From Ralph: This week's taping was a hoot. Patrick and I have both been busy apart from the podcast and we didn't do our usual Monday update show...turns out we were pretty fired up by the time we got around to the Weekend show on Thursday so I split it into two Episodes. Here's the deal: City Hall is getting a little out-of-hand lately. Maybe it's just that we're paying closer attention...but this canned, scripted proposal of a new 1% city use/transaction tax (it follows you and your purchases outside of the city) is an excellent example of a con$ultant'$ dream. You're paying a third-party to write convincing copy to talk you into giving the city more cash for...um...nothing that they can specifically promise or guarantee. Wow. Now: let's take a look at the creative legislating that's not aimed at the homeless. Apologies to the excuse-makers but we're well aware of how some of our representatives consider the people in our community who can't or won't manage to play the game to make rent. We love this town enough to know that pushing people from one place to another isn't even a first step toward a just solution to our homelessness problem. Citizen voters, we can do better. More to come...

- Ralph from Riverside

Riverside bans city camping; ruling not aimed at homeless, officials say
Alicia Robinson, Riverside Press-Enterprise

Riverside's city camping ban spurs homeless discussion
Alicia Robinson, Riverside Press-Enterprise