Former Governor Jerry Brown campaigning last year during his landslide election as California attorney general in this NWN video. Some Republican conservatives are trying to leverage passage of the state budget to block his move to have greenhouse gas emissions addressed in local planning processes.
As the struggle over the state budget continues, one stumbling block is a move by some state Senate Republicans to block the ability of Jerry Brown to file lawsuits on greenhouse gas emissions at the local level.
Such lawsuits, brought by environmental groups and Attorney General Brown, the former governor of California, would under the California Environmental Quality Act get counties to consider greenhouse gas emissions in their planning processes in furtherance of the state’s landmark climate change law. Although Brown has sent warning letters to several localities, he has filed only one such lawsuit, against San Bernardino County.
The conservative move comes amidst the backdrop of a brand-new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). This poll shows that support among California voters for strong action on the environment and climate change is, if anything, on the rise. It spans Democrats, independents, and Republicans. Demand for more action from every level of government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is strong, with upwards of 60% of Republicans looking for more. Indeed, while Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s job approval rating among voters is essentially unchanged — 59% now to 61% a few months ago — his environmental rating has gone down in the more demanding atmosphere. Most Californians believe that climate change is already underway.
Meanwhile, state Senate Republicans — all of whom opposed the very popular climate change law authored by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and signed by Schwarzenegger last year — are on a very different track from voters, including Republican voters.
Led in part by termed-out state Senator Tom McClintock, the California right-wing’s hero who has nonetheless lost all four of his races for statewide office, some Republicans are saying that Brown wants to use the law to stop development in California. That he would block highway construction under last year’s big infrastructure bonds package. That he would stop dams from being built, because they require cement and the production of cement leads to the emission of greenhouse gases. That Brown is responsible for all the state’s woes for shutting down highway construction during his governorship.
Familiar arguments from the campaign last year, as it happens. And rejected in that campaign, as Brown won the attorney generalship by the biggest landslide in any contested race, including Arnold Schwarzenegger’s devastation of the hapless Democrat, Phil Angelides.
I spoke with the attorney general the other day. He insists that he is not against highway construction. Nor is Brown against building water storage facilities. “Of course we need more highway construction with all these people here now,” he said. “We need more water storage to capture the early run-off with global warming. The question is where.”
“I was the governor who got a Peripheral Canal bill through the Legislature, so don’t tell me I’m against water. This stuff McClintock is saying is ridiculous. And there were more miles of highway built in my administration than during the 16 years of George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson. There are a lot of rhetorical builders out there. But we are going to have to address growth in this state.”
His goal, he notes, is to make sure that counties account for greenhouse gas emissions in their planning processes. Within reason, it’s up to them to come up with a plan to do so. In fact, he held a settlement meeting over the weekend with San Bernardino county supervisors.
As the debate got more heated yesterday, Brown hit back hard, saying: “It is an outrage that a small group of Republican senators would gut California’s Environmental Quality Act as the price of their voting—a month late—on this year’s budget. Their proposal would profoundly undercut the positive efforts of cities and counties to reduce greenhouse gases and fight global warming.
“It is the constitutional responsibility of the Attorney General to enforce all the laws of California, including our ground breaking environmental laws. California has a proud history as being the unquestioned leader in the fight to control global warming. We should not let a few Republican state senators—all of whom opposed the Global Warming Solutions Act—turn back the clock with this misguided and retrograde maneuver. It represents global warming denial at its worst.”
Brown, of course, won the biggest landslide victory of any contested statewide race last year, defeating Republican Chuck Poochigian, a former state senator and avowed opponent of efforts to combat the greenhouse effect, 57% to 38%.
Brown sued the state’s largest county in terms of size, San Bernardino County, to force it to address greenhouse gas emissions in planning decisions, and has sent letters urging such consideration to Sacramento, Santa Clara, San Diego, Kern, Fresno, and Yuba counties. He’s also urged Contra Costa County, home of the large Chevron oil refinery, to deal with emissions linked to a future expansion.
Some Senate Republicans, backed by oil industry and development allies who’ve also contacted Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office, want a delay of any such efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions until after the California Air Resources Board has finished developing and promulgating the specifics of the state’s plan, which is as much as five years away.
But Brown argues that local governments can and should begin now to address the impact of development decisions that they are making now. “These projects can add tremendously to the build-up of greenhouse gases. All I’m saying is that they need to address it and begin coming up with creative solutions. All that carbon is going to be in the atmosphere for a long time.”
Marin and Orange counties, for example, have begun to address greenhouse gas emissions in their planning processes.
But it may all be moot. Just as Senate Republicans have struggled to agree on their list of budget cuts, long in the making, so, too, have they yet to come up with the language dealing with this.
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Jonas Blane:Go Jerry Brown!
Jul 26, 2007 - 6:00 am Jonas Blane:Go Jerry Brown!
Jul 26, 2007 - 6:00 am Ann:I love his little car. Where’s the big entourage?
Jul 26, 2007 - 6:46 am Capitol Boy:The cool don’t need an entourage.
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:06 am Capitol Boy:The Repub leg types have made a big mistake here. They better drop this thing right away before they get a thorough ass kicking that hurts the party for a very long time.
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:08 am Jonas Blane:Your voice sounds weird. What was wrong with you?
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:18 am Jonas Blane:In the video.
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:19 am Kandy Kid:Capitol Boy, who is going to administer the kicking? The GOP Senators care more about their next Republican primary than anything the spendthrift interest groups can dish out. Arnold can’t close this deal either. Maldonado just loves this payback time for the Governor’s repeated refusal to endorse him for Controller last year.
The lesson here, if anyone cares, is that you can only disrespect people for so long and eventually they use the little power they have to push back. If you treat people like they do not matter almost every day, they will pick a time to prove they do.
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:32 am jerry brown:This group of Republican senators is really out of step with California. When are they going to wake up?
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:32 am Capitol Boy:That is a deeply pathetic statement about your Republican Party.
> Kandy Kid :
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:35 am Capitol Boy:Capitol Boy, who is going to administer the kicking? The GOP Senators care more about their next Republican primary than anything the spendthrift interest groups can dish out. Arnold can’t close this deal either. Maldonado just loves this payback time for the Governor’s repeated refusal to endorse him for Controller last year.
The lesson here, if anyone cares, is that you can only disrespect people for so long and eventually they use the little power they have to push back. If you treat people like they do not matter almost every day, they will pick a time to prove they do.
Jul 26, 2007 07:32 AM
Is that the real Jerry Brown?!
> jerry brown :
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:36 am Bill Bradley:This group of Republican senators is really out of step with California. When are they going to wake up?
Jul 26, 2007 07:32 AM
It would seem so.
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:42 am Bill Bradley:At the time, it felt like I had walking pneumonia, which I did not. I was just very run down.
This is a lot of work, especially at the height of a campaign.
>Jonas Blane :
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:43 am Bill Bradley:Your voice sounds weird. What was wrong with you?
Jul 26, 2007 07:18 AM
The car that Brown gets into at the end of the video is his wife and campaign manager Anne’s.
>Ann :
Jul 26, 2007 - 7:47 am Len:I love his little car. Where’s the big entourage?
Jul 26, 2007 06:46 AM
The poll’s clear. Can right wingers read?
Jul 26, 2007 - 8:12 am Sacramento Solon:Bill,
Good stuff on the Governor General.
And if that is Himself gracing us with an apperance…Good morning, Mr. Brown.
Jul 26, 2007 - 8:12 am Sacramento Solon:Mr. Kid,
Sorry. My sources tell me this is more about an internal power struggle between those who want to be the next Minority leader than anything else.
Jul 26, 2007 - 8:16 am Ann:That’s his wife’s car. That’s very funny.
