Carol Liu and Mike Gatto Introduce Legislation to Fund Sound Walls for the 210

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 Contact: John Ferrera (916) 319-2043 (Gatto)       

August 22, 2012                                                                           Suzanne Reed (916) 651-4021 (Liu)

                                               

Carol Liu and Mike Gatto Introduce Legislation to Fund Sound Walls for the 210

Long Suffering Foothill Communities May Finally Get Relief

Sacramento, CA – Senator Carol Liu (D- La Cañada Flintridge) and Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) have amended SB 204 to resolve two local transportation injustices.  First, the bill would require the sale of properties that CalTrans seized years ago for the never-completed 710 extension.  A state audit concluded last week that the properties have been mismanaged and have not generated their full economic potential.  Then, in a move that may finally bring a sense of transportation justice to the area, the bill would require that no less than 25% of the proceeds of the sale of the properties go to erecting sound walls along the 210 Freeway in La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena.  Those communities have requested such sound walls for generations.  Sale of the properties could generate as much as a quarter-billion dollars.

"Our neighboring communities have long endured the impacts of Caltrans' unfulfilled promise to build sound walls that shield them from the noise of the 210 Freeway," said Senator Liu.

“I think it’s appropriate that this area finally gets some relief from state transportation agencies,” said Gatto.  “I used to play baseball in fields close to the 210, and understand what homeowners and children in the area go through, in terms of soot and noise.”  “SB 204 is a creative way to turn a negative, the 710 extension, into a positive: relief along the nearby 210 corridor.”

SB 204 also requires CalTrans to consult with local city councils before spending the rest of the sale proceeds on local projects.  This legislative collaboration is a culmination of discussions between Liu and Gatto, and local elected officials, in an ongoing partnership to improve the quality of life for foothill community residents.

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the Los Angeles communities of Los Feliz, North Hollywood, and Silver Lake and the cities of Burbank and Glendale. Website of Assemblyman Mike Gatto: www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

The Humane Society of the United States thanks Assembly Appropriations Chair Mike Gatto; Urges Assembly to Approve Legislation to Prohibit Bear and Bobcat Hounding



Submitted by The Humane Society on Aug 15, 2012

The Humane Society of the United States is urging its more than 1.2 million California supporters to contact their member of the California Assembly now that the Appropriations Committee has advanced Senate Bill 1221, authored by Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, to the Assembly floor. SB 1221, which passed the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee last month on a vote of 8 to 4 and the California Senate by a vote of 22 to 15 in May, would prohibit the inhumane and unsporting practice of bear and bobcat hounding.

Hounding involves fitting dogs with high‐tech radio devices that allow bear and bobcat trophy hunters to monitor the dogs' movement remotely. Dogs are released to chase frightened wild animals often for miles, across all types of habitat, including forests, private property and into national parks. Dogs pursue their target until the exhausted animal climbs a tree to escape or turns to confront the dog pack. The trophy hunter then kills his cornered prey, often shooting the animal off a tree branch at point-blank range.

“Hounding of bears and bobcats is an archaic practice that belongs in California’s past, not its future,” said Sen. Lieu. “Eighty three percent of Californians oppose hounding, and I urge members of the Assembly to vote in favor of outlawing this inhumane and unnecessary activity.”

“Allowing packs of radio-collared dogs to chase bears and bobcats for miles, only for the terrified and exhausted animal to later be shot out of a tree, is unacceptable,” said Jennifer Fearing, California senior state director for the HSUS. “The Humane Society of the United States thanks Assembly Appropriations Chair Mike Gatto and calls on Californians to engage and urge their Assemblymember to ban this cruel and inhumane practice.”

Facts:

• Fourteen states – including Colorado, , Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington – allow bear hunting but prohibit hounding. Montana’s wildlife management officials consider prohibiting bear hounding a feature of the state’s “fair chase” principles.
• A statewide survey conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. in 2011 reveals that 83 percent of California voters oppose allowing packs of dogs to chase and kill bears – with 75 percent of voters saying they would support a statewide ballot measure to end this trophy hunting method that puts bears, dogs and other wildlife in jeopardy of serious harm, suffering and death.
• SB 1221 would make California the 15th state to prohibit the hounding of bears and the 14th state to ban the hounding of bobcats.
• Dogs can be struck by vehicles, die from dehydration or as a result of violent confrontations with wildlife, and many are abandoned, which puts a strain on local animal shelters.
• SB 1221 is co-authored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, Sens. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco and Leland Yee, D-South San Francisco and Assemblymembers Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, Bob Blumenfield, D-Van Nuys, Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, Anthony Portantino, D-La Canada-Flintridge, Jose Solorio, D-Anaheim and Das Williams, D-Santa Barbara.
• Thousands of Californians including wildlife advocates, ranchers, hunters and landowners have written or called in support of SB 1221, as have dozens of animal protection, wildlife rehabilitation and animal sheltering organizations including The HSUS, Sierra Club California, ASPCA, State Humane Association of California, the Bear League and Wildcare.
• Editorial boards for the Los Angeles Times, the Ventura County Star, the Riverside Press-Enterprise, and the San Jose Mercury News have all called for enactment of SB 1221. The Marin County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles City Council have also passed supportive resolutions.
• The HSUS conducted an analysis of California Department of Fish and Game law enforcement reports from 2007-2012 and found more than 500 incidents related to illegal hounding activities and bear and bobcat poaching. The poaching incidents included houndsmen killing bears to illegally sell parts of the animals on the black market, houndsmen trespassing, poaching bear cubs, hounds attacking livestock and cruelty to hounds. Many of the poaching incidents were also associated with narcotics charges and other illegal activity by houndsmen with prior felony convictions. 

