Monning Talks Money and Environment at Local Event

Not only is state Assemblyman Bill Monning a member of the Natural Resources Committee but he is also the chairman of the Health Committee, and at a recent Valley Women’s Club-sponsored speech in Felton on Oct. 15, he drew a parallel between the two.

Monning, who represents the 27th district, which includes Capitola, Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz, gave insight into his positions on the environmental and health issues affecting the state to those in attendance.

“I focus on trends causing diseases, like preventable diabetes, and I focus on the word ‘preventable’ which means working together to change these trends,” he said.

Monning says he believes we should change the focus in healthcare from treating disease and illness to promoting health and wellness.

“We need to approach our environmental health in the same fashion. We need to stop treating degradation and start promoting the health and wellness of our environmental resources,” he said.

When it comes to the state’s budget crisis, he says everything is affected.

“[It’s a] $26 billion deficit,” Monning said, blaming the deficit on the country’s financial collapse. “That’s led to a recession. It affects everything we care about in terms of funding environmental protection and enforcement.”

However, he did share some good news.

“The leading investment in venture capitalism today in California is in the field of alternative energy production–wind, solar, wave. We have to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel and we can do that with rich natural resources that can generate that energy,” he said.

He reminded the audience that State Sen. Joe Simitian’s new bill will force energy companies to produce 30 percent of their product by alternative
energy by 2020.

“This is the highest target of any state in the nation. Opponents have said it’s a ‘job killer,’ but with no facts to back that up, and the entrepreneurial spirit in this state, it’s investing here,” Monning said.

“Also, by 2020, landfills will have to recycle or reuse 75 percent of everything brought through the gates. In Santa Cruz we’re over 60 percent. In Monterey, over $400,000 is generated by a mercantile exchange where one person’s garbage becomes another person’s treasure, and employs all the staff that operates it. We’ve extended the life of the landfill by 150 percent,” he added.

One of Monning’s priorities for 2011 is the reauthorization of the sea otter state tax return.

“So that now when you get your state tax return form you have a choice to allocate money to the sea otter research and preservation fund. We are trying to find out why our sea otter population is so fragile and continuing to be in decline,” he said.

Monning also discussed the governor proposed and signed use fee for people who own land served by Cal Fire.

“The problem is that some people live where they are already paying fees to their fire district and now they would pay a double fee if this were allocated,” he said. “It is being challenged in court and the governor has retained Scotts Valley Fire Chief Mike McMurry to lead his task force to address some of the concerns that have been raised.”

McMurry had earlier visited Monning and Gov. Brown to express his reservations about people being double taxed.

“There is this mantra now in Sacramento, ‘Users should pay.’ Fees should link to service,” Monning said. “So somebody who lives in South Central L.A. shouldn’t have to pay for Cal Fire service when they are never going to put out a fire in their neighborhood.”