REALLY, MEG? Suspending Climate-Change Legislation AB32 is Backwards Thinking
Our focus on green industries has reaped benefits for our local economy. We have the eighth-lowest unemployment rate in California. New cleantech companies are opening their doors week after week.
We accomplished this growth by ensuring that our city offered an affordable business climate and the best-trained workforce in America. Much as we did in San Francisco, we need development policies that co-equally concentrate on growing business and developing the workforce.
California should explore the feasibility of two-year payroll tax exemptions for new hires in cleantech, modeled after the state’s existing hiring credits – instead of targeting groups of workers or areas, we’ll focus on hiring into industries. We need pointed business-attraction strategies to aid in the formation of cleantech clusters. Let’s be aggressive in pursuing green industry startups and companies looking to relocate.
On the jobs side, our state needs cutting-edge workforce development programs, including clean-industry apprenticeships, job-placement assistance, tuition subsidies, and state policies to encourage growth in green industries.
I’m excited about the potential of the emerging green economy for California, both in economic growth through venture capital and entrepreneurship as well as the vast number of jobs we stand to create. I believe our fundamental and stark difference of opinion on AB32 merits a discussion in a public forum, so today I am inviting candidate Whitman to participate in this debate. I encourage her to accept so the voters of California can get a clear view of our positions on this vital issue.
At this critical juncture, we need leadership that’ll drive economic growth through green-collar industry development, not tired old jobs vs. the environment rhetoric that ignores the vast growth potential of cleantech in California. I look forward to pursue an ambitious green collar jobs strategy for the state, just as we’ve managed to successfully do in the City and County of San Francisco.
More from Mayor Gavin Newsom:
- Local Green Jobs Rise as SF Solar and Energy Efficiency Incentive Programs Expand
- San Francisco Signs Nation’s First Mandatory Composting Law
- Wave Energy to Bring Power and Jobs to San Francisco
- Recycling Our Way to a More Sustainable Future
Photo Credit: Peter Kaminski via Flickr under Creative Commons License
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September 24th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I’m personally terrified of Meg Whitman. All my conservative friends love her but no nothing about her history.
September 25th, 2009 at 1:28 am
I am confused about Meg Whitmans role here. The article needs more information on her role.
September 25th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Climate change is effecting every country. Is there
anything we can do at our level to control it? While at high school, I signed a campaign to “Go Green, Promote Green” but nothing big ever happened. This is one cause we all would certainly like to get involved into if only we know how?
September 29th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
What Climate change are you guys talking about? The one that’s been changed from Global warming? Hmm, how many more months do we have until the big catastrophe? Get a life !! Al Gore did a number on too many of you. The earth has been slowly cooling for the last 10 years. The climate has been changing for billions of years. All this Global warming climate change whatever they call it is just the way for politicians to grab more power and control over the sheeple, don’t you guys see it? It’s all about money, more taxes… They don’t care about science, but who cares. Their GREEN is just NEW RED !!! Do your own research and study more about what’s going on, don’t just blindly listen to these nutjobs.
September 29th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
This bill is a farce. California has no effect on global warming. Read the science.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Climate has changed in California. Jobs and growth are severly needed. Anything that keeps prosperity and growth out of california should be reconsidered. We work so hard to be green when the majority of the world is in development and spewing pollution, while we think what we do here could really make a difference!
October 1st, 2009 at 9:34 am
For those who want to argue the science or politics of global warming – is it real or not? – I ask you to think instead of the bacteria in the petri dish. Whether or not “global warming” is happening, we still have an absolute “sustainability” issue: Western civilization uses resources at a rate that it’d take NINE planet earths to sustain. Yet, we have only this one. (Google “nine planets” to learn more). I personally chose to focus on this fact – it transcends all politics and competing theories. We bacteria can argue forever, and do nothing, but we will eventually over-grow our petri dish. And that’s it – when the food’s gone, its gone; when the trees are gone, they’er gone. It’ll happen regardless of who’s in office, what party controls what resource, what the planet’s temperature is…none of that’ll matter in the end. And, no, it won’t happen next year or even, maybe, next century. But it WILL happen, as inevitably as the bacteria multiplying in the petri dish – unless we change how we operate on a number of levels…. It really is that simple. We can start doing something now, or we can leave it to future generations. It seems that there are plenty of people in each camp – only time will tell.
January 31st, 2010 at 10:02 am
Clean Air Performance Professionals
Friday, January 29, 2010
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-558-3160 ( new number )
C/o Lisa
RE: Sierra Research Report SR 2007-04-01
Dear Mr. Governor
California Air Resources Board (CARB) and The Department of Consumer Affairs/ Bureau of Automotive Repair DCA/BAR have contracted with Sierra Research for a Report of Smog Check performance.
Sierra has informed me the report was final in March 2009 and released to CARB.
CARB, BAR, IMRC, and the California Legislature are using the Report for public policy but refusing to release the publicly funded Report.
Mr. Governor, I’m confused, can you refer me to someone who might help?
Cc to interested parties
From: Charlie Peters
Clean Air Performance Professionals
cappcharlie@earthlink.net
(510) 537-1796 – fax: (510) 537-9675