Thoughtfulness to a Maximum Degree

(Photo Credit: Flikr/JoeChung)

Both thermometers and political brouhaha may have felt like they had risen to a maximum degree this week, but in fact, thoughtfulness won out as the 2015 legislative session nears its close.

Instead of rushing a half-baked and potentially harmful bill, the legislature and the Governor opted to remove the 50 percent petroleum use mandate from SB 350. This significant amendment addressed concerns shared by the Council, leading East Bay employers, and statewide advocacy groups.

These conversations are far from over as California continues to lead the charge against combating climate change, but the Council is pleased that this potentially harmful legislation was not rushed through in the final days.

Instead of settling for a severely slimmed-down transportation funding proposal that would fail to address the urgent need to address the decades of neglect on our transportation infrastructure, a conference committee is set to be established that will keep all parties involved past the looming standard legislative deadline.

And despite the thoughtful leadership of Governor Brown in addressing a tax on health plans to plug the looming drop in federal Medi-Cal funding, discussions stalled late Friday.

We will continue to monitor this issue closely.

The Governor proclaimed at a press conference on Wednesday evening that his “zeal has been intensified to a maximum degree.”

The Council is glad to hear it.

These issues deserve all the zeal we can muster and we will turn up the temperature on our thoughtful leadership as these critical policies for the East Bay take shape.