By Judy Pinegar

John and I wanted some exercise so we went to Griffith Quarry Park and Museum in Penryn, CA.  This site is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the California Landmark Program. The surrounding 23-acre park contains ruins of the first polishing mill built in California and some of the quarry holes from which the unique Penryn granite was taken. It is a wooded area with trails both close to and wider around two large former quarries. The walk starts at the parking lot, where the museum is the same building that used to house the Quarry Office, and the parking lot itself used to be the main Yard and polishing buildings.

Here is a picture of what it looked like circa 1881.

Click on picture to enlarge

As we walked John took pictures of several areas of interest in the park.

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Office and museum

Click on picture to enlarge. Click on picture to return to page.

The Penryn stone is dark gray biotite granite, uniform in color, and there was also “black granite,” a very dark granite one mile east of Penryn.  This stone is used mainly for cemetery monuments and buildings.

Then we went to the Museum, and learned more about the quarry, established as Penryn Granite Works, by Welsh immigrant Griffith Griffith in 1864. Mr. Griffith formerly worked in the famous slate quarries in Penrhyn, Wales. He quarried granite at Folsom, but in 1864 he came to Penryn, which he named after his Welsh home. Here he remained, and he and his descendants quarried granite from that time until about 1906. The museum contains some of the original office furniture of the Penryn Granite Works and information on the Griffith family, the granite industry, and the history of the Penryn-Loomis Basin area. While there, talking to the volunteer we heard about the Rocklin History Museum, which had some old mining tools in the basement.

Since that is just a few miles down Taylor Road, we went there next, where they display Rocklin’s history of “Rock, Rails and Ranches”. They have a timeline of the small settlement of the 1850′s to the thriving community of today. There also was a lot of information about when the Central Pacific Rocklin Roundhouse provided engines to power the Transcontinental Railroad over the high Sierra. When they grew out of space in Rocklin, they moved the whole roundhouse to Roseville along with some of the houses!

Rocklin was the “Granite Capitol of the West” over 40 quarries were in operation at one time. The Rocklin granite quarries were first opened about 1861. The Big Gun granite quarry is located behind the Rocklin City Hall building, and John and I walked across the street to see it. Rocklin stone is biotite granite, lighter in color than the Penryn granite.

For further information:
Rocklin Historical Society Presentation Big Gun Granite Quarry: Past, Present, Future
(Very large PDF file)

Judy Pinegar is a writer and her articles have appeared in numerous publications

 

View Larger Map to see the location of the quarries

Thinking of buying or selling?
For all your real estate needs
Email or call:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

By Judy Pinegar

Judy Pinegar is the Manager of the California Department of Education Waiver Office. The function of the Waiver Office is to manage the process of school districts, charter schools and county offices of education requesting waivers of state statute (Education Code) or regulation (Title 5 California Code of Regulation) which are then heard by the State Board of Education. Recently she was interviewed about the increasing trend of local educational agencies requesting waivers of the statute which charges a penalty if the class sizes rise above certain levels.

Current state limits set in 1964 are as follows: 1) Kindergarten: Average 31, not to exceed 33 in a single classroom; 2) Grades 1-3: Average 30; 32 maximum; and 3) Grades 4-8: Average 29.9, or whatever the class size was in 1964. Local educational agencies requests to increase class sizes is a reflection of  their lack of funds and attempts to avoid teacher layoffs.

Sacramento Bee, Friday, Aug. 13, 2010

“California students returning to school this month are finding some of the biggest class sizes in more than a decade. And they are likely to get even bigger. Large numbers of school districts are bombarding the state with requests to expand classes beyond the legal limits.

The California Board of Education which reviews class-size waiver requests, gave out 16 exemptions in an 11-month period ending in July. Since then, the board heard 16 more waiver requests at its board meeting Aug. 2 and expects another 16 in September, said Judy Pinegar, manager of the waiver office at the California Department of Education.

