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The Loma Prietan
May/June 2006Sierra Club California's Endorsements for Statewide Offices, 2006
www.sierraclubcalifornia.org/elections/SCCendorsementsarticle.shtml
GOVERNOR - Dual Endorsement
Phil Angelides (D)
Steve Westly (D)Either Treasurer Angelides or Controller Westly would be the greenest governor California has ever had. Both candidates have made environmental protection a prominent theme of their campaigns, and both impressed Sierra Club volunteer leaders with their commitment to stewardship of our natural resources and public health. Both endorsed candidates have used their current statewide positions in innovative ways to safeguard our state's air, water, coast and open space. Angelides has guided California's huge pension funds, CALPERS and CALSTRS, into green investments in smart growth and clean technology. Westly has taken on the auto companies on global warming and the power plants on marine life protection.
Sierra Club California asked both Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Green candidate Peter Camejo to engage in its endorsement process, but neither of them returned our questionnaire. Schwarzenegger has refused repeated requests to meet with Sierra Club representatives since taking office.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Jerry Brown (D)
As the leader of the state's Department of Justice, the Attorney General plays an essential role in enforcing California's environmental and public health laws. Bill Lockyer, our Attorney General for the last 8 years, has not only taken enforcement action against many private polluters, but has also sued the Bush Administration on numerous occasions for its assaults on our environment.
With Lockyer termed out, Brown is the best candidate for the job of lawyer for California's environment. Having served as governor for 8 years and as Oakland mayor for another 8, Brown would bring a wealth of executive experience to the job. As governor, he carried out earth-friendly policies in energy, transportation and river conservation. Brown has pledged to "highlight the role of the attorney general as environmental steward and protector of California laws against federal pre-emption. I will also emphasize the seriousness of climate disruption. Finally, I will champion the state's responsibility to protect the people's common heritage of streams, lakes, marshlands and tidelands."
SECRETARY OF STATE
Debra Bowen (D)
One of the principal issues currently facing the Secretary of State is the problem of applying modern technology to voting procedure. As Chair of the Senate Elections Committee, Senator Bowen has been a very aggressive leader in fighting for safeguards to ensure that all votes will be accurately recorded and reported. Bowen is interested in serving as Secretary of State because of its importance to what she calls "the infrastructure of our democracy." She has been a strong supporter of Clean Money campaign finance reform, and is extremely well informed about the role and responsibilities of the office.
Bowen has been an environmental leader during her 14 years representing coastal Los Angeles in the State Legislature. She voted for 23 of Sierra Club California's 24 highest priority bills on the Senate floor over the last 3 years, and also played a key role in removing polluterlinked appointees from environmental positions.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR - Triple endorsement
Liz Figueroa (D)
John Garamendi (D)
Jackie Speier (D)The Lieutenant Governor sits on the States Lands commission, the Board of Regents and the Coastal Commission (non-voting). Senator Figueroa has built a superb record in the Legislature, voting for 100% of Sierra Club California's most important bills on the Senate floor over the last 3 years, authoring bills to protect our coast and water quality, and serving as a stalwart on the Environmental Quality Committee.
Insurance Commissioner Garamendi has previously served in the Legislature, where he authored laws on clean energy and toxic cleanup, and as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, where he implemented the water reforms of the Central Valley Improvement Act and blocked the Ward Valley nuclear waste dump. Senator Speier has distinguished herself in the Legislature, voting for 83% of Sierra Club California's highest priority bills on the Senate floor over the last 3 years and introducing a bill this year to counter the Bush Administration's attempt to roll back community right-to-know about toxic releases.
CONTROLLER - dual endorsement
John Chiang (D)
Joe Dunn (D)The Controller sits on the State Lands Commission, the California Pollution Control Financing Authority, and the state pension funds. Chiang has been elected twice to represent the Los Angeles area on the Board of Equalization. He has consistently voted to uphold and rigorously enforce a series of "polluter-pays" fees that fund programs for electronic waste recycling, hazardous waste cleanup, and childhood lead poisoning prevention. He also advocated ocean and desert protection as a staff member for former Controller Gray Davis.
Senator Dunn has compiled an outstanding record during his two terms, despite representing a politically marginal seat in Orange County. Dunn voted for 100% of Sierra Club California's highest priority bills on the Senate floor over the last 3 years. A successful consumer attorney, he demonstrated his investigative ability by leading a hard-hitting Senate inquiry into the profiteering energy companies, like Enron, who abused California during the electricity crisis.
TREASURER
Bill Lockyer (D)
For 8 years, Lockyer has been the greenest Attorney General in California history; he now promises to be the greenest Treasurer ever. The Treasurer can influence environmental policy through investment decisions of the pension funds, and through his leadership of the California Pollution Control Financing Authority.
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Jack O'Connell
Sierra Club's main interest in this position stems from our active involvement in environmental education, and O'Connell, the incumbent, has supported environmental education both in the classroom and in outdoor schools.
The endorsement decisions culminated a comprehensive process that included questionnaires, candidate interviews, and deliberations by four different committees of volunteer leaders.
State Senate Races
Sierra Club endorses Yee for SD8
www.lelandyee.comIn state Senate District 8, northern San Mateo County and San Francisco County, two Democrats are running in the primary to replace two-term Senator Jackie Speier. Most state Senate and Assembly districts are safe seats for one party, meaning that whichever candidate wins that party's primary will almost certainly go on to win the general election. SD8 is no exception, so this primary election will likely be the decisive one. The Sierra Club is endorsing Leland Yee for Senate District 8. An Assemblyman from San Francisco, Yee earned a 100% rating from both the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters for the last legislative session. During his time in the Assembly, he supported several "polluter pays" bills and was a consistent supporter of water quality legislation.
