Bikes and Horses
Funny Rick Reiff should mention horse trails in his Sept. 3 editorial on OCTA’s plan to build a system of bicycle paths in order to relieve traffic congestion. I was just in my friend Addison’s neighbors’ yard when I overheard…
“Now, Willburrrr, I know what people are saying, but a horse is far superior to a bike. No peddling of any kind, and we naturally assist the greenbelts. Rick Reiff is right on. More horse trails.”
“That’s wasn’t his point at all, Ed. More importantly, Ed, you have to realize that paint will probably cost around 40 cents per linear foot of painted stripe applied to an existing road. That first 205 miles is, lemme see…”
“Wilburrr, save yourself, it’s 5,280 feet, 205 times, for 1,082,400.0 feet. So paint would be, maybe, $432,960.00. Get to the point, Wilbur, my feet hurt!”
“Well, Ed, you see, people will just naturally flock to the bike lanes. And besides, $30 million for less than a half-million dollars in paint really is a bargain in this day and age. Especially in this town. That’s $29.5 million for those fine union firms who are the only ones allowed to work for the county. They need that money, Ed. It’s crucial to their survival!”
“Wilbur, don’t make me do the math for you…”
“Now, Ed, I am serious about this. I don’t want to hear anymore ‘horse sense.’ Bike lanes are a critical part of our transit future, since the decade long decline in bike sales is so misleading. Ed, what you have to realize is that all the closures of bike manufacturers, consolidations and mergers can mean only one thing: Bikes are poised for an unlimited rebound!”
At that point I had to pedal off. Have a nice day!
RJ Mallory
Yorba Linda
Energy, Cont’d
Members of the Legislature must have a single-minded focus on two issues:
Getting state government out of the electricity buying business, and equitably allocating energy costs.
There is only one way to accomplish the first goal: Pass legislation to return Southern California Edison to investment-grade credit status. Ideally this legislation will serve as a model to expeditiously bring PG & E; to financial health, as well. Only then will the utilities be able to resume the hard job of buying and selling power in the most economically efficient way.
The solvency of investor-owned utilities is critical to the delivery of reliable and affordable energy in California. This is the best strategy to assure direct access for large industrial energy consumers so they can chose their energy supplier or generate it themselves. State government procurement of electric energy on a long-term or permanent basis will have damaging consequences for taxpayers and the economy.
The Legislature must also allocate responsibility for energy costs equitably while sheltering residents of the state that are truly in need.
Attempting to load all under collection costs on business in order to insulate most residential consumers from the realities of the California energy market discourages conservation and jeopardizes the fiscal health of the state. Residential energy consumers have demonstrated their ability to respond to higher energy costs by managing utilization.
Reliable and affordable energy is critical to California’s economic future.
Larry McCarthy
President
California Taxpayers’ Association
Sacramento
While blackouts have not become the daily occurrence in California that experts predicted, the energy crisis still weighs heavy on our minds. To motivate homeowners and small businesses to continue their conservation efforts, we have sponsored legislation to provide financial incentives to those who install “energy load reduction systems.”
AB81XX would provide tax deductions for 25% of the cost to purchase and install products such as solar control window film, window shading, attic, wall, and floor insulation, new roofs, or duct efficiency improvements. The tax deduction could potentially yield savings up to $750 for residences and $1,500 for small businesses.
We must continue to explore innovative options to reduce electricity demand at peak energy use times. Energy load reduction systems offer a viable answer to our state’s energy predicament.
Bill Morrow
Jenny Oropeza
(Morrow is a Republican state senator from San Juan Capistrano, Oropeza a Democratic assemblywoman from Carson.)
Deep Thoughts, Cont’d
I spent the end of my summer vacation in deep thought in New York City.
I visited my son, OC native Jeff Glueck, who is an executive with travel service Site59.com. He related a real-life “Seinfeld” story to me:
Earlier this year he had his laundry stolen a short distance from his home. While walking in the neighborhood two weeks later he passed a homeless man wearing a Site59.com T-shirt, which only Jeff and a few others have. After the initial shock he decided to say nothing, figuring the shirt had gone to a good cause. I suggested he give all the homeless t-shirts for advertising purposes. I also suggested that their shirts have a slogan such as, “Even we can travel using Site59.com.”
Michael Glueck, MD
Newport Beach