The state had no requests for class size increases between 1999 and 2009. “It’s the hot item right now,” Pinegar said. “I’m expecting almost every district in the state to request one.”

The state allows an average of 31 students in kindergarten, 30 in first through third grade and 29.9 in fourth through eighth grade. The waivers allow school districts to avoid stiff financial penalties for going over allowable class sizes. Without a waiver, districts can lose nearly all the state funding for each child over the limit.

The state school board has been accommodating. “The board is recommending up to 33, no higher than that,” Pinegar said. “No district has otherwise convinced the board.” The main criteria for an exemption, said Pinegar, is if paying the penalty would hurt student learning.

The requests have not been without controversy. The California Teachers Association protested the waivers at the August meeting, Pinegar said.

But research on whether class sizes affect student learning isn’t clear. A five-year study paid for by the state and conducted by a consortium of research groups could not determine whether class-size reduction was responsible for increases in achievement test scores during that time.”

To read the whole article go to:Sacremento Bee

by Lisa J. Lehr

It’s been a long, cool spring, but it’s bound to get hot one of these days. And when it does, human bodies will be heading for water bodies in droves.

There’s no question that swimming cools you off, provided the water temperature is lower than your body temperature—which it is, unless we’re talking about a hot tub or a hot spring. But is swimming the equivalent of a glass of lemonade: cools you off, but has no real health benefits? Or is it really good for you?

Well…it depends.

First, the pluses of swimming as exercise:

1.      It uses all your major muscle groups.

2.      It can provide a good workout for your heart and lungs.

3.      It’s easy on your joints.

4.      The buoyancy factor (you weigh about one-tenth as much in water as you do on land) makes it a good exercise for people who are pregnant, have injuries, or need to avoid high-impact types of exercise.

5.      It’s appropriate for people of all ages and ability levels.

Now the minuses:

1.      In order to count swimming as exercise, you’ll need to swim a good number of brisk laps (floating and splashing won’t do it), and some people find that monotonous.

2.      Swimming puts no stress on your bones, and weight-bearing exercise is essential for maintaining bone mass and strength.

3.      Swimming makes you hungry, so the calories you consume after a swim may exceed those you burned during the swim.

4.      Unlike with other types of exercise, your body does not continue burning calories at an increased rate after your workout. This is because you don’t heat up as much exercising in water as on land; you lose body heat faster to water than to air because water is denser, so your body doesn’t have to work to cool you down post-workout.

5.      Finally, if swimming is to be your workout of choice, you need convenient access to a pool. The “inconvenience factor” may become a convenient excuse not to exercise.

So if you like swimming, find that it meets your exercise needs, and is convenient and not too boring, go for it. But if you’ve been swimming for a while and wondering why you’re not seeing the results you expected, now you know why! You may want to explore some other type of exercise.

And if you’re heading for a natural water body, especially the fast-moving, snowmelt-fed rivers of Nevada County, remember that humans (and other land creatures) and cold, white water are a dangerous and often deadly combination. Especially when alcohol is involved.

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer, copywriter, and fitness enthusiast living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

–
Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

The holiday season is here…and with the holidays comes decorating! The following tips and suggestions will help ensure safety as you get in the holiday spirit.

• Decorate only with lights that have a NOEL or U/L testing agency label. Check wires, plugs and sockets for signs of wear or defects. Remember: If in doubt – throw them out.
• Do not overload outlets and extension cords. Never tie together more than three extension cords. (Best not to tie any of them together)
• Be sure decorative lights used outside are approved for outdoor use.
• When decorating outdoors, be aware of all power lines. Don’t work near overhead power lines or anywhere there is a possibility of contacting an overhead power line, either directly or indirectly, with a ladder or other piece of equipment.
• Place Christmas trees away from fireplaces, radiators, television sets, and other sources of heat that may prematurely dry out the tree and make it more susceptible to fire. Make sure the tree has a sufficient amount of water at all times.
• Don’t burn wrapping paper or boxes in the fireplace. These types of materials ignite quickly and may burn uncontrollably.

