By Pat Orr
Apple Valley Review
The Latino caucus in the Democratic state Legislature has grown from five members to 25 members in recent years as has their power, influence and ability to bring in dollars.
State Senator Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, is being indicted for bribery and a deeper on-going FBI probe is finding some pretty shady back room deals involving cash for leadership position swaps within the caucus. One name surfacing is that of Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, who is responsible for much of the legislation in favor of those living here illegally that the caucus pushes into law. He also has authored several bills to continue our very expensive march towards alternative energy.
Most of these efforts, one suspects, is at the behest of paying clients — I mean contributors — somewhere. I am constantly barraged by questions such as, “Who comes up with these stupid laws like driver’s licenses for the undocumented?” One needs to look no further than the Latino caucus that seems to be driven more by what is personally and politically profitable than what is right for California.
This comment will seem to some as an anti-Latino attack, but it’s really a comment on the truism that “absolute power corrupts absolutely," no matter what your ethnicity.
Early warning – the tax man cometh
So many folks now file electronically that the post office has announced there will be a significant reduction in post offices that stay open late on April 15 to accommodate procrastinators. You can’t count on mailing your return and having it postmarked April 15 if it isn’t in by 5 p.m. that day.
On the plus side, the IRS is so messed up they may never know your return is late. For fun, write “Attention Lois Learner” on the outside of your return and see what happens.
A freeway solution
I used to think my idea of how to help solve the Interstate 15 continuing debacle of lane-blocking accident after accident was unworkable, but now I’m not sure.
Very simply, all semi-trailer and larger trucks would be banned from using the major California freeways from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. This gives them 10 hours a day to haul freight and run over Hondas in the dead of night. Yes, it will cost us all money because shipping costs will rise. No, I do not blame professional truckers for most of these accidents; they are almost always trying to avoid some 19-year-old fool in a souped-up Honda (see comment above). But the fact is, most of our nightmarish lane closures are the result of a truck/car collision.
I have two monthly meetings down the hill. The last two months it has taken me between one to two hours extra to get home late at night due to traffic from either Caltrans' idiotic lane closures, traffic accidents or both.
The lane closures and silly bypass lanes do contribute to more accidents. So in the same way we don’t put eighth graders and kindergartners in the same class, I am proposing we forcibly separate passenger cars from behemoth trucks as much as practicable, without building new lanes. Like Nke says, let’s just do it.
Correction and clarification
Last week I used the wrong date in a piece about the upcoming meeting/workshop to discuss financial options for the possible “purchase” of Apple Valley Ranchos by the town. The meeting is actually scheduled for 6:30 April 28. To clarify, this meeting is not about water rates nor about if it's wise to take over the water district, only about the financing options available if the town moves forward to acquire the water company.
— Pat Orr is a local business owner, community volunteer and political junkie.