With a million jobs and billions of dollars at stake voters want a voice in AB 32
Sacramento ÛÒ A measure that would temporarily suspend the implementation of regulations related to AB 32 today took a giant step closer to going before voters on the November ballot as members of the California Jobs Initiative coalition submitted over 800000 signatures to Registrars of Voters throughout the state.
“The fact that almost twice the number of voters required for qualification signed these petitions sends an unmistakable message: people want to have a say in whether or not the state should be allowed to kill over a million jobs and impose billions of dollars in higher energy and other costs on California families” said Jon Coupal president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association turning in signatures at the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters’ office. “With 2.2 million already unemployed and the state facing annual budget deficits in excess of $20 billion these decisions shouldn’t be left to unelected bureaucrats.”
“AB 32’s higher energy costs will disproportionately impact small businesses and low income communities ÛÒ a sector heavily represented among the Hispanic Chambers’ membership – and the unemployment rate among Hispanics is significantly higher than the state average” observed Julian Canete executive director of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce representing over 720000 Hispanic-owned businesses. “The California Jobs Initiative will help protect those small businesses those communities and those jobs until the economy improves.”
Studies have projected AB 32 will trigger billions of dollars in higher costs including $3.7 billion in increased gasoline and diesel costs; a 30 ÛÒ 60% increase in electricity prices for some ratepayers; a $50000 increase in the cost of a new home; and a cap and trade auction tax that could be as high as $143 billion by 2020.
Job losses from AB 32 could exceed one million with high-paying blue collar union jobs in carbon-intensive industries particularly at risk.
“While we support the goals of AB 32 implementation at this time would be a death knell for many small businesses that have been hard hit by the prolonged recession” said John Kabateck executive director of the National Federation of Business/California which represents about 20000 small businesses in the state. “AB 32 is projected to cost small businesses an average of almost $50000 per year. The California Jobs Initiative is critically important to prevent even more businesses jobs and revenues from leaving California and setting our economy back even further.”
The California Jobs Initiative would leave AB 32 intact but would temporarily adjust the timetable for implementation of related regulations until the state’s unemployment rate declines to 5.5% for four consecutive quarters. The measure would in no way impact California’s many environmental regulations protecting air quality water quality and public health which are already the strictest in the nation and which would remain in full force and effect.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) in evaluating AB 32’s potential for helping solve global warming has said: “California acting alone cannot reduce emissions sufficiently to change the course of climate change worldwide.”
For more information please contact Anita Mangels at 888-591-4442 or visit our website: www.jobs2010ca.com.
The California Jobs Initiative is a coalition of taxpayers energy companies food processors and others committed to saving jobs and protecting California’s economy and includes among others: Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association; California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce; National Federation of Independent Business/California; National Taxpayers Union; California Small Business Association; California Small Business Alliance; Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce; National Tax Limitation Committee; California Taxpayer Protection Committee; Carson Black Chamber of Commerce; American GI Forum of California; California League of Food Processors; Lumber Association of California and Nevada; Printing Industries of California; California Coalition of Filipino American Chambers; Southern California Rock Products Association; Santa Maria Valley Contractors Association; California Independent Oil Marketers Association (CIOMA); California Automotive Wholesalers Association; Chemical Industry Council of California; California Poultry Association; Western Agricultural Processors Association; Los Angeles Regional Homeless Restoration Advisory Coalition; California Dairy Campaign; Independent Oil Producers’ Agency; Alliance of Contra Costa Taxpayers; Sacramento County Taxpayers League; California Dump Truck Owners Association; Butte County Farm Bureau; Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce; American GI Forum Women of California; Kern County Taxpayers Association; San Diego Tax Fighters; Nisei Farmers League Long Beach Chamber of Commerce; Los Angeles Metropolitan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; California Manufacturing and Technology Association; California Trucking Association and numerous local elected officials.