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California is once again the center of attention for all the wrong reasons as it suffers devastating fires in Los Angeles. Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California and State Assemblymember from the 75th District, is calling for a Special Session of the State Legislature to address the crisis. He says the Legislature should stop focusing on "Trump-Proofing" California and instead on "Fire-Proofing" the state and removing regulations that will stand in the way of victims rebuilding.
DeMaio lays the blame for the fire at the feet of the state's liberal politicians and their "crazy laws that contributed to this tragedy." Specifically, he claims that California Democrats have failed to protect the state from fires in 5 key ways:
5. CA’s Perpetual Mess: Gov. Gavin Newsom and CA Democrats have put California in a state of constant crisis 365 days a year – dealing with a soaring cost of living, a crime wave, failing schools, record homelessness, job losses, budget shortfalls, etc. “When you mismanage the state year-round every day for 365 days, it makes it harder to respond when actual emergencies arise,” DeMaio says.
4. Failure to Clear Brush: CA’s crazy environmental regulations have made it hard and costly to clear defensible space for homes that back to canyons and hillsides with high fuel loads.
3. Utilities Failure: During the fire, the government-run electric utility failed to turn off the power – resulting in sparks from downed power lines igniting fires. Worse, the water utility failed to maintain water supplies to service fire hydrants.
2. Understaffing in LA Fire Department: Los Angeles has been dangerously understaffed in its Fire Department – and liberal LA politicians recently cut $17.6 million from the fire budget while adding $1 million for “diversity” planning initiatives.
1. Nightmare to Rebuild: CA crazy state and local regulations and laws will make it more expensive – if not impossible – for fire victims to rebuild.
DeMaio also warns that “the nightmare is only beginning because existing California state laws and regulations will make it impossible for many fire victims to rebuild.”
Specifically, DeMaio cites various state and local regulations that will make the process of recovery expensive and challenging, such as the California Coastal Act (CCA), which requires the CA Coastal Commission to review rebuilding projects — a long and drawn out process.
DeMaio's Assembly Office released the following statement on the ongoing fires and his call for a special session:
DeMaio knows firsthand the problems fire victims will face – having served as a San Diego city councilmember from 2008-2012 and tasked with helping victims of the Witch and Creek fires rebuild while in local office.
DeMaio is joining other Assemblymembers in calling for a Special Session of the Legislature to “Fire Proof” California – to replace the current Special Session seeking to “Trump-Proof” the state. DeMaio says he wants Governor Gavin Newsom and state legislators to immediately pass emergency legislation making it clear that the CCA does not apply to the rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles and enacting other common-sense reforms to streamline the rebuilding process for these victims.”
DeMaio also issues a scathing critique of various laws and examples of “grossly negligent management” by CA politicians that contributed to the crisis – ranging from not adequately funding and staffing the LA Fire Department to failure to shut off power and provide adequate water and infrastructure for fire hydrants to making it hard for communities to clear overgrown dry vegetation to provide defensible space for homes.
“It is unacceptable that fire victims who already have suffered losses because of bad policies of CA’s liberal politicians should have to suffer another set of bad policies as they struggle to rebuild their lives,” says DeMaio. “The least CA politicians can do now is clear the regulatory hurdles for rebuilding,” DeMaio concludes.
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