As your Assemblyman, when I look back at 2013 it was a year of challenges and successes for California. I have a great deal of gratitude for those who have afforded me the opportunity to serve as your representative in the State Assembly.
As your Assemblyman, when I look back at 2013 it was a year of challenges and successes for California. I have a great deal of gratitude for those who have afforded me the opportunity to serve as your representative in the State Assembly.
I started on this journey because too many of my family, friends and clients had already left California, and many still continue to leave our great state due to the highest tax rates in the nation and unnecessary business regulations that are actively driving jobs out of the state.
Last year clearly demonstrated that many politicians and unelected regulators continue to ignore the consequences that their actions have on California families. That is why I focused on protecting hard working Californians from Sacramento’s big government, anti-business policies that negatively impact our quality of life.
An example of this was our fight to save Southern California’s beach bonfires. Bonfires are personally significant to me not only because I surf and grew up enjoying our beaches, but also because they represent an activity that we all can enjoy with family and friends in a uniquely Californian way. Saving the bonfires became a rallying point for many here locally and around our state regardless of political, socioeconomic or cultural background.
Our efforts garnered national attention and thousands came out to rally in support of our California tradition of having a wood burning beach bonfire. We were successful in saving a majority of the beach bonfire rings in Orange and Los Angeles Counties, and this year I introduced bipartisan legislation, Assembly Bill 1102, to ensure that all of our beach bonfires will remain along our coast for generations to come.
Another example of an issue with local impacts was Assembly Bill 701, which was bipartisan legislation that I co-authored resolving the Vehicle License Fee Adjustment Amount (VLFAA) formula fight between Orange County and the Governor. This legislation ensures that we get a more equitable share of tax revenue from the state, which will help pay for education, public safety and other core programs that are important to all of us in Orange County.
Although 2013 afforded us significant opportunities for bipartisan cooperation, too much time was spent on stopping bad legislation instead of moving California forward. For example, last year there were six bills introduced to weaken Proposition 13 and raise property taxes on working families. Thirty-eight more bills were proposed that were so bad for our economy they were deemed “job killers” by the California Chamber of Commerce. Fortunately for all Californians, I am pleased to report that, although by very narrow margins, nearly all of these tax-and-spend measures were defeated.
That being said, the fight will quickly resume in 2014, and I will continue to find more opportunities to advocate for California families by lowering our taxes and improving our economy with job growth and fiscal restraint. I am looking forward to continuing to work toward common sense solutions in Sacramento.
My priorities for 2014 will be not only be to stop destructive legislation, but to also focus on strengthening our economy by advocating for our key industries where California has a global competitive advantage, such as technology, high end manufacturing, higher education, entertainment and tourism. We must all work together to renew California’s economy and ensure that Californians continue to have the opportunity to work hard and enjoy a high standard of living.
As always, I welcome your feedback and I look forward to working together in our community to better the 72nd District and the state of California this upcoming year.
