Legislative Update
The following bills from my legislative package have been introduced and await a committee hearing.
SB 993 - Foothill Blvd. Relinquishment from the State
The City of Claremont has been in negotiations with the State of California Department of Transportation for nearly a decade, relating to the relinquishment of Foothill Boulevard from the State of California to the City of Claremont.
District 7 and the City of Claremont have, in accordance with proper legislative process, come to an agreement before seeking legislative action.
All agree that Foothill Boulevard is no longer appropriate as a state highway and that the transfer is beneficial to every party involved. Absent state authorization, however, negotiations and relinquishment cannot be completed. SB 993 is required to provide final permission.
SB 938 – DMV Confidentiality
SB 938 amends the California Vehicle Code to preclude convicted criminals from having their home address kept confidential.
Although family members of some public officials and law enforcement officers are able to receive confidentiality, when these family members are also convicted criminals, the confidentiality allowance can compromise officer safety.
SB 938 provides for greater safety for peace officers by ensuring they have access to vital information when conducting a routine traffic stop.
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Census 2010 Coming to Your Home in March
Every 10 years, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the Census is conducted to count every living person in the country. The key to this effort is having every household fill out and mail back a completed census form. Participation is critical; the census determines how many representatives a state is allocated in Congress and how $400 billion dollars in Federal funds is distributed amongst state, local, and tribal areas. This money is used for schools, roads, elderly care, and other vital services.
This year, the census will have the shortest questionnaire ever. The 2010 Census will only ask for name, gender, age, race, ethnicity, relationship, and whether the participant owns or rents their home. It will take about 10 minutes to complete and all information is protected by law and kept in the strictest of confidence.
Census forms will be delivered or mailed to households in March 2010. Households should complete and mail back their forms upon receipt. Census workers will visit households that do not return forms to take a count in person.
It is important to know that census workers and volunteers will NEVER ask for your Social Security Number. If in doubt whether the person is a valid employee of the Census Bureau, they will:
- Have special identification, a handheld device, and a confidentiality notice
- NEVER ask for your Social Security Number or money
- Not harass or intimidate you
- Only contact you by phone, mail, or in person, never by e-mail.
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District Community Organization Profile
Serving communities from Altadena to Azusa, Foothill Unity Center has made it their mission to provide essential support services to low-income families, year-round. Not only does the Center provide food and clothing to families but also offers a helping hand in seeking long-term assistance through other agencies.
Over the past year, Foothill Unity Center has distributed almost 4 million pounds of food to over 3,000 families. Included in those numbers are two very important, very large programs: the Thanksgiving Distribution and the Holiday Distribution. Whole turkeys, toys, clothes and even Christmas trees are handed out during these annual events. In addition, the Center maintains a Motel Voucher Program, Food Stamps Outreach Program and a Back-To-School Program where students are given the tools and supplies they need to get a jump start on the school year.
In light of the current economy, organizations such as Foothill Unity Center have stepped up to the plate in providing assistance and resources to the unemployed; efficiently utilizing funds through a program called Foothill Area Job Collaborative (FAJC). The Center has expanded on their outreach efforts by providing access to an on-site occupational advisor, making employment information even more accessible.
Although 30 years of operation has come and gone, the legacy that Foothill Unity Center continues to craft is surpassed only by the relationships the Center has created with the people and families they continue to serve. Foothill Unity Center is based out of Monrovia. For information on upcoming events and how you can help the Center, visit their website at http://www.foothillunitycenter.org/.
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In the District
It certainly has been a busy new year here in the district. The Four Corners Transportation Coalition held a Transportation and Economic Summit where many economists and regional leaders held panel discussions. I was invited to speak about the promise of the region to our state's economic viability and future job growth. I also gave an update on the recently unveiled budget from the governor. It was an honor to speak to so many of my friends from the Four Corners region.
The Alameda Corridor East Construction Authority held a press conference with the Asian-American press where I joined many other elected officials from the federal, state, and local level. We voiced our support for the San Gabriel Valley railroad grade separation projects to ease traffic congestion.
