February 6, 2012
Jobs & Fiscal Responsibility
California has the largest economy in the Nation, and 8th largest in the world. This statistic is to be very short lived if we continue down the current path of forcing companies out of the state with high taxes and regulations.
In March of this year Forbes ranked California as one of the 5 worst states to start a business in. A report published by Raymond J. Keating of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council claims that, “Among the 50 states, California offers the most hostile policy environment for small business.” California has already lost one of its major employers, Toyota, due to the unfriendly business environment. The cement plant at Davenport was closed permanently. These losses illustrate that both large as well as small enterprises are being affected.
The State Legislature considered auditing the California Air Resource Board (CARB) trying to understand what was done with $57 million in taxpayer dollars spent on implementation of AB32. Those millions of dollars of expenditures are currently unexplained. The documentation revealed is incomplete or does not match up. The California Chamber of Commerce supported the request for an audit but it failed in committee 6-6 in August of 2009. I will pursue an audit until the facts are known as to how $57 Million of taxpayers’ money was spent. My opponent voted against the audit.
I support suspension of AB32 until our economy improves (the California Jobs Initiative). But that doesn't go far enough. As a State Legislator I will move to repeal AB32 forever. The theory of Global Warming is currently unproven. Even if it is eventually proven true California can't solve Global Warming by itself and shouldn't commit economic suicide trying.
Click here to read about the CARB Audit
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