Government roundup: Ashburn addresses the rumors
| Tuesday, Oct 13 2009 05:52 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Oct 13 2009 05:52 PM
Rumors have been swirling about state Sen. Roy Ashburn's future political aspirations since he's termed out next year.
After a quick phone conversation with him, here's what we know:
Running for 2nd District Kern County supervisor?
False.
"I've never even talked with anyone about that at all," he said.
Running for Rep. Jim Costa's congressional seat?
Another false.
"I'm an active candidate for the Board of Equalization," he said. "As far as I know I can't run for two offices at the same time."
So that's a no, no and yes, to the Board of Equalization.
"But I love all the rumors," he said.
- Californian columnist Lois Henry on the "Politics, anyone?" blog at Bakersfield.com/blogs.
CANYONS LAWSUIT COMING
The Canyons will -- as expected -- face an environmental lawsuit.
An attorney representing the Sierra Club sent a letter and fax Tuesday to city officials announcing the group will sue over recent approval of the northeast Bakersfield development.
The single-page notice from San Luis Obispo lawyer Babak Naficy cites stock concerns: the project's environmental report failed to identify and mitigate impacts; the city's approval wasn't supported by evidence and therefore violated state environmental laws.
The controversial 889-acre, 1,330-home project on bluffs near the Kern River was approved by the city council Sept. 9.
- Staff writer Gretchen Wenner
ASHBURN BENEFITS BILL SIGNED
A bill by state Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, that saved the survivor benefits for widows and orphans of the state's public safety and school employees has been signed into law.
The legislation also includes an agreement between the Schwarzenegger administration and the California Highway Patrol to begin pre-funding the CHP's retiree health benefits, saving the state millions in future years.
SB 519 prevents the 1959 Survivor Benefit from expiring in January. This benefit has provided a safety net for 50 years for the families of public employees like CHP officers, firefighters, peace officers and school employees who die unexpectedly in their prime earning years. These individuals do not have Social Security coverage for their surviving dependent children and spouses. The elimination of this benefit would have hurt these survivors significantly, and it costs the state much less than paying into Social Security on their behalf.
As for the administration-CHP agreement, the state since 1961 has funded retiree health benefits on a "pay as you go" basis without investing money ahead of time to pay future costs. The state currently owes more than $48 billion in unfunded retiree health benefits and estimates are that this figure will grow to more than $71 billion in the next 10 years.
Under the agreement, the CHP will forgo pay raises over the next two years, and take an additional pay cut and redirect those funds to pay for their own retiree health benefits. The state will begin to match their contributions in 2012, resulting in huge future savings. It is hoped that this model will be followed by the other public employee unions, saving California billions of dollars down the road.
- Ashburn office press release
