Monthly Archives: February 2019

Gavin Newsom throws a big party…and who contributes?

“Party favors: Friends of Gov. Gavin Newsom raised a party-hearty $2.5 million for his inauguration festivities.


“The biggest donor to the inaugural and the two days of parties was organized labor, which ponied up $775,000 to help stage the events, with $150,000 coming from the state’s prison guards union and $100,000 from the California Teachers Association Political Action Committee.
“The state’s Indian casinos chipped in $525,0000, including $200,000 from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, owners of the Graton Resort and Casino in Rohnert Park.
“Friends of Gov. Gavin Newsom raised $2.5 million for his inauguration festivities.
“The biggest individual donor was former San Diego Padres owner Jennifer Moores, who gave $200,000. Netflix founder and charter school advocate Reed Hastings gave $50,000.


“Other big-dollar contributors included AT&T ($100,000), the State Democratic Party ($100,000) and the California Association of Hospitals ($100,000). In other words, pretty much your usual collection of organizations, businesses and trade associations that do business with the state.
“Donors to the California Rises charity concert held the night before the inauguration included the Silicon Valley Community Foundation at $250,000 and $50,000 from the San Francisco Giants.


“The concert, which featured Pitbull and Common, along with the X Ambassadors and Betty Who, raised $5 million for the California Fire Foundation.” — Phil Matier

Gavin Newsom talks some sense about “high speed” rail….belatedly…..

It is about time that the chimerical ideal of a “high-speed” rail line from SF to Los Angeles was abandoned by our out-of-touch elites.

Newsom has finally said that the emperor has no clothes.

The facts are that a “high-speed” rail line is not only too expensive to build, has the opposition of landowners and will have ticket prices that will be unaffordable for ordinarly people.

Instead, how about improving the existing rail structure to offer a service which, while beating the bus service times, is subsidized, so inexpensive to use, and is a pleasure to take?