California tomorrows the day!

[Liz ODell]

YOU NEED TO BE AT THE CAPITOL TOMORROW! IF NOT YOU NEED TO SEND EMAILS NOW AND FAXES AND PHONE CALLS EARLY IN THE MORNING!


SB250 AND APPROPRIATIONS
Meeting is Thursday, May 29th

SB250 AND APPROPRIATIONS

Now that we know we have an even larger budget problem than when SB250 went into suspense, Senator Florez is expected to be able to get his colleagues allocate funding for this bill so that it can move to the Senate Floor. Although the Finance Department has indicated that this will add to California State expenditures, evidently that may not be enough for the Senators on the Appropriations Committee.

We urge you to contact the Senators today and tomorrow with your objections. Here are the fiscal issues.

Although this will increase the state's IOUs to the counties and cities in California, the state has already said that it will not be able to send those funds for at least four years. So this becomes a burden on each local community. And if they wanted a law such as this, they could pass a local ordinance.

Californians are under terrible financial strain right now. SB250 requires that a responsible dog owner, whose dog gets out one time, must pay not only the existing fines but hundreds of dollars for sterilization. Or give his dog up to be euthanized.

The financial impact on municipalities and individuals alike is appalling. When the advocates of this legislation talk numbers, they are pretending that every animal control agency in the state will just go away. And we know that will not be the case. In fact, the City of Los Angeles, which has the most draconian legislation, has not even forecast a reduction in their budget in their 3 year forecast!

Taking a tip from the Lloyd Levine playbook, Senator Florez will be introducing a last minute amendment on Thursday, which of course no one who is not on his team can see ahead of time. We suspect he will be adding some other classes of hunting licenses as exemptions. But we do not anticipate any exemptions for training your hunting dog, for working dogs, for training performance dogs or search and rescue dogs. Florez is intent on keeping as many people as possible as potential quarry under the One Strike And You're Out - Forever rule.

Those of you who are affected should be sure to write to Senator Wolk. She is the one who said she would get the appropriate language. Ask her to ask that this bill be re-referred to Local Government where all the stakeholders can look at the new language.

Here are the people who need to hear from you. The Democrats are in bold; they are the ones who will try to push this through for their majority leader.

Christine Kehoe - Chair
State Capitol Room 5050
Sacramento 95814
Phone - 916-651-4039
Fax - 916-327-2188

Dave Cox - Vice Chair
State Capitol Room 2068
Sacramento 95814
Phone - 916-651-4001
Fax - 916-324-2680

Ellen Corbett
State Capitol, Room 5108
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:(916) 651-4010
Fax: (916) 327-2433

Jeff Denham
State Capitol, Room 3076
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4012
Fax: (916) 445-0773

Mark DeSaulnier
(916) 651-4007
Fax - (916) 445-2527
State Capitol, Room 2054
Sacramento, CA 95814

Lori Hancock
Phone: (916) 651-4009
Fax: (916) 327-1997
State Capitol, Room 3092
Sacramento, CA 95814

Mark Leno
State Capitol, Room 4061
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 651-4003
(916) 445-4742

Jenny Oropeza
State Capitol, Room 5114
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4028
Fax: (916) 323-6056

George Runner
State Capitol, Room 4090
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4017
Fax: (916) 445-4662

Mimi Walters
State Capitol, Room 3082
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4033
Fax: (916) 445-9754

Lois Wolk
State Capitol Room 4032
Sacramento 95814
Phone - 916-651-4005
Fax - 916-323-2304

Mark Wyland
State Capitol, Room 4048
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4038
Fax: (916) 446-7382

Leeland Yee
State Capitol, Room 4074
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4001
Fax: (916) 327-2186