Pittsburg slams “Big Five” as thieves
By Lisa Vorderbrueggen
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 at 2:05 pm in Contra Costa politics.
Check out this sign at City Hall in Pittsburg. It’s a reaction to the proposal by top state lawmakers to divert gas tax money from cities and counties to help close the $26 billion budget deficit.
Pittsburg and other cities will lose millions of dollars for their road maintenance programs if the Legislature adopts the cuts. Something tells me that City Manager Marc Grisham had a hand in making this sign. I’m told that around City Hall, they refer to the “Big Five” as the “Gang of Five.”
[You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.]
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:13 pm
I’m glad I live in CA.
The legislature has so much to be proud of. Once again they’ve “balanced the budget” with accounting tricks and thievery.
That’s just pathetic. The tiny fivey should have snuck out the back door when no one was looking.
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Mao Tse Tung would be very proud of the “Gang of 5″. Guess they all have autographed copies of his “Little Red Book”.
July 22nd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Mao Tse Tung would also be proud of the proposed canel to steal water from the delta and give it to central and southern California.
Nothing beats water socialism!
July 22nd, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Gotta love it. Mayor Nancy Parent called them the state legislature “thieves” at a Council meeting a couple weeks, ago, as well.
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:52 pm
I’m so sick of people (especially local politicians) criticizing the state Legislature in general but heaping false praise on their own legislators. The City of Pittsburg’s leaders apparently have a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude when it comes to holding their state legislators accountable. Curiously Pittsburg Mayor Nancy Parent and Vice Mayor Salvatore Evola are listed on Senator Mark DeSaulnier’s congressional campaign website as “endorsers.” They did not need to endorse DeSaulnier because the 10th Congressional District does not include any part of Pittsburg (I think), but they went out of their way to support him. Will Mayor Parent and Vice Mayor Evola stop supporting DeSaulnier if he votes for the “Big Five” state budget that the City of Pittsburg is criticizing? How about Assemblyman Torlakson? If he votes for the “Big 5″ state budget, will he, too, be a target of the City of Pittsburg’s scorn and criticism? City of Pittsburg, take a hint — if DeSaulnier & Torlakson vote to take away your funds, then stop praising them and start telling the citizens of Pittsburg your true feelings about them.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:50 am
Larry,
You make some strong points. Sometimes the only thing that gets the attention of professional politicians is when they get hit by the “big stick.” (Loss of endorsement or financial contributions). It is not just Pittsburg but Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood … all the cities really, and the county too, and ultimately the people, who will absolutely feel the pain from this budget plan.