Thursday, January 31, 2013

Mountain Avenue Elementary School Science Fair

Last Friday I attended a science fair at Mountain Avenue Elementary School.  The knowledge and ingenuity of the students there was literally out of this world -- two second-grade students launched a Barbie into space!  A couple of photos and a print copy of a local newspaper article are included below.

I presented certificates to all 140+ students who participated in  the fair in addition to the organizers of the fair
From left: Co-Chair Archana Sudamalla, School Principal Rebeca Witt, Assemblyman Mike Gatto,
Co-Chair Dr. Saty Ragvachary, Co-Chair Dr. Jackie Bodnar, and PTA President Ann Ortiz
(Photo courtesy of Mountain Avenue Elementary School)
Two particularly enterprising second-grade students launched a barbie  into space,
complete with a webcam and GPS Tracking system
(Photo courtesy of Mountain Avenue Elementary School)
This article appeared in the Crescenta Valley Weekly on January 31, 2013 
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Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto


Joe Matthews praises Assemblyman Gatto's initiative reform efforts

The California Constitution has been amended over 500 times.
Joe Matthews is a Journalist and California Editor at Zócalo Public Square, Fellow at the Center for Social Cohesion at Arizona State University, and co-author of California Crackup: How Reform Broke the Golden State and How We Can Fix It (UC Press, 2010).

As one of the leading voices on how to fix California's broken  government structures, I am proud to receive recognition from him for my efforts at initiative reform.  Below is  short excerpt of an article he wrote last week at Fox and Hounds Daily.

Many California leaders and groups want to make this the year for reforming the initiative process. You’d think I’d be one of them. I've written two books that dealt in detail with the initiative process. I help run a global forum on direct democracy. I teach a class on the subject. I write about it constantly... 
...But I think “initiative reform,” as a concept, is something we shouldn't do. 
That doesn't mean there aren't good ideas out there. There are. 
Darrell Steinberg’s package of proposals makes a ton of sense. 
Assemblyman Mike Gatto has been advancing the smartest, most ambitious proposals on initiatives in recent years. 
The Think Long Committee for California has a very well-thought-out batch of proposals, with the hands-down best new idea on the subject (creating a group that could do long-term thinking and put measures directly on the ballot as an alternative to signatures)...
...So what’s the problem? Put simply: the initiative process can’t be reformed by itself....

You can read Joe Matthews' entire article by clicking HERE.


Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto


Friday, January 25, 2013

PRESS RELEASE: Assemblyman Mike Gatto Bill Makes it Harder for Hit and Run Drivers to Evade Arrest




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            Contact:  Justin Hager (818) 558-3043
January 25, 2013                                                                        Cell (415) 889-9762

Assemblyman Mike Gatto Bill Makes it Harder for Hit and Run Drivers to Evade Arrest
                                                                                    
Sacramento, CA – Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-43) introduced legislation today to help curb the epidemic of hit-and-run offenses in Southern California.  Currently, motorists who flee the scene of an accident can simply "run down the clock" to avoid any liability whatsoever.  If a motorist is not identified (which is often very difficult) within three years, the motorist cannot be prosecuted.  Gatto's bill extends the statute of limitations for such offenses to three years from the date of the offense, or one year after the suspect is identified by law enforcement, whichever is later.  The Legislature has passed similar changes to statutes of limitations for crimes with hard-to-identify perpetrators, like clergy abuse.

Eric Bruins, Planning & Policy Director for the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, noted that bicyclists and pedestrians are particularly vulnerable to hit-and-run collisions that result in death or serious bodily injury.  “It's hard for us to encourage people to bike and walk when our streets are treated like the Wild West,” said Bruins.  “The LA County Bicycle Coalition commends Assemblyman Gatto for bringing attention to this issue and giving hit-and-run victims hope that their perpetrators might be brought to justice once identified.”

“Many hit-and-run victims suffer very serious injuries, often because they are unable to dial 9-1-1, and, of course, because the person fleeing the scene does not.  Allowing hit-and-run criminals to avoid prosecution just adds insult to these injuries,” said Gatto. 

An investigation by the LA Weekly found about 20,000 hit-and-run crashes are recorded annually by the Los Angeles Police Department.  These 20,000 incidents made up an astonishing 48 percent of all vehicle crashes in 2009, compared to an average rate of just 11 percent nationwide.  State data shows that 4,000 hit-and-run incidents a year in Los Angeles lead to injury or death.  Unfortunately, most of these incidents are never prosecuted, in part, because of the statute of limitations running out.

“This is a relatively easy and sensible fix to the law, so that people who would otherwise hit-and-run realize that they will be prosecuted, no matter how long it takes."

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto 

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Look who took a "paws" to stop in today!

