Editorial:
Proposition 23: Suspends Air Pollution Control Laws Requiring Major Polluters to Report and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions That Cause Global Warming Until Unemployment Drops to 5.5 Percent Or Less for Full Year. Initiative Statute – Majority Approval Required
The supporters of this proposition are trying to tell us that AB 32 is killing jobs in California, and needs to be modified in order to create more jobs. AB 32 was passed to address Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) that trap heat from the sun within the earth’s atmosphere, warming the earth’s temperature.
In today’s tough economic times more jobs sounds good, but, is it true? We believe that in this case, big oil is using the dire unemployment situation to avoid making changes in the trillion dollar oil business.
The State of California has some of the strictest environmental laws on the books. At the same time, California is one of the worst polluters in the world. California is the second largest emitter of GHGs in the United States and one of the largest emitters of GHGs in the world.
The State of California passed AB 32 because the people of California take the issue of the environment seriously and want to address the issue in a responsible fashion. Californians want our state to be a leader in the green environment movement. A Green environment is a step toward reducing our dependency on fossil fuels (gasoline), renewable energy, and recycling. A green economy also promises new technologies and jobs in a growing industry.
To change AB 32 and require the suspension of this regulation until unemployment is at 5.5% for a full year, in effect, kills AB 32. What it will do is free the oil companies from meeting the standards set forth in AB 32, for future reductions of GGHs and relieve companies that emit greenhouse gases to be charged fees, referred to as cap-and-trade.
The high unemployment in the State has nothing to do with AB 32 and does nothing to address the root problems of unemployment. All that Prop 23 does is relieve the gas companies from a financial burden which they claim will then free them up to generate more jobs. In reality it will only free up the companies to generate a greater profit. In fact, jobs will be lost in the growing field of green energy and the state would have fewer investments in new clean energy if Prop 23 passes.
Prop 23 is nothing more than corporate America trying to take advantage of people’s hardships to improve their bottom line!
We urge a NO Vote on Prop 23.