Senator George Runner
Serving the 17th District which incorporates portions of the Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura and Kern counties.

The best and worst legislation of 2009

Dear Friends:

Happy New Years! I hope this note finds you and your family blessed and doing well.

The past year was one of the toughest in recent memory thanks to a battered economy and record unemployment leading the news. Let’s hope 2010 is the start of better economic times (my prescription for healing the financial health is to remove government as an obstacle to entrepreneurs and small business owners, both of whom create jobs and opportunities for our communities).

Looking at 2009 in the rearview mirror, we saw legislation here in Sacramento that increased taxes on California families and small business, another one that intruded on our 2nd Amendment rights, and a bill that gave a ‘70s San Francisco activist – who is obscure to most Californians – a day of remembrance ala Harvey Milk Day.

Of course, there were a host of other bills – good and bad – that were introduced, including some that became law last week. We listed a few of them here for your reading enjoyment.

The New Year also saw Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger giving his final State of the State address. The speech was shorter than previous years and outlined a few priorities, including creating jobs, restructuring California’s tax system and promoting a California Constitutional amendment that would require the state to make sure higher education is funded at a higher dollar amount than prisons (even though we already meet this goal).

Read my statements in response to his speech here.

Finally, the People of California passed Proposition 11 last year that took the responsibility for redrawing the State Assembly, State Senate and the State Board of Equalization districts away from the Legislature and gave it to a 14 member Redistricting Commission made up of everyday citizens of the state.

If you are interested in becoming a redistricting commissioner for the state of California, please click here.

Sincerely,

George Runner

p.s. It is an honor to represent you in Sacramento. Please let me know what you think. Email me at: george.runner@sen.ca.gov