Posted on Categories Uncategorized

PBC News & Comment: Cities in Financial Pain, from Stockton to Detroit

Stockton has entered bankruptcy, Detroit is under autocratic emergency manager: dark days for cities buried in debt, pension rights at risk…..Stockton’s bankruptcy pits bondholders against the pension rights of public workers, dangerous precedent may be set.

We hear Tony Trupiano describe how Michigan’s Republican-controlled legislature and GOP governor ignored the voters’ repeal of the emergency manager law last November, and passed a substitute in December in this excerpt from his in-depth interview released today

–scandal continues at San Francisco Housing Authority:  Henry Alvarez remains on leave, and on payroll, as layoffs hit two staffers who have sued Alvarez for official misconduct

–the new span of Oakland to San Francisco Bay Bridge has faulty bolts

–good news: deaths from heroin overdose drop sharply.  bad news: deaths from overdose of Oxycontin and other pain killers jump sharply

–star of MTV reality show based on white trash in W. Virginia dies

–death toll in Syria hit new high in March, we hear excerpt from our interview with journalist Reese Erlich about the Syrian rebels

–UN General Assembly approves new arms treaty

–Jason Leopold of Truthout has excellent report on the hunger strike at Guantanamo, and the Pentagon’s recycled talking points

–Apple CEO apologizes to Chinese consumers, your humble host suggests some apologies to Americans are in order