At Streetsblog California, we work hard to bring you news that is ignored or under-reported in the mainstream press. But like any nonprofit, or any news outlet, we can't continue without the support of our readers. So, this Giving Tuesday and throughout December, we're asking our readers for help.
One of our major stories of the year was coverage of Senator Scott Wiener's Complete Streets Bill. The story began as a hopeful one, with the opportunity to shift attention to the safety of people using streets and roads even without (!) cars. The legislation gained momentum in committee hearings and earned final passage in both houses of the state legislature even as state agencies lobbied to stop it. But Governor Newsom seems to have bought the exaggerated cost estimates Caltrans brought up at the last minute, without providing evidence, and he killed the bill. Caltrans claims it will fulfill the requirements of the legislation if it can, and Senator Wiener has vowed to continue working on the issue. Streetsblog plans to continue reporting on it, and holding them accountable for their promises, in 2020.
But while Melanie and the Streetsblog California team cover a lot of ground on a lot of topics, we want to elevate more voices in the coming years. A recent piece by James Sinclair that was published on his Stop and Move blog provided an important counterpoint to the mainstream media's mistaken take on the governor's Executive Order and the shifting of some highway funding from a couple of long-term projects. We were happy to re-post it on Streetsblog California, as it gave us the opportunity to explain what other media were getting wrong, and why that mattered, to a statewide audience.
Please consider including Streetsblog California among your Giving Tuesday donations. Click here to donate today.
