COST FOR DOWTOWN ARTS CAMPUS SKYROCKETS; INSURING THE UN-INSURED, CALIFORNIA PROPOSALS; TOXIC TUNA; SUPREME COURT RULING ON MILITARY RECRUITING ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
COST FOR DOWTOWN ARTS CAMPUS SKYROCKETS
A divided Los Angeles Board of Education is expected to vote today on a construction contract for a showcase downtown performing and visual arts high school now estimated to cost $208 million — double that of a typical high school. If approved, the sleek, modern campus would cost more than twice what school district officials initially had expected. Larry Mantle and guests discuss why the cost of the planned campus is skyrocketing and whether the district will pay for the increase.
INSURING THE UN-INSURED, CALIFORNIA PROPOSALS
There are over 6 million people living in California without health insurance. For years now, state legislators have tried various proposals to get more people insured—some are looking for a Canadian-style, single payer scheme. Others want to require more businesses to insure their employees. Opponents fear the rising costs and tax burden will drive away California’s tax base and hurt business or that in the long term it will lower the quality of health care by removing free-market forces. Larry talks with experts on all sides about this effort to insure Californians.
TOXIC TUNA
The public health advocacy group got-mercury-dot-org is warning about the safety of tuna, based on tests from a small number of top sushi bars in Los Angeles. The mercury levels of the tuna samples averaged about double the standard established by the Food and Drug Administration, and a quarter of the orders were near or above the limit where the agency says fish should not be sold.
SUPREME COURT RULING ON MILITARY RECRUITING ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
Larry Mantle talks with Erwin Chemerinsky of Duke University School of Law and John Eastman of Chapman University School of Law about the unanimous ruling by the Supreme Court that the government can force colleges to open their campuses to military recruiters despite university objections to the Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays.