by dday [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Open up any Bay Area paper today, and you'll learn that the driver of the gas truck that caused the collapse of the Oakland Maze served time for heroin use -- in 1996. The San Francisco Chronicle is happy to tell us that "[t]he driver of the gasoline tanker truck that overturned and ignited a fire that brought down part of the MacArthur Maze has a criminal record, including a conviction for possession of heroin in 1996 that earned him a 32-month state prison sentence," while the Oakland Tribune notes that "James Mosqueda Sr. accumulated a criminal record stretching from 1974-1996 that includes a misdemeanor hit-and-run; a felony drug possession that garnered him two years in state prison; and a second degree burglary, according to court records for Sacramento and Yolo counties. Yet the 51-year-old Woodland resident was able to obtain a license to haul hazardous materials and pass a Transportation Security Administration background check."

What an outrage! A man last convicted of a minor crime in 1996 -- for heroin use of all things -- managed to acquire a security clearance to drive a truck. Stop the presses. But wait, there's more. Again the Chronicle:

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

More details are emerging on the deal that has been agreed upon by the leadership of both parties in the California Assembly and State Senate to deal with state prison overcrowding. The bill, AB 900, is not in print and may be considered in “mock up” form [cut and paste] tomorrow. The Assembly will vote first at an unusual 8:30 a.m. session followed by the Senate at 10:30 a.m.

The total amount of state money that will go to prison and jail construction under the bill will be $7.4 billion. This compares to over $10 billion that had initially been proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger. Revenue bonds and a lease arrangement will be used to finance this, which, over the 25 years to repay that is provided will cost in the neighborhood of $14 to $15 billion over those years, for a rough estimate of $600 million per year coming out of the state’s General Fund.

This is a revenue bond because it can be passed, with a 2/3 vote and does not need to be submitted to the voters for approval which would come next year. This device was used because of a pending Federal Court hearing on May 16 and other federal cases that are pending on other issues involving medical treatment.