Calculating Energy Costs For Your Christmas Lights.

It’s that time of year when houses shine a bit brighter. Ever wonder how much the decorative holiday lights add to a monthly electric bill? Here’s an easy way to help calculate energy costs this holiday season.

• Count the bulbs on all of your decorative indoor and outdoor lights.
• Check the wattage per bulb.
• Multiply watts per bulb by number of bulbs. (1 watt per bulb x 1,000 bulbs = 1,000 watts).
• Convert watts to kilowatts – 1,000 watts = 1 kilowatt (kw).
• Estimate the hours per month the lights are on. (5 hours per day x 30 days = 150 hours)
• Multiply the total kilowatts by the total number of hours the lights will be on to get the total kilowatt-hours (kwh). For example, 1 kw x 150 hours = 150 kwh.
• Multiply the total kilowatt-hours by the total cost of electricity per kwh. (150 kwh x $0.14 per kwh = $21) In this example, the cost of holiday lighting would be an additional $21 per month.

Source:  RISMedia, publisher of Real Estate Magazine

Republished for educational purposes
John O’Dell
Real Estate Broker

By Elizabeth Dunn, Landscape Architect 

It’s the holiday season, when the eggnog is back in the stores, the fruitcakes come out of the cupboard, and my hand is cramped from writing Christmas cards.  It is also the time of year for magic and one of the best combinations of aromas.  Hot chocolate with candy canes, cloves in oranges, and Christmas trees!  

Nordman Fir

The Nevada County Farm Guide for 2009 lists several places to find Christmas Trees, and some of the local nurseries have live trees available.  These trees can be planted in the yard after Christmas.  They are not in pots or boxes but have their roots and attached soil wrapped in burlap. In the industry they are called balled and burlapped or B&B on the plant list.  It allows for less waste when planting the tree because there are not wooden boards or plastic pots to send to a landfill or recycling center.  The tree is planted with the burlap still in place.  Before the hole is filled the burlap is pulled back from the top 1/3 of the rootball, the natural fiber rope is cut from the trunk and in a few other spots, and then the hole is filled with the appropriate mixture of planting soil.   

I spend a couple Saturdays a month working at Peaceful Valley.  They have live trees for sale.  Having never worked on a Christmas tree farm, I enjoyed helping people pick out their tree.  It was even more magical knowing that they will be able to enjoy the tree well into the future.  It is recommended that they plant the tree in their fire safe zone, keep it irrigated for at least the first three years while it is becoming established, and eventually, after several years, remove the lower branches.

Douglas Fir

Douglas Fir is one of the favorites.  It is listed as native to Nevada County in the Master Garden’s Western Nevada County Gardening Guide.  It is not a True Fir tree as its botanical genus name, Pseudotsuga, shows.  However, according to the National Forestry Association, it is one of the fastest growing conifers in the temperate forests and is the most important lumber species in the US.   

White Fir

True Fir Trees have the botanical genus name of Abies.  With my unscientific poll, this genus is best because of its scent. “It just smells like Christmas!” many friends say.  There are several species of True Firs.  The Nordman Fir is popular as an indoor potted plant.  It has evenly spaced branches that easily showcase a range of ornaments. Sunset’s Western Garden Book notes that the Nordman is one of the best adapted Firs for California gardens. 

Corkbar FirWhite Fir

There are so many more evergreen trees out there.  The Cedar, Cypress, Pine, Sequoia, and Spruce are all trees that are used for Christmas Trees and decoration.  With proper care and the right location, any species of tree will provide years of wonder.  Its ornaments next year can be popcorn and red berry chains.  The magic will be heard when the winter birds are singing from its branches and it will be felt when standing close to the tree and listening to the silence of the snow as it falls all around.  

Happy Holidays! 

