Assemblywoman Anna Caballero came to Hollister this week and
laid out an array of challenges trickling down from the state level
such as new environmental regulations’ impacts on farmers, Caltrans
intention to hand over San Benito Street without improving it, and
a grab of nearly $5 million in local redevelopment funds this
year.
Assemblywoman Anna Caballero came to Hollister this week and laid out an array of challenges trickling down from the state level such as new environmental regulations’ impacts on farmers, Caltrans intention to hand over San Benito Street without improving it, and a grab of nearly $5 million in local redevelopment funds this year.
Caballero, D-Salinas, was in Hollister on Thursday and met with the city council to update members on the latest in Sacramento, and how developments there could affect San Benito County residents.
From a broader scope, she delivered the latest, continually grim news about the state budget – the estimated $20 billion deficit for next year has inflated by another $2.5 billion due to poor April sales-tax receipts.
Responding to a question about finances and the idea of taxing oil extraction – almost all states do it – she said she supports such levies and would prefer having the funds earmarked toward a specific area, such as education.
Several local issues came up in questioning. In response to one query about the state’s intention to relinquish San Benito Street to the city in the next year, Caballero acknowledged that Caltrans has changed the designation to a “route transfer” and, therefore, it would not have to fund upgrades normally required in such agreements.
A similar exchange took place many years back with the Highway 156 relinquishment, when the state did, indeed, fund upgrades to the old thoroughfare. Within the next year, the city is handing over the relatively new Highway 25 bypass in exchange for ownership of San Benito Street.
“We understand that’s not going to happen with San Benito Street,” Councilman Doug Emerson said, regarding once-anticipated upgrades, in spurring discussion on it.
Caballero vowed to address the issue and support the city’s efforts toward changing the designation. She advised council members that sometimes local officials “gotta push” Caltrans to make progress.
“Let’s work together if you’re not interested in it being a route transfer. That’s right up my alley,” said Caballero, who is running for the 12th District Senate seat being vacated this year by Sen. Jeff Denham.
Each council member, except Councilwoman Eugenia Sanchez, took a turn to ask questions during the Thursday meeting.
“I think you answered most of the questions,” Sanchez told Caballero when given the floor by Mayor Victor Gomez.
Councilman Ray Friend went next and focused on environmental regulations, especially clean-air rules, and he contended they are forcing companies to leave the state.
“We do not need the cleanest air,” Friend said.
Caballero brought up AB 32 – a slew of tightened environmental regulations starting in 2012 – and the impact of its provisions on San Benito County. Voters on the November ballot are set to decide whether to suspend the bill during the down economy.
Gomez asked if she agrees to suspend the regulations, and Caballero responded that she does.
“I support ways to suspend implementation action,” she said.
Caballero said some of the regulations are “crazy.” She mentioned one section in particular that would require farmers to clean the “water that leaves their field as if it’s potable,” or up to standards for human consumption. Farmers would be responsible for the work and related costs.
“To require anybody to do that would be ridiculous,” Caballero said.
She has been active in water issues over the past couple of years and talked about the state’s federal water allotment, which went from 10 percent to 40 percent of the normal amount. She said she hopes to help further increase that allocation due to the restrictions’ effects on the agriculture industry over three years of drought conditions.
“It’s important to get people back to work,” she said.
The economy was the focus for most of her discussion, and it naturally led to talk over the state’s upcoming grab of $4,463,000 in RDA funds this year and an undetermined amount for next fiscal year. Caballero said she is “working very hard” to keep municipal funds local and she noted her support for a ballot proposition that would bar the state from taking local dollars.
On the other hand regarding RDA funds, she pointed out how a newly-established law would allow cities to use funds traditionally required for affordable housing projects – 20 percent of the total RDA budget must go toward them – for rehabilitation and weatherization work.
