House passes energy tax bill

The house is trying to shift tax breaks from oil and gas companies to renewables....

House of Representatives voted 236-182 to pass an energy tax bill that would shift nearly $18 billion in tax breaks away from oil and gas companies to renewable energy. The President has stated that he would veto the bill (H.R. 5351) if passed by the Senate. Congress attempted to include a very similar set of tax provisions in last year's law improving fuel efficiency standards, but failed -- by just one vote -- to obtain the sixty votes needed to defeat a filibuster and keep the tax provisions in the law. This year that vote could go very differently, as Democrats may use the budget reconciliation process for an energy tax bill. Under this process, the budget resolution could spell out some fiscal goal and then Congress could later pass a bill meeting that goal with just a simple majority of votes in the Senate instead of the usual 60 needed to overcome a filibuster.

If passed by both chambers of Congress, this maneuver would set up a very public fight with the White House over whether tax breaks should be targeted toward big oil and gas companies or renewable energy.

H.R. 5351 would extend and modify the "section 45 credit" for energy from renewable sources like wind, geothermal and hydropower, at a cost of $6.6 billion over ten years. Other provisions costing over a billion dollars each include a $4,000 credit for hybrid vehicles that can be plugged into an electric socket for recharging, bonds for state and local conservation programs, the extension and modification of a $300 credit for energy efficiency improvements in homes, and bonds for infrastructure in and around the World Trade Center. Several other provisions would promote the production and use of renewable fuels and other goals.

The costs of these initiatives would be offset by provisions that reduce or eliminate tax breaks for oil and gas companies. The largest of these provisions would raise $13.6 billion over ten years by barring large oil and gas companies from using the deduction for domestic manufacturing (often called the Section 199 deduction) and limiting the deduction for smaller oil and gas companies.

http://www.ctj.org/taxjusticedigest/2008/02/house-passes-energy-tax-bill-a.html

Grist tries to break down "Green Job Economy"

Grist, the enviro blog, breaks down how different groups are defining the "Green Job Economy"...

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/2/19/155825/434?source=biz

Debunking Right wing notions of energy and business

Progressive States Network has come out with a paper addressing the right wing propaganda machine on the issues of energy, environments and economics....

"Over the years, we've seen a sophisticated right wing propaganda machine, funded by rightwing corporate and other sources, often dominate state policy debates with junk science and politically twisted information. The Progressive States Network is launching this new, expanded monthly version of the Eye on the Right to not only expose the workings of the Right but to also provide a detailed, factual response for legislators and advocates.
The first edition looks at the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC's) Energy, Environment and Economics policy document and point by point exposes the distortions and unravels their arguments with facts and clear analysis. ALEC has long spearheaded to rightwing agenda in the states, advancing a rightwing corporate agenda under the guise of public policy reform."

http://progressivestates.org/files/eyeontheright/ALECandEnergy/ALECsplashpage.html

EJ networks come out against carbon trading (cap and trade)

National Apollo Alliance is considering getting into the mix to advocate for carbon trading credits to fund renewables, however our EJ allies are against carbon trading altogether...

On Tuesday, February 19, 2008, Environmental Justice (EJ) advocates gathered at 5 locations across California for a 10 a.m. teleconference to discuss the release of The California Environmental Justice Movement's Declaration Against Use of Carbon Trading Schemes to Address Climate Change. The Declaration details the environmental justice community’s opposition to the use of carbon trading and offsets because of their failure to achieve actual emissions reductions, the irreconcilable problems with trading experiments and offset use, and because of their inability to cause a timely fundamental change in the way we make and use energy. Rather, EJ advocates are calling for policies that focus on moving the state away from the fossil fuel infrastructure because such fuels are the overwhelming contributor to climate change and have devastating impacts on poor, low-income and communities of color in California and around the world. The coalition supports use of consistent carbon pricing mechanisms such as a carbon fee.

http://www.ejmatters.org/

To find out more, go to their media page for more info on cap and trade

http://www.ejmatters.org/media.html

State Legislative Analyst says Gov's budget is "flawed"

The state budget deficit has increased to about $16 billion, primarily due to continuing problems in the housing market and high energy prices, according to an independent budget analysis released Wednesday.

In January, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pegged the size of the budget shortfall at $14.5 billion for the 2008-09 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Despite recent moves to sell bonds, delay payments and adopt cuts in education and health care, Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill said the state's budget continues to deteriorate. In essence, California's economy continues to bring in fewer tax dollars than anticipated.

In a critical look at Schwarzenegger's spending proposal, Hill called his administration's budget-balancing approach "flawed" because it fails to prioritize state programs.

"We recommend the Legislature reject the administration's across-the-board (cutting) approach," the report said.

The report lays out an alternative budget that proposes to eliminate nonessential state programs, shift programs to local control and reduce school funding by less than the $4.3 billion the governor suggested. It also recommends closing tax loopholes to add revenue in a "reasonable manner."

http://www.sacbee.com/102/story/726092.html

Who's Greener? Obama v Clinton

Editorial on Grist.com:
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/2/4/23617/54464?source=weekly
Also has Obama & Clinton's green agendas...

Based on the writer, it comes down to these questions:
"Who will be more effective at getting a green agenda past the many obstacles it faces?
Who will do more to help downticket races and usher more Democrats into Congress?

There's been a lot of chatter about "theories of change" this election, but if you ask me, personal style matters a hell of a lot less than the number of reliable votes in Congress. So who'll get more downticket Dems elected? I think, as his recent endorsement by a string of red-state Dems attests, Obama will. He's got broader appeal with the Independents and wavering Republicans that will make the difference in close Congressional races.

