JOHN VOGEL GARCIA: WATER INFRASTRUCTURE MUST BE BIGGER PRIORITY
Q:
From wildfires to sea
level rise, the climate emergency is increasingly affecting California. What immediate steps should California lawmakers be taking to address it?
A:
While global climate
change is real and human activity may factor in, there are more immediate causes of the increase in the number and severity of wildfires. These are more likely attributed to criminal negligence of power companies that are aided and abetted by greedy, corrupt legislators and the incompetent lack of proper stewardship of forests by state agencies. The state should grant local agencies more control of their environment to set sound brush management policies and emergency response preparedness like San Diego County did when it purchased helicopters following the devastating 2003 Cedar fire. Another consideration is to rapidly expand the use of rooftop solar to mitigate the need for huge transmission of electricity from out of state. Unfortunately, Democratic legislators won’t be willing to bite the hand that feeds them.
Q:
The governor’s pleas
to reduce water use have been widely met with indifference. What, if anything, should state lawmakers be doing to address drought conditions?
A:
The governor’s pleas
for Californians to reduce water consumption are another demonstration of the incompetence of Democratic state officials. The fact is that the Democratic-controlled Legislature has failed to adequately plan for the water needs of the state. During the last 60 years when Democrats have mostly held the Assembly, they neglected to fund water infrastructure to meet the ever-growing demand. The state should invest in local solutions like expanding the Sweetwater Authority’s desalination facility, adding new wells and increasing capacity, creating additional desalination facilities like the one in Carlsbad that claims to generate 50 million gallons of potable water a day “from a drought-proof source — the ocean,” or
exploring new uses for recycled water. It is shameful of the governor to put the blame for water shortages on Californians when the state has not created new water infrastructure since the 1970s and allows most of our water to evaporate. The Legislature needs to make water infrastructure a priority over expensive pet projects like the overbudget, overdue high-speed rail for which there is no consumer demand. Californians are hurting because of the corrupt, inept policies of Sacramento elites.
Q:
What would you do to address the surging gas prices in California?
A:During this time of rapid, uncontrolled inflation, the state needs to immediately suspend the gas tax and give Californians a reprieve at the pump. There is absolutely no excuse for the unconscionable ineptitude of the Democratic supermajorities in the Legislature to reject a bill that was intended to give the people relief from the skyrocketing cost of gas and instead to accept a new tax increase in July. The Democrats in Sacramento are so out of step with the voters that they take it for granted that they will be reelected. California has some of the richest petroleum deposits in the world. We are the seventh-largest producer of crude oil in the 50 states and rank third in oil refining capacity. Assembly Democrats just don’t believe that voters will do anything to fix the problems they have created.
Q:
How do you strike a
balance between reducing the state’s dependency on fossil fuels and addressing energy affordability issues, including the
high cost of gasoline? The solution to the A: A:
To stop the corruption state’s housing crisis in the state Capitol, is too complex to be addressed Assembly Democrats by just one solution, must stop taking money but given the constraint of from criminally negligent the question, the priority Big Power companies. The must be focused on reducing influence of big money in the cost of new housing Sacramento ensures that construction. there is not challenge to the The overbearing Democratic-controlled dominance of Pacific Gas & Legislature Electric and the like. Once needs to restrain intervening we address the corruption, in the market and then we can look to new allow local authorities to solutions like widely expanding decide where and what kind rooftop solar and of housing is needed. exploring recent advances Over the long term, the in safe nuclear energy. state can do this by
For more than 40 years, a) creating goals and France has safely used incentives for local communities nuclear energy to meet to review constraints electricity demand throughout on the available land, zoning the country. regulations and fee structures;
Fear is no longer an excuse to reject safe, nonpolluting b) encourage builders to energy production. look at cheaper prefabricated When state authorities construction to offset the bail out the criminally negligent rising cost of raw materials; PG&E and make the and victims, their customers, c) promote vocational pay for it, the elite betray a training in constructionrelated revulsion for the very people jobs to increase the who elected them. number of skilled workers available.
As people move into new homes, they leave behind dwellings for new occupants.
Q:
How would you bring down the high cost of housing, both for homeowners and renters?