Opinion
DAILY REPUBLIC — Wednesday, June 30, 2021 B3
calmatters commentary
Data undercut ‘roaring back’ claim from Gov. Newsom
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calmatters commentary
Budget doesn’t do justice to water storage
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ov. Gavin Newsom destruction each year. Since and legislative DemJune 1, the state’s Department ocrats had the opporof Forestry and Fire Protunity to alleviate tection, Cal Fire, has fought the state’s twin crises of 42 wildfires. Nine are still drought and wildfire by active. And that does not take including resources for into account wildfires battled ongoing funding, prescribed by local firefighters. burning and water storage I witnessed our governor in this year’s budget. promise in October 2019 that Vince Fong the state would do everything These solutions are not new, but they require politiit could to mitigate catastrophic wildcal will. In light of the haunting fires. This included “identifying memories of past catastrophic wildand accelerating implementation of fires, this year’s budget will miss 35 priority fuel reduction projects to an opportunity. protect over 200 of California’s most Sacramento failed to learn from its at-risk communities,” and “redirectpast mistakes. The proposed budget ing up to 100 California National provides $258 million – a reduction Guard personnel to create fuel reducfrom a proposed $1 billion – for wild- tion and fire suppression crews that fire prevention and response efforts are available to Cal Fire to undertake and $3 billion for drought, but lacks priority projects.” any water storage commitment. In 2014, voters overwhelmCritical details are lacking, with disingly approved $2.75 billion of the cussions ongoing. $7 billion bond measure, ProposiCalifornia is facing what experts tion 1, to fund water infrastructure say may be the worst drought conprojects, including preparation ditions in the state’s history. Record for the next drought. Yet here we heat waves. Dry forests. Water are, seven years later, with little to levels at the state’s largest resshow in return. ervoirs are alarmingly low. All The reality is: Water is running culminating in a perfect storm for out for already disadvantaged comcatastrophic wildfires. munities and critical industries such California’s largest reservoir – as agriculture, threatening our food Shasta Lake – is below 40% capacity. supply and jobs. The state’s largest supplier to The delayed Sites Reservoir, the State Water Project, Lake Orofor example, is an off-river reserville, is at a mere 33%, so low that its voir that could capture excess water hydroelectric power plant likely will from storms. It would increase Calibe forced to shut down for the first fornia’s water supply by 15%. In dry time since it opened in 1967. years, Sites would pump an addiWildfires are a natural part of tional 250,000 acre-feet or more California’s landscape. Recent fire of cold water to help the ecosysseasons, however, have started tem, improve water quality and earlier and ended later, with more recharge groundwater.
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have developed a fondSo it was with great sadness ness for tow truck operthat I learned of the death ators over the years. of a tow truck operator who While it is sad I have I had gotten to know over had the need to meet so the years. He rescued me at many, it is hard to explain least four times, but I also got the joy this commuter-type to know him through comhas felt when I spot those munity events. trucks nearing my roadside He was quite the fly fisherlocation. Help has arrived! man, and reveled in the fact Todd R. Hansen What is really amazing is that I am not. that they always seem to arrive just He was forced to retire a number moments before I have Louisville of years ago after being struck by a Slugger’d my vehicle. vehicle while on a call. Breaking down, I understand, is And this past week, as I navigated part of life as a commuter, especially my way down Interstate 80, I witif one, like myself, travels a more nessed another operator just escape a than fair distance each day. Still, similar fate, and that is not the first I there are few things that can ruin have seen. In fact, it seems to be hapa day faster. pening with more frequency, if I can On one particular afternoon, I suf- believe my own eyes and the growing fered three flat tires. Like most, I number of news reports I read. only carry one spare. Like most, I put One operator told me that he has off fixing the flat until later. That was been forced to dive out of harm’s way a two-tow day, and quite nearly a self- at least a dozen times in his career, inflicted Louisville Slugger’d day, too. and that those drivers somehow think
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Yet not a drop of water storage has been added as Sites, and other storage projects are waiting for permit approvals. Numerous water infrastructure projects in the Central Valley, such as the Friant-Kern Canal, could have prepared our region for drought but lacked adequate funding. Almost three years ago, Californians saw one of the most horrific wildfires in our state’s history, with 85 lives lost. Thousands of homes and businesses in the Butte County town of Paradise burned to rubble. With a bipartisan group of state legislators, I witnessed firsthand an entire community nearly destroyed – a life-changing experience. As drought and wildfire conditions accelerate at unprecedented rates, Californians are left watching the two trains collide. Sacramento could have used this year’s healthy budget to take action to prevent future disasters. But our elected officials did not. The impacts of wildfire and drought are no longer confined to select regions of California. Californians across the state need to be vocal, and the time is now. We have to get the basics right in the state budget. California should not have to endure another heartbreaking wildfire season or drought before the governor and legislative Democrats take action.
