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Around the Valley
The last month
has given me a new perspective on the needs of my
constituents. I was able to talk face-to-face with those who
are less fortunate and worried as we weather an unstable
economy.
I toured the Sixto Maldonado Plaza Migrant Center in
Firebaugh and the Mendota Migrant Housing Program and saw
the conditions many of our Valley farmworkers are living in.
I talked with local farmworkers and growers about their
concerns as our state suffers from a crippling drought. I
was able to bring several Assembly colleagues to Mendota to
listen to the fears of Valley farmworkers and growers who
have been affected by the drought. The most important thing
I can do as a representative is to listen to my constituents
and help find solutions to real problems.
I met with seniors from Firebaugh and Mendota discussing
issues that are important to them, such as health care and
the growing foreclosure crisis. I also spoke to residents in
Cutler-Orosi about their water quality concerns and toured
new groundwater banks in the area that will help meet their
needs. I also spoke to residents and leaders in Fowler,
Selma, Del Rey and Sanger. I am delighted I was able to meet
with so many people living in the Thirty-First Assembly
District.
I look forward to spending more time in my district once we
pass a fiscally responsible state budget, but until then I
will be working hard to make sure the people in the Central
Valley have a voice in Sacramento.
Sincerely,
Juan Arambula
31st Assembly District
Lawmakers
Hear Valley's Plea on Water
Residents tell
legislators that a water shortage would be disastrous, plan
caravan to Sacramento.
The cafeteria
at Mendota High School was overflowing with Valley
farmworkers and growers all concerned with the state's
severe water crisis during a forum I hosted on June 8th.
The hearing brought together several of my colleagues from
the State Legislature to hear testimony and recommendations
from Valley farmworkers and growers to help alleviate the
economic suffering of agricultural workers impacted by the
drought. I was proud to be joined by Assemblymembers Lieber,
Portantino and Solorio.
Many of the people who testified have lost their jobs due to
growers not planting crops or abandoning their fields due to
the water shortage. Those in attendance said they are
worried about how they are going to feed their families each
day and how long it will be before they can return to work.
The public hearing was a way for Valley residents to voice
their concerns to state legislators on the drought and
address ways to help solve the growing problem of water
shortage.
It is important for me and my colleagues to hear directly
from those who have been affected by the water shortage and
drought. We have to be able to make informed decisions to
help resolve this devastating problem. The only way to do
that is to talk to the people who are hurting the most. This
is particularly true for legislators whose districts do not
include rural areas.
According to Fresno County the drought has triggered more
than $73 million dollars in agricultural losses and more
than 500 jobs have been lost. Those numbers are expected to
go up as we head into the summer season when water is vital
to the agricultural industry.
Last month, I introduced AB 1107, which will extend
unemployment benefits to agricultural workers who have lost
their jobs due to the water shortage and drought in the
Central Valley. The bill extends unemployment benefits
through the end of the year and provides some relief to
families who are already struggling to make ends meet.
The bill was proposed after the Governor declared a state of
emergency in the Central Valley, on June 12, 2008, due to
the drought conditions in the Valley. I, along with Senator
Dean Florez (D-Shafter), sent a letter to the Governor
urging him to provide more assistance, including food, for
agricultural workers suffering the economic impacts caused
by the water shortage and drought.
AB 1107 is currently in Senate Appropriations Committee and
then will head to the Senate Floor for a vote.
Legislation Seeks to Improve Valley's Worsening Air Quality
Earlier this
month a sweltering heat wave produced some of the worst air
the valley has seen this year. That is why I brought
together valley agricultural and air quality leaders to urge
State Legislators to move an important bill that would help
clean up the valley's poor air quality.
AB 2522 will help the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution
Control District expand new and existing programs to clean
up valley air.
This months poor air quality was an unusual circumstance
because the valley experienced high levels of both
particular matter and ozone at the same time, with ozone
levels at their highest since 2002.
The dangerously hot temperatures coupled with the smoldering
fires burning throughout California made the valley's
already poor air quality worse. Making it very hard for some
valley residents to breathe. We can no longer allow our
valley air quality to worsen. It will take everyone living
in the Central Valley to help clean it up. That is why I am
sponsoring AB 2522.
Funds raised through AB 2522 will allow the eight county Air
District to provide more incentive-based air quality
improvements such as refurbishing individual cars, buses and
farm equipment to meet air quality standards, and provide
incentives to purchase hybrid vehicles.
AB 2522 will allow the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution
Control District Board to decide whether or not to increase
the surcharge on each vehicle license fee up to $30 dollars
annually. Currently the surcharge is seven dollars.
"Approximately 80% of the pollution that causes smog comes
from motor vehicles --- the cars and trucks we all drive.
That's why Assembly Bill 2522 is important. The emissions
reduced from this funding will bring cleaner air to hundreds
of thousands of Valley residents," said Rick McVeigh, Deputy
Director, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution District.
AB 2522 is currently on the Senate floor where it will be
taken up for a vote in early August. If approved, it will
move to the Governors desk where it will await a signature
or veto.
