Drainage and other public improvements near the Amargosa Commons retail center along 10th St West, south of Rancho Vista Blvd. $49,378 � Preliminary design for water improvements along 10th Street West at Avenue M in support of Agency�s Lusk property Infrastructure for Palmdale Regional Hospital - $2,000,000; in support of over 1,000 jobs Regional Mall - Estimated total jobs created 1,200. $2,000,000 � loan to Forrest City (repaid) $12,000,000 � assistance with land acquisition and assembly $1,851,035 � reimbursement to Dillard�s for public improvements; paid over time calculated based on 50% of the sales tax generated from the site (but paid with tax increment); created 225 jobs. In excess of $2.1M in sales tax has been received by the City. $5,000,000 � rehab loan to Forrest City to attract Macy�s as stabilizing anchor for regional shopping mall; est. 130 jobs and 110,000 sf rehab. Macy�s generated over $36,000 in revenue for the City during their first 2 weeks of being open in Palmdale. Palmdale Auto Mall Purchase of vacant land in Auto Mall from original developer and paid off assessments for infrastructure to make land more affordable for development. Paid for extension of Carriage Way through to Avenue P-8. Provided funds for marketing support to Auto Dealer Association. Land sales to multiple auto dealers. � $5,865,866 - Purchased all unsold land in the Auto Mall � $1,750,000 - Dealer Loans totaling $1.75M - $250,000 loans each (Rally Chevrolet, Rally Pontiac, Saturn, AV Nissan, Holiday Buick, Robertson Honda, Grubal BMW) � $1,200,000 - advertising support for Dealer Assoc to market area � $49,997 � extension of Carriage Way to Avenue P-8 � $718,078 � Purchase and transport fill dirt for vacant Agency owned lots � $136,558 � Budget Rent A Car � Volkswagen � sold land for 19,253 sf show room, 100 jobs � Hyundai � land sold � AV Kawasaki � sold land � $500,000 - Honda rehab loan Lusk Property $1,542,713 - Agency acquired approx. 117 acres at the south east corner of Avenue M and 10th Street West for ultimate mixed use development to include retail, office and light industrial. Land remains vacant and available for development. Senior Systems Technology $1,464,177 � acquisition of land (approx 8.5 acres), ultimately sold to SST for development of 130,000 sf manufacturing facility, created over 300 high tech jobs. $640,000 - Loaned for creation of up to 500 jobs ($2,000 each, up to $1,000,000 originally available), jobs must be maintained over a 5-year period. 320 jobs created West Sierra Highway $8,439,735 - Property acquisition, demolition and business relocation of multiple parcels totaling approx 10 acres on the west side of Sierra Highway between Avenue Q and Palmdale Blvd, abutting the rail road tracks. This area was previously blighted with run down businesses including bars, liquor stores and a former Union 76 Gas Station that required substantial soil remediation; after site clearance the area was developed into open space park, with a portion dedicated to a demonstration garden for drought tolerant landscaping. East Sierra Highway $710,429 - Various property acquisitions demolition and business relocations, including former Apollo Tire building (reused as a City Maintenance storage facility), and several other parcels including a liquor store, an old market, and miscellaneous other parcels assembled for the Children�s Youth Library building and parking. Fairway Business Park $27,832,243 - Agency acquired 120 acres of vacant land south of Avenue O, between 10th Street West and Division Street $5,387,833 - Agency designed and installed necessary infrastructure including Amargosa Creek channel, streets, drainage, offsite utilities, etc. and perimeter landscaping in order to provide finished lots available for sale and easy development by businesses/developers. Agency developed Site Development Standards and appropriate zoning to expedite projects as they moved forward. Land sold to businesses for development and job creation. Approximately 35 acres remain available for sale. � US Pole � sold approx 11.22 acres, developed with 100,000 sf manufacturing building, created approx. 130 jobs � Delta Scientific - sold approx 8.72 acres, developed with 125,550 sf manufacturing building created 183 jobs; phase 2 followed with additional 59,586 sf and 190 additional jobs � FedEx Ground Distribution � sold approx. 