Warning: This is a slightly nauseating entry, from Oregon treasurer Ted Wheeler's flack desk:

SAN FRANCISCO – A press conference Wednesday will outline a new study and the resulting effort to make it easier to build and maintain infrastructure projects in the Pacific Coast region.

WHO: Leaders from three Pacific Coast states and the province of British Columbia:
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber
California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer
Oregon State Treasurer Ted Wheeler
Representative of the Washington State governor
Representative of the Province of British Columbia

Also scheduled to attend:
Study author from research firm CH2M HILL
Representative of the American Society of Civil Engineers
Investor consultant
Labor union representative

WHAT: A Rockefeller Foundation grant allowed a partnership of governments to consider innovative strategies to make it easier to build infrastructure projects. A feasibility study was conducted by CH2M HILL. The effort is being coordinated through the Oregon State Treasury.

Ah, CH2M Hill. These are the guys who make a mint getting local politicians to build aerial trams, streetcars, light rail trains, heavy rail trains, underground water tanks, and who knows what all other unnecessary construction projects that are sending the cities careening toward bankruptcy. Oh, and the engineers and construction unions will be there, too, of course. Mmmm... pork...

Well, thank heaven somebody's making it easier to rob the public blind. There's no sense being difficult about it. It's like "legitimate rape," only with public money.

And although attendees will be from B.C., Washington, and Oregon, we see they're holding the show in San Francisco. That's a darned expensive place to get in and out of. But hey, it's only taxpayer money. Go first class -- it's the CH2M way.