Elizabeth Dunn is a licensed Landscape Architect. She spends the majority of her work days in the studio of Rebecca Cofffman Landscape Architects in Nevada City, CA 

Sources: 

Nevada County Farm Guide 

Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply 

Western Nevada County Gardening Guide

UCCE Nevada County Master Gardeners, c. 2006 

Western Garden Book, Sunset Books, sixth printing, c. 1998 

Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, Michael Dirr, c. 1998

Mountain Theatre at Mt. Tamalpais

One of the current projects in the office requires an amphitheater.  In Roman times, an amphitheater was considered two theaters facing each other with a stage in the middle.  The Roman Coliseum is a good example of this.  Today it simply means an outdoor theater with a stage and places to sit and a place for vendors to provide food and drink.  With this initial knowledge, I went looking for design elements of amphitheaters.

I searched the web and found some great photos.  One of the best was the Scott Outdoor Amphitheater at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania.  It was designed by Thomas W. Sears, a landscape architect, and built in 1942.  Then, I went to the library and found the 4^th edition of ‘The Oxford Companion to the Theatre.’ This book lists several definitions about the theater.  Under the acoustics heading, several physical elements that enhance sound distribution were explained.  This reading brought me back to the internet where I found an article about the outdoor theater in Epidaurus, Greece.  Live Science.   Finally, I reviewed the outdoor venues I have visited and what made them enjoyable.

The most fascinating item I found was that the outdoor theater in Epidaurus, Greece, which was built about 4 B.C., is one of the best theatres for sound distribution.  Recently they have determined that it is not just because of the semicircular seating or the incline angle of the seats, it also has to do with the material of the seats.  They were built with limestone.  Turns out the limestone absorbs low frequencies like the whispers of the crowd and reflects the higher frequencies of the performers’ voices. If the performers have some low frequencies here and there in their speech, ‘The Oxford Companion’ explains the human mind has the ability to fill in these lower sounds and understand the dialogue.

A few other physical elements to enhance sound include a backdrop, a ceiling and a lowered front floor.  The backdrop stops the sound from leaving out the back of the stage.  The ceiling over the stage keeps the sound from going up into the sky.  A solid floor in front of and a bit below the stage bounces the falling sound back into the audience.  In an indoor theater, it is known that a smooth wall will bounce around sound from the performers and the audience members over and over.  This will amplify and echo the sounds and disrupt the listener’s experience.  These indoor walls need an absorptive quality.  Many times you will see tapestries or ornate wood carvings on the walls and ceilings.  These elements capture the sound and keep them from becoming an echo.  If the elements are too absorptive, the sound will be muffled to the extreme and again lessen the listener’s experience.  

Today there are speakers to help with the sound distribution.  They come in all sizes and range of frequencies.  Depending on the size of the audience, an experienced sound engineer / sound technician will set up a speaker or multitude of them.   They will be set right at the stage and/or spread throughout the audience.  Either way, the sound engineer has the ability to test the set up and adjust them for any echo or feedback that screeches through.

A good example of the use of speakers is in the lawn seats at Ravinia.  This outdoor venue just outside Chicago, IL is a popular spot.  The Chicago Symphony and other performers play through out the summer.  There is permanent seating around the stage that is arranged in an arc and built with a slight incline.  This is the pavilion and it has a roof, but the sides are open.  The sound is distributed throughout the seating area and into the surrounding lawn area with the use of speakers.  The lawn area allows for less expensive seating.  However, several of the people with pavilion tickets come early, sit in the lawn with their picnic and then enter the pavilion at their leisure.  The ticket holders for the lawn come as soon as the gates are open, stake claim to their spot with blankets and tie balloons or banners so others in their party can find them.  After their meal, the audience in the lawn quiets, stretches out on their blanket and watches the stars brighten as the music lingers in the air. 

Here in Grass Valley, the Nevada County Fairgrounds has a large lawn area where the audience sets up their own chairs in front of the temporary stage.  I have not been there early enough to see this happen but they must have a chair alignment police to make such a nice arrangement.  I have been told that if the owners of the chairs are not watching the current performance, one can go sit in the chairs until the owner returns.  I have not tried this.  Nor do I think I would be comfortable trying it unless I knew the person who owned the chair.  I would also prefer to lie on a blanket and watch the tips of the trees sway in the summer breeze and find formations in the clouds as the music dances by my ears.

The design required for our project will be completed in phases, with a current budget allowing for a small stage and lawn seating. Future phases, and a generous donor, would allow the design elements of the great outdoor theatres to be incorporated into this space.  This would include designs for permanent seating, set on an incline and built with stone (with cushions for modern comfort).  In addition to the historic elements, an open area is a required design element.  This will allow the audience to spread out on a blanket, enjoy good company and relax while watching the sky and as the music floats by their ears. 

Elizabeth Dunn is a licensed Landscape Architect. She spends the majority of her work days in the studio of Rebecca Cofffman Landscape Architects in Nevada City, CA

Elizabeth Dunn, Licensed Landscape Architect

Hello readers, I am Elizabeth. John has extended an invitation for me to contribute to this blog.  My contributions will revolve around the continuing education of my profession.  I have a degree in Landscape Architecture and some people are still surprised that such a degree is available.  In this first post, however, I will talk about the design process learned in school.  We learned this process over and over for all sorts of projects including, private home landscapes, private business developments, community parks, vacation resorts, public developments, state and national parks, etc.  During those 5 years of undergraduate education, these 5 steps were essential to creating a successful design.

Step 1 – Existing Site Survey: This is the map showing the current conditions of the property.  The map would delineate the property lines, utilities, existing buildings, significant paved areas, etc. During step 1, the owner of the property should also be interviewed to discover what the intentions and desires are for the project site.

Step 2 – Site Analysis Plan: This plan builds upon the existing site survey by noting the physical conditions that affect the property.  These may include, the location of the sun throughout the year, the direction of the winds, the flow of the water over the land, views to enhance, views to screen, etc. The second step includes the creation of a narrative from the interview in step one.  The narrative defines the objectives of the project and guides the design in the remaining steps.

Step 3 – Concept Drawings: In the pen and paper days, this is the step that would have crumbled up pages strew over the floor.   The pages would get thrown over a shoulder throughout the day and night as ideas continued to evolve.  Finally a concept is developed that best meets the majority of objectives.  Of course the designer and the client might not always agree which concept does this.  Then more crumbled up paper would be strew about until eventually, the final concept is defined.

Step 4 – Construction Documents: This package of drawings help narrow the different interpretations of the concepts so all the different eyes on the project are seeing the same thing.  These documents describe with detailed drawings how the ideas will come to life by studying the individual elements in relation to the specific environmental factors of the site.

Step 5 – Construction Administration: This fancy title describes the continued communication between the designer and installer.  This communication is important, because even with the perfect set of construction documents, questions arise during the installation of a project.   The other important part of this step is to create a set of As-Built drawings.  These drawings record who installed the project, the final location of underground lines (i.e. irrigation and electrical lines), type of materials used and where they were purchased and specific plants installed.

So those are the 5 steps learned over 5 years in school.   1 year of tuition for 1 step in the process.  You’d think I would have learned it all for that price!  It is true that those years of education taught more than just those 5 steps and it also taught me to continue to study my profession.  So thanks to John for providing me the motivation to get the books out!

Elizabeth Dunn is a licensed Landscape Architect.  She spends the majority of her work days in the studio of Rebecca Cofffman Landscape Architects in Nevada City, CA.

I write a lot of blogs on Ponzi schemes because I know several local people who have been bitten by such a scheme.  I guess it’s kind of easy for some people to fall for a Ponzi scheme so here are some guidelines to watch out for so you don’t become a victim.

What gives Ponzi schemes such appeal to investors? Alabama Securities Commissioner Joe Borg ticks off several draws.

“For the 40- to 50-year-old crowd, there’s the fear that the Social Security umbrella won’t be there,” he says. To make enough to retire, they figure they have to turbocharge their investments — and that plays right into the hands of the Ponzi scammer. “Fear is one hell of a motivator.”

