Legislators taking on range of issues in newest session

In taking stock of what’s ahead for a new legislative session, Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, had hopes for a renewed focus on affordable housing and early childhood education as the transition between Gov. Jerry Brown and Newsom’s administration takes shape. Mullin successfully pushed for an integrated child care center license to ease the administrative burden for child care providers and previously backed an effort to bring back redevelopment agencies. He was optimistic about the interest in these issues he has observed so far from the incoming governor’s administration.

But he also expected an impending economic downturn projected to slow the state’s economy in 2019 and 2020 to temper the incoming governor’s ability to invest in areas where support has lagged in recent years.

“It’s very much kind of an open question of how the governor will balance the spending proposals,” he said. “It’s going to be quite an interesting balancing act that the incoming governor has.”

Mullin looked to Newsom’s first few weeks in office to bring clarity to what the governor and state lawmakers can collectively achieve, but pegged renewed conversations on housing and child care as priorities which would likely see movement in the coming months. Mullin also expressed hope that Newsom would use his political capital to take on comprehensive tax reform to address the existing volatility of the state’s revenue, noting the incoming governor could take advantage of the strong economy and put a proposal to amend the state’s tax code on the 2020 ballot before a recession happens.

“We have to do something in this next administration to put the state on stronger financial footing regardless of what the economy is doing, and my hope is that we’ll be able to make some progress,” he said.

Having been reappointed as speaker pro tempore of the Assembly, Mullin said he would serve as a point person for that conversation in the Assembly alongside state Sen. Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, adding the effort could include structural changes and also efforts to modernize the system through which taxes are administered. And though he hoped to see movement on the issue, Mullin wasn’t sure tax reform would rise to the top for the Legislature, acknowledging the challenge of bringing business interests together with labor unions to scope these types of reforms.

Flavored tobacco, property taxes and PG&E

Having already introduced three proposals taking on teen use of flavored tobacco and abuse of property tax breaks, state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, looked to hit the ground running in the next legislation session on growing issues for his district. In proposing Assembly Bill 38 and Assembly Bill 39, Hill is proposing retail stores and vending machines in California be prohibited from selling flavored tobacco products as well as a tightening of the age requirement for tobacco products sold online, respectively. He noted the effort comes in response to an alarming increase in e-cigarette use among high school and middle school students in the last year.

“There’s an epidemic that is going to destroy the next generation,” he said. “They may start with e-cigarettes, but when they’re addicted to nicotine, they will grab it in any form that they can.”

Hill is also seeking to close a tax loophole which he claims property heirs are exploiting to the detriment of city and county budgets, an issue his proposed Senate Constitutional Amendment 3 aims to address by preventing those who rent inherited properties from enjoying the lower tax rate passed down with the land. The legislation would give heirs a choice to live in the homes and pay a reduced tax bill, or rent the land and be required to pay a higher amount reassessed to the market rate.

No stranger to holding PG&E accountable, Hill doesn’t plan to let up on the utility in the coming year, especially as investigations into its involvement in the massive Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 continue. Driven to take on PG&E following a 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno that killed eight people, Hill was encouraged by what he believed were improvements to the utility’s gas system and culture in the last eight years.

But his initial optimism has been countered by recent reports PG&E falsified records in its gas division for five years between 2012 and 2017, one of several indications the utility has not made meaningful changes and either needs to be scrapped or undergo major reforms, said Hill.

“I’ve made it very clear that there needs to be changes in PG&E,” he said. “We’ll be looking carefully at trying to craft a path forward to prevent PG&E from continuing along its path of destruction.”

Housing

For Assemblyman Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, how the incoming governor will work together with legislators to address housing and early childhood education remained top of mind.

Though he acknowledged Newsom has been candid that a long-term state strategy for early childhood education will take time to shape, Berman underscored the fact that the issue is one in which the Legislature and the incoming governor are aligned.

With a regional proposal to streamline residential development, establish renter protections and facilitate affordable housing gaining momentum after the Metropolitan Transportation Commission approved the first step of the CASA Compact earlier this month, Berman expected the effort to catalyze several state bills as local and state officials scope details of the far-reaching proposal. Having cleared the MTC, the CASA Compact will head to the Association of Bay Area Governments then to the state Legislature.

“We need to make way more progress on housing,” he said. “The Legislature got a lot done in 2017, we did not get as much done in 2018 and we really need to reprioritize that in 2019.”

Though Berman hoped systemic tax reform and increased spending on education initiatives could take shape in the coming months, he acknowledged the complexities facing the incoming governor as he weighs major policy decisions and impending shifts in the economy.

“It will be exciting with the new governor and new priorities and the make-up of the legislation has changed a little bit [so] we’ll wait to see what impact that has,” he said. “There’s a lot more still to be done, so I’m hopeful for a very impactful 2019.”

anna@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 106

By Anna Schuessler

Daily Journal staff

In setting their sights on a new legislative session, local legislators are keeping a focus on a range of issues affecting San Mateo County residents, including the region’s housing shortage, early childhood education, comprehensive tax reform and the impact of Pacific Gas and Electric’s actions.

