You know it’s getting cooler …

… when people switch from talking about how their air conditioners can’t keep up to worrying about what all that power has cost them.

The next round of SMUD bills was the buzz at lunch today at Corti Bros. Of course, every lunchtime at Corti Bros. will find SMUD employees in line, with their salads and sandwiches to go. (SMUD’s warehouse and supply buildings are next-door to Corti, and the rest is around the corner.) That’s probably why the clerk, after bemoaning what will surely be a whopper of a bill next month, smiled and said:

“Well, yes, but at least I don’t have PG&E!”

Small consolation perhaps when the SMUD envelope comes next month, but bills from Sacramento’s homegrown and customer-owned electric utility do run 29 percent lower on average for residential customers than they do for our neighbors in PG&E territory.

Clearing the air

Just because it seems like a good time to do so, I wanted to take a second to state that while I do think increasing the sales tax to pay for the arena is the wrong thing to do, I believe that those who disagree with me do so because they are likewise trying to do the right thing. I do not, as it might be tempting to interpret, think that they are in favor of taxing the poor or kicking puppies to raise money.

However, I think it is worthwhile to try to convince everybody that two No votes in November are the only right thing to do. I’ll start by reminding everyone that this whole thing is premised on two notable lies by our local politicians.
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Do you know the way …

… to San Jose? The car I’m driving this week has a navigation system (!) so even if I didn’t know, it does.

Heading there for a blogging conference. It’s called BlogHer, but BlogHims are welcome, too. Here are the details.

Oh sure … just when it starts to cool down and maybe we’ll get a nice few days, I have to blow town …

We’re twice as smart as Memphis!

Local right-wing morning talk show host Eric Hogue has come out in favor of the arena tax measures. Clearly, though, this is one homer who doesn’t watch his “Simpsons,” because Hogue is also further suggesting the construction of a monorail for downtown Sac. Even before I heard this actually suggested was hard not to think about the great “Marge vs. The Monorail” episode, written by Conan O’Brien.

Quimby: Now wait just a minute! We’re twice as smart as the people of Shelbyville! Just tell us your idea and we’ll vote for it!
Lyle Lanley: All right, I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll show you my idea! I give you the Springfield Monorail! [audience gasps] I’ve sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook, and by gum, it put them on the map! [cue Monorail Song]

But I kid. I think a monorail is a stupid suggestion, but I’m not trying to make a point here, just crackin wise.

Mrs. Williams Goes to Washington

The starring role at yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting was played by Margaret Williams of Tahoe Park (what up TP!!) who trotted her two young boys to the County building to ask her county supe, Roger Dickinson, if he could explain to her sons why “mommy should invest in an arena instead of their milk.”

Before you jump up and down at your keyboard because milk is a non-taxable grocery item, consider that when your budget is necessarily tight, the extra tax burden has to come out of somewhere. Consider the much-talked about impending $5 gallon of gas. They roll the sales tax into the pump price so you never really get to consider it, but that’s a major hit we’d take. (And not to spread the snark too thin, but I’d suggest that the kids milk should be very low on the list of things that get cut back.)
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Arena tax measures survive MacGlashan head-butt


Roberta MacGlashan,
District 4 Supervisor

The votes have been cast and as of this afternoon the arena tax ballot measures are going forward, the ordinance having passed 4-1 in the Board of Supervisors. The one nay vote came from District 4 supervisor Robert MacGlashan. (District 4 includes Antelope, Orangevale and Citrus Heights.)
Continue reading “Arena tax measures survive MacGlashan head-butt”

When you’re a Monty you’re a Monty all the way…

According to a friend of the Rag who is involved in Runaway Stage‘s fall production of the musical version of “The Full Monty” the theater troupe is still looking to fill 5 roles: two guys (one must be a black guy), a female, and a 10-12 year old boy.

My source is pretty sure that the male character is a semi-lead and at some point would need to be willing to bare it all (or, due to the use of trick costumes) bare it “most.” Runaway Stage is also looking for tech folks, so if you look good in black sweats and are free September 1-24 this is a great opportunity to get involved in community theater. The production will be located at the 24th Street Theater at the Sierra 2 (a nostalgic spot for the Rag).

Interested parties should contact Bob Baxter, director/producer at 206-2466 or Anne-Marie Trout, Asistant Dir. at 202-4788.

Highway BBQ Robbery

Just a quick note about “Sacramento” magazine’s recently published list of best restaurants in town: A) Please note that this is mostly a reader’s list of “bests,” and therefore represents the eating habits of sacmag’s demographic, namely upper class women over the age of 35. (In much the same way that SNR’s lists always slant towards bars and restaurants within a 4 block walk from their midtown offices) B) The editor’s, bless their hearts, have tried to pepper the list with “editor’s picks” spread around the “greater Sacramento area.” C) While this list identifies a number of chains as bests (Ruth’s Chris, BJ’s Brewhouse and Mimi’s Cafe), the number of chains referneced actually is down from previous years which means that either local restauranteurs are doing a better job getting the word out, or that the sacmag readership is getting more adventurous in their tastes. D) Texas West BBQ is NOT the best BBQ in Sacramento, it’s not even the 5th best. It’s not good. Try JR’s, Everett & Jones and Sandra Dee’s. Texas West is simply the only BBQ in town in affluent areas and therefore always gets the nod from sacmag’s readers. Do not be fooled.

Joncich is Cleveland-bound

As reported in today’s Bee, the crowd favorite Paul Joncich is Cleveland-bound to take the helm of anchorman at a local news station.

One of my favorite jokes, “Did you hear that there was an earthquake in Cleveland?” “No, really?” “Yeah, it did $10 million in improvements!”

Actually, I’m sure it’s a fine fine city and probably gets more snark than it deserves. We’ll have to alert our ClevelandRag.com brethren that Paul is on his way.