For retirees, the problem is low interest rates. The average one-year bank CD yields just 0.95%, Bankrate.com says. A $100,000 CD gives you just $142 a month in interest.

Retirees find they can’t live off the interest from their savings, and that they have to dip into their principal. “They can’t make any money, and they think they’re going to outlive their savings,” Borg says.

Ponzi scammers can use other methods to get people to invest. Madoff used affinity: He scammed the wealthy. He also used religion: Many of his investors were Jewish.

In the South, many Ponzi scammers use their church affiliations, Borg says. “When you have God on your side, what can go wrong?”

What’s particularly insidious about Ponzi schemes is that many people, particularly the elderly, have a hard time admitting they made a mistake, even when the whole scam starts to unravel.

“There’s this fear that if the kids find out, it’s going to indicate I can’t handle my own affairs,” Borg says. Sometimes, older investors would rather lose the money than lose their independence.

The recent burst of Ponzi schemes has federal and state authorities on alert.

“There’s a significant increase in Ponzi scheme cases this year,” says Scott Friestad, associate director of the SEC’s division of enforcement. “From our perspective, size isn’t important. We’re aggressively pursuing Ponzi schemes regardless of size, because the sad truth is that for those caught up in them, they’re losing most if not all of their money.”

The free-lunch warning sign

How can you keep yourself away from Ponzis? Start by investigating anyone who offers an investment scheme that seems too good to be true. (Be particularly wary of those who offer free lunches while they make their pitches.) The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s website, finra.org, has a broker check section so investors can type in a broker’s name or firm and see any complaints that have been lodged.

But don’t stop there. FINRA’s database reported no such problems with Bluestein. It did, however, report problems with the brokerage firms he worked for.

Other steps:

•Check the broker’s record with your state securities administrator. You can find how to contact your state securities administrator at www.nasaa.org. Ask for all materials from the Central Registration Depository (CRD) about your prospective stockbroker. For investment advisers, ask for all materials from the Investment Adviser Registration Depository (IARD).

•Check investment advisory firms with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. “There’s an online complaint center,” Friestad says. “I’m confident that someone will follow up quickly.”

What victims should do

If you think you’ve been scammed, contact your state securities administrator as soon as possible. They can shut down a scammer quickly: And the sooner they act, the greater chance you have of recouping some of your money. But it’s best to avoid a scam entirely.

It’s easier said than done. Con artists will say anything to part you from your money. And they know exactly what to say: “They’re safe, they’re guaranteed, they’ll make up for everything you didn’t save for the past 30 years,” Borg says. But in the end, the Ponzi always collapses and its investors wind up with nothing.

This article was published for educational purposes.

Source USA Today

Picture From The Home Doctor

 Nevada County is beautiful, scenic and in many areas serene.  Most homes in Nevada County have decks—so folks can enjoy the views, sun and solitude.  Nevada County also enjoys autumn and winter-rains and a few days of snow.  Due to the four seasons, decks and structural members are exposed to elements year-round, and lack of maintenance can make decks unsafe. 

Decks built without permits that are constructed incorrectly, or have inadequate structural members, make these decks unreliable and often dangerous.  Failure in building construction may not be immediate.  Sometimes deterioration can take place many years after construction. 

Decks are wonderful places to celebrate life and have friends and family over for all types of festive occasions.  However, decks, like your house, must be designed to support the weight of people and furniture. In addition, decks have to support the weight of snow in the winter and resist wind and earthquakes.   Understanding how forces work on your deck and how these forces effect the safety of your deck is important.  There are typically three forces that interact with decks:  gravity, lateral, and uplift. 

• Gravity

Gravity is the downward force that originates when people, furniture, barbeques, snow and ice are on a deck. 

•  Lateral

Lateral motion is the back and forth movement usually caused by people walking on the deck or leaning on the rails.  This motion can also be caused by earthquakes. 