You can read this article and more at the Opposing Views blog by clicking HERE

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Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and portions of Atwater Village along with the cities of Burbank and Glendale.  His web site is asm.ca.gov/gatto or  e-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call him at (818) 558-3043.

Car Nostalgia Gets A Boost

Bill lands on governor's desk that revives California's vintage license plates

By Kevin Riggs  |  Thursday, Aug 16, 2012  |  Updated 3:53 PM PDT

After a summer of strife in Sacramento over missing park funds, competing tax proposals, and bickering over pensions, lawmakers actually did something nice Thursday.

They sent Gov. Jerry Brown a bill that, in a nod to nostalgia, allows the state to revive and re-issue license plates seen on California cars in the 1950s, '60s, '70s, and '80s.

In a state steeped in car culture, it's going to be a popular move.  It means that car collectors who don't have the original plates from their vehicle's era can apply to the DMV to issue a set.

In the 1950s, California license plates were yellow with black nnumbers. In the 1960s, the colors switched - the plates were black and the numbers yellow.

Jerry Brown certainly remembers, since he grew up in San Francisco in the 1950s and lived in Los Angeles during the 1960s, where he began his political career.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles, authored this little road trip back in time.  He told colleagues earlier this year, "This bill would actually do something nice for those who collect and preserve our car heritage."

For collectors big (like Jay Leno) and car collectors small, the bill would also mean protection from counterfeiters who currently pass off fake vintage plates as the real thing.

There is this caveat.  The program has to pay for itself. Assuming the governor signs the bill,  the so-called Legacy License Plate Series would only get off the ground if 7,500 applications are received by January of 2015.  Customers have to be willing to shell out an extra 50 dollars.

But given the car shows, road rallies, and cruise nights that dot California's calendar, it's a good bet that car buffs will step up to this "plate" and bring a bit of innocent nostalgia back to the future.

Author Kevin Riggs, an Emmy-winning former TV reporter in Sacramento, is Senior Vice President at Randle Communications.  Read this article and more at NBC 4 HERE

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Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and portions of Atwater Village along with the cities of Burbank and Glendale.  His web site is asm.ca.gov/gatto or  e-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call him at (818) 558-3043.

Gov. Jerry Brown Weighs Protections for California Sports Fans

Photo: Dodgers fan Eric Amend expresses his thoughts while attending a prayer vigil for Bryan Stow outside the USC Medical Center last year. Credit: Mariah Tauger/ Los Angeles Times

August 15, 2012 | Gov. Jerry Brown is weighing a proposal to better protect sports fans from violence at California's professional football stadiums, hockey arenas and baseball parks.

In the wake of violent incidents across the state, including the 2011 beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium, the Legislature this week sent Brown a bill that would require major-league sports venues to clearly post phone numbers that fans can call or text to quickly summon stadium security for help.

In addition to the Stow beating, which left him seriously injured, the measure was drafted by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) in reaction to incidents last year at a San Francisco 49ers-Oakland Raiders game in which two people were shot in the parking lot and a fan was beaten unconscious in a stadium bathroom.

Gatto's original proposal would have required creation of a registry of people who would be banned from professional sports arenas because of their involvement in violence, and included longer sentences for sports hooligans.

The registry idea was dropped when it ran into opposition from civil liberties groups including the ACLU. The bill sent to the governor this week would instead require signs showing the security phone numbers to be posted where spectators can see them from their seats and in parking lots.

"Many parents have told me that they are afraid to take their kids to a ballgame," Gatto said. "This law will allow fans to report incidents to stadium security before they escalate out of control."

You can read this article and more in the Los Angeles Times HERE

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Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and portions of Atwater Village along with the cities of Burbank and Glendale.  His web site is asm.ca.gov/gatto or e-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call him at (818) 558-3043.

Gatto appointed to Appropriations Committee

The committee sees 80% of all California's new legislation.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake)will have a significant

say in California funding decisions with his new post.

