Legislative Update
While this has been a difficult legislative session for the state of California, I am pleased to announce that seven of my bills were signed into law by the Governor this year. However deep frustrations still exist because we have yet to accomplish a fundamental fix to our budget problem and cut additional wasteful government spending. With California’s unemployment rate at 12.2 percent, job growth should be our number one priority in California.
Here is a list and brief description of the bills I had signed into law this year by the governor:
Senate Bill 37 requires state agencies to provide electronic pay stubs to employees who participate in the direct deposit program. SB 37, can save the State as much as $3.7 million dollars annually by cutting printing costs and making government more efficient.
Senate Bill 63 eliminates the Integrated Waste Management Board which pays members $132,178 per year to meet one or two times a month. Most of the board members are termed out legislators or political insiders.
Senate Bill 174 makes technical changes to various code sections relating to public safety.
Senate Bill 263 authorizes the Santa Rita Hills Community Service District (CSD) to limit access to its roads to residents and landowners of the district. The area in the CSD which is currently accessible only by dirt roads and are privately owned and not open to the public will be paved to give property owners better access.
Senate Bill 619 authorizes California to provide subvention funds to Santa Barbara County for the Lower Mission Creek flood control project. The flood control project has been an ongoing project for 15 years and is a joint effort between the City of Santa Barbara, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Santa Barbara County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. This project will reduce flooding and the resulting property damage by widening the banks of the creek channel to increase water capacity.
Senate Bill 739, political reform legislation, prohibits a spouse or domestic partner of an elected official or candidate from receiving compensation in connection with fundraising.
Senate Bill 744, clinical laboratories legislation, adjusts the rate schedule for clinical laboratories and gives them the tools to accomplish the goals set forth by the legislature.
I hope you’ll take a moment to read about what I’m fighting for on behalf of my constituents. Please feel free to contact me at (805) 306-8886 or on my website at www.senate.ca.gov/strickland if you have a problem with state government, or a question about an issue.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Tony Strickland
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Senator Tony Strickland, Assemblywoman Audra Strickland
And
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department
Host A
Child Safety Fingerprint Event
Saturday, November 7, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Janss Marketplace next to the Toys R' Us in Thousand Oaks
Corner of Moorpark Rd. and Hillcrest Dr.
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Strickland Appointed to Select Committee on Improving State Government
Senator Tony Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks) was recently appointed as the Senate GOP Lead on the newly formed Select Committee on Improving State Government. The ten member panel has been directed to study policy and consider proposals to improve the operations and function of state government.
"I'm honored to be selected as a member of this committee. I believe California could benefit from government reform such as a two-year budget cycle," Strickland said. "We need to use this valuable committee as an opportunity to make solid policy recommendations that will improve government operations and efficiency."
The Select Committee will have hearings around the state to discuss reforms that will make state government more accountable.
To view Senator Strickland’s opening remarks at the first committee meeting on Improving State Government, click here.
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It’s Time California Stood Up for Small Businesses
By Senator Tony Strickland
Printed in the Santa Barbara News-Press on October 11, 2009
As California struggles with a lingering budget deficit and rising unemployment rates, a lot of rhetoric is spent on promoting business growth and keeping skilled workers from moving to other states. At the same time we are regulating businesses to the point that they cannot afford to exist, let alone be competitive. Our state cannot afford to see more businesses close or move to neighboring states with the promise of lower taxes and less restrictions.
A recent report by two business professors from California State University, Sacramento, concluded that the total cost of regulation to the State of California is $492.994 billion. That is almost five times the State’s general fund budget, and almost a third of the State’s gross product. In terms of business growth, we are headed in the wrong direction.
It’s no secret that California is an expensive place to live and do business when compared with other states. However, small businesses with little start-up capital have little chance of surviving in such an unfriendly business climate. On a per-business basis, the total cost of regulation was $134,122.48 per business in 2007, according to the Varshney Study.
In terms of employment this total output loss is equivalent to the loss of 3.8 million jobs for the state each year. A loss of 3.8 million jobs represents 10% of the total population of California. In terms of labor income, the total loss to the state from the regulatory cost is $210.471 billion. Finally the indirect business taxes that would have been generated due to the output lost arising from the regulatory cost is $16.024 billion.
These findings underscore a fundamental disregard on the part of our state for keeping jobs and attracting new businesses to California. As legislators re-examine revenue sources in our state, keeping small businesses afloat needs to be a priority. We must remember that 99.2% of the employers in California are small businesses and employ over half of our workforce.
I have worked hard this year to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in California. Now we must work to protect our greatest asset, the very businesses that drive our economy, provide jobs and generate revenues for our state.
Businesses do need regulation to the extent that consumers, employees and our state are protected from fraud. But if we simply pile on excessive regulations, businesses will close or move, people will lose jobs and our state’s budget will be strained even further.
California has been lucky enough to host some of the most innovative and important new businesses sectors to materialize in our nation’s history. We should fiercely protect these assets by extending incentives to do business in our state, not cost prohibitive regulations.
Every neighborhood in our state depends on local small businesses like Bitterman’s Deli, Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners and Launderers, Mon Amie Hair Salon, or Whodidily Cupcakes. These small, individually owned businesses in Santa Barbara County may not be the giant corporations we read about in the business section of the newspaper or whose commercials dominate television, but they are the very people building our economy.
As I work with my fellow lawmakers to solve the ongoing budget issues in our state, I will continue to fight for small business owners by encouraging a hospitable environment in California for businesses to flourish.
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Around The District
Strickland Tours Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Ventura
On October 2, Senator Tony Strickland took a tour of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Ventura. The Coca-Cola Bottling Company is located off of Walker Street and currently has 125 employees.
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Strickland Champions Services for Families and Kids with Special Needs
On October 13, Senator Tony Strickland visited with families, Social Service Providers and Therapists in the community to hear about the direct effects the California State Budget cuts have had on people with developmental disabilities. In late August, Senator Strickland signed on as a co-author of AB 1260 aimed at amending some of the recent reductions made to Respite Care.
To view Channel Island’s publication on Senator Strickland’s visit, please click here.
Information regarding Channel Islands Social Services can be found on their website at: http://www.islandsocialservices.org/
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