Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Thank you for reading my e-newsletter. In this issue you will find reflections from my first year in the State Assembly, information from a recent High Speed Rail Hearing held in Palo Alto, my thoughts on the Governor's recent Pension Reform proposal, and information on various state and local programs.
I was honored to serve the people of the 21st Assembly District this past year in the State Assembly, and invite you to visit my website for more information or call (650) 691-2121.
I wish you happy and safe holidays, and all the best in 2012.
Sincerely,
Richard S. Gordon
Assemblyman, Twenty-First District
Please watch my short video to find out more about this newsletter issue. As always, I am interested in hearing your thoughts and feedback about State Government. All comments can be registered by clicking here.
Reflections of my first year in the State Assembly
Last week marked my one year anniversary of being sworn in as a member of the California State Assembly. I vividly remember my first week serving in the Assembly. Only a few days following the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Brown called an emergency budget meeting to discuss the projected $26.5 billion deficit for the 2011 fiscal year. It did not take long for the gravity of the position to sink in and to realize the critical juncture that was facing California.
So nearly one year after taking the oath of office, I find myself reflecting on my time in the State Assembly. I would like to share some of my thoughts with you.
First, while change does not occur quickly in the State Capitol, I do feel that I have made some progress in Sacramento. After my first year, I was proud to have yielded the highest percentage of bills signed by the Governor (79% of my legislation was signed into law). I am confident this is a reflection of my common sense legislation and the relationships I cultivated with both Democrats and Republicans. Of the 15 bills signed into law, 12 received bipartisan support.
When I arrived in Sacramento I embarked on an effort to meet one on one with all members of the Legislature. The partisanship in Sacramento often keeps people from meeting with folks across the aisle. I did not let that stop me from meeting with my colleagues across the political spectrum. I am impressed by the folks who serve in the Legislature. We clearly represent the diversity of California and our constituents. Each of the members cares deeply about this state.
Many of my constituents have voiced frustration over the lack of transparency in Sacramento. Frankly, many of these concerns are valid and I share similar frustrations. I have experienced this first hand as Chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Resources and Transportation (Budget Sub-3). I was pleased and honored to get the assignment of chairing this important committee. In my first meeting with the Budget Sub-3 committee staff, I came prepared to share my ideas of how to streamline services both within and between agencies. To my great surprise I learned that the budget committees only deal with proposed changes from the previous year's budget. In other words, the assumption is made that the current funding and programs of state agencies are appropriate. This provides minimal transparency to the lawmakers who oversee the agencies and to the taxpayers who fund them.
Fortunately, when the Legislature reconvenes in January, the members of Budget Sub-3 will have their work cut out for them. I have slowly introduced the norm that any budget committee that I chair will need to evaluate the full budgets of all agencies that fall under its purview. These are small victories, but they are necessary in holding government more accountable.
As the California economic recovery stalls and unemployment rates remain high, I am convinced that all of us who serve in Sacramento will need to work even harder. We will need to engage in significant conversations over third rail issues – Proposition 13, pension reform, and taxes. I hope that the unprecedented fiscal urgency will create new opportunities for compromise and cooperation.
Spending nearly half the year in Sacramento reminds me how truly fortunate we are to call the Peninsula home. Returning to the district, whether it is for the weekend or just the evening, is constantly a breath of fresh air. We live in a truly unique and evolving area where we challenge the status quo and push the envelope. I hope to bring this mentality to Sacramento as I continue to represent you and work to make California a better place for all of us.
Recap of time in the District
Since September 9th when the Legislature concluded the 2011 Legislative Session, I have enjoyed spending time in the district. Over the last three months, I have been busy meeting with community leaders across all issue areas and hearing from constituents throughout the district.
I have spent much of my time working on issues that many of you have voiced concerns over. In November, I lead a Public Hearing on High Speed Rail in Palo Alto. I have held and attended multiple meetings about K-12 Education to discuss the possible trigger cuts that could take effect in January 2012. I have worked on early childhood care issues and spoke to the possibility of realignment of these services back to the local communities they serve. Most importantly, I enjoyed meeting many of you at various Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, and community meetings throughout the district.
Here are a few highlights of meetings and events I have attended during my time in the district:
Non-profit Forums:
United Way Community Breakfast
Child Care Coordinating Council (4C's) Award Dinner
SIREN “Challenges to Public Safety” Legislative Advocacy Breakfast
Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Education Forums:
K-12 Advisory Council Meeting
Menlo College California Politics Class
Stanford Medical School – Government & Legislation Discussion
Meeting with Community College District Leaders
K-12 Legislative Roundtable – Organized by 6th District PTA
California Retired Teacher's Association Legislative Luncheon
Community Events:
Los Gatos Youth Citizen of the Year Ceremony
90th Anniversary of the Palo Alto Garden Club
Redwood City Fire 150th Anniversary
Community Town Hall Meeting in East Palo Alto
Bay Area Youth Summit
Los Altos Rotary Club Meeting
Los Gatos Meadow's 40th Anniversary
Palo Alto Farmer's Market Sidewalk Hours
Menlo Park Cub Scout Citizen Badge Day
Reopening of Flood Park in Menlo Park
League of Women Voters Meeting
Cooley Landing Groundbreaking
Committee for Green Foothills
Human Services Forums:
Early Child Hood Care Legislative Forum
Veteran's Affairs Groundbreaking in Palo Alto
San Mateo County Foreclosure Resource Fair
Pathways Breakfast
Workforce Development & Business Forums:
Silicon Valley in Transition – Workforce Investment Tech Study for Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley Leadership Group: Silicon Valley Caucus
Tech America Achievement Awards
Redwood City Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program
U.S. – China Silicon Valley Conference
Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce – Athena Awards
Entertainment Software Association
Santa Clara County Building Trades Meeting
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time back in the district and having more opportunities to hear from you, the constituents of the 21st Assembly District. I truly depend on your input and feedback so I can most effectively represent your interests in Sacramento.
