Will Represent Delta Concerns and Interests in Discussions
Assemblymember Alyson Huber has been appointed to the Select Committee on Regional Approaches to Addressing the State’s Water Crisis.
“There is no question our state is in a water crisis which must be addressed, but we must find fair and balanced solutions for each region of the state,” stated Assemblymember Huber. “I am particularly concerned about Delta residents having a voice in the water negotiations process and will be that voice on this committee. I will continue to fight for my local communities and ensure the interests of those that depend on the Delta will be heard.”
The Delta is critical asset to California, as it is the source of drinking water for 25 million Californians, helps fuel a $37 billion agricultural industry and serves as an important habitat to more than 750 known animal and plant species.
Assemblymember Huber grew up on the Delta. When she moved to Lodi as a child her home was in Tower Park Marina on Potato Slough. Having the Delta in her backyard as a child makes her especially protective of its future for generations to come.
Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed to eliminate the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Program, which provides cash assistance for eligible low-income families with children, while helping parents find jobs and overcome barriers to employment. Approximately four out of five CalWORKs recipients (78.5 percent) are children.
If CalWORKs were eliminated, more than 880 children and parents in Amador County would lose monthly cash grants, along with employment services and child care assistance, effective October 1, 2009. The county would lose $3,806,000 in federal and state funding in 2010-11.
The cuts are greater in Calaveras County where 1,490 children and parents would lose monthly cash grants, employment services and child care assistance. Calaveras County would lose $6,464,000 in federal and state funding in 2010-11.
Statewide approximately four out of five CalWORKs recipients (78.5 percent) are children. If CalWORKs were eliminated, more than 1.1 million children and approximately 310,000 parents across the state would be impacted. Eliminating CalWORKs would reduce General Fund spending by $2.4 billion in 2010-11 — the first full year that CalWORKs would be eliminated — but California also would lose $3.9 billion in federal funds, for a combined loss of state and federal funding of $6.3 billion.
See the breakdown for all counties in this report from the California Budget Project.
AB 580 by Assemblymember Alyson Huber passed the State Assembly yesterday is headed to the Senate.
AB 580 requires the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) regulations for onsite water treatment systems (OWTS) to include regulatory tiers based on the demonstrated risk posed to public health and the environment by the system. The vote was a unanimous 74 – 0.
Requiring regulatory tiers will put an end to the one-size-fits-all approach to septic regulations that are unnecessarily costly to homeowners in rural areas of the state. Rural and urban areas have different needs when it comes to sewage treatment, and regulations that are necessary in urban areas are not always effective, efficient, or necessary in rural areas, and often require homeowners to pay enormous and unnecessary costs.
AB 580 will allow regulations to be tailored to the individual needs of local areas “based on the demonstrated risk.”
“There is no question that the Governor and Legislature understand the gravity of the situation our state is facing. These are going to be tough choices and we must work together in order to find real solutions.
“I look forward to working with the Governor to quickly fix the problem, but don’t agree with his proposal to borrow money from local governments. I will continue to work towards solutions that minimize the pain in my district, to our schools and to working families.
“Budget negotiations are continuing to be done in a very public way and I am paying close attention to the comments and suggestions being offered by my constituents as we move forward.
“In addition, while it is easy to get distracted with short term fixes to the state’s problems, we cannot let this opportunity to produce long term reforms go wasted or we will only find ourselves back in this same dilemma years down the road.”
According to a recent report by the California Budget Project (CBP), 430 Amador County children would lose health coverage under Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposal to eliminate the state’s Healthy Families Program. The program provides health, dental, and vision services to children with family incomes too high to qualify for the Medi-Cal Program.
Statewide 942,000 California children who would otherwise have been covered as of June 30, 2010, would not be covered, according to the most recent state estimate available, which, according to the CBP, likely understates the number of children affected. Eliminating the program would reduce General Fund spending by about $300 million in 2009-10, but California also would lose approximately $560 million in federal matching funds.
Amador Co. would lose approximately $393,000 in state and federal funding in 2009-10.
In Calaveras Co. 730 children would lose health coverage under the Governor’s proposed elimination. Calaveras Co. would lose approximately $671,000 in state and federal funding.
With a decent snowfall and early May rains, the Mokelumne River’s really flowing this spring. Salt Springs Dam may spill soon. If it doesn’t, that will only be because PG&E is releasing a huge amount of water into the river to keep the flow high and temperature cold (which has to do with foothill yellow-legged frogs, but I’ll spare you the details).
If you’ve never seen the North Fork running high, now’s a good time to do it. Ellis Road, Panther Creek and Tiger Creek Road are all open (see maps).