Jul 26, 2007 - 8:20 am Kandy Kid:Your right Solon. A big part of the conflict is about whether the next Republican Leader is going to wear a “Kick Me” sign on his back or will he stand up proud against The Man.
The actual budget numbers are less important than the political attitude. That is why it is important that the Assembly come back to ratify the eventual deal.
Jul 26, 2007 - 8:31 am Kandy Kid:Your right Solon. A big part of the conflict is about whether the next Republican Leader is going to wear a “Kick Me” sign on his back or will he stand up proud against The Man.
The actual budget numbers are less important than the political attitude. That is why it is important that the Assembly come back to ratify the eventual deal.
Jul 26, 2007 - 8:31 am Bill Bradley:What if people are unimpressed by the squabbling amongst a small number of people?
Or by the idea of “standing up against The Man?”
Who the state elected in a landslide.
Jul 26, 2007 - 8:33 am Barbara:The Budget stall is silly and uninteresting…the poll is fascinating and very relevant to both policy and politics…
NPR did a piece on the poll this morning
BTW: there is a report out that Condi today (it’s evening in ME)on an Arabic radio show said Israel should end its occupation of the West Bank…
Jul 26, 2007 - 8:46 am Sacramento Solon:KK,
Want respect you have to act like you deserve respect and your folks ‘taint doing that. You don’t gain it by not doing the job and potenially huring a lot of innocent folks.
It’s time to pass a budget and get on with getting on. Too many little people start feeling the pinch about now. Too many little people who can’t afford not to be paid by the state and who don’t have the ability to float a loan and wait. Too many people who are caught up in this and don’t have the ability to get out of the way of the politcal games. It’s time to stop playing games with people’s econmoic lives and pass a budget. It’s what the people of this state expect and deserve. To do otherwise is not seeking respect it’s seeking revenge!
Now, my friend, you have a great day!
Jul 26, 2007 - 8:52 am Sullihan:“Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad.”
Did you catch the last paragraph of Evan Halper’s budget story in the LA Times which reports that in defending the GOP’s proposal to cut prison funding required by the federal courts, Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth “said the state should not spend money in the hopes of satisfying federal judges, whom he described as unpredictable: If anybody knows what they are thinking, they ought to be headed to Las Vegas.” If the senator has ever taken the time to read any of their orders, he would know exactly what they are thinking.
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:01 am Sullihan:“Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad.”
Did you catch the last paragraph of Evan Halper’s budget story in the LA Times which reports that in defending the GOP’s proposal to cut prison funding required by the federal courts, Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth “said the state should not spend money in the hopes of satisfying federal judges, whom he described as unpredictable: If anybody knows what they are thinking, they ought to be headed to Las Vegas.” If the senator has ever taken the time to read any of their orders, he would know exactly what they are thinking.
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:01 am Ann:3 times as many comments here by 9 AM as all last week on Tom McCclintock’s blog. lol
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:09 am carole w:Bill,
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:13 am Sacramento Solon:Is the Ca. Attorney General going to endorse a candidate for President?
Carole W asks:
Is the Ca. Attorney General going to endorse a candidate for President?
Solon retorts:
Only if he announces his own candidacy!
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:18 am Brasky:Go Jerry!!!!
If the budget fight turns into the greenhouse fight, Arnold and the Dems come out looking fine, even if the budget takes another week (or longer).
The Reeps don’t have a leg to stand on with Californians as long as the budget is held-up by these Flat Earthers.
Arnold will eventually get his two votes.
The real question is - how much damage can be done to the California Republican Party and the sanctity of a 2/3 budget vote?
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:19 am Bill Bradley:I don’t think anytime soon.
>carole w :
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:26 am Ann:Bill,
Is the Ca. Attorney General going to endorse a candidate for President?
Jul 26, 2007 09:13 AM
The Republicans are out to lunch on global warming.
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:32 am Bill Bradley:I believe there are at least two state Senate Republicans who aspire to statewide office.
