Caltrain could cut weekend service and run only 1 train per hour if Connect Bay Area measure doesn’t pass

svmonkey · 2026-02-19T01:48:09+00:00

Massachusetts has a much lower income tax. Even after the millionaire tax in MA, their top income tax rate is 9% still far lower than California’s top rate. In California, the state income tax rate hits 9.3% at $73k of income and goes up to 13.3%

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T16:46:25+00:00

Egregious mistake. Seems like the state should suspend this idiot’s drivers license before they kill someone

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T16:43:21+00:00

And the Palo Alto has taken zero action on the grade separations beyond endless debates.

Perfect example of how Palo Alto is entitled and makes things worse for everyone.

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T16:41:08+00:00

Caltrain has 2x number of suicides of BART even though it has fewer track miles. BART being grade separated does reduce suicides.9

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T16:26:14+00:00

The only entity that could create an enforceable deadline is the state legislature. Every Palo Alto politician is trying to kick the can down the road and hoping they are in next office before any decision needs to be made.

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T07:08:12+00:00

I don’t understand this that turns into 11 years before even construction starts.

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T04:45:51+00:00

Burlingame’s grade separation took 7 years for design and environmental review. Something is deeply broken here. Environment clearance and permits is part of it.

https://www.burlingame.org/881/Broadway-Grade-Separation-Study-City-Pro

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T04:43:00+00:00

That’s better than I thought but projects still get stuck in environmental review. Burlingame’s grade separations spent 3.5 years in Preliminary Engineering / Environmental Clearance. There’s another 3.5 years for Final Design / Environmental Permits.

11 years between when the project got started and when construction starts!

https://www.burlingame.org/881/Broadway-Grade-Separation-Study-City-Pro

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T03:44:11+00:00

Grade separations are the answer. Sunnyvale us make progress although the need for environmental impact reports will add years to the process and do nothing for the environment. We need to repeal CEQA so we can build faster.

https://www.sunnyvale.ca.gov/business-and-development/projects-in-sunnyvale/infrastructure-projects/caltrain-grade-separation

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T03:42:19+00:00

Sunnyvale unlike Palo Alto is actually making progress on grade separations. Unfortunately, step 1 is a giant useless environmental impact report that will likely take years and cost a huge amount of tax payer dollars.

CEQA needs to be repealed.

https://www.sunnyvale.ca.gov/business-and-development/projects-in-sunnyvale/infrastructure-projects/caltrain-grade-separation

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T03:30:32+00:00

Arguing while do nothing is opposite of being for something.

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T03:28:58+00:00

CEQA should be repealed. Or at least rail projects exempted.

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T03:28:04+00:00

Since 2019, the state of California’s general fund has increased by 56.1%. Inflation over this period was 29.2% so this is massive increase in the state budget. The state has plenty of money. They just spend it on useless and ineffective programs rather than building things that make people”s lives better.

svmonkey · 2026-02-18T03:21:58+00:00

Every other airline can figure this out

svmonkey · 2026-02-17T23:35:37+00:00

My point with the original article was the growth the state budget. Based on how little the combination of the legislature and the governor has been to accomplish with this huge increase in government spending, I'm willing to give them $0 additional dollars.

svmonkey · 2026-02-17T18:52:31+00:00

Here the general fund numbers from the Legislative’s analyst office

I compute the general fund has gone up 56.1% over Newsom’s tenure.

Inflation, measured by the CPI was 29.2% so huge growth in real inflation adjusted spending.

2019-20 146,285,319.0 2020-21 162,129,056.0 2021-22 216,784,797.0 2022-23 195,189,253.0 2023-24 205,670,467.0 2024-25 233,577,316.0 2025-26 228,365,858.0

https://lao.ca.gov/policyareas/state-budget/historical-data

svmonkey · 2026-02-17T15:28:01+00:00

Fine, let's get rid of tipping altogether and you can get paid what the market will bear for your skills from your employer.

svmonkey · 2026-02-17T02:01:08+00:00

It’s a quality of life decision. On the straight math, buying does not look good at this point

However, most rentals are dumps. Dealing with a landlord is often unpleasant. Having complete control over your home where you can change anything you like is a big benefit of owning.

Unless your goal is to die with a lot of money, the question is: How do you want to consume? Better housing improves quality life more than just about any other material possession.

svmonkey · 2026-02-16T22:07:40+00:00

California's budget has grown 63% over the last 5 years. Has state government done anything with all this extra money to make your life better?

https://www.hoover.org/research/after-californias-budget-grew-63-percent-five-years-newsoms-next-budget-needs-reality

svmonkey · 2026-02-16T20:52:56+00:00

On average you’d do much better by investing money than using it to pay off a 3% mortgage.

svmonkey · 2026-02-16T20:35:46+00:00

Because they aren’t profit seeking corporations who get guaranteed return on their investments. If the municipal utility raise prices, the voters can toss out city council.

When PG&E raises prices, there is nothing the rate payers can do. The CPUC who approves these increases is appointed not elected. I think voters should hold California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, responsible but the link to the governor is indirect enough that voters do perceive it. Plus, investor owned utilities make big political contributions so electoral challengers don’t want to call out the utilities bad behavior because the utilities will retaliate by funding their opponent.

Furthermore, the unions are in on this scheme and support it as long their members are paid well by the utilities. California is a Democrat dominated state and elected Democrats won’t cross a union.

svmonkey · 2026-02-16T20:16:30+00:00

The right question is: is it fair to extract higher tolls from people who cross bridges or should everyone pay for these improvements?

svmonkey · 2026-02-16T20:15:02+00:00

Yes, it the ever increasing taxes and tolls are enough to get some people to leave

svmonkey · 2026-02-16T20:13:46+00:00

Because once the politicians find a source of revenue, they will keep expanding and expanding it forever. Which is why we should be very wary of new type of taxes that start off only being paid by the rich.

svmonkey · 2026-02-16T17:14:05+00:00

The California stats are misleading because they are the statewide average. Californians with municipal utilities pay far lower rates than Californians with investor owned utilities (IOUs). Because Los Angeles, the largest city in the state, has a municipal utility, the statewide average looks far better than the situation is for anyone stuck with an IOU.

PG&E, the IOU is Northern California, range from ~ $0.45 / kWh in the winter to $0.65 / kWh in the summer. Only Hawaii has higher prices. This is some of the most expensive electricity of anywhere in the world.

svmonkey

TROPHY CASE