One of the problems with bridging the $24 billion state budget gap is too small thinking. Voters are tired of solutions that don’t go far enough and are aimed at too small a revenue pool. More than anything, that is probably the message sent in Tuesday’s special election.
One proposed tax that won’t help, and will likely do more damage than good is the one proposed on wine. Let me first say that “sin” taxes don’t really make a lot of sense in my mind, unless it is hoped that the “sinning” will increase. Take smoking for instance. We tax the heck out of tobacco, yet we hope for diminishing purchase and use. If use actually does go down the revenue from the increased taxes will go down too. Of course, tobacco users will just be taxed more onerously. It’s a vicious cycle that solves nothing, but sure makes nonsmokers feel good.
So, increasing taxes on wine from the current 20 cents per gallon to $1.48, a more than seven-fold increase, while it may make some people – those who don’t drink wine – feel good, in the long run probably won’t really have any great impact on bridging any budget gap, but it will have an impact on driving down business and tourism in the state’s wine regions. The Amador County Board of Supervisors is right to oppose the move. It looks good on paper, but will have little, if any real impact, except to perhaps drive down wine sales.
Bridging the budget gap will take much bigger thinking. Unfortunately, Republicans oppose any tax, especially those that will cause some small sacrifice from their rich buddies. Oil severance comes to mind. California is the only state that doesn’t ask oil companies to pay for taking oil out of our ground. It’s time we did, but Republicans oppose this good idea. And how about the ultra rich? Higher tax rates should be restored so that those who are making the most money are paying their fair share and the poorest among us don’t feel like were supporting them. The rich don’t have to pay new taxes, just the old rates they used to.
Unfortunately, those most opposed to taxing wine are also opposed to any alternatives, like the ones mentioned above. Until Republican legislators are willing to meet halfway by raising some taxes while making some cuts the state of California will continue to be one of crisis budgeting. Democrats have done their part. They have already offered and made cuts that are horrific to most Californians. It is time for Republicans to do their part and consider meaningful tax increases that will raise real revenue. Targeting wine isn’t going to get us there, and in the end will probably do more harm than good.
Katherine Evatt, of Katherine’s Somewhat Randon Thoughts has posted this video by Mike E. “Mikey” Wier. It is a “quick tour” of the Mokelumne River.
Weir’s “Mokelumne video shows not only the river’s beautiful landscapes,” writes Evatt, “but helps viewers understand some of the real threats facing the river today.”
Gotta love it when the other side makes your argument for you.
State Senator Dave Cox recently met with Republicans in Amador County telling them about a recent visit with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. During his visit with the Governor,
Cox said he urged repeal of the state law mandating lunch periods and breaks for employees working in California, reminding Schwarzenegger that Teichert Construction Co. recently lost an expensive lawsuit when it was ruled to have illegally denied breaks.
I’m a little confused. Isn’t that the point of the law? To keep employers from denying breaks.
Before their meeting on Wednesday, the Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees toured a new building at Ione Jr. High School. As wonderful as this new building is, it leaves me wondering about how they — the school board — intends to maintain it. They recently sent the entire maintenance department packing when they laid them all off.
The Ledger-Dispatch reports that the new building cost $5 million, paid with developer fees and state funds. While it is likely the money could only be used for this purpose, it sends the wrong message to the community to be constructing buildings and at the same time laying off the people needed to maintain them.
“In the district, our buildings are fairly antiquated,” said Dr. Bill Murray, the schools principal.
The oldest building on campus was built in 1903. It was the original schoolhouse and is still in use, he said. In fact, classes were held there until earlier this school year. The school’s parents’ club has since raised $3,500 to renovate the building’s interior. The two-room schoolhouse will be ready for use as a library and media center by the beginning of next school year.
And just who does the district think is going to maintain these new buildings and protect the district’s investment? They see no problem with contracting out the work, in spite of the fact that they have employees on re-hire list who, according to California law, must be re-employed.
The students at Ione Jr. High School will benefit greatly from the new building. It is wonderful that the district was able to find a way to provide it to them. Now it is time for the school board to make sure that this investment in the future of our children has a future itself. The school board must rescind the layoff notices and hire back the maintenance employees and assure our children that they will have a safe and secure environment in which to spend the bulk of their day. It cannot be done through illegal maneuvers such as contracting out work previously done by laid off workers, or hiring back workers at inferior pay and reduced benefits. They must be hired back under the laws of the state of California.
What can the community do to hold their elected leaders accountable. Start with a letter, as called for in my earlier post. If there is no satisfactory response, and in light of the illegality of their actions, ultimately a recall may be in order.