5.45 acres of land, developed with 55,000 sf FedEx ground distribution facility; 55 jobs � Patton Steel � industrial facility � sold 2.14 acres of land, developed 19,449 sf industrial building � Davis Wholesale Electric � sold 2.86 acres of land, developed with 15,858 sf building, 5 jobs � Squirty�s Auto Body � sold 2.35 acres of land, developed with 23,000 sf building; 20 jobs � Rodio Spec � sold 6.94 acres of land, developed with 3 spec buildings totaling 66,520 sf building � Giamella Spec � sold 6.8 acres of land, developed with 2 spec buildings totaling 124,037 sf building � Urcis Spec � sold 7.63 acres of land, developed with 2 spec buildings totaling 57,391sf building, 1 lot remains vacant � Bell � sold 5.34 acres of land, developed with 2 spec buildings totaling 80,389 sf buildings Miscellaneous Projects and Business Assistance $486,077 � Specific Plan for Airport Corridor $152,530 � Funds used to establish the creation of Antelope Valley Enterprise Zone $16,708 � Funds used to establish the Foreign-Trade Zone $472,000 � Funds to expand Merged Project Area to include Plant 42 $22,400 � loans to businesses $80,000 � Fa�ade Improvement program $100,000 � Palmdale Regional Medical Center, pursuant to DDA, in support of over 1,000 jobs $211,076 - Acquisition of property for an LA County Courthouse in Palmdale. Facility later converted to home to AERO Institute, following LA County�s move to their new facility in Lancaster. $146,381 � DDA with Fischer Industrial for the development of spec industrial buildings in the Palmdale Trade & Commerce Center. $38,789 � Assistance with various projects in the Palmdale Trade & Commerce Center $25,142 � Assistance to Martin Properties for public infrastructure related to project at the south west corner of 10th Street West and Avenue O-8 $164,998 � City beautification project Palmdale Regional Airport Marketing in support of attracting carriers, including Scenic Air and United Express, to activate the Palmdale Regional Airport PalmdaleProspector.com $102,000 Interactive web based tool that allows businesses to search for available property in Palmdale. Users are able to search, select and compare available property or buildings based on their defined criteria such as size and type of space (e.g. office, retail, industrial, vacant land, etc.). A special feature allows authorized property owners and real estate professionals to log in through a secure password system and provide additional information on the property, such as photos, floor plans, sale/lease pricing, and broker contact information, etc. South Valley WorkSource Center $ 200,000 annually Provide financial support for operations of South Valley WorkSource Center. Affordable Housing Our CRA has been very active in its effort to create and preserve affordable housing within the City. This effort has been accomplished through the combined efforts of the various City Departments and coordinated through the CRA Housing Division. Many of the accomplishments have been achieved through partnership with developers, non-profit organizations and community members. The portion of local tax increment known as �Housing Set-Aside Funds� is utilized within our community through Housing programs and projects. The following is a summary of programs and projects implemented by the CRA�s Housing Division and the accomplishments and positive effect they have had in our City. Housing Rehabilitation Loan Programs The CRA has provided rehabilitation assistance to low-income homeowners for over 16 years. The households assisted are generally young families who are first time homebuyers or senior citizens whose families have resided in their home for a number of years. The seniors may have family members who are disabled or in a majority of cases these residents have worked and raised their children in our community. The rehabilitation funding is offered in the form of a loan from the CRA and is repaid when the home is sold. The program provides Housing Set-Aside funds that allow the homeowner to make health and safety and quality of life improvements to their home. By offering this program the City is able to preserve its affordable housing stock, remove blight, and revitalize the neighborhood. Through a bid process, the rehabilitation work has been awarded to many local contractors who live within the community, provide jobs to local residents, and patronize local retailers to acquire the supplies needed to perform the rehabilitation of the residence of program participants. Since 1997, the CRA has invested over $6,105,000 in the rehabilitation of over 300 affordable households within our City. Affordable Multi-Family/Senior Housing In 1996, The City of Palmdale through the CRA began to acquire blighted and vacant multi-family housing in its Downtown area. In partnership with a non-profit entity the City invested over $7,200,000 in the acquisition and rehabilitation of 265 multi-family units. Of those 265 units 101 units were specifically identified for affordable senior housing. Since that time, the City has