Hispanic Family
Day at the Zoo
In partnership
with Univision and Telefutura, I will be hosting the annual
Hispanic Family Day at the Zoo on Sunday, August 17, 2008
from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participants can get a free
cholesterol test and obtain other important health
information. The first 300 hundred children whose families
participate in the health screening will receive a free
ticket to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
For more information on this event contact my office at
(559) 445-5532.
Seeking Nominations for
Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards
My office is
currently seeking nominations for the annual Hispanic
Heritage Awards on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at Arte
Américas. Nominations are being sought for the following
categories: Education, Business, Law/Justice (includes law
enforcement, legal professionals and judges), and Community
Advocate (includes non-profit employee and community
volunteer).
Nominations must be received by Friday, August 15 by 5:00
p.m. For more information on the event or nomination process
contact my office at (559) 445-5532. You can also submit a
nomination online at www.assembly.ca.gov/arambula and click
the "Submit a Nomination" button.
Solar Airport
Dedication Ceremony
Congratulations to Fresno Yosemite International (FYI)
Airport for being the largest solar airport installation in
the nation and leading the way for other airports to use
renewable energy.
Fresno Yosemite International Airport, the major air
transportation center for the City of Fresno and the San
Joaquin Valley, along with WorldWater & Solar Technologies
Corp, developer and marketer of proprietary high-power solar
systems, announced in a celebration ceremony on July 16th,
the opening of the largest solar airport installation to
date in the U.S.
The solar system will provide an impressive 40% of the power
supply required to run the day-to-day needs of the airport
such as lighting, air conditioning, controls and tower
communications using renewable solar energy that will
decrease overhead costs and improve financial performance of
its operations. The project is expected to save the airport
about $13M over the next 20 years.
Employment Training Panel Awards
Job-Training Funds in Fresno and Tulare
The California
Employment Training Panel (EPT) recently awarded more than
$820,000 to companies in Fresno and Tulare to train workers
for quality positions in expanding industries.
Congratulations to the following companies:
Lyons Magnus, Inc.
MAF Industries, Inc.
Pelco, Inc.
US Farm Systems, Inc.
These awards will help keep jobs in California and prepare
workers for more advance careers.
The EPT is a business and labor supported state agency that
assists employers in strengthening their competitive edge by
providing funds to partially off-set the cost of job skills
training. To view copies of the proposals considered by the
Panel, visit the EPT website at http://etp.ca.gov/packets.cfm
For more information about the EPT call (916) 327-5261.
Discounted Taxi
Fares for Seniors
Seniors ages
70 and older can now get a big break on taxi fares in Fresno
County through a new taxpayer-funded program. Fresno County
seniors can purchase coupons to receive 75% off taxi fares
at any time.
The Taxi Script Program, which is being administered by the
Council of Fresno County Governments, will allow older
residents to buy up to $100 in taxi scrip each month for
$25. For more information contact the Council of Fresno
County Governments at 233-4148.
Pediatric
Oral Health Access Program
POHAP is a
free training program that provides a sustainable increase
in access to dental care by providing general dentists with
increased skills and comfort level needed to treat young
children, including children with physical and/or
developmental disabilities. POHAP enlists general dentists
who practice in underserved areas, treat uninsured patients
and/or currently accept publicly-funded dental insurance
programs. Prior to completing the intensive training course,
participating dentists agree to routinely accept young
children, including children with special needs, as well as
provide free restorative treatment to a limited number of
children who have restorative needs and no ability to pay.
For more information and for a list of dentists in your
area, contact Ruby Mateos, Director of Oral Health Program,
at (559) 457-5881 or rmateos@cvhnclinics.org.
Regional Enterprise Zone
The Office of
the Fresno County Regional Enterprise Zone is accepting
applications from businesses that wish to join the Fresno
County Regional Enterprise Zone and be eligible to receive
state tax credits. The deadline for this annual application
acceptance is August 15, 2008.
Businesses wishing to verify if they are already located
within the current boundaries may visit the zone's website
at www.fresnocountyez.com.
For more information and to receive an application contact
Jose Leon-Barraza at the Fresno County Economic Development
Office at (559) 262-4168 or email jbarraza@co.fresno.ca.
Cooling Centers
Cooling
Centers in Fresno will be open when temperatures reach 105
degrees or higher. You can also get a free ride on the FAX
Bus to any Cooling Center location.
For more information call: 621-CITY.
Photo Gallery
Assemblymembers Sally Lieber (D- Mountain View), Juan
Arambula, Anthony Portantino (D-Pasadena) and Jose Solorio
(D-Anaheim) listen to testimony from Valley farmworkers and
growers during a drought forum in Mendota hosted by
Assemblymember Arambula.
Assemblymember
Juan Arambula stands with Valley agricultural and air
quality leaders to support AB 2522 in fron of a FAX clean
energy bus and an indiviual natural gas car.
Email:
assemblymember.arambula@assembly.ca.gov
Web Site:
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/arambula
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