June 11, 2009
The Contra Costa Times quoted Professor Genevieve Giuliano about attempts to launch a multi-system transit pass in San Francisco. "There are institutional and human capacity barriers to adoption," Giuliano explained. "The institutional barriers are how long it takes for transit agencies to agree with one another on the terms of sharing a smart card."
June 7, 2009
A recent Long Beach Press-Telegram story featured John Keisler MPA '05, general manager of animal care services for the City of Long Beach. Keisler is earning praise for his work to transform a once dysfunctional agency into a high-performance community system that seeksto rescue thousands of animals in a multi-city region. His efforts have led to an increase in pet adoptions, while dramatically reducing rates for the use of the use of euthanasia for dogs.
April 2, 2009
Los Angeles' "transportation transformation" was the subject of a recent panel discussion hosted by the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development. The event took place at the downtown headquarters of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). It was the third event in the SPPD Dean's Speaker series, which has focused on the revitalization of Los Angeles.
March 24, 2009
As the Obama administration prepares to disperse economic stimulus money for infrastructure, a timely new book sheds light on special districts -- the "shadow governments" that will be responsible for spending a large portion of these funds. In her book, Paying the Toll, Louise Nelson Dyble, associate director for research at the Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, documented how the bridge district grew from well-intentioned public corporation with bipartisan support to notorious organization rife with corruption.
March 18, 2009
With cargo flow down about one-third since last year, port stakeholders packed the 10th METRANS Town Hall meeting on March 11 in Long Beach. More than 1,000 people, including longshore workers, terminal operators, logistics providers and elected officials, attended the event. The topic was how to make the San Pedro Bay ports competitive and protect high-paying local jobs.
February 19, 2009
The Oregonian quoted Professor Richard Green about President Barack Obama's mortgage restructuring initiative. "It's a clever plan," Green said. "It might actually help the housing market bottom," he added. Green is director and chair of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
February 8, 2009
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted Professor Chet Newland about widespread discrepancies between what a contractor charged for picking up wildfire debris and what was actually delivered at recycling centers. "They should have clear records for each of the deliveries, and they certainly should match with the billing," Newland said. "The city simply must hold them accountable -- usually it would have been before making a payment," he added.
February 4, 2009
Faculty and students at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development took part in a leadership training conference to help local government officials find solutions for public problems afflicting cities nationwide.
January 26, 2009
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development marked its 80th anniversary by hosting a special colloquium Jan. 16 at the Davidson Conference Center. During the conference, Dean Jack H. Knott noted that SPPD remains dedicated to advancing academic theory and making a vital impact in the world.
November 30, 2008
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about how Barack Obama's election affects Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's legacy. Obama's election "really saves Arnold's legacy," Jeffe said. "He can now focus on the environmental issues that are so dear to him and he'll have a much better chance of a positive response from the feds," she explained. "He's got a buddy in the White House who's not about to tell California to drop dead if they want to tighten their own standards."
November 20, 2008
The Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, a new student organization at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, hosted its inaugural event -- a panel discussion at Lewis Hall addressing key issues currently facing the Asian American community.
June 4, 2008
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, senior fellow at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, was interviewed on "Which Way, L.A.?" on KCRW about Tuesday's elections in California. The Los Angeles county supervisor race was whittled down to two candidates who will participate in a run-off election in November, the story stated. "It was a very interesting semi-final," Jeffe said. "I had thought that a run-off would be avoided, and I would have thought that Bernard Parks would have won [over Mark Ridley-Thomas] because his supporters are more high-propensity in what was to be a very low turnout," she said. "They are both competing for a very rare jewel in the L.A. crown: a very powerful position, with the ability to shape policy. And it's one of the few offices that still allow the exercise of power outside of the penetrating eyes of the media and the public, because it's boring and no one covers it. But developers and labor unions and businesses know all about it."
May 24, 2008
Juliet Musso of was quoted by the Los Angeles Times about the city of Vallejo's filing for bankruptcy. It appears that Vallejo negotiated contracts with employees that were too burdensome when the economy slowed down, Musso said. "It's a continuation of the story of bust-and-boom cycles in California," she explained.
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development signed a memorandum of understanding with the South Korean government to provide graduate education and training for selected officials from Korea's Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
Raphael Bostic, a professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, and Elizabeth Garrett, USC's vice president for academic planning and budget and a professor at the USC Gould School of Law, have been asked to join President Obama's administration in Washington, D.C.