Comment Log Display

    Thank you for the opportunity to address the board last night
at the Workshop in Los Angeles. In the interest of brevity I didn't
express all my ideas in my address. Here are all of them in brief.
    I suggest that no proceeds go towards any combustion power
entity, be it generation,transportation,distilling or refining.I
feel that contradicts the core goal of the plan by returning some
of the funds to the entities that purchased them. 
    The 10%(to be invested in projects located within the
disadvantaged communities) should be a part of the 25%(directed to
projects that benefit disadvantaged communities). Funding not spent
,or improperly spent, in these areas in the course of the fiscal
year should be reallocated to others that are on or ahead of
schedule to be implemented. This removes the backlog of monies
unspent to further the cause. Also this compells the communities to
use the funds expeditiously and correctly.
    Also, there should be a limit on decorative landscape
irrigation for all properties. Businesses also should not be
allowed to write off landscape irrigation as a business expense on
state and federal tax forms. If there is no financial driver then
business won't change procedure. This would generate some tax
revenue and decrease water usage across the board.
    The light rail systems all across California might want to
follow the lead of Portland,Oregon and allow free or at least lower
fare use of trains on weekends to increase familiarity with rail
use and more customers to businesses along the routes on
non-officework days.
    Lastly, perhaps one project to consider would be to convert the
trains that cross the Tehachapi Pass to electric. This would
address several requirements. Funding would benefit the
disadvantaged communities in the northern L.A. county and southern
Kern county. This section of track will be used extensively during
the construction of the High Speed rail line. And this would reduce
pollution, because due to the steep rate of climb, the diesels in
use now use more fuel than any other section of rail in the state.
Thank you, William Miller                 
                                        (310-776-0187)