In light of the federal government's renewed interest in coastal oil drilling, Yee authored a resolution opposing offshore drilling in California. He is greatly concerned about protecting our coastal areas. Please join the Sierra Club in supporting Leland Yee for Senate District 8.
State Assembly Races
Vote Barry Hermanson for AD12 Green Party Primary
www.BarryHermanson.orgHermanson, a former small businessman, has long been a supporter of bringing public power to San Francisco and has given free office space to Our City, a grassroots community group working to bring Community Choice Aggregation to the city.
As a candidate for Assembly, his environmental priority is phasing out dependence on carbon-based fuels through conservation and massive investments in renewable energy. He supports the passage of legislation that require energy efficiency measures in new buildings, curbing suburban sprawl through tax policies that encourage density housing in existing transitrich neighborhoods and the inclusion of bicycle lanes and bicycle parking in those policies, and tax incentives to encourage businesses to concentrate in areas well-served by public transit. Hermanson also advocates for the establishment of a statewide board to evaluate projected water needs - and ways to conserve water - to meet the needs of the state's projected population increase of up to 55 million people by 2050.
He is running uncontested in the Green Party primary and is well deserving of the entire 12 Assembly district Green Party votes.
Vote Janet Reilly for AD 12 Democratic Primary
In the Democratic Primary for State Assembly District 12, Sierra Club endorses Janet Reilly. She demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental issues in her questionnaire responses and endorsement interview.
Ms. Reilly stated in her questionnaire that "I strongly believe that we won't have a healthy California until we take the actions that will make us energy independent, preserve our forests, coastlines, rivers and parks and open space for future generations." Her environmental platform pledges to address climate change through energy independence, encourage the Coastal Commission to protect the coasts to the maximum extent possible, and advocates that schools and government agencies use their purchasing power to support local, sustainably grown agricultural products.
The Club believes Ms. Reilly will be a stronger advocate for pro-environment legislation than her Democratic primary opponent Fiona Ma. We also see her as having the potential to be part of the vanguard of elected officials willing to challenge conventional wisdom and work for progressive change to build better, healthier communities.
AD 21 Ira Ruskin Endorsed Again
Chair, Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials
With a governor that has blocked environmental legislation, we need strong representatives like Assembly member Ruskin willing to fight and win. In 15 months, Ira has authored six environmental bills; one is now law, three have gone on to the Senate, two are moving through the Assembly and, unfortunately, the Governor vetoed one. Thanks to Ira, we now have a revised certification for environmental laboratories that conduct tests needed for regulatory compliance. If all goes well with the Senate and the Governor, you can expect to see Ira's Bills on Greenhouse Gas Emissions-reduction targets; improvements in Hazardous Waste Facility Operations; relief for staff shortages in the Department of Toxic Substances Control; and better Policing of Open space and regional parks become law. Sadly, after much hard work, Ira's bill to track the use of alternative fuel vehicles in the state fleet was vetoed by the governor who claimed this would duplicate existing legislation that improves vehicle efficiency. Please show your thanks and vote for Ira Ruskin.
Vote for Sally Lieber for AD22
The Sierra Club is honored to endorse Sally Lieber for her third term in AD22. Sally has a 100% environmental voting record in her three years in the Assembly and we look forward to her leadership for 2 more years. Her plans include expanding her Smog Check legislation (signed into law last September after a TV battle with Jay Leno) by adding smoking vehicles to the Check program and to work on other air quality issues. She also wants to work on decreasing the public's exposure to toxic materials and greening infrastructure bonds. For more information on Sally's records and her legislation visit the chapters website.
State Propositions
Sierra Club Opposes Chevron Polluter Protection Initiative
By Bill Magavern, Senior Representative Sierra Club CaliforniaCalifornia Ballot Initiative # SA2005RF0147, currently circulating petitions for the November ballot, proposes to further limit California law regarding the award of Punitive Damages. Chevron is the only sponsor of a new initiative committee formed specifically to back this measure. Since the initiative would apply retroactively to existing litigation, Chevron is clearly trying to avoid punitive damages for its contamination of groundwater supplies with MTBE. The measure would also make it harder to deter future pollution and to get rid of toxins in consumer products and pesticides.
Go to http://www.sierraclubcalifornia.org/elections/SCCC hevroninitiativearticle.shtml to read the full article.
Sierra Club California supports Clean Alternative Energy Initiative
By Jim Metropulos, Legislative RepresentativeAs advised by the California Conservation Committee, the Sierra Club California Executive Committee has voted to support the Clean Alternative Energy Initiative. This statewide proposition for the November 2006 general election will fund a ten-year $4 billion effort to reduce petroleum usage and increase renewable energy and energy efficiency technology. Petitions for this initiative are currently being circulated for signatures to qualify for the November election.
The Clean Alternative Energy Act, if passed, would collect $4 billion in taxes over ten years on oil produced in California to fund efforts to cut the use of gasoline and diesel fuel by 25 percent over ten years. This revenue would be raised through an "extraction fee" on the California oil producers for every barrel of oil pumped from wells in California. California, despite being the nation's third largest oil producer, is currently the only producing state without such an assessment, known as an oil severance tax, on oil producers.
The initiative would allocate about $2.3 billion for loans to purchase alternative-fuel cars, buses and trucks, or to pay some of the costs for service stations to sell alternative fuels. An additional $1.1 billion would fund renewable energy and conservation research at California universities, and $400 million would help offset some startup costs at commercial alternative energy ventures. The rest would go to job training, public education and administration.
Support for this initiative compliments Sierra Club efforts to promote clean energy, reduce oil consumption and address Global Warming. Members of the Sierra Club are encouraged to sign petitions and help with turning out voters in November. For more information on the Clean Alternative Energy Act, go to www.yesoncleanenergy.com/getInvolved.