They can pay attention to real public opinion, and to people who know what it takes to win a statewide election.
Or not.
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:38 am Brasky:“I believe there are at least two state Senate Republicans who aspire to statewide office.”
They’ve got to ask themselves - who can raise them more money, the Tom McClintock or Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:47 am Bill Bradley:Speaking of bail-outs, as we were yesterday with the crisis-ridden California Republican Party, Schwarzenegger actually bailed out Tom McClintock in his re-election campaign.
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:50 am Ann:How can a party that can’t keep it’s own books straight manage a state ? lol
Jul 26, 2007 - 10:15 am Brasky:“Speaking of bail-outs, as we were yesterday with the crisis-ridden California Republican Party, Schwarzenegger actually bailed out Tom McClintock in his re-election campaign.”
You should be careful about feeding strays.
This brings to mind the San Francisco man who admitted to feeding wild coyotes in Golden Gate Park. The coyotes became such a nuisance that animal control had to shoot them.
I’m not suggesting anything so dramatic – I’m sure McClintock only warrants a have-a-heart trap at this point…
Jul 26, 2007 - 11:31 am Jonathan Hemlock:Reality has its comeuppances, witness this poll as Republicans try to undo the global warming bill.
Jul 26, 2007 - 11:39 am Bill Bradley:One would think.
Jul 26, 2007 - 12:11 pm Bill Bradley:Golden Gate Park needs some real work. Aggressive coyotes, rogue encampments, needles, trash. Gavin Newsom is lucky that his opponents are largely psychotic.
>This brings to mind the San Francisco man who admitted to feeding wild coyotes in Golden Gate Park. The coyotes became such a nuisance that animal control had to shoot them.
Jul 26, 2007 - 12:13 pm Brasky:I’m sure if Gavin actually tried to clean-up the park, he would be shouted-down as being a “fascist” for picking on the poor drug dealers.
How would you characterize the McClintock bail-out? Did Arnold give him a kiss and say, “You broke my heart?”
Jul 26, 2007 - 12:38 pm Bill Bradley:No, he raised a ton of money for him. McClintock is a generally poor fundraiser.
Jul 26, 2007 - 12:43 pm Jeff:By all means lets have thousands of municipal bureaucrats craft a myriad of regulations in regard to a global problem. San Bernadino County is providing the housing that liberal, coastal NIMBY’s won’t allow to mess up their quality of life or the resulting soaring property values. Let’s ignore that they all those people commute hours to their coastal city jobs.
Read Robert Samuelson’s piece on global warming, “Prius Politics.” People are into global warming solutions but they aren’t clamoring for things that would adversely affect themselves. Let’s make it even more possible for anti-development activists to stop and raise the cost housing. By the way the same people often promote mass-immigration. Development regulations are perfect. The number of people affected at any one time is small and hurting a few people is easy to do.
Jul 26, 2007 - 12:58 pm Capitol Boy:Oh, you Republicans are AGAINST local decision-making now. Guess your big corporate funders don’t like it after all.
Jul 26, 2007 - 1:04 pm Bill Bradley:Actually, there is a wide variety of techniques to be used to avoid and mitigate the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions.
Think of it as Chinese menu.
Jul 26, 2007 - 1:08 pm Juan Cortina:All this budget stuff leaves me with one question: Will Assembly Republicans replace Villines for striking a deal and getting the votes for a budget?
If Ackerman is saving his job by being pigheaded, one can only assume that Villines’ job is at risk for doing the opposite.
Jul 26, 2007 - 1:47 pm Bill Bradley:I don’t think Villines is at risk.
Jul 26, 2007 - 2:00 pm Ann:The global warming deniers never quit. They fail at one thing, they try another, no matter how inconsistent. They must be getting paid, no? lol
Jul 26, 2007 - 2:19 pm Juan Cortina:You may be wrong but you may be right.
