Climate Action Day + Firefighters back Prop 15 + Spotting election misinformation
Good morning and happy Thursday!
NEWSOM SITS DOWN WITH VAN JONES
One day after his announcement banning the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to host a virtual California Climate Action Day event, kicking off with a 9 a.m. one-on-one with Van Jones.
“In this year alone, California and much of the West Coast have endured record-setting heat and wildfires. In this conversation between Governor Newsom and award-winning journalist Van Jones, we will hear how California can deliver on our aggressive climate change agenda and continue to be the standard-bearer for change,” according to a statement from Newsom’s office about the conversation.
Other panels will discuss such topics as carbon neutrality, wildfires and water, financial risk disclosure and COVID-19 and climate change, with California Air Resources Board Chairwoman Mary Nichols, Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, Environmental Protection Secretary Jared Blumenfeld, Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and others set to appear.
The events begin at 9 a.m. on Thursday and go until 2 p.m. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube by visiting here.
FIREFIGHTER GROUPS BACK PROP 15
The campaign for Proposition 15, the “split roll” initiative which would tax certain commercial and industrial properties at market rates, has scored a pair of endorsements.
The Yes on 15 camp Thursday announced that the California Professional Firefighters organization and the California State Firefighters Association have both thrown their weight behind the ballot initiative.
Brian K. Rice, president of California Professional Firefighters, representing 30,000 firefighters in the state, said in a statement that “firefighters are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to a devastating wildfire season that is now the new normal for our state. There simply are not enough resources to battle these growing emergencies effectively and firefighters are stretched thin. We can no longer afford corporate tax loopholes that shortchange EMS and fire protection services, that’s why we need Proposition 15.”
Meanwhile, Mike Shrout, president of California State Firefighters Association, which represents 16,000 firefighters, said that “a ‘yes’ vote on Proposition 15 will help provide a new source of funding for fire and emergency services across the state. When Schools & Communities First is fully implemented, research has shown that at least $390 million in new revenue will go directly to fire districts along with the billions that will go to cities and counties that provide fire protection.”
LEARN TO SPOT ELECTION DISINFORMATION
The election is coming. Are you ready?
McClatchy’s five California papers — The Sacramento Bee, The Fresno Bee, The Modesto Bee, The Merced Sun-Star and The San Luis Obispo Tribune — are hosting a live event exploring election disinformation, and how to spot it, on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
The event, which you can livestream on any of the five newspaper sites, begins at 12:30 p.m. You can RSVP by visiting here.
The event will feature the Capitol Bureau’s own Hannah Wiley; State Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento; Jevin West, a University of Washington associate professor and co-author of the book “Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World;” Kim Nalder, a California State University Sacramento professor and director of the Project for an Informed Electorate; Ashish Jaiman, director of technology and operations in the customer security and trust organization at Microsoft; and Jim Boren, executive director of the Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State University.
The event will be co-moderated by Lauren Gustus, president and editor of The Sacramento Bee, and Gil Duran, California opinion editor.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“With the climate crisis wreaking havoc, CA is once again stepping up its leadership. Kudos to (Gov. Gavin Newsom) for responding to this crisis and setting a zero-emission mandate for all new passenger vehicles by 2035. Clean technology is here. Let’s use it.”
- Former Vice President Al Gore, via Twitter.
Best of the Bee:
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday issued an executive order that would phase out sales of new gas-powered passenger cars by 2035, a move that he said would improve air quality and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet, via Lara Korte and Sophia Bollag.
So what does it all mean for California car owners? Here’s what you should know, via Lara Korte.
Fact check: Will Uber, Lyft drivers get paid less than minimum wage under Proposition 22? via Jeong Park