So in the end, if I was forced at gunpoint to pick the greener Dem this election, it would be Obama, but only based on second-order effects, and only barely. By far the larger story this season is that both Democratic choices are advancing a green agenda substantially more ambitious than what was proposed by Kerry, Gore, or Clinton. It's hard for green Democrats to go wrong this year."

Bush signs econ stimulus plan MINUS green incentives

According to www.grist.com 's weekly email listserv:

President Bush signed an economic stimulus bill last week, meaning you may have a check winging your way after tax time. Not included in the bill: clean-energy incentives and green-job boosting, which were dropped from the Senate version after narrowly failing to get enough votes. Undeterred, Democrats in the House of Representatives have introduced legislation to extend said incentives, providing tax breaks for investments in energy efficiency and solar, wind, and geothermal power at an expected cost of $17.5 billion over 10 years. It would be financed mostly by repealing some $13.6 billion in tax breaks currently enjoyed by crazy-rich oil and gas companies. The legislation passed committee last week, and may be taken up by the full chamber this week. There's reason to hustle: Some current clean-energy incentives will expire at the end of this year if they're not renewed.

Governor orders state hiring freeze

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an today executive order freezing state hiring and halting nonessential service contracts -- a move he said could save the cash-strapped state $100 million by June 30.

http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/723209.html

NPR story on "Green Jobs" with Jerome Ringo

All Things Considered on NPR highlights "Green jobs" in response to campaign stumping on the issue:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19096637

Economist story on LA's "Black Flight"

The Economist writes about Los Angeles' inner city black population moving out to the far-reaching LA County suburbs.

http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10697106

"Victorville's gain is Los Angeles' loss. Since 1990 the city's black population has dropped by a quarter, from 488,000 to 364,000, even as the overall number of residents rose. The exodus is most noticeable in areas where blacks were once concentrated, such as Compton and Crenshaw. The population of the 35th congressional district, over which the old-fashioned race warrior Maxine Waters holds sway, is now less than one-third black. “It's becoming hard to find black neighbourhoods,” says Dowell Myers, a demographer at the University of Southern California..."

Steinberg earns A on Racial Equity Report Card

From Applied Research Center:
http://www.arc.org/

Race In Focus
The week of February 11, 2008

New State Senate Leader Earned an A on 2007 Racial Equity Report Card
Senator Darrel Steinberg (D-Oakland) was elected last week to replace Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perata at the end of the 2008 legislative session. Steinberg received a 95% for voting for racial equity legislation 100% of the time and for authoring SB 405 which required all counselors in participating schools to speak with all of their high school students about their college and career goals. The State Assembly will vote on a new Speaker on March 11.

Next Assembly Speaker Candidate Breakdown

The Sacramento Bee published a profile of potential assembly speakers:

Among them, Karen Bass, Kevin De Leon and Hector De La Torre....

http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/010445.html

NY Times features CA's Burgeoning Solar Industry

Feb 1st NY Times article covers CA’s Solar Industry... the article covers private sector investment and emerging technology, most of which is in Silicon Valley. CA is poised, the article says, to be the world’s next big solar market and its entrepreneurial center. Also mentions Integrated Solar in South LA.

The article draws comparisons to the internet revolution – a dangerous comparison as low income communities did not necessarily benefit equally from the tech boom.

"A Green Energy Industry Takes Root in California"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/technology/01solar.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=solar+industry&st=nyt&oref=slogin

...California, he says, is poised to be both the world’s next big solar market and its entrepreneurial center.

...The question, Professor Kammen says, is: “How can we make sure it’s not just green elite or green chic, and make it the basis for the economy?”

... The optimists say a crucial difference this time is the participation of private-sector investors and innovators and emerging technologies. Eight of more than a dozen of the nation’s companies developing photovoltaic cells are based in California, and seven of those are in Silicon Valley.

Al Gore believes real change = changing public opinion

Grist is a very popular enviro blog... this is an interesting take on Al Gore's fight toward changing public opinion:

The lesson Gore seems to have drawn from his defeats in the White House is that being president is not enough to create real change, especially if powerful interests are against you. The only way to defeat them is to recondition the battlefield -- to build such a pervasive wave of public pressure that no matter which politicians get elected, each will feel compelled to take action, even if it means disappointing ExxonMobil and friends. As Gore told Time, the climate crisis "requires a fundamental shift in public opinion at the grassroots level to embolden members of the legislative branch to take action."

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/1/23/165239/215?source=weekly

Mayor starts proposing city budget cuts

Mayor made a pitch for Prop S while proposing suspending some hires, asking some workers to take unpaid furloughs and selling vacant fire dept properties.

Budget analysts attributed the $155-million deficit mostly to the flagging economy, saying larger than expected decreases in sales taxes, real estate transfer taxes, fees and state reimbursements have left the city $69 million short of anticipated revenues.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget29jan29,1,5661396.story

June measure could undo rent control

Proponents tout the measure as one that would limit government's use of eminent domain, preventing the taking of private property for private development. Although that is the first provision of the measure, it goes on to phase out rent control. Opponents have dubbed the measure the "Hidden Agenda Scheme," in part because rent control is not mentioned in the ballot title.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-rent29jan29,0,281643.story

Daily News says DWP giving solar incentives to richest LA residents

Great map ID'ing numbers of incentives given out per council district

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_8094796?source=email