OAKLAND, CA — Today, California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) released the following statement on the Governor’s budget proposal released today.
Statement from Mary Creasman, Chief Executive Officer, California Environmental Voters:
“Southern California is still in crisis. At least 10 people have died and more than 6,000 homes and structures have been wiped out, and 130,000 residents are under evacuation orders.
Entire communities have been wiped out by this unnatural disaster. These disasters are preventable in the future if our government acts boldly and comprehensively now. Corporate polluters are responsible for the crisis we are in, our reliance on oil and gas that is fueling this devastation, and the inadequate pace of action and investment is continually putting our communities at risk.
Californians know the crisis we’re facing – 60% of voters in November approved big investments in conservation, resiliency, and clean energy solutions that will help us prevent the worst in the future. We are grateful for the foresight of legislative leaders who put this initiative on the ballot. At the same time, this isn’t enough. California needs a bolder vision from our leaders this year on how we’re going to protect and make our landscapes and communities more resilient, scale up our clean energy, and electrify our buildings and transportation at a rate that gives us a chance to avoid greater devastation.
As we sort through the budget numbers released today, it is going to be incumbent upon all of us—and the California legislative leadership—to ensure this budget eliminates handouts to the culprits of this climate catastrophe and holds corporate polluters accountable. Subsidies to corporate polluters and Water’s Edge need to be shifted towards investing in preventative measures to lower pollution and protect communities and landscapes. And we all need to ensure that the additional investments in climate solutions that voters approved in November do not result in a reduction of resources from the state general fund. We look forward to partnering with the Governor and Legislature to ensure that California’s budget reflects the needs and desires of voters to transition to clean energy, build climate resilience, and prevent the worst.”
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CONTACT:
Veda Banerjee
415-999-8332
veda@envirovoters.org
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ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. See more press releases.
