No more foreign cars for the California Assembly.
The Assembly Rules Committee, the house's policy-making body, voted today to restore a "Buy America" policy that will apply to future cars acquired for Assembly members or the house pool.
Assemblyman Ted Lieu, committee chairman, pushed the effort in objection to Toyota's decision to shut down its New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant in Fremont, a facility commonly known as NUMMI. Toyota officials did not appear at today's hearing.
Lieu said he hopes the new policy will do two things: Prompt Toyota to reconsider plans for the Fremont plant and send a message related to the carmaker's accelerator malfunction problems on some models -- specifically, that profits should not be placed above public safety.
Taxpayers expect the Assembly to spend public funds on U.S.-made cars, Lieu said.
"We need to need to send a message that we have to keep jobs in California," he said.
The new "Buy America" policy defines an American car as one assembled in this country with at least 50 percent of its content manufactured in the United States. The Rules Committee, before taking the vote, said the 50 percent threshold will be analyzed and possibly raised in the future.
Democrats on the committee supported Lieu's proposal. No Republican opposed the policy, but four abstained from voting. Critics questioned whether members had been given enough time to study the issue, whether the policy would achieve any practical effect, and privately, whether Lieu -- a candidate for attorney general -- was playing politics with the issue.
The Assembly or its members currently have 133 vehicles, of which 87 are Toyota hybrids, according to Jon Waldie, Assembly administrator. Members receive up to $350 per month for four-year vehicle leases, or $400 per month for three-year leases, while they hold public office.
NUMMI was opened in 1994 as a joint venture of Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors, which no longer is an operating partner. The plant has produced Toyota Corolla, Toyota Tacoma and Pontiac Vibe models, according to its Web site.
The Assembly had a "Buy America" policy in place until 2003, when the Rules Committee expanded its leasing options to take advantage of the popularity and environmental benefits of Japanese hybrid vehicles.
Today's Rules Committee vote did not affect a $6,000 economic incentive adopted by the Assembly years ago to encourage its members to lease hybrids.
Lieu represents the city of Torrance, where Toyota has its North American headquarters.
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