continued to partner with non-profit organizations and seek opportunities to leverage additional funding in an effort to invest in the development of new multi-family housing and/or senior housing in the Downtown and central areas of the City near the City Transportation Center. Within the last 5 years the CRA has invested over $3,800,000 in the development of 314 affordable senior units. The City is currently preparing to invest additional funds to develop 144 additional units to complete development of the two remaining phases of a planned affordable senior specific community. And currently, the City and CRA have committed over $19,150,400 to create 156 affordable multi-family and 124 affordable/work-force townhome units next to the City�s Transportation Center. This project will begin construction in the spring of 2011. Mobile Home Parks In 1997, the City through the CRA acquired three blighted mobile home parks that had a vacancy rate of 40% and were in jeopardy of being closed. These mobile home parks consisted of over 792 unit spaces that were considered to be an important part of the community�s affordable housing. The City through the CRA issued bonds to acquire the three mobile home parks. The overall investment made by the Redevelopment Agency was $19,925,000. In an effort to stabilize the parks and fill the empty spaces the City offered a mortgage assistance program for first time homebuyers and senior citizens to purchase a new home within one of the three parks. These loans are to be repaid when the program participant sells their home. With the investment of $1,710,000 the City was able to assist 114 new park residents. This program improved the housing stock within the mobile home parks by replacing older units and created an interest that brought other homebuyers not in need of assistance who also purchased new homes and contributed to the financial stabilization of the three mobile home parks. Currently, of the 792 spaces, over 80% are occupied by low-income households. Because of the CRA becoming involved, the mobile home parks have become self-sustaining and contribute toward other affordable housing activities that include the other nine mobile home parks within the City. Neighborhood Improvement Program In 1996, the City and the CRA adopted the Neighborhood Improvement Program as a mechanism to address those neighborhoods that were blighted and had suffered from the down turn of the housing market in the mid 1990�s. Through the Neighborhood Improvement Program the City has invested over $15,000,000 in the revitalization of 5 specific Focus Neighborhoods and has and have made an impact on over 3,000 households. The leveraging of additional sources of funding enabled infrastructure improvements in these Focus Neighborhoods. One of several great success stories is the removal of 72 blighted, vacant and substandard homes that surrounded one neighborhood. The homes could not be occupied because of the high levels of asbestos and the homes had also lost their occupancy certificates. The homes served as blight on the neighborhood and as an outlet for criminals particularly dealing in drugs and prostitution. Through the Neighborhood Improvement Program the City was able to remove the homes and eliminate the negative impact they produced for the families that lived in that neighborhood. Mortgage Assistance Program In 1995, the City and CRA approved the Mortgage Assistance Program. The Mortgage Assistance Program provides down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. The assistance is made in the form of a loan from the Redevelopment Agency with the Redevelopment Agency becoming an equity shareholder. This means that when the home is sold at a future date the Redevelopment Agency receives a repayment of the full amount of the original loan and an equitable share of any appreciation realized. Since its inception, the Agency has invested over $4,200,000 in the form of down payment assistance that has assisted over 280 first time homebuyers. Emergency Grant Program In 1998, the City and the CRA approved the Emergency Grant Program. The Emergency Grant Program was specifically designed to help Very Low-Income homeowners with emergency repairs to their home. A majority of the program participants over the years have been elderly and/or disabled and occupy what is considered to be some of the most affordable owner occupied housing in our community. With the extreme weather conditions that exist in our region it is a health and safety concern when the households are unable to afford to repair or replace their heating or cooling system or repair a broken pipe or electrical circuit. Without this program those lower income households would be left without essential or basic services. Since its adoption, the Emergency Grant Program has invested over $3,250,000 and assisted over 600 households throughout the City. Local Non-Profit Participation through Redevelopment Although the City and CRA have partnered with large non-profit organizations in the past, we continue to reach out to those smaller local non-profit groups including the local high school district. Through these partnerships with non-profit groups, the City and the CRA have created affordable housing units and a commitment to provide services to our local residents. One project collaborating with the Regional Occupational Program of the local high school district provided students hands on experience in the new construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing units. In partnership with Habitat for Humanity three affordable single-family homes were built with local volunteers. Another project resulted in the development of 10 affordable single family homes by partnering with a non-profit group that works with emancipated youth who have been released from the Los Angeles County foster care program. A third project included the acquisition and rehabilitation of smaller blighted multi-family units in a depressed area of the City. The partner non-profit group assists young adults who are becoming acclimated to living on their own and assists with providing housing for victims of domestic violence. The Redevelopment Agency is currently working with a group called A.V. Youth Build. This program brings high school aged young adults who have dropped out of high school back to the classroom to help them to complete the units needed to acquire their high school diploma and to learn a trade in the construction industry. Four years ago, A.V.Youth Build was located in a remote area on the east side of the City with 30 students enrolled. By providing A.V. Youth Build with the opportunity to become involved in the Neighborhood Improvement Program and by utilizing Redevelopment funds the program has had great success at completing several effective projects within our City. One of the projects was the acquisition and rehabilitation of a blighted single family home. This home had a long history of being a drug house and was located directly across the street from an elementary school. In partnership with the City and Redevelopment Agency, A.V. Youth Build rehabilitated the home and as a result it now serves as a Neighborhood House that provides after school services for neighborhood children. This project gave A.V. Youth Build community exposure and enabled them to grow from 30 students enrolled and 10 students graduating their first year to now over 130 students enrolled and a projected graduating class of 40 students this year. Because of their success, the local school district now provides an opportunity for them to have classroom space centrally located within the City of Palmdale. Currently, A.V. Youth Build has entered into an Affordable Housing Agreement that will allow the students to build 4 affordable housing units. To date, the Redevelopment Agency has invested in partnership with those smaller non-profit entities over $1,220,000 and created 20 affordable housing units and life changing experiences for the young people who participated. Job Creation Currently, our City�s CRA Housing Division has 19 general contractors on its affordable housing rehabilitation bid list. Of those 19 general contractors, 10 are either female or minority owned and operated. They are local small business owners who hire local employees and purchase materials from local suppliers. Many of the minority owned contractors have repeatedly expressed to the Redevelopment Agency that if it wasn�t for the opportunity provided by the Redevelopment Agency rehabilitation programs, they could not have made their start in construction. Long time existing contractors in our City who were hit hard with the down turn in the economy have repeatedly told staff that work provided by the Agency programs has allowed them to keep their doors open, their employees working and in some cases the ability to hire additional staff. The fact is local tax dollars, when allowed to stay in the community that generated them, provide jobs on multiple levels while improving living conditions for its residents. In conclusion, redevelopment is an effective tool particularly for low-no property tax cities to reinvest in the necessary infrastructure to maintain healthy and prosperous environments for their residents. Clearly the State of California will not do so. Without this type of tool, Palmdale has limited means to continue to improve itself and provide jobs for its residents.

Dear California Legislature

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:22:18 +0000

March 8, 2011 The Honorable Darrell Steinberg President Pro Tem, California State Senate State Capitol, Room 205 Sacramento, CA 95814 The Honorable John P�rez Speaker, California State Assembly State Capitol, Room 219 Sacramento, CA 95814 Dear Pro Tem Steinberg and Speaker P�rez: We are writing to register � in the strongest possible terms � our deep concerns about the disastrous impacts on cities, counties and the entire state economy resulting from the elimination of all community redevelopment agencies. The legislation is terrible public policy destined to create far more litigation and economic dislocation, and far less revenue than the estimated by the Department of Finance. It is a poorly constructed idea that is disastrous for the state and its residents. The draft legislation puts our general funds and residents at risk. Successor agencies must either assume all redevelopment liabilities and put their General Funds at risk or relinquish all control over billions of dollars in projects designed to aid their neediest residents and communities. Should cities not choose to become the Successor Agency because of unfunded liabilities and other risks created by this legislation, any other agency in the county, even an obscure special district, may take over and run those projects without any input from the original city or county. Had this legislation been in place three years ago, the city of Bell could have commandeered a neighboring jurisdiction�s redevelopment agency for its own motivations. The draft legislation reduces public accountability and opens the door to corruption. Oversight boards would be created virtually overnight with unknown, non‐elected appointees from a variety of entities (such as the county superintendent of education) and the area�s �largest non‐enterprise special district, by property tax share.� At the same time, the legislation envisions no oversight board role for the single most prominent and accountable elected official, its mayor. A city council would be able to appoint only one of seven members to the oversight board that would control its funds. The non‐elected Los Angeles County Superintendent of Education, by contrast, would appoint a representative for the boards of up to 88 cities. Community college districts, one being the subject of a current withering expose� of its mishandling of billions of dollars in bond funds, would also have a seat at every table. The draft legislation imposes additional costs on cities and counties that have not been fully accounted for, realigning government resources and responsibilities with no acknowledgement of likely impacts. This legislation effectively begins the realignment conversation in a piecemeal, tactical fashion with no strategic understanding of balance or sustainability. If the Governor wants to begin that conversation, this proposal should be considered as part of a broader and much more thoughtful process that encompasses all local and state resources and responsibilities. There is still time to have that conversation. The draft legislation forces a fire sale of agency assets that will damage California�s already struggling real estate market. It would flood real estate markets with an array of agency assets, a process the Governor found to be foolish when it came to the proposed sale of many state properties. It is unclear why what was considered a bad idea for the state has become a good idea for local governments, especially given its impact on the struggling real estate market. The uncertainty created by this legislation is already disrupting deals and inviting massive litigation. Private partners are already pulling out of major deals and talented employees with deep knowledge of projects are preparing to leave. Meanwhile, nonsensical restrictions would hobble the orderly disposition of assets, punish cities that already have devoted more than minimum amounts to affordable housing, and open up reviews of projects, further handcuffing successor agencies. The draft legislation punishes our neediest residents and communities while doing little to solve the state�s budget problems this year or in the future. California is already grappling with a reputation as a challenging place to do business. Removing our most powerful tool to stimulate job creation and the construction of badly needed housing is self‐defeating without tools to encourage investment in economically‐challenged neighborhoods; it is unclear how we could provide the necessary assistance to get private projects underway in these areas. The legislation abandons these neighborhoods with no thought to their future, or indeed of the state as a whole. Further, given this measure�s treacherous legal standing, the state cannot confidently expect the projected $1.7 billion in general fund relief that the Governor�s budget envisions. In exchange for a drastic realignment of government operations, the state is betting it may receive a meager payoff. We urge you to reject the Governor�s proposal and consider alternative legislative approaches that can bring much‐needed strategic reforms to redevelopment law, help close your serious budget challenges and retain the lone tool local governments have to find our way out of this fiscal crisis to a better place. Very truly yours, TOM TAIT Mayor � Anaheim ASHLEY SWEARENGIN Mayor � Fresno BOB FOSTER Mayor � Long Beach ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA Mayor � Los Angeles JEAN QUAN Mayor � Oakland KEVIN JOHNSON Mayor � Sacramento JERRY SANDERS Mayor � San Diego MIGUEL PULIDO Mayor � Santa Ana CHUCK REED Mayor � San Jose