Jul 26, 2007 - 2:27 pm Juan Cortina:You may be wrong but you may be right.
Jul 26, 2007 - 2:27 pm Auros:Arnold really should find a few sane Republicans whom he can back in primary challenges against the worst offenders in the denialist camp. Knock off one or two of them, and the rest might suddenly notice that reality has left them behind…
Jul 26, 2007 - 2:28 pm Auros:“They fail at one thing, they try another”
First global warming didn’t exist. Then it did exist, but it wasn’t caused by humans. Then it was caused by humans, but it wouldn’t really hurt anyone. Then maybe it would hurt a little, but there was nothing we could do about it because it would cost too much. Now maybe it won’t cost too much, but they’re determined to tie it up in red tape.
I’ll bet our friend “Jeff” up there doesn’t support smart-growth policies that favor integrated neighborhoods and encourage use of transit, bikes, and walking. That would be icky municipal regulation!
Jul 26, 2007 - 2:35 pm Bill Bradley:Incidentally, NWN passed 35,000 comments sometime last week.
Jul 26, 2007 - 2:39 pm Bill Bradley:Incidentally, NWN passed 35,000 comments sometime last week.
Jul 26, 2007 - 2:39 pm Jeff:Smart Growth- Is that not in my backyard, hence no traffic and housing prices that soar, pretty smart for existing residents. I support smart growth as part of policies that have enough housing built to meet the needs of the growing population as evidence by prices that bear a reasonable relationship to what people earn.
Jul 26, 2007 - 3:19 pm Bill Bradley:Can you restate that? I’m not quite getting it. Thanks.
Jul 26, 2007 - 6:09 pm Ann:What’s to get? lol
Jul 26, 2007 - 6:47 pm Jonathan Hemlock:I just had a chance to watch the video. Brown is so much more impressive in his one-car motorcade than all the over-wrought politicians with the retinues of flacks, bodyguards, flappers, and Hummer drivers.
Jul 26, 2007 - 9:57 pm Jeff:If Bill’s question was for me, here is what I mean. I think people often use smart growth arguments to oppose development and not to promote it. If their own self-interest is the goal, then that is smart for them. I think people rightly believe that more people living in proximity to them often make their lives worse and restricting supply in the face of a growing demand has predictable price consequences for the real estate assets the own.
Since I believe in market fundamentals, I want development of housing that produces a supply that keeps prices in check and in line with what people can afford. I am agnostic about what kind of development we do compared to the belief that enough be built. And the reason I talk about immigration is because that is what drives our population and thus demand. Immigration-driven population growth requires a corresponding level of development if one is concerned with the economic lives of those who don’t currently own real estate.
Jul 27, 2007 - 9:09 am NickM:Golden Gate Park needs some real work. Aggressive coyotes, rogue encampments, needles, trash. Gavin Newsom is lucky that his opponents are largely psychotic.
Hey, in San Francisco, psychotics are a key voter bloc.
Jul 27, 2007 - 7:00 pm Bill Bradley:Very nice.
Jul 27, 2007 - 8:46 pm Auros:I’m a renter, not an owner, hence clearly not one of the people Jeff is thinking of.
New Urbanist design, and mandates for efficiency and alt-energy, are just a good idea. They make places more pleasant to live regardless of whether you rent or own, and they reduce negative impacts of new development, or even make development (and re-development of low-quality areas) part of the solution.
I forget which city it was, but there’s a case study where a city basically said, “We will not allow delivery of water or power lines to new housing unless you, as the developer, finance efficiency efforts elsewhere in the city to save twice as much water and power as you need.”
So the developers built super-efficient housing (which, as PG&E has shown, doesn’t actually cost any more than regular housing, it just requires better planning), and through developer funding of the local utilities’ efficiency programs, residents got lots of free efficiency upgrades (better toilets and faucets, CFLs, new Energy Star appliances, etc).
Jul 29, 2007 - 2:13 pm