Arambula Focus - March 2007

I have recently changed to a more efficient way of tracking email contacts. Please take a few moments and provide me with your current contact information by visiting my website at http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a31/, and selecting E-mail Assemblymember Arambula.

AB 49 - Disaster Assistance for January 2007 Freeze: This bill authorizes the Director of Finance to transfer monies from the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties into the California Small Business Expansion Fund for the purpose of making loans to prevent business insolvencies in areas affected by a state of emergency. It also makes the 2007 Freeze Disaster eligible for full state reimbursement of local agency costs.

AJR 7 – Federal Freeze Relief: This resolution urges support of federal aid legislation to provide $1.7 billion in relief and assistance to California agricultural workers, producers and processors that have suffered significant losses from this January’s severe cold weather. In addition, the resolution requests the federal government to act swiftly in enacting legislation providing relief and assistance to freeze victims, and specifically encourages support of the relief bills introduced by Senator Boxer and Representative Nunes and supported by a bipartisan group of California’s Congressional Delegation.

On a related issue: The January freeze was officially declared a major disaster by the president on March 13, 2007. This declaration makes Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Food Commodities available to affected individuals in Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Monterey, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura Counties.

In addition, this federal declaration combined with the hopeful enactment of federal aid legislation (as urged by AJR 7) will reduce state costs and increase the amount of assistance available to workers and businesses impacted by the freeze.

Cleantech is a relatively new industry that encompasses a broad range of products and services, from alternative energy generation to wastewater treatment to environmentally friendly consumer products. Although some of these industries are very different, they all use new, innovative technologies.

The growth of the cleantech industry is the result of two factors converging to create a new market. First, recent advances in new technologies, research methods, manufacturing, and communications have lowered the cost of environmentally sensitive technologies. Second, an increasing number of consumers and businesses are looking for ways to reduce energy costs, increase access to clean water, and meet new environmental regulatory requirements at the local, state, and global levels.

The Valley is ready to become the new clean technology center of California. Both the Regional Jobs Initiative and the Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley have identified clean technologies as potential emerging industries in the Valley. I have introduced several bills to help our communities reach this next level in economic development.

AB 1527 - California Clean Tech Advantage Act - Establishes the California Clean Tech Advantage Act of 2007 to provide a targeted selection of incentives to enhance California's competitive edge in the emerging industries related to clean technologies, including:
- Increasing the income tax credit from 15 to 20% for applied research undertaken by a tax payer with revenues under $5 million;
- Establishing a manufacturers investment credit on capital equipment purchases that result in reduced GHG emissions;
- Offering a 2% increase on the value of the MIC for R&D developed in CA;
- Authorizing small companies involved in clean tech R&D and manufacturing to sell the value of 50% of their net operating losses in a given year; and
- Providing small business loan guarantees to encourage early stage investors.
AB 1506 - Clean Tech Early Adapter Incentives: Establishes the California Clean Tech Early Adapter Business Incentive Act of 2007 to encourage businesses to purchase and install cleaner operating equipment. Incentives include:
- Authorizing a 10% tax credit for certain purchases of equipment that assist in the production of renewable energy;
- Authorizing low-interest loans and loan guarantees to help retrofit equipment for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and
- Providing a priority funding for loans and loan guarantees for the purchase of equipment that will result in the business having lower GHG emissions. Programs affected include the California Economic Development and Infrastructure Bank and the Pollution Control Financing Authority.
AB 1620 - Assistance to Clean Tech Developers: Establishes the California Clean Technology Services Unit within the Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency to encourage new product development to meet the need for having technologies and services that help businesses and consumers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, become more energy independent, and utilize recyclable products in manufacturing. The Office would work with existing regulatory agencies to ensure information was accurate and eliminate duplicative services.

To the greatest extent possible, these bills build upon existing programs to minimize the time and money involved in implementation. Further, the bills blend the environmental, economic, and social benefits of reducing air pollution, creating jobs, and supporting new technologies into a single sustainable development investment program.

For more information on any of these events, please contact my district office in Fresno.

March 2 - I participated in and spoke at the Regional Jobs Initiative Annual meeting.

March 5 - I presented Sheriff Margaret Mims to the Legislature as 2007 Woman of the Year in the 31st Assembly District.

March 22 - I will participate in The California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs Luncheon

March 23 - I will be speaking at the Community Food Bank's 15th Fighting Hunger in the Central Valley Conference entitled “State of the Plate”

March 30 - I am hosting the State Science Center on Tour - Central Valley Show in Mendota.

Reedley College, the Joint Special Populations Advisory Committee, and the WITT Leadership Project present a free workshop to strengthen California Career & Technical Education programs: Reducing the Barriers Faced by Special Population Students.

Thursday, April 19, 2007, 2:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. Reedley College. For more information or for FREE registration visit www.jspac.org.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has a career for you. The CHP is offering multiple recruitment seminars throughout the Central Valley. The seminars will last approximately 1½ to 2 hours in length and will cover all aspects of the testing process including the written test. Recruiters will be available to answer questions about the testing process and provide applications. No appointment is needed. Seminars in the Thirty-First Assembly District are:

Women’s Foundation of California is proud to partner with Women’s Network Employee Association (WNEA) of PG&E to administer their Scholarship Program. Application deadline is April 20, 2007, visit www.womensfoundca.org for application and guidelines click “What’s New”.

State Farm and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia released The National Teen Driver Survey, which found that 5,665 high school students said they are driving under extremely dangerous conditions-fatigue, talking on cell phones, strong emotions, multiple passengers, and many are still not wearing seatbelts. The survey is available at: http://www.ghipr.com/statefarm/chop/youngdriversurvey/press.htm.

The Citigroup Success Fund is a grant program for teachers in the Central Valley. This program began in 2005, and is administered through the Great Valley Center’s LEGACI grant program. K-12 teachers in Sacramento, Yolo, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern Counties are eligible. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 20, 2007 at 5:00 PM.

Grant awards range from $500 to $1,500. A list of last year's recipients is available at: 2006 LEGACI Citigroup Success Fund Recipients. The application along with grant specifics is available on the Great Valley Center website: http://www.greatvalley.org/legaci/index.aspx.

Recruitment for Leadership Fresno Class XXIV candidates is now under way! Additional information and application are available at: http://www.fresnochamber.com/leadership/index.asp. Application deadline is May 15, 2007.

The California Legislature passed legislation allowing the sale of special DMV license plates called KIDS’ Plates. These personalized license plates are the only ones that feature a child’s hand, a heart and star or a plus sign. Proceeds from the sale of these plates help fund vital child abuse prevention, child injury prevention and childcare licensing programs statewide.

The Sacramento staff and I have made another office change, this time to a bit larger space. Our office is located in Room 2141 of the State Capitol. Please visit us when you are in town.