MORE THAN 70 ORGANIZATIONS FORM COALITION IN OPPOSITION OF SB 1387 CEDING LOCAL CONTROL TO STATE GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOOD FOR CALIFORNIA

MORE THAN 70 ORGANIZATIONS FORM COALITION IN OPPOSITION OF SB 1387 
CEDING LOCAL CONTROL TO STATE GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOOD FOR CALIFORNIA SACRAMENTO – BizFed, the Los Angeles County Business Federation, announced today the formation of a coalition comprised of more than 70 organizations representing businesses, consumers and taxpayers who have come together to oppose SB 1387. The proposed bill aims to remove local authority from Southern California’s local elected officials by stacking the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Governing Board with three more state-appointed regulators. The coalition was formed in part to highlight how this partisan exercise could easily backfire in the future.

California is the most diverse state in our country – local decision-making authority is imperative to economic growth and good government. If SB 1387 passes, the future leaders of our state could just as easily stack any of the local regulatory boards to their liking – and those who lead our state today may not agree with those who will be running our state in five years or 10 years. Regional water boards, transportation authorities, and more, could all be at risk of becoming state run. SB 1387 would undermine the effectiveness of our local agencies and California government as a whole.

Since the earliest days of air quality management in California, regional air districts have had the responsibility for adopting plans to reduce emissions from stationary sources. Currently, the majority of SCAQMD Board members must be duly elected by local city or county voters as well as a City Selection Committee made up of elected representatives from every city in each county of the south coast region. At the end of the rigorous selection process, the successful candidate truly represents the majority of the residents of any given county.

For these reasons and more, dozens of unique groups have come together, forming a coalition to firmly oppose SB 1387. Coalition members provided the following statements regarding the proposed legislation:

“In a state that prizes the will of the people, ceding local control of vital regulatory boards to the direction of often unrelated state political winds is bad policy,” said Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Gary Toebben. “To effectively address a region’s unique circumstances and needs, regional boards, such as the South Coast Air Quality Management District and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, need to be representative of the communities they serve – SB 1387 is an attempt to dilute this local representation by adding more state-selected regulators at the regional level, effectively moving California in the wrong direction.”

“The SCAQMD board’s long history of inclusive decision making, informed by input from local businesses, community organizations and residents, has yielded landmark emissions reductions and significant corresponding improvements in public health over the years,” said BizFed Founding CEO Tracy Rafter. “SB 1387 would undermine this successful process and effectively disenfranchise the very stakeholders it purports to protect.”

“When regional air quality districts were established, it’s doubtful the Legislature intended to place decision-making responsibility in the hands of unelected and unaccountable political appointees,” said Paul Granillo, president and CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership. “State government already has ample representation on the SCAQMD Board – seeking even greater control would be a gross overreach that could irreparably damage the authority and credibility of not only the SCAQMD but quite possibly similar bodies throughout the state.”

“Overturning the existing structure of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Governing Board could set an awful precedent – if Sacramento doesn’t agree with local decision-makers, then Sacramento will decide who gets a seat at our table,” said Stuart Waldman, president of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.

“SB 1387 is an inappropriate political power grab, motivated by a handful of state leaders who disagree with a recent local government decision. Packing the local regulatory boards with state-appointed members would be both bad policy and bad politics – it’s undemocratic to take control of another jurisdiction on a whim,” said Bill La Marr, executive director of the California Small Business Alliance.

Read the coalition’s opposition letter here.