(Photo courtesy of Mike Gatto / August 10, 2012)

By Mark Kellam, mark.kellam@latimes.com

August 11, 2012 | 4:00 p.m.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) was appointed this week as chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, where he will have significant sway over funding decisions, including those that could benefit the 43rd district.

House Speaker John Perez made the appointment because Gatto is a “talented legislator” who can gather support from both parties, said Perez' press secretary, John Vigna.

“It's a position that requires someone who is thoughtful, deliberative and has the respect of the members,” Vigna said.

Gatto was first elected to the Legislature in 2010 and is running for re-election in November against Glendale Unified School District Board member Greg Krikorian. The 43rd District has been realigned and now includes La Cañada Flintridge as well as Glendale and Burbank.

Vigna said Perez also wanted someone who could handle difficult situations that can arise during the long committee hearings, which can last 10 to 12 hours and spark intense debate.

Gatto, who serves as Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore in the current session and already sits on the Appropriations Committee, said he's proud to be selected to take the committee's reins and will bring “fiscal-mindedness” to his new post.

“I want to make sure that the fiscal consequences of any action are always understood and taken into consideration,” he said.

The first hearing Gatto will chair will take place Thursday, when the committee will hear 30 bills that have been placed in the “suspense file,” the parking spot for any bill with an annual cost of more than $150,000.

Gatto estimated that around 80% of all bills go through the Appropriations Committee. He said he wants to make sure he treats lawmakers on both sides of the aisle fairly

“There's no monopoly on good ideas,” he said.

You can read this article and more in the Glendale News Press by clicking HERE

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Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and portions of Atwater Village along with the cities of Burbank and Glendale and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Toluca Lake, Valley Glen, North Hollywood, and Van Nuys.  His web site is asm.ca.gov/gatto or  e-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call him at (818) 558-3043.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto Presents Certificate to Operation Blankets of Love

Last week the California Legislature Assembly and Mike Gatto Assemblyman, 43rd District presented Operation Blankets of Love a Certificate Of Recognition, saying:

"Thank you for your outstanding volunteer service to comfort homeless animals. Your tireless dedication to rescue, rehabilitate, and find homes for helpless dogs provides an inspiring example of humane and ethical leadership in the 43rd Assembly District. I wish you continued success and fulfillment."

Jason Insalaco, District Director and Eric Menjivar, Field Representative presenting the Operation Blankets of Love Certificate to Eileen, Brad and Ginger.

To learn more about Operation Blankets of Love visit http://www.operationblanketsoflove.org/

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Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and portions of Atwater Village along with the cities of Burbank and Glendale.  His web site is asm.ca.gov/gatto or  e-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call him at (818) 558-3043.

[Mike Gatto] Recycled Water for Carwashes is Common Sense

August 2, 2012 - Carwashes are among the biggest retail users of water.  And unlike restaurants or schools or homes, the water used in carwashes is meant to get dirty.  So does it make sense to wash a dirt-encrusted Jeep with drinking water?

That’s the premise behind my Assembly Bill 2230.  It would require that 60% of the water in new carwashes come from recycled sources.

I’m not saying AB 2230 is utopian, but it does start from a question, of how we would design our water laws in 2012 (as opposed to 1912), given the current state of affairs.  We live in a time where everyone has changed habits so as to conserve our state’s precious resources.

And water-recycling technology has advanced to such a point that there is little difference between the water it produces and the water that comes from a tap.  Carwashes, by their very nature, can play an important role too.  They can use the same water again and again.  Filtration technology can remove the dirt and detergents and turn it into water that is just fine for rinsing or washing a car.

The idea for this bill came from my father, Joe Gatto, a Silver Lake resident, who was on the forefront of things like organic farming and conservation, years before the modern environmental movement.  He taught me to never take more than I needed, and to do everything possible to conserve resources for everyone.  But at his core, my father is a pragmatist, who likes common-sense solutions that appeal to even the most skeptical.

I believe the inarguable logic and pragmatism behind this bill is why it has received such strong, bipartisan support in both the Assembly and Senate.

Assuming the bill continues to proceed and is signed by the Governor, it will save enough water in its first year to meet the needs of all of tens of thousands of households.  Think of that: by this simple step, we can conserve water equivalent to what Los Feliz and Silver Lake use in an entire year.  And that water coming out of the tap will continue to be available for drinking or growing vegetables, especially when carwashes can easily and cheaply use the recycled variety.


Read this article and more at the Los Feliz Ledger by clicking HERE

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Mike Gatto is the Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore of the California State Assembly.  He represents Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and portions of Atwater Village along with the cities of Burbank and Glendale and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Toluca Lake, Valley Glen, North Hollywood, and Van Nuys.  He has served in the Assembly since June 2010. His web site is asm.ca.gov/gatto or  e-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call him at (818) 558-3043.