SACRAMENTO — Whether it’s easing rising costs, including high gas prices, cleaning up California’s school buses, or innovating a 10,000-mile broadband network at scale of the state, the Newsom administration worked hard this week to take action for Californians across a variety of issues.
Lower Gas Prices, Provide Relief, and Hold Greedy Oil Companies Accountable
As middle-class tax refunds continue to hit bank accounts across the state, bringing significant relief to Californians, Governor Gavin Newsom’s actions to bring down high gas prices are paying off at the pump. Compared to a week ago, gasoline prices are down an average of $0.24 in California, thanks in part to the governor’s action to switch to blended gasoline early for the winter.
At the same time, the governor is scrambling to hold greedy oil companies accountable for raking in record profits while gouging Californians at the pumps. He announced last Friday that he was calling a special legislative session on Dec. 5 to put windfall oil company profits back into taxpayers’ pockets.
Meanwhile, Consumer Watchdog, a nonpartisan U.S. consumer advocacy group, released a report last week showing the need for windfall profits.
Consumer Watchdog reports, “All five refiners achieved unprecedented profits per gallon in the West – profits of between 79 cents and $1.01 per gallon. … In the second quarter, Consumer Watchdog reports that these five refiners made three to ten times more profit per gallon off their West Coast operations from April to June than they did in the same period. Last year.
Eliminate $15 million worth of illegal cannabis
Governor Newsom’s new Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force (UCETF) is taking aggressive action to crack down on illegal cannabis operations – protecting communities and consumers across California and the United States from cannabis-based products. of unregulated and potentially harmful cannabis. The task force conducted an operation in a rural area of Jupiter in Tuolumne County on October 4, targeting unlicensed outdoor cultivation operations. Nine search warrants were served during this multi-agency operation. Officers eradicated 11,260 illegal cannabis plants and destroyed 5,237 books. of illegally processed cannabis flowers, with an estimated retail value of more than $15 million, according to the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC).
Getting High Speed Internet for All Californians
Construction began yesterday in rural San Diego County on the first stage of a 10,000-mile broadband network aimed at bringing high-speed Internet service to all Californians, wherever they live. The planned network, which will be the largest in the country, will span the entire state to help provide reliable high-speed Internet access to the millions of Californians who currently do not have it.
$$$ to fix California’s supply chain
As the pandemic-induced cargo backlog at ports across the state rapidly fades, the focus is on long-term supply chain improvements. The California State Transportation Agency this week released final guidelines and a call for proposals for the state’s unprecedented $1.2 billion one-time funding for port and freight infrastructure projects to build a more efficient, sustainable and resilient freight transport.
More electric school buses than any other state
California has more than double the number of clean school buses in the rest of the United States, according to a new report released this week by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC). There are 1,800 zero-emission buses in service or on order in California, compared to 888 in other states.
To date, the state has invested more than $1.2 billion to clean up old diesel-powered school buses, with an additional $1.8 billion over the next five years for zero-emission school buses and l associated charging infrastructure.
The funding is part of the California Climate Commitment, a record $54 billion investment in climate action, including $10 billion to accelerate California’s transition to zero-emission vehicles with deep consumer rebates and a funding for charging infrastructure.
Housing extension for older Californians and people with disabilities
Governor Newsom, along with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), announced this week that 12 organizations have received a total of $53 million in grants to create more residential care options for seniors and adults. people with disabilities, including people at risk of or suffering from homelessness. A total of 402 beds or units will be created with these funds.
Home to first class of #CaliforniansForAll College Corps Scholars
Last Friday, Governor Newsom, alongside California Services Director Josh Fryday and higher education officials, was sworn in before the first class of #CaliforniansForAll College Corps Fellows, more than 3,200 students pledging to serve communities across the state while earning money to pay for their education.
This one-of-a-kind initiative offers undergraduate students from 46 California colleges and universities the opportunity to win $10,000 to commit to one year of service focused on three key areas for the state: education of kindergarten to grade 12, climate action and food. insecure.
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