Sutter Brown, the most "pawerful" pooch in the State Capitol :)

California bills target false 911 calls in 'swatting' cases

After a spate of phony reports of crimes at celebrities' homes, legislators from the Los Angeles area propose bills to increase penalties for making bogus reports to police.
LAPD officers on Arrowhead Drive in the Hollywood Hills, where they are investigating a hoax connected to a reported home¿invasion robbery call Wednesday at a Hollywood Hills residence owned by actor Ashton Kutcher. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times / January 24, 2013)

SACRAMENTO — Alarmed that pranksters have called 911 to report false emergencies at the homes of celebrities including Justin Bieber and Tom Cruise, two Southern California legislators have proposed laws to get tougher with anyone engaged in "swatting."

A bill announced Wednesday by state Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) would allow longer sentences for and greater restitution from those convicted of making false reports to the police. Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca asked for the measure.

A similar proposal has been introduced by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles)...

You can read this entire story and more at the Los Angeles Times, by clicking HERE

 Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Not So Eager Meters


The Los Angeles Downtown News agrees "The next step in this battle is obvious: City officials should back off the stance that those who park at broken meters deserve tickets."  Highlights and a link to their entire article are below.

Photo by Gary Leonard

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Parking is a long-enduring problem in Los Angeles, and the issue can be thornier in Downtown than in almost every other part of the city. That’s why the fight over whether drivers should be ticketed for stopping at a broken meter is a good thing. Yes, in this case the fight is a positive...

...The issue garnered notoriety in December, when the City Council voted 12-1 to make the no parking stricture a permanent policy...

...Then, this month, state Assemblyman Mike Gatto introduced a bill that would block the city’s move — in other words, his effort would counter a city law that responded to a loophole in a state law...

...The city’s logic goes like this: If you let people avoid fines at broken meters, then they’ll break meters to save money. That will mean lost parking fees for the city as well as having to pay for meter repair.
It’s a concern, but, really, is it enough of a concern to prompt this overreaction?...

© Los Angeles Downtown News 2012 - You can read this story and more at the Los Angeles Downtown News HERE

 Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Cottage Foods Bill Classes Help Aspiring Indie Food Entrepreneurs

Grace & I's fruit pates at the New. Artisanal. Now. event (Photo by Krista Simmons/LAist)

...The gals over at Craftcation aren't alone in their plight to help aspiring food crafters make their signature recipes into solvent businesses. Caron Ory, who created a diabetic-friendly sugar substitute called Eco-BeeCo, is teaching a class in Fountain Valley to help aspiring food crafters navigate the new Cottage Foods Bill...

...Last fall, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the Cottage Foods Bill, also known as Assembly Bill 1616, allowing Californians to make and sell certain non-hazardous foods out of their kitchens as long as they didn't contain cream or meat...

...Ory started her business before the Bill passed, putting a hefty sum of cash and product on the line...

...On March 2, will teach a class from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa about AB 1616 and the business of starting a cottage industry out of a home kitchen. You can sign up...

You can read this entire article and more at the LAist HERE

 Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

E-Waste Recycling Events this Weekend

E-Waste is an oft overlooked and dangerous contributor to pollution in California.  I hope that Californians will take advantage of safe electronic and e-waste disposal services and events like the events listed on the flier below:


Friday, January 18, 2013

Bill Could Block Cities From Citing Drivers Who Park at Broken Meters


LAist is reporting that Councilmembers Jan Perry and Dennis Zane have put forth a motion to prohibit the city of Los Angeles from ticketing automobiles that park at broken meters.  This is similar to my bill AB 61, which would apply throughout the state.  Highlights from their article below:

 Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
Although the state of California says motorists who park at broken meters are not to be ticketed, this new law comes with a crucial exception: Cities can opt-out and enforce the no-parking rule and issue tickets anyhow. Los Angeles recently became one such city, with the Council voting 12-1 in favor of issuing tickets to drivers who leave their car at broken parking meters. 
Now, however, Assemblyman Mike Gatto's bill could put the brakes on L.A.'s plan.
The bill, AB 61, would prohibit local governments, such as cities and counties, from enacting an ordinance that bans parking in a space controlled by a broken meter or broken kiosk for on-street parking. 
“It’s just wrong for cities to ticket people who want to park at a meter that the city has failed to fix,” said Gatto in his statement on AB 61. “Or to force a motorist to drive around or park in a paid lot when a perfectly good spot on the street is available... "
"...It is the responsibility of local governments to maintain their meters and keep them in good working order,” said Gatto. “The people should not have to pay for the government’s mistakes or inefficiencies, especially when the people already paid to install and maintain the meters in the first place...”
...Gatto isn't fighting (by proxy) L.A. City Hall alone; in addition to Councilmember Jan Perry, who cast the sole dissenting vote regarding opting out of the state law, Councilmember Dennis Zine, who was absent for the vote, have joined forces to put forth a motion calling for a reversal of the city policy...
You can read this entire article and more at the LAist, by clicking HERE

 Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

California’s New Law Makes Homemade Food Sales Legal


A great article on the website "Triple Pundit" on AB 1616, the California Homemade Food Act.  Highlights below:

By Gina-Marie Cheeseman
...I have known a number of people in the golden state who wanted to start a home based business selling baked goods, but didn’t because they lacked access to a commercial kitchen. As of January 1, people who want to use their kitchens to prepare food for sale in California can now do so. The Homemade Food Act (AB1616) went into affect on that date.
Signed by Governor Jerry Brown last September, AB1616 allows Californians to sell “non-hazardous” food to grocery stores and restaurants for annual revenue up to $35,000 in 2013. That will increase to $45,000 next year and $50,000 in 2015. The new law puts California into the ranks of at least 32 other states that have passed similar laws.
AB1616 specifically states that a city or county “shall not prohibit a cottage food operation” but must do...

...The law is good for California’s economy, a fact not lost on Governor Brown. A press release by the Governor’s office declares that Governor Brown signed “eight bills to bolster business and job creation in the state of California.” One of those eight bills is the Homemade Food Act.
“As California’s economy recovers from the deepest recession since the Great Depression, it’s important that state government bolsters local job growth,” said Governor Brown. “Simply put, these bills make it easier for people to do business in California.”
Cottage food laws, as homemade food laws are often called, are particularly important during rough economic times. During high unemployment, cottage food laws allow people to make a living by using their own kitchens...

You can this entire article and more at the Triple Pundit HERE
Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Gatto Establishes New Small Business Commission


Photo Courtesy of  freedigitalphotos.net

Last Saturday I met with eight local small business owners from throughout the 43rd Assembly District as part of the first Small Business Advisory Commission meeting.  Highlights from Mary O'Keefe's article about the meeting for the Crescenta Valley Weekly are below:

...On Saturday, small business owners sat down with Assemblymember Mike Gatto to discuss how Sacramento can help entrepreneurs navigate the business waters, either by creating new laws, or guidelines, or in some cases leaving them alone to do their job. 
The members are part of Gatto’s Small Business Advisory Commission and were present at the request of the assemblymember. 
The commission is comprised of business owners from a variety of business segments, from real estate to medical care, and from the film industry to construction. All members had one thing in common: they own a small business and are concerned about how to stay afloat in this economy. 
Gatto said he wants the commission to make proposals and share concerns that he can then take to Sacramento. He feels this will be a positive step in strengthening small businesses in the state. 
“As lawmakers, we have a sacred duty to listen to the needs and concerns of those who help our communities thrive, and to do what we can to support them,” Gatto said.... 
...“This is the first time we have done this,” Gatto said of the commission. “I wanted to make sure I got input from people who are on the front line.” 
During the meeting, nine new legislative proposals were suggested as well as some laws that should be reexamined and perhaps repealed...

You can read the entire article and more at the Crescenta Valley Weekly HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Lowering emissions, raising red flags

The California Air Resources Board has implemented a regulatory program called the Low Carbon Fuel Standard that has the potential to promote clear-cutting of the Amazon Rain forest and starvation in developing countries due to the conversion of food into fuel.  The policy of turning food into fuel is a mistake that needs to be corrected, and some regulations, though well intended, need to be more carefully considered.  The Low Carbon Fuel Standard, and its consequences, are the subject of an Opinion Editorial I wrote that was published this morning in the LA Times.  Highlights are below and the complete editorial can be found at the LA Times website HERE.


Lowering emissions, raising red flags

The Low Carbon Fuel Standard was intended to reduce California carbon emissions, but it may come with some terrible unintended consequences.

The Low Carbon Fuel Standard, a regulatory program established under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, 
was intended to reduce California carbon emissions, but it may come with unintended consequences. 
(Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images )


We've all seen the movie: Some small, seemingly unrelated actions lead to dire and unintended consequences. It happens in real life too, especially in government. The Low Carbon Fuel Standard, a regulatory program established under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was intended to reduce California carbon emissions, but it may come with some terrible unintended consequences.

The concept underpinning the standard is that most Californians would pay a little more at the pump if that guaranteed cleaner air. But what if the program also unwittingly supported the economy in places like Iraq, promoted clear-cutting of the Amazon rain forest, increased hunger in nations such as Haiti and Guatemala, and eliminated jobs in California? These are some of the unintended consequences if we don't change how the standard is implemented...

...The policy also requires California gasoline to be "improved" by adding ethanol. Alas, the highest-scoring and only cost-effective ethanol is sugar cane ethanol from Brazil. We would then have to ship Brazilian ethanol to California, using much fossil fuel. Environmentalists, including Jane Goodall