Please continue to communicate with me by registering your feedback on my website or by calling the District Office: 650-691-2121.
Additionally, if you would like me or my staff to attend events or meetings throughout the district, please visit my website to find out how to submit a meeting request.
High Speed Rail Hearing in Palo Alto
High Speed Rail Public Hearing held in Palo Alto on November 15, 2011.
As Chair of the Budget Subcommittee that oversees Resources and Transportation agencies (Budget Sub-3), I organized a hearing and public discussion on High-Speed Rail in California in Palo Alto on Tuesday, November 15. The hearing primarily focused on the newly-released Draft Business Plan, and allowed the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) to present the business plan, receive public input, and identify key areas of concern that require further analysis.
Being the first public hearing since the Draft Business Plan was released that revealed the new price tag of the rail line rising to $98.5 billion with a completion date of 2033, it was of no surprise that over 300 people attended the meeting that lasted just over 4 hours.
I appreciated the High Speed Rail Authority and its board members for their presentation, as it provided new information to their plan for constructing the system. I thank the Authority for their willingness to hear from my constituents whose advocacy for greater transparency and accountability at the Authority is to be commended.
I found the testimony from the variety of panelists informative and helpful, and I was particularly impressed with the level of input from the many members of the public who attended.
As I have stated previously, I believe in the promise of High Speed Rail in California, and I am hopeful that it will be part of our future infrastructure. However, I continue to have reservations about its considerable price tag and whether we as Californians can make this financial commitment. I believe the hearing helped identify the areas of the draft plan that require critical study in coming months. This was the first in what I anticipate to be many public conversations on the issue, and I urge the public to make their concerns known through the draft Business Plan comment period.
Additional Resources:
November 1, 2011 High Speed Rail Draft Business Plan
Meeting Agenda and list of Panelists
Selected News Coverage of Hearing:
Palo Alto Weekly
San Mateo Daily Journal
State Lawmakers leading Budget Subcommittee hearing on High Speed Rail in Palo Alto (from L to R): Assemblyman Jerry Hill (San Mateo), Assemblyman David Valadao (Hanford), Assemblyman Rich Gordon, Committee Chair (Menlo Park).
Pension Reform
In late October, Governor Brown released a twelve-point pension reform plan. I am pleased that the Governor is taking the concept of pension reform seriously. His plan includes the following:
- Increasing the retirement age for public employees
- Increasing the amount employees contribute to their pensions
- Adopting a "hybrid" plan of both defined contribution and defined benefits
- Ending pension "spiking" that increases the pension amount with unused sick and vacation time
The entire plan is available for viewing by clicking here.
I believe that the plan suggests the Governor is taking a comprehensive look at all the challenges that our current public employee retirement system faces - increasing costs, longer life-spans, and the appropriate role for retirees who want to continue to serve their state. No pension reform plan can succeed without such a breadth of solutions.
I do believe his plan will face some challenges in the solutions he has presented which impact current employees in the system. I hope that any plan adopted by the Legislature and signed by the Governor respects the service of current employees and the binding promises the State has made, while facing the realities of greatly increased costs. I look forward to the debate in the Legislature, and welcome your comments on the Governor's plan.
All feedback can be registered on my website.
Community Spotlight: San Mateo Credit Union opening branch in East Palo Alto
This month it is my pleasure to highlight the San Mateo Credit Union for opening their newest branch in East Palo Alto.
Barry Jolette, President & CEO of the San Mateo Credit Union, and Carlos Romero, Mayor East Palo Alto, cut the ribbon at San Mateo Credit Union East Palo Alto Branch Opening.
Opening just last month, the branch is located in the Ravenswood 101 Shopping Center, 1735 East Bayshore Road, a space formerly occupied by California Bank and Trust. Since the previous bank closed its doors for business, East Palo Alto has not had access to storefront fundamental banking services within the city limits.
With the opening of the San Mateo Credit Union branch, East Palo Alto residents will more readily have access to basic banking needs such as savings and checking accounts, in addition to other financial programs. I commend the San Mateo Credit Union for their leadership in striving to meet the needs of the communities they support.
Energy Upgrade California
Did you know that a home energy upgrade can lower your monthly energy bills, make your home more comfortable, and help the environment? Energy Upgrade California is a Statewide program that seeks to promote residential energy efficiency by giving rebates to homeowners who upgrade to newer technologies for insulation, air heating and cooling, and for installing newer energy efficient windows and furnaces.
I encourage all homeowners in the 21st Assembly District to discover this program for themselves and to see if their homes qualify. The program only lasts until March 2012 so take a look today!
Find out more:
