Mr. Anderson said California is facing great challenges; we need to increase revenue and put people back to work. Those are the areas that are most important at this time. In the last election a new State Board was seated. He then opened the floor for questions from the audience.
Mr. Anderson said California is facing great challenges; we need to increase revenue and put people back to work. Those are the areas that are most important at this time. In the last election a new State Board was seated. He then opened the floor for questions from the audience.
The first question posed the subject of 'When the Federal Government makes a ruling the State usually follows'. Is that always the case? Now, the Assembly and the Senate both have a majority of Democrats so that would be true. And they are now calling your mortgage interest deduction a loophole that needs to be closed. Home ownership has always been the American dream, and property rights are very important. He believes home ownership makes a city more productive, gives a city its life and generates interest in ball fields, etc. Mr. Anderson feels if we offer 1,000 people the chance to own a home, who wouldn't ordinarily have the option to own a home, with a 20% chance of losing that home, the people will make their decision based on this risk. We all know we pay taxes to pay for traffic lights, infrastructure, salaries and raises, but our mortgage interest deduction should be ours.
Next, the SRA fees which most people feel are unjust. So does Mr. Anderson. He said the legislature spent very little time on research putting this fee together; they just want a new avenue of revenue. Even Los Angeles blames us for this outrageous fee and says we should be paying for this out of our general fund. This fee is just a ruse to get money. Mr. Anderson feels this is an illegal tax. And why is it only on the rural areas, urban areas get fires, which spread faster, and more destructive, as residences and business are so much closer. The Governor seeks to spend the expected $10 million in revenue educating rural residents on the benefits of fire prevention instead of investing in more fire engines, firefighters and tankers that actually fight fires. This is very concerning. Although education is important, it is less valuable when considering each year within the United States there are 17,400 fires caused by lightning that need people, engines, and tankers to extinguish them. SDG&E has a strict liability with the responsibility to pay off claims for everyone. However, do we want to pay for our power or pay for our power and their losses? When we sue SDG&E we pay double. We all want lower rates so we have to set a policy whereby we do not pay on both sides.
This year you can challenge the SRA Fee with a 'Petition for Redetermination'. However, the legislature next year will re-do this fee and pass it without going to the people, as they are in the majority. Since they call it a Fee as opposed to a Tax it only needs a simple majority to pass. A Tax needs a 2/3 majority. Then it will be a permanent fee. Please see the web site at the bottom of this article to support Bill 1506 to repeal this Fee. In 1976-78 the Republicans had a super majority in the assembly and Prop 13 was put in place. There will never again be relief outside the government.
A question was asked if Prop 30 would help with the Fiscal Cliff. Joel thinks it will not do enough. It doesn't take into consideration, for example, the CSU system, or raises. He feels it will need more in the neighborhood of 12 – 15 Billion Dollars. So as a bond issue it will not bring us any further ahead.
Next was the subject of going green and how to combat pollution. One way would be to plant a tree if you take a tree, as in the forests of Brazil. We need to work on ways for renewable energy, not just getting fined for polluting. There are too many initiatives to go to and none are getting worked on. This should be a priority. We can get an initiative on the ballot but it will take about $2 million to qualify. The Assembly now doesn't have to, they only need a simple majority to put an initiative on the ballot. Therefore, we must get all people to vote. Many men and women have died for our right to vote. And remember, all politicians lie. This is their rhetoric. They say they will do whatever you want because that is what you want to hear. Vote for a person like you would buy a car. You study the specs for the car and how it runs and make an informed decision. Vote in the same way, check out a candidate, read everything from everywhere and become informed and make your choice. Joel Anderson votes how his constituents want him to vote. You can count on him.
Sacramento’s answer to the environment is to increase taxes on out-of-state businesses doing business in California. Of course, there will be fewer businesses, as they are required to pay this tax. They hoped to make a billion dollars to fund the green jobs.
California already has companies with high paying jobs that are doing nothing. One such company, Viacom, has high paying positions; and have been working for 6 years to get a desalinization plant working that will take care of at lease 5% of the water needed for California. They keep getting sued because it will put too much salt back into the ocean! Frivolous lawsuits cost everyone.
California is losing jobs. Mr. Anderson says we should give a pass to businesses in the private sector that are really trying to be green. He spoke of a guitar company that worked with the State to be green and the State watched all the processes it went through to be environmentally correct and agreed the business did the necessary steps and approved the company. All small businesses should be given special consideration instead of trying to fine everyone.
Someone asked if they want to get in touch with Joel what would be the best way? Mr. Anderson said he gets 700 E-mails daily plus letters and faxes. His area has 1.5 million ppl. His staff answers at least 95% within a 24 hour period. They are very knowledgeable and capable and will let him know when he is needed for a specific problem. If he is elected next time, his area will only be 950 thousand people, from Lake Elsinore to Lemon Grove to Alpine. Much easier to handle.
Joel said there is much more bi-partisan work going on than is given in the media. He mentioned that 20 of the people do 80% of the work. That is uniform in all walks of life. Over 9000 people make more than the Governor; most people in the UC system, even to the librarians. Mr. Anderson was trying to get a bill passed in committee and needed one more vote – Juan Vargas gave him the vote. Afterwards Joel asked him why he chose to vote with him and Juan said you made it so fun I thought it would be worth it. So both sides do work together at times. Of course, it was killed in the next committee meeting.
Mr. Anderson knows how hard everyone works, and how everyone wants to get back to work. We need to focus on putting people to work and stop worrying about taxes.
Mr,. Anderson and his colleagues have co-authored Assembly Bill 1506, which would repeal the fire tax. This repeal measure passed the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and is now pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Please help Mr. Anderson pass Assembly Bill 1506 by sending a letter of support to: senator.anderson@sen.ca.gov. Thank you.
