Electric vehicle sales hit milestone + Progressives blast ‘smear campaign’ + City leaders want $$
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLE SALES MAKE UP 16% OF VEHICLES SOLD
More than a quarter million Californians have now received a “Clean Fuel Reward,” totaling more than $319 million, for purchasing or leasing a plug-in electric vehicle, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
As a result, California’s zero-emission vehicle sales now account for more than 16% of all vehicles sold in the state.
As part of his 2022-23 budget, Newsom is promoting a $10 billion funding package aimed at expanding zero-emission vehicle access and affordability. It will also support construction of electric vehicle infrastructure as part of the transition away from fossil-fuel-burning vehicles.
“Our state is on the frontlines of extreme weather, and we’re taking aggressive steps to protect Californians from the costs of climate change – transitioning away from the big polluters fueling this crisis and towards clean energy,” Newsom said in a statement. “These incentives make it easier and cheaper to make that transition.”
The “Clean Fuel Reward” program is 18 months old, and provides an instant price reduction of up to $750 for electric vehicles at participating retailers.
DEMOCRATS BLAST OIL CORPORATIONS OVER DAVE JONES ADS
Several prominent Democrats, including Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, and Amar Shergill, chair of the California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus, have signed on to a letter blasting oil companies Chevron and Valero for going after State Senate District 8 Democratic candidate Dave Jones, who is running against fellow Democrats Angelique Ashby and Rafa Garcia.
“The false narratives they are pushing exist for one reason: Jones has advocated against corporate power in politics. Every Democrat in the Sacramento region needs to speak out clearly against these corporate attacks because they undermine all Democrats,” the letter reads in part.
Besides Kalra and Shergill, other signatories to the letter include Sacramento City Council members Mai Vang and Katie Valenzuela, Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy and Tracie Stafford, chair of the Democratic Party of Sacramento County.
“We have seen many Democrats bravely speak out against the smear campaign. It takes courage because the dark money PAC could easily target them next. The corporations are spending money to stop Jones but also, just as important, to influence other Democrats to keep their mouths shut. But we won’t be silenced. All Democrats must speak out against this madness. We cannot continue to sell our democracy to corporate fear-mongers when we have the power to denounce and diminish them. Californians deserve better,” the letter continues.
CITY LEADERS TO RALLY FOR STATE FUNDING
Nearly 100 California city leaders are set to rally for state funding, as part of an event sponsored by the League of California Cities.
“The League of California Cities will hold a news conference with close to a hundred city leaders to outline what cities need in the 2022-23 State Budget to help implement and achieve shared local and state priorities regarding housing supply and greenhouse gas reduction, as well as reimburse cities for costs related to state mandates that have not been paid over two decades,” according to a statement from the organization.
Featured speakers include Walnut Grove Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Silva, who also is the league president; Long Beach City Councilman Roberto Uranga, El Cerrito Mayor Gabriel Quinto and the league’s executive director and CEO, Carolyn Coleman.
The rally will take place at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the California State Capitol Park, near the California Firefighters Memorial.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Dear [Secretary of State Shirley Weber] — the political process can’t be transparent when your office is not posting the disclosure reports in a timely manner.”
- Matt Rexroad, GOP political consultant, via Twitter.
Best of the Bee:
Californians turned on their sprinklers in force in March, using more water than they did the year before and making a mockery of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for voluntary drought conservation, via Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow.
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Republicans badly need the Third District congressional seat to win control of Congress in November, a goal that will require a net gain of five seats in the House, via David Lightman.
A CalPERS proposal to limit how many years retirees may work for public agencies while continuing to receive a pension has its origins in a 2019 audit that identified widespread violations of state retirement laws, via Wes Venteicher.