Sprawl in reverse

The Telegraph reports that many US cities may have to be bulldozed in order to survive.

SB 518 dead for this year

SB 518 needed 21 votes to pass the California State Senate, but in a vote Wednesday, it only received 19. The Senate allowed Sen. Lowenthal to bring it up for another vote next year, but in the words of a Senate staffer, "the bill died for this year."

Here you can see the roll call votes of the 19 senators who voted yes, and the 18 who voted no.

America at War

Michael Moore: "Just as President Roosevelt did after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the President must tell the nation that we are at war and we must immediately convert our auto factories to factories that build mass transit vehicles and alternative energy devices."

SB 518 passes Appropriations on 7-5 vote

The California Senate Appropriations Committee passed SB 518 on Thursday by a 7-5 vote. Senator Loni Hancock, wife of Berkeley mayor Tom Bates, is now a co-author. It looks like the next step is a vote by the full Senate.

SB 518 goes to Appropriations

SB 518, as amended passed out of the Education Committee on a 5-3 vote yesterday. It's been re-referred to the Appropriations Committee.

Glass-half-full observation: at least it hasn't gotten stuck in committee, so far.

UPDATE: The Appropriations hearing will take place on May 26.

SB 518: The April 21 video

While we're waiting for the latest news from this morning's Senate Education Committee hearing on SB 518, here's the video (starting at 1:38:30) from the April 21 Senate Transportation and Housing Commitee hearing on the same bill (before it was watered down). The very real debate points scored by parking reformers testifying before the transportation committee will serve our cause well when we bring this issue back, or celebrate any substantive good that comes from the current bill as it inches forward.

SB 518 author weakens legislation; CCs still oppose

Facing opposition from community colleges, Sen. Alan Lowenthal amended SB 518 on April 22 to weaken this legislation as it pertains to community colleges. Read the new legislative analysis. The Senate Committee on Education will hold a hearing on the amended bill tomorrow in Sacramento. The groups that originally supported SB 518 sent no new letters of support; the California Community College League remains opposed. This watered-down bill obviously portends a long process for parking reform in California.