The owners of West Coast Sand and Gravel met with me to update me on the challenges they are facing. West Coast Sand and Gravel is a trucking and hauling company with serious concerns over the regulations being imposed on their industry by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). West Coast Sand and Gravel has already released over 200 employees since the start of the recession, and the new regulations from CARB would cost them $13 million at a time they can least afford it. While CARB is expected to delay the implementation of the particulate emission regulations, the unique issues facing this company were not met, which may force them out of business. This is just another example of a business being hurt by strict environmental regulations that are developed by un-elected regulators.
The Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce recognized Dr. Paul Neiby as their 2009 Citizen of the Year, and I was able to attend the dinner and recognize Dr. Neiby. Sadly, he passed away several weeks before he was to be honored. His wife Louise accepted the award on his behalf, grateful that he would be remembered in the community for his selfless acts.
I joined Assemblyman Curt Hagman, the entire La Habra City Council, and numerous residents of La Habra to honor Marine Lance Corporal Hugo Lopez. Hugo lost his life in Iraq several years ago, and his name was recently added to the plaque in front of the La Habra Library that lists all La Habra service members killed in action. Hugo's close friend Ben Cano paid tribute to Hugo, and Assistant City Manager Jennifer Cervantes played a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace on the bells.
Juventino "J" Gomez retired from Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich's staff after many years of service with the county, and my wife, Mei Mei, and I attended his retirement dinner. Mr. Gomez will continue in public service as a City Councilman in El Monte.
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Free H1N1 Vaccinations
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is providing free H1N1 vaccinations at the following locations:
February 21, 2010
8am-12pm
St. Lorenzo Catholic Church
747 Meadow Pass, Walnut
8am-2pm
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
1835 Larkvane Road, Rowland Heights
12pm-2pm
Evangelical Free Church
3255 S. Diamond Bar Blvd, Diamond Bar
February 28, 2010
8am-2pm
Our Lady of Assumption
435 Berkeley Avenue, Claremont
Dates and times are subject to change. Please call to confirm before you go. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health County information line - dial 211, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.
Free H1N1 vaccinations are also available everyday at the LA County Public Health Center in Pomona, 750 S Park Avenue, Pomona CA 91766. Phone 909-868-0235. Hours: Monday through Wednesday & Friday 8:00am-3:30pm;
Thursdays 10:00am - 4:30pm.
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State Clerical Error Costs Taxpayers Millions of Dollars
It is said that everyone makes mistakes, but it is incomprehensible that state agencies would keep making preventable mistakes that cost taxpayers millions of dollars. This is especially painful when California is facing a $21 billion deficit and every penny counts.
According to the Sacramento Bee, January 28, 2010:
"[A] $7 million clerical error is ricocheting ‘round the state government world.
The story starts with Mr. Wiley, a state employee for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. His position was eliminated as a result of last year's budget negotiation, but internal regulations are very clear on how a public employee is supposed to be released....
First, a letter in September warned that his job could end in 120 days.
Then his union, Service Employees International Union Local 1000, started consulting with his department to mitigate the job losses. November dragged into December, and some jobs were saved and some of Willey's colleagues found other state positions.
Wiley didn't. He knew that his job would be gone Jan. 31 and that the law required that he receive a final 30-day notice. He started watching his mailbox right after New Year's Day.
But the letter, whose envelope bore a metered date of Dec. 31, didn't get to his Southern California home until Jan. 9. Odder still, it came with another piece of mail [with a later] state metered date." Wiley thought the letter had been mailed later than Dec. 31. When his union investigated, it found the letter had been mailed after Dec. 31 and that violated the 30-day notice rule."
Officials said the termination letters went out late because of errors in the letter - that "clerks had metered the envelopes beforehand assuming all would go out on Dec. 31. The corrected letters trickled out over the next few days, and the staff kept using the envelopes with the wrong date until a manager noticed the error on Jan. 6."
Had the department used common sense principles, officials would have followed an accurate timeline, made the appropriate correction to the letters, and adjusted dates in the letters in accordance with the 30-day rule. As a result of their mistake, taxpayers are now on the hook for millions of dollars as public employees' unions fight the clerical error.
Sadly, waste in government like this, continues without interruption, day in and day out. As a result, Californians continue paying for mistakes made by public servants.
We must reform state government to adopt common-sense policies that will better avoid "clerical errors" which end up clogging our already overcrowded legal system. If we do not, taxpayers will continue to shell out more money that will be wasted on ineptness.
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