Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

“The decision by House Speaker John A. Boehner to scale back budget talks with President Obama unfolded as Republican presidential candidates were campaigning against any outcome that smacks of compromise, underscoring divisions in the party over whether to raise the federal debt limit,” the New York Times is reporting.
 
“The action by Mr. Boehner, which was announced Saturday night, illustrated just how difficult negotiations had become in this political climate to reach agreement on a sweeping plan to lower the deficit without an infusion of new tax revenues.

“Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota seized on the issue and used the first television commercial of her campaign to highlight her opposition to raising the debt ceiling. She drew enthusiastic applause on Saturday as she amplified her position.

“‘It’s time for tough love,’ Mrs. Bachmann told supporters at a rally. ‘Don’t let them scare you by telling you that the country’s going to fall apart.’

“I hope and pray they should not raise the debt ceiling,” said candidate Tim Pawlenty.

The article is here.

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The city of Nevada City Council will review a proposed ordinance focused on “obstruction of sidewalks and streets and parking lot behaviors” at its meeting on Wednesday.

The council also is expected to introduce a new mayor, expected to be David McKay (see Steve Cottrell’s comment below).

It also will discuss the ongoing fund transfer — this time $791,000 — from the county, replacing the current “TRAN” with the county.

It also will discuss spending $22,662 for a new police vehicle, as well as the loss of vehicle license fees (just like Grass Valley).

The agenda is here.

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At its council meeting on Tuesday, the City of Grass Valley will discuss more budget woes, this time brought on the state’s financial problems.

This includes the loss of $54,112 in vehicle license fee revenue to the city, as well as the ongoing threat of shuttering redevelopment agencies, as discussed previously.

It comes as the city faces its own revenue decline on the local front — making it the “ham in a proverbial sandwich” of local and state revenue shortfalls. Or a “cluster ‘you know what’” if you prefer.

“This was not anticipated and will negatively affect the budget,” the memo said, referring to the lost vehicle license revenue. Now the fees eamarked for the city are being used to fund a portion of the state public safety program under the newly adopted state budget. 

As for the redevelopment agencies, a League of California of Cities lawsuit to challenge the decision to shutter redevelopment agencies will be filed “in the next few weeks,” according to the memo.

“We will not know the final impact for a while yet,” City Administrator Dan Holler said in the memo.

In addition, the council also is expected to approve a $10,000 annual expenditure to the county Economic Rescource Council, the same as last year. The amounts going to the Chamber and Downtown Association are being cut to $10,000 from $12,500 for each group, however.

More information is here.

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Here’s a heartwarming tale:

A dog that accidentally slipped into the Yuba River last week while its owner was running along a trail on the shoreline has been found — three days after being swept into the river.

The dog fell into the cold, fast water about 2 miles upriver from the the Hwy. 49 bridge.

But It survived the ordeal and was found on Hwy. 49, headed to North San Juan, according to its owner.

An email “tree” to fellow runners and hikers along the trail helped located the dog. 

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