Allison Olson, CFRW Advocate
Capitol Update
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
California Federation of Republican Women
Sue Blair, President
Climate Change Priorities
At the start of every legislative session, the Democrat majority set their priorities for bills they want to pass to tackle the issues they feel face the state. And for the past two decades, Democrats have made “climate resiliency” (i.e. climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, global warming, etc) their priority, but what do they have to show for it? Plastic bag bans? The creation of the California Air Resources Board and cap-and-trade has pushed businesses out of California, raised energy costs on the poor through taxes and regulations, and given tax breaks to the wealthy when they buy their Tesla’s. And now, there are possibly three new bond measures headed to the November General Election Ballot, addressing “climate resiliency”- one from the Senate, one from the Assembly, and one from the Governor. The Senate’s proposal would cost the state $3.9 billion, the Assembly’s $4.1. and Governor Newsom’s bond comes in at the highest ask of $4.75 billion. All three are general obligation bonds, meaning California taxpayers pay the bonds back over decades. But when the Democrats in the legislature pile on debt for decades to come, only the wealthy in this state can weather that storm. That leaves middle- and low-income earners in California out of luck, and often fleeing the state. As we get closer to the election, we will be bringing you more information on these measures and others.
Legislative Republican Priorities
Republicans in the state legislature sent a letter to Governor Newsom outline their budget priorities for this session. In it, they outline their concerns for Californians and how they can be addressed through budget issues. Here are what our Republican representatives want to focus on:
- Improving Californians Quality of Life
- Real Solutions to the Homelessness Crisis
- Meaningful Disaster Preparedness and Response
- Access to Safe Schools and Higher Education
- Investing in Public Safety
- Increasing Budget Reserves and Accountability
As far as we know, Governor Newsom has not responded to the concerns of the Republicans in his legislature. We hope that the Governor takes these priorities seriously, since they reflect the worries of all Californians. His proposed budget leaves much to be desired, but we are hopeful that budget negotiations take all these priorities into account. Read the full letter HERE.
CFRW Winter Conference
Our Winter Conference will be in sunny San Diego in less than two weeks! Don’t miss award-winning singer/songwriter Joy Villa, Senator Tim Scott (R-NC), many informational workshops, and a harbor dinner cruise! CLICK HERE for more information and registration!