the commuter
IMPORTANT ADDRESSES
irtually any utterance from Gavin Newsom’s mouth these days, as well as those from his press office and other outposts of his administration, contains the phrase “roaring back.” When, for example, the Legislature passed a state budget to meet the June 15 constitutional deadline, Newsom issued a statement declaring that “California’s economy is coming roaring back.” Not surprisingly, it’s also the key slogan in his resistance to a campaign to recall him, something voters will decide later this year. “Gov. Gavin Newsom has Dan Walters California roaring back,” the announcer in one of his campaign spots declares. “Newsom is delivering money to your pocket. Plus an extra $500 bucks for families with kids – $4 billion straight to small businesses through the nation’s largest grant program — cleaning up our streets and getting 65,000 homeless Californians into housing – and free pre-K for every California child, regardless of income.” To some, it might appear somewhat unseemly that Newsom so obviously merges his official actions – and taxpayers’ money – with his political campaign, but the once-discernible line between politics and policy vanished long ago. That said, do the facts support Newsom’s repetitive “roaring back” claim? To be sure, some Californians have prospered in the 15 months since Newsom declared a public health emergency due to Covid-19 and imposed restrictions on personal and economic activities. Those who could continue to work at home maintained their incomes and those on the top rungs of the economic ladder were enriched as the values of their investments such as stocks expanded, thanks largely to the Federal Reserve’s cheap money policies. Newsom has a multibillion-dollar revenue surplus mostly due to taxes on the affluent, money he’s now spending on the wide array of new benefits he’s touting in his campaign ads. However, broader economic data offer scant support for the “roaring back” mantra the governor is chanting these days. It’s more like creeping back – slowly. The state’s monthly report on employment, issued June 18, frames the glacial pace of improvement. The state lost nearly 3 million jobs after Newsom ordered widespread business closures in March 2020, and since then we’ve recovered roughly half of them. Our 7.9% unemployment rate is still twice what it was before the shutdown and is the thirdhighest of any state, slightly less than Hawaii and New Mexico. In addition to the official unemployment rate, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics makes other calculations, including an important one on underemployment, called U-6, which includes not only workers without jobs but those who are only marginally attached to the labor force and those working part-time. California’s U-6 rate through the first quarter, 18.4%, was 4 percentage points above the national figure and the third-highest of any state, behind Hawaii and Nevada. Even more disturbingly, the U-6 rate in Los Angeles County, 24.1%, is higher than that of any state. The federal Bureau of Economic Analysis reported this month that during the first quarter of this year, California’s economic output increased by 6.3%, slightly lower than the national rate and in the lowest third of the states. The federal bureau also reported that California’s personal income grew by 42.8% during the first quarter, which sounds impressive until one looks at the nation as a whole and learns that California’s growth was the second-lowest of any state. The bureau notes that nationwide, “transfer payments” – mostly federal aid programs rather than earned income – accounted for virtually all of personal income growth. California’s economy is recovering, to be sure. But “roaring back?” Hardly.
Gov. Gavin Newsom State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 Congressman John Garamendi (3rd District) 2438 Rayburn HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Fairfield Office: 1261 Travis Blvd., Suite 130 Fairfield, CA 94533 707-438-1822
Assemblyman Jim Frazier (11th District) State Capitol Room 3091 P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0011 916-319-2011 1261 Travis Blvd., Suite 110 Fairfield, CA 94533 707-399-3011
it is his fault. In short, it also seems, one-finger birdies are at no risk of being placed on an endangered species list. I decided to write on this particular topic after receiving a travel forecast that indicated a lot of people were expected to be hitting the road for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. A near-record number, it seems. With more traffic comes more accidents and other troubles that will likely require tow truck operators to be out on the highways. Try to watch out for these brave souls, and give them plenty of room to do their work of mercy. In the spirit of the occasion, be safe and sane. Todd R. Hansen is a reporter and editor with the Daily Republic. Reach him at thansen@ dailyrepublic.net.
State Sen. Bill Dodd (3rd District) State Capitol Room 5114 Sacramento, CA 95814 916-651-4003 Vacaville District Office: 555 Mason St., Suite 275 Vacaville, CA 95688 707-454-3808
Fairfield City Hall 1000 Webster St. Fairfield, CA 94533 707-428-7400 Suisun City Hall 701 Civic Center Drive Suisun City, CA 94585 707-421-7300 Vacaville City Hall 650 Merchant St. Vacaville, CA 95688 707-449-5100
