Month: September 2009

Executive Pay Bill Killed in Committee

Executive Pay Bill Killed in Committee

By David GreenwaldSeptember 3, 200926 comments
universitycat.pngIt was a simple bill, along the lines of Proposition 1F, except this one for the University of California–it limited UC executive pay increases during times when there were budget cuts and student fee increases.  SB 217 would have prohibited pay raises for top executives in years in which the UC or CSU budget does not receive an increase in state funding.  

The University of California Board of Regents this summer approved exorbitant pay raises for more than two dozen executives.  The hikes, which included a 25 percent increase for UC San Francisco’s chief financial officer and pay in excess $500,000 for UCSF’s chief operating officer, came at the same time that Regents approved pay cuts, layoffs, and furloughs for lower wage workers.

Guest Commentary: Is Reisig Trying to Clean Up for 2010?

Guest Commentary: Is Reisig Trying to Clean Up for 2010?

By Vanguard AdministratorSeptember 3, 200917 comments

reisig-2009

by Eric Alfaro

Rick Gore, a Yolo County District Attorney investigator, has resigned from his position. Gore has also apologized for making accusatory statements of District Attorney Reisig’s unethical behavior. This resignation comes at a moment when the District Attorney’s office has been caught in a number of unflattering positions.

According to reports, Gore voluntarily resigned and retracted statements that were delivered to District Attorney Reisig in a letter on March 5, 2008. That letter delivered to Reisig was also forwarded to the Yolo County Counsel, the office of Yolo County Human Resources, the State Bar of California and the Attorney General’s Office of California.

Vanguard Disputes Validity of Retraction Letter by Gore Regarding Allegations Against Yolo County DA

Vanguard Disputes Validity of Retraction Letter by Gore Regarding Allegations Against Yolo County DA

By David GreenwaldSeptember 2, 200975 comments
reisig-2009.jpgThe Yolo County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday released a statement claiming that former Investigator Rick Gore, has resigned, apologized, and retracted a letter that was leaked to the Vanguard in March of 2008.

“In March 2008, The People’s Vanguard of Davis blog published Mr. Gore’s March 5, 2008 letter in which Mr. Gore made allegations of unethical legal practices and the creation of a hostile work environment for employees.”

On March 7, 2008, the Vanguard published the article “Senior Investigator For Yolo County District Attorney’s Office Accuses Reisig of Ethical Malfeasance And Much More.”

Commentary: Downtown Needs To Embrace Change on Fifth Street

Commentary: Downtown Needs To Embrace Change on Fifth Street

By David GreenwaldSeptember 1, 200921 comments

5thStreetDwithBusLogosmall.jpg

Sunday’s Davis Enterprise presents a good and balanced article on the Fifth Street Redesign and it captures well the concerns that many in the downtown businesses have toward the project.  While I understand the concerns of business–namely that reducing the lanes on Fifth Street will slow down traffic and thus discourage people from coming to downtown, I believe the effect of the change will actually produce the opposite impact for downtown.

The studies show that the road capacity will be the same.  What will be different is there will be more traffic flow and less traffic stopping.  Pedestrians and bicyclists both of whom could be huge partakers in the downtown will have greater access to the downtown under a redesign.  Statistics show that the corridor presently is the most dangerous stretch of road in Davis–creating a safer road will benefit downtown.