This release came from Assembly Republican George Plescia, perhaps it is a counterpart to Arnold’s ‘hubris’ release bragging up his deal with the Democrats.

AB 32 Will Drive Away Businesses, Create Unaccountable Tax Bureaucracy

SACRAMENTO – Calling it a misguided solution that will severely harm California’s economy, Assembly Republicans today sharply criticized passage of legislation that would place arbitrary limits on greenhouse gas emissions in California and set up a new, unaccountable tax bureaucracy that could impose billions in higher taxes.

“Republicans believe that we must act responsibly to protect the environment, but Assembly Bill 32 is an overreaching approach that will destroy our state’s economy,” said Assembly Republican Leader George Plescia, of San Diego.  “This measure will drive the final nail into the coffin of the California economy, causing businesses to leave our state in droves for other states that encourage job creation – or even other countries with no commitment to the environment.”

Assembly Bill 32, by Speaker Fabian Núñez and Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, will institute a mandatory cap on greenhouse gas emissions in California.  The measure calls for emissions to be reduced to 1990 levels by the year 2020.  It also directs the California Air Resources Board to impose a mandatory reporting system to track and monitor emissions levels, and will assess costly monitoring fees.

Republicans argued that the measure will establish the largest taxing bureaucracy in California since the creation of the State Board of Equalization, giving unaccountable state Air Resources Board members the ability to take “discreet” action – such as increasing the state gas tax by $1 or more – to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in California.  Even worse, the measure will do nothing to lessen the impact of emissions generated in China, Mexico or other emerging economies, whose environmental damage has been far greater than anything that has occurred in California.

“Not only are we holding a gun to the heads of our state’s job creators with this measure, we are also paving the way for unaccountable state bureaucrats to raise taxes by billions of dollars – all in the name of global warming,” Plescia said.  “The real impact of this measure will not be reduced emissions, but rather boarded-up businesses and higher tax bills.  We need to reach a national consensus if we are to truly make a difference in attacking emissions.” 

The measure now goes to Governor Schwarzenegger for his signature or veto.

[Governor, it’s not too late to change your mind.  VETO this job-killing bill – Flash]

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 31st, 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.