But even with goals to catalyze affordable housing development, re-evaluate how the state government is funded and increase support for education programs, legislators are also keeping a close eye on Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom’s agenda and an economy expected to take a turn for the worse in the coming years.

In taking stock of what’s ahead for a new legislative session, Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, had hopes for a renewed focus on affordable housing and early childhood education as the transition between Gov. Jerry Brown and Newsom’s administration takes shape. Mullin successfully pushed for an integrated child care center license to ease the administrative burden for child care providers and previously backed an effort to bring back redevelopment agencies. He was optimistic about the interest in these issues he has observed so far from the incoming governor’s administration.

But he also expected an impending economic downturn projected to slow the state’s economy in 2019 and 2020 to temper the incoming governor’s ability to invest in areas where support has lagged in recent years.

“It’s very much kind of an open question of how the governor will balance the spending proposals,” he said. “It’s going to be quite an interesting balancing act that the incoming governor has.”

Mullin looked to Newsom’s first few weeks in office to bring clarity to what the governor and state lawmakers can collectively achieve, but pegged renewed conversations on housing and child care as priorities which would likely see movement in the coming months. Mullin also expressed hope that Newsom would use his political capital to take on comprehensive tax reform to address the existing volatility of the state’s revenue, noting the incoming governor could take advantage of the strong economy and put a proposal to amend the state’s tax code on the 2020 ballot before a recession happens.

“We have to do something in this next administration to put the state on stronger financial footing regardless of what the economy is doing, and my hope is that we’ll be able to make some progress,” he said.

Having been reappointed as speaker pro tempore of the Assembly, Mullin said he would serve as a point person for that conversation in the Assembly alongside state Sen. Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, adding the effort could include structural changes and also efforts to modernize the system through which taxes are administered. And though he hoped to see movement on the issue, Mullin wasn’t sure tax reform would rise to the top for the Legislature, acknowledging the challenge of bringing business interests together with labor unions to scope these types of reforms.

Flavored tobacco, property taxes and PG&E

Having already introduced three proposals taking on teen use of flavored tobacco and abuse of property tax breaks, state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, looked to hit the ground running in the next legislation session on growing issues for his district. In proposing Assembly Bill 38 and Assembly Bill 39, Hill is proposing retail stores and vending machines in California be prohibited from selling flavored tobacco products as well as a tightening of the age requirement for tobacco products sold online, respectively. He noted the effort comes in response to an alarming increase in e-cigarette use among high school and middle school students in the last year.

“There’s an epidemic that is going to destroy the next generation,” he said. “They may start with e-cigarettes, but when they’re addicted to nicotine, they will grab it in any form that they can.”

Hill is also seeking to close a tax loophole which he claims property heirs are exploiting to the detriment of city and county budgets, an issue his proposed Senate Constitutional Amendment 3 aims to address by preventing those who rent inherited properties from enjoying the lower tax rate passed down with the land. The legislation would give heirs a choice to live in the homes and pay a reduced tax bill, or rent the land and be required to pay a higher amount reassessed to the market rate.

No stranger to holding PG&E accountable, Hill doesn’t plan to let up on the utility in the coming year, especially as investigations into its involvement in the massive Northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 continue. Driven to take on PG&E following a 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno that killed eight people, Hill was encouraged by what he believed were improvements to the utility’s gas system and culture in the last eight years.

But his initial optimism has been countered by recent reports PG&E falsified records in its gas division for five years between 2012 and 2017, one of several indications the utility has not made meaningful changes and either needs to be scrapped or undergo major reforms, said Hill.

“I’ve made it very clear that there needs to be changes in PG&E,” he said. “We’ll be looking carefully at trying to craft a path forward to prevent PG&E from continuing along its path of destruction.”

Housing

For Assemblyman Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, how the incoming governor will work together with legislators to address housing and early childhood education remained top of mind.

Though he acknowledged Newsom has been candid that a long-term state strategy for early childhood education will take time to shape, Berman underscored the fact that the issue is one in which the Legislature and the incoming governor are aligned.

With a regional proposal to streamline residential development, establish renter protections and facilitate affordable housing gaining momentum after the Metropolitan Transportation Commission approved the first step of the CASA Compact earlier this month, Berman expected the effort to catalyze several state bills as local and state officials scope details of the far-reaching proposal. Having cleared the MTC, the CASA Compact will head to the Association of Bay Area Governments then to the state Legislature.

“We need to make way more progress on housing,” he said. “The Legislature got a lot done in 2017, we did not get as much done in 2018 and we really need to reprioritize that in 2019.”

Though Berman hoped systemic tax reform and increased spending on education initiatives could take shape in the coming months, he acknowledged the complexities facing the incoming governor as he weighs major policy decisions and impending shifts in the economy.

“It will be exciting with the new governor and new priorities and the make-up of the legislation has changed a little bit [so] we’ll wait to see what impact that has,” he said. “There’s a lot more still to be done, so I’m hopeful for a very impactful 2019.”

anna@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 106