SACRAMENTO, CA -- The following information was released by California State Senator Tom Harman:
Economic Concerns Rank #1
A snapshot of unemployment in America: U.S. unemployment is 8.9%, in North Dakota it is 3.8% and in California it is a whopping 12.4%. Unemployment in the U.S. fell in February for the third month in a row to 8.9 percent. But California's jobless figures remain the same - the second highest in the nation. While the rest of the nation is starting to see growth, we are stuck in an economic quagmire where few businesses expand and even fewer are hiring.
Without addressing the problems that thwart our ability to recover, Californians can expect no different. Over-burdened with regulations, high taxes and bureaucracy our small businesses are not growing and hiring new employees, they are struggling to survive. Californians recognize how important it is to get 2,000,000 jobless Californians back to work.
According to a new Gallup poll on Americans' Concerns (1,021 surveyed), seventy-two percent of Americans cite some aspect of the U.S. economy as the 'most important problem' facing the country today. This is the highest net mention of the economy since February 2010, although still below the 86% peak recorded in February 2009 as Washington was focused on passing an economic stimulus plan. Gallup began asking the 'most important problem' question in 1939 and established monthly updates in 2001. Economic concerns became dominant for Americans in April 2008 and have since tied or outpaced non-economic concerns in all but four months. Despite the political turmoil in the Middle East, including uprisings in Egypt and Libya, no more than 1% of Americans mention any of these issues as the country's most important problem.
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Tsunami
I am terribly saddened by the tragic loss of life caused by the series of powerful earthquakes and tsunami that struck North East Japan. My wife Dianne and I join with Orange County's 35th Senate District community, and especially those Americans of Japanese descent, in extending my heartfelt sympathy and deepest condolences.
For those who are trying to locate someone, Japanese or American, or if you have information about someone that you would like to share, please visit the Google Crises Response site here. In addition, the Japanese-American Society of southern California is working to coordinate relief efforts. The Society will keep its members and the public updated on the situation through its website, www.jas-socal.org.
Current estimates predict loss of life in the thousands, and millions are without shelter, food or heat as they brave winter temperatures. Relief organizations around the world are mobilizing to provide relief to those affected by the disaster.
The following link to the US State Department website contains additional information about Japan and the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts http://www.state.gov/p/eap/regional/158236.htm.
I was overwhelmed with the hospitality that the Japanese people showed me when I attended the International Rotary Convention there back in 1974. My and Dianne's thoughts and prayers are with everyone living in Japan or with loved ones who have been affected by the terrible disaster.
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Radiation Update
Today my staff participated in a conference call hosted by the California Emergency Management Agency along with the California Department of Public Health and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to address concerns regarding potential exposure to radioactive fallout resulting from damage to a nuclear facility during the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
On the call were representatives from the Federal and Cal EPA, the DOE, and the NRC.
At present, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) indicates Japan's nuclear emergency presents no danger to California.
You can find additional information at the California Dept. of Public Health website.
A staffed helpline is available 8 AM to 5 PM M-F: (916) 341-3947 for questions or concerns.
And the Department has a FAQs page to answer questions about the risk of radiation.
*** Please take note that both California Public Health officials as well as the emergency personal want to be very clear on one point:
Californians should not take potassium iodide as a precautionary measure. It is not necessary given the current circumstances in Japan, it can present a danger to people with allergies to iodine, shellfish or who have thyroid problems, and taken inappropriately it can have serious side effects including abnormal heart rhythms, nausea, vomiting, electrolyte abnormalities and bleeding.
The following update may also be of interest:
The DOE has a 34-member team arriving in Japan at 1900 EST to assess and monitor the situation in Japan.
As far as monitoring radiation exposure, the EPA has 11 fixed radiation monitoring stations throughout California. The EPA is in the process of installing mobile monitors in the Aleutian Islands and Hawaii (closer to the source of any radiation). These are not in place yet but will be in the next few days.
Two types of monitors are at these stations: one monitor picks up gamma ray radiation and any spikes in radiation will be immediately known to the EPA. The public would get knowledge of any hazardous radiation after the EPA made a concrete determination and then inform Cal EMA who would activate their dialogical warning system. The CA Dept. of Health and the relevant county public health officers will also be contacted.
The other monitor picks up particle matter. It does this every 3 days and then the results are sent to Alabama for testing and it takes 2 days to get the results back.
Any harmful radiation emanating from Japan would take about 6-8 days to get here, but that time period is very variable depending on the weather conditions.
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Groundhog Day
Today the legislature is set to vote on the budget. Contrary to what the Governor and Democrat leadership have indicated, the budget before us does not consist of half spending reductions and half proposed tax increases. The Governor has proposed only $8 billion in one-time cuts and another $6.5 billion in accounting gimmicks. His tax increase proposal however translates to a $50 billion dollar hit on the taxpayer over the next 5 years - $14 billion of it this year alone. Clearly the reductions do not equal the taxes proposed.
I am beginning to feel like I am in the movie Groundhog Day. Frankly, this budget is yet another short-sighted tax-and-spend scheme that relies on a multi-billion dollar bailout from California taxpayers to make it work. Nothing we are going to vote on today includes a plan to put people back to work or a spending cap. Pension reforms are off the table and there is no change to the government as usual mindset that encourages over-spending. Without these changes, like Bill Murray's character in the movie, we will awaken again someday with another staggering deficit that puts schools, roads, and the public's safety at risk.
