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About this blog: I am a native of Alameda County, grew up in Pleasanton and currently live in the house I grew up in that is more than 100 years old. I spent 39 years in the daily newspaper business and wrote a column for more than 25 years in add...  (More)

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Our wallets will feel impact of Oroville dam repairs

Uploaded: Feb 16, 2017
What a tough time for managers at CalTrans and public works departments in Northern California because of the heavy rainfall that could reach record levels.
Highway 17 in the Santa Cruz Mountains has been down to one lane in each direction, if not closed entirely, for the last week or more. It will remains partially closed while a contractor struggles to get the four lanes re-opened.
Highway 50 between Pollock Pines and Strawberry just re-opened Wednesday after CalTrans cleared a large mudslide. Here’s hoping that the impending rains do not cause more slides just as ski resorts are preparing for the busiest thee-day weekend on President’s Day.
Throw in that Highway 37 is still closed west of Sears Point to Novato by flooding and Highway 35 in the hills above Los Gatos has collapsed and is closed.
And the ACE trains did not run for three days because of flooding in the Delta that required Union Pacific to re-route its freight trains. There was just one train today instead of the normal five.
Those are just the ones that are top of mind—the media has just so much capacity and there’s plenty of news with the evacuation caused by spillway issues with Oroville Dam. Fixing those spillways will be felt in our pockets right here in the valley because Zone 7, the water wholesaler for the Tri-Valley, is one of the 29 State Water Contractors. The contracting agencies likely will foot about 80 percent of the hundreds of millions that it will take to fix the damage.
The costs typically are divided based on usage which means big agricultural users in the San Joaquin Valley and Metropolitan Water District in Southern California will have the largest share. Customers of the Alameda County district (Fremont area) and Santa Clara County water also will be on the hook along with Zone 7 customers.


Wells Fargo Senior Economist Mark Vitner warned attendees at a San Francisco Business Times event earlier this month that the Bay Area’s economy is rolling so hot that the tight labor market and the increasing cost of living could threaten long-time economic growth. Annual growth in the economy from 2010-2015 averaged 4 percent (more than twice the national level) and Vitner estimated that the Bay Area grew at 5.9 percent last year.
That’s most seen in the skyrocketing housing costs where demand has far out-stripped the supply. The robust job growth sparked increased traffic congestion (remember how easy it was to go south on I-680 in 2008 and 2009) as well as driven up wages as tech companies compete for employees.
We’ve seen the results here in Pleasanton where household income has soared as well-educated professionals, for the most part employed in the tech industry, move here to raise their families.
There’s another interesting factor—for some major employers, their workforce is aging. PG&E has said that 40 percent of its employees are eligible to retire now.
Local Journalism.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Feb 16, 2017 at 9:06 am

DKHSK is a registered user.

Tim,

I'm sure glad that taxpayers are footing the bill for high-speed rail, illegal immigration, green and LGBT bathroom initiatives..etc and yet our freeways, water retention, dam repair and maintenance, and various other infrastructure needs are going almost un-noticed.

When will the Democrats, heck when will the voters, notice what is happening around them? My guess is...never.

What a sorry state we are in.

Dan


Posted by Sam, a resident of Oak Hill,
on Feb 16, 2017 at 6:36 pm

@DKHSK

Yeah, you conservatives are certainly showing us how to properly run and manage government with your recent performance in the White House.

Comedy Central! LOL!


Posted by Michael Austin, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Feb 16, 2017 at 8:15 pm

Michael Austin is a registered user.

I watched the helicopters delivering the boulders down into the crevasse created by the rushing water below Oroville dam. It reminded me of the Chernobyl Disaster. With the Russians dumping mega tons of concrete into the nuclear crevasse.


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Feb 16, 2017 at 10:43 pm

DKHSK is a registered user.

Sammy,

Why whatever do you mean? I can't read your mind.

If you mean Trump keeping his campaign promises then yes, I like what's happening!

And he was magnificent in that press conference today, wasn't he?


Posted by Sam, a resident of Oak Hill,
on Feb 16, 2017 at 11:01 pm

@DKHSK :"And he was magnificent in that press conference today, wasn't he?"

Well, that wasn't the first adjective that came to my mind. I think that some news stories were writing that Trump's performance was "historic". Perhaps we should leave it at that.

Looking forward to SNL's reenactment of it this weekend.


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Feb 17, 2017 at 11:21 am

DKHSK is a registered user.

Tim,

As if a higher power were listening, the Trump DoJ under Sessions just determined that their not going to defend court challenges to the ridiculous Obama era LBGT bathroom guidance: Web Link

Very good news!

Sorry for derailing the thread, but since I mentioned it above...


Posted by Paul99, a resident of California Reflections,
on Feb 28, 2017 at 1:07 pm

Paul99 is a registered user.

Thanks for sharing the information. I think that the economy is based on taxpayers and working middle class so it would be great if we have some significant benefits that would improve our lives and changed in into the better. No one wants to work till 70 and many people want to retire early. However, there are not so many opportunities for early retirement. However, I don't want to live through Web Link so I'm taking care of my golden ages now and save money.


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