Creating Jobs and Economic Stability While Protecting the Environment

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The following article by State Senator Anthony Cannella of California's 12th District, appeared on foxandhoundsdaily on April 12 and discusses Senate Bill 11 and Assembly Bill 8. 

A bipartisan group of legislators and an unprecedented coalition of varied stakeholder groups have come together to advance a legislative package (Senate Bill 11 and Assembly Bill 8) that provides regulatory relief and certainty to our business community, while also protecting the environment by providing grants to offset the purchase of new agricultural equipment, clean cars and manufacturing machinery.

With unemployment ranging from 11.4 percent to 20.2 percent in Madera, Merced, Stanislaus and San Benito counties, folks in our community are fed up with the Sacramento gridlock. They expect their legislators to roll up their sleeves, work together and find solutions to the growing jobs problem that has been so devastating to the Central Valley. 

This bill package contains numerous elements and provides the following benefits:

• Caps several fees at current levels for the next seven years; 

• Prevents harmful new regulations that would have required gasoline retailers and distributors from installing infrastructure for a conceived hydrogen fuel future. Rather, this legislation will provide funding to construct only the fueling infrastructure necessary to support the impending introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles; 

• Creates certainty in the marketplace, especially for automakers and mom-and-pop service stations; 

• Preserves California’s tire recycling program for the next eight years; 

• Prepares the next generation for jobs in the new-fuel economy by funding workforce-training partnerships. 

These are all positive steps supported by a long and varied group of interests including the California Farm Bureau Federation, California Dairies, California Cotton Ginners & Growers Associations as well as environmental groups such as the Coalition for Clean Air, the Environmental Defense Fund and even the California Air Resources Board.

These bills are important to agriculture, trucking and other businesses in our area. As a Central Valley legislator, supporting policies that make it easier for local industries to prosper, which means more jobs and economic stability in our communities.

Sen. Anthony Cannella represents the following counties: Madera, Merced, Monterey, San Benito and Stanislaus.