California's bullet-train, the target of controversy for years, is looking at a construction startup this summer -- unless new obstacles get in the way.
From the LAT's Ralph Vartabedian: "The state bullet train agency is pushing full throttle to start construction of the important first phase of the California high-speed rail system in as little as six weeks, prompting scrutiny of the state's selection of a construction company with the worst technical scores among bidders."
"Tutor Perini Corp. won the competition to build the first 29 miles of the high-speed rail route on a low bid of $985 million, even though its design quality, safety plan and engineering, among other factors, ranked at the bottom of five teams seeking the work."
"The highest-scoring team, led by the Spanish firm Ferrovial, bid $1.4 billion. The second-highest scorer, led by the Spanish firm Dragados, bid about $100 million more than Tutor."
The millions of California workers who have no retirement plan would get an "automatic IRA" under a new California law that is drawing nation al attention.
From Calpensions' Ed Mendel: "Social Security falls short. Nearly two-thirds of California private-sector workers have no employer retirement plan, and nearly half of all workers are on track to retire with “serious economic hardship,” said a UC Berkeley labor center study."
"The new plan puts the payroll deduction into tax-deferred investments with a guaranteed minimum return, backed by insurance. The state and the employer have no liability."
"Employers of five or more workers must offer the automatic IRA or an alternative retirement plan. An employer would not be required to contribute to the plan, and workers can opt out."
California is the Goldwn State with its Hollywood and lots of millionaires, but it also has more povewrty than any other state in the union.
From HealthyCal's Dan Weintraub: "By the traditional measure, California’s poverty rate is 16.6 percent, 20th in the nation. But the new, supplemental measure released last year by the Census Bureau puts California at the top of the list with a poverty rate of 23.5 percent."
"Unlike the official measure, the supplemental poverty measure reflects the cost of living – including housing – in a state and also reflects transfer payments such as food and housing subsidies and tax credits."
"By either measure, though, it is clear that California has a lot of poor people, far more than its glittering image would suggest."
A proposed expansion of the sales tax is under way in Congress, requiring online customers to pay the tax, no matter where the company is located. It's especially6 a big issue in California, where memories of the dispute with Amazon are still fresh.
From the LA Daily News' Kevin Smith: "Internet retailers have long held an advantage over their brick-and-mortar competitors. Startup costs and costs associated with advertising and overhead are significantly lower for Internet businesses. And when the absence of sales tax is figured in, it equates to significantly lower prices for consumers."
"The Marketplace Fairness Act would grant states the authority to compel online and catalog retailers - no matter where they are located - to collect sales tax at the time of a transaction, just as local retailers are required to do."
"The sales tax revenue would then be funneled back to the cash-strapped states where the shoppers live."
The Colorado River is crucial to the seven western states that share its flows, but the river is stressed to the max and its future is on the table.
From the AP's Ken Ritter: "The river provides drinking water, power and recreation for some 40 million people in California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming. Its largest reservoirs — Lake Mead near Las Vegas and Lake Powell near Page, Ariz. — are projected to drop to 45 percent capacity by September, Connor said."
"Mexico also has a stake in the river, and U.S. and Mexican officials signed a pact in November for new rules on sharing Colorado River water, including a deal that lets Mexico store water in Lake Mead. The deal provides for international cooperation to ensure that river water reaches the Gulf of California for the first time in decades..."
"The report looked at supply and demand of Colorado River Basin water. It said that by 2060, with the Southwest's population expected to swell, the river won't be always able to serve all the residents, businesses, ranchers, Native Americans and farmers who rely on it."
And from our "What's in a Name?" file comes word that Iceland is looking for a new moniker.
"Iceland is in the market for a new name, and after accepting submissions from across the Internet (never a good idea), it's deciding between two options: "Let's Get Lost Land" and "Isle of Awe Land."
"So far "Isle of Awe Land" is winning in a landslide, but there's still time to change that by casting your own vote on the "Inspired by Iceland" Web site."
"Other submissions that didn't make the Top Two included "Best Place to Grow a Beard Land" and "Niceland," plus a few others that I'm sure didn't get passed out by tourism officials. "A country's name is its identity but that doesn't mean it describes it in the right way," Reykjavik Mayor Jon Gnarr told the Daily Telegraph. "I mean, look at Greenland."
So what's wrong with Niceland? ...