RELEASE: CA Senate STALLS CEQA Litigation Protection & Home Buyer Tax Credit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 24, 2010

 

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tracy Rafter, 818.429.0862

 

**MEDIA STATEMENT**

BIZFED DECRIES SENATE PANEL INACTION

ON JOB-CREATION LEGISLATION

 

 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Los Angeles County Business Federation is appalled and disheartened by Senate panel inaction today that essentially quashed a key piece of legislation that would have established the CEQA Litigation Protection Pilot Program of 2010 and provided a vital boost for California's struggling economy.

 

With the state's soaring jobless rate, it's time to get Californians back to work now. The legislation that was essentially killed today by the Senate panel's failure to take a vote – specifically SB 8X 42 Correa/Cogdill – was a vital step in the right direction.

 

While opponents called it a CEQA "exemption," it was not. The legislation allowed only a limited scope of public and private projects a "safe haven" from costly time delays resulting from further legal challenges after already completing the CEQA review process. It also was set to sunset after five years and had other safeguards including public hearings.

 

"This flies in the face of common sense," said Tom Flintoft, BizFed Chair. "This package would have put thousands of Californians back to work in the construction industry on already CEQA-reviewed projects in a time of desperate need. It's time to stop playing politics and think about the future of this state."

 

The Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee also failed to act today on SBx64 Ashburn/Calderon - legislation that would have extended and expanded the successful homebuyer tax credit for Californians by $200 million.

 

"Californians need help with creating and findings jobs. Partisan politics shot down two Republican-sponsored bills that would have helped," said David Fleming, BizFed Founding Chair. "It's no wonder the state legislature's approval rating is the lowest in recorded history."

 

The Los Angeles County Business Federation is a grassroots alliance of more than 70 existing business organizations with well over 100,000 businesses whose goal is to effectively mobilize the collective voice of the Los Angeles County business community.  For more information, please visit bizfed.org

 

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