The News Links - December 6-8, 2009

New York Times: Bloomberg drops an effort to cut building energy use.

New York Times: What makes cities great.

Retuers: U.S. greenhouse gas ruling sends message to world.

Commercial Real Estate

• First CMBS transaction through TALF offers hope.
• No escape from TARP for U.S. banks choking on real estate loans.
  

San Francisco

• Ken Garcia: Fix budget?  Nah.  Solve global catastrophe?  YES! 
• Chronicle Editorial: Marooning cops on desk jobs wastes $5M.
  
• The money hunt.
• SFMOMA expansion depends on lots of ifs. 
  
• Hotel Council urges Local 2 to avoid strike activity harmful to union members during the holiday season.
  
• Employee claims eat up millions.
• San Francisco Chamber of Commerce: We can’t tax our way out of budget problem.
  
• Mayor Gavin Newsom: Muni service modernization will improve efficiency.
• Willie Brown's weekly article can be found here.
  
• Matier & Ross: Spin cycle picks S.F.'s pocket coming and going.
• Fixing SF's parks, step by step.
• Assessor Ting stumps for ... the environment.
• A taxing situation.
  
  

Marin/San Mateo/Sonoma

• Marin grand jury calls 'clean energy' plan too risky.
  
• Sonoma County's stimulus tally more than $100 million.
  

California

• Capitol is losing its legislative luster
  
• Pay cut takes effect for state's top elected officials.
  
• Is California sold on Governor Meg Whitman?
• California Legislator voting record can be found here.
• Group wants California legislators to be part time.
• Democrats would do right to do right by Maldonado.
  

The Economy

• CEOs much more upbeat on rising sales, but few expect to boost hiring.
• Coming off healthy Black Friday, retailers crossing fingers for a strong finish to 2009.
  
• Four reasons that rosy November jobs report was even better than it seemed.
• Speaker Nancy Pelosi: President and Congress working on jobs package.

Green Issues

• Appraisers continue search for value in green buildings.
  
• CA Real Estate Journal's GREEN LEADERS 2009: Green leadership defined.
  
• LEED the way with sustainability: Go green without spending too much green.
  
• A row over climate change e-mails grows louder.
  
• In face of skeptics, experts affirm climate peril. 
  

General

• The most important number in politics today: 39
  
• Can the federal government really create jobs?
  
• Examiner Editorial: We need more jobs, not more government.
  
• Why Congress is furious at the Fed.
• Detroit: If this was a real city...