Yesterday, a "renowned group of transportation and financial experts" warned lawmakers that funding the state's $99 billion high-speed train is an "immense financial risk." The biggest concern from the group was California's "plan to spend all available funding -- $6 billion -- on a small stretch of track in the Central Valley and hope for the rest of the money." What's more, the bullet train's faces a $25 - $30 billion shortfall during its first phase, "and that there are no available funding sources that could fill that gap." more ›

While California looks for additional funding to cover the $43 billion price tag on our high-speed rail project, Florida Governor Rock Scott recently turned down $2.4 billion in federal dollars for a similar project in his state. We're going to go ahead and assume Florida's non-retired population is perfectly happy traveling by swamp boat or whatever it is they do. As for the snowbirds - well, they probably realized they won't be around long enough to see the project come to fruition anyway. No skin off our back though, Florida's funds will be divvied up amongst the 15 other states with HSR projects and $300 million of it will land in California's coffers. more ›

For your wonky pleasure, we have some highs and lows today regarding two mayoral candidates. First, according to Chris Roberts at SF Appeal, City Attorney Dennis Herrera could be in tepid water for allegedly questionable funding. Roberts notes: "Lobbying clients of local political consultant Alex Tourk -- who is under investigation for potentially illegally lobbying City Attorney Dennis Herrera, whose campaign for mayor Tourk is running -- also donated to Herrera's mayoral campaign, records show." Current city law, you see, restricts campaign consultants from contacting current or former clients. This law was authored by a former supervisor who, at the time, had a beef with the Newsom Administration. more ›

After the Governor tried to raid public transit funds and was stopped by the courts, he's after the money again, but with a different shell game. As pointed out by Damien Newton at Streestblog LA, the LA Times reports that "the governor would eliminate the sales tax on gas and, at the same time, impose a new per-gallon excise tax. Drivers would pay about 5 cents less per gallon at the pump. The excise tax would not be subject to voter-approved spending requirements for public transit." Ouch. more ›

Today the Department of Energy announced a pretty big windfall of funding "for 37 ambitious research projects," ones that involve energy sources such as wind and solar, something crazily awesome about bacteria being used to to "produce automotive fuel from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide," and more. In total, the Golden State received $20.8 million in new funding to help improve the environment. Which, of course, is necessary. more ›

Legislation introduced by Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco/San Mate, which will spare domestic violence programs from budget cuts, is expected to be signed by Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday. SF Appeal/BCN reports that the legislation would "restore $16.3 million to shelters and centers across the state." In July, Schwarzenegger used a line-item veto to slice $20.4 million from the much-needed Domestic Violence Program. more ›

Supervisor John Avalos has a plan to help fund cash-strapped San Francisco. He wants to tax alcohol. According to SF Examiner, Supervisor John Avalos plans to ask our city attorney to draft legislation today that would "impose a fee on alcohol," a small fee that could "offset city costs related to the consumption of alcohol in San Francisco." While he couldn't say what the exact amount would be, he's thinking of possibly tacking on "5 cents for a beer, a larger fee on a bottle of wine, and an even more for hard liquor." more ›

A former grant writer with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice was busted recently for violating civil-service laws -- an alleged conflict of interest that "could lead to fines and perjury charges against the ex-employee." According to the Examiner's Brent Begin, the unidentified one-time City Hall employee also consulted for Vanguard Public Foundation, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that helps fund other nonprofits focused on "social injustice." In the fiscal year 2008, the employee "was a paid consultant, Vanguard received $70,169 through an agreement with the Juvenile Probation Department." Begin goes on to report that "the year before, the nonprofit received $38,487 from The City, according to vendor payment summaries." more ›