• Uplift

Uplift is caused when storms bring winds.  This wind flows under the deck and creates an uplifting effect.  In addition, standing on the overhand portion of the deck creates an upward pressure on the connections holding the deck to the house.  

Most experts agree that the average life of a deck is ten to 15 years.  Many homes in Nevada County are older and could have broken-down decks that can fail. It is important to check your deck for signs of deterioration and to check the condition of the structural members such as beams, posts, and deck joints.  

Let’s look at some warning signs: 

1. Missing Connections:  A deck is usually built with wood, nail, metal connectors and screws.  Observe how your deck is built.  If all you see are nail then your deck may be unsafe.
2. Loose Connections:  Are your handrails loose?  Does your guardrail move more than a little when your push it?  If so, you probably have loose or no connections.
3. Corrosion of Connectors and Fasteners:  Over time, metal corrodes.  Look for rust and other signs of corrosion.  If you see a white powdery substance on metal hangers, it is a sign of corrosion.
4. Rot:  Wood can rot and deteriorate over time.  Look for signs of rot. Rotted members may no longer be able to support the weight it once did when the deck was new.  Having a few extra folks on the deck may cause these rotted members to fail.
5.  Cracks: As wood gets old, it develops cracks.  Large cracks or excessive cracking can overall weaken your deck. 

If you notice any of these warning signs, please contact a professional contractor or engineer to review your findings to determine what action may be needed.

 Source: Written by Brian Washko, Chief Building Inspector for Nevada County, M.P.C

Rome Burning

Anyone watching our legislature and Governor try to come up with a budget solution knows if they were running a private company, they either would have been fired by now or standing in a soup line because the company would have gone bankrupt. Incredible, watching them posture while those of us in the private sector have seen companies go bankrupt, business decrease and our income and assets go down downhill in a bread basket.

Yet those clowns governing our state posture while trying to figure out how to raise more taxes, or not raise taxes, afraid of cutting any fat because they are afraid of offending the powerful state employees unions which taints their decision making in balancing the budget. But of course, why should they worry, they are receiving full pay, a generous car allowance, per diem and of course free lunches from the special interest lobbyists.

In the mean time, State employees, many with salaries under $30,000 get a hit of a 14 percent pay cut. School teachers are being laid off instead of school superintendents and their staff. Proposition’s 98 monies purpose was to fund K-14. K-14 has seen an enrollment drop of 70,000 students since Prop. 98’s passage. Yet the various school districts use of Prop. 98’s monies have increased the overhead costs of running their school districts to a record 76 percent! Do you think they might cut overhead instead of laying off teachers? (See my blog, California Board of Education Cooks Their Books)

So while one side of the political aisle is blaming the other side of the political aisle for the budget crisis, California still holds the title that no other state in the nation has: “The Lowest Bond Rating.” On July 6, 2009, Fitch Ratings slashed the Golden State’s long-term bond rating from A- to BBB. The BBB rating is just two clicks above a rating for junk bonds. Junk bonds are not sold in a junkyard; instead, junk bonds are low-grade bonds issued by companies without long track records or with questionable ability to meet their debt obligations. They are referred to as junk bonds because most investors do not invest in the low-grade bonds. The bolder investors purchase the risky securities because of their very high interest rates.

Fitch cited the reason for its actions was the state’s inability to close the Budget gap and using IOUs to pay its obligations. Despite Fitch’s decision, Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s did not lower the state’s rating quite as low. Maybe they see something we don’t?

The BBB rating will result in the state incurring higher issuance costs for its general obligation bonds. State Treasurer Bill Lockyer said such a rating cut could cost the state $7.5 million in interest over a 30-year period. The State Treasurer’s projected issuance costs are significant when they are put into the context of the ongoing battle to close the State’s Budget deficit.

This seems like something from Roman times, the governing body of California, like Caesar Augustus, playing a fiddle while California burns. By the way, it wasn’t too much later that the Roman Empire started its collapse wasn’t it? Anyhow, what do you think?