How California schools spend their money
The California Budget Project looks at expenditure patterns in the wake of massive cuts to k-12 funding in California. With relatively high teacher salaries and relatively low per-pupil funding, California has more kids per teacher than other states. Large urban districts spend a much larger percent of their money on special education than the average. But overall, the state needs to boost spending 40% - 70%.

New London Mayor on Transportation
Here's an interview from last year with London Mayor Boris Johnson, who ousted Ken Livingstone last week, where he spends the first eight minutes talking about buses and bikes.

Los Angeles gets the rest of NYC's money
Last Friday, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) was awarded a $214 million to implement congestion pricing on the County's freeways. The federal money is part of the $354 million Urban Partnership Program grant that New York's state legislature forfeited.

The history and design of a SF icon
This just in from our fifth-floor neighbors at the Book Club of California: Donald MacDonald, the first architect to work on the Golden Gate Bridge since the original consulting architects, will give an illustrated talk on Monday, May 12. MacDonald and Ira Nadel wrote the text for The Golden Gate Bridge: History and Design of an Icon, published by Chronicle Books. MacDonald who illustrated the book will sign copies at the event. Bring your friends and fellow bibliophiles!

Here are the details:

Monday, May 12, 2008
Reception: 5 to 6 p.m.
Lecture: 6 to 7 p.m.

The Book Club of California
312 Sutter Street, Suite 510, San Francisco CA 94108
415 781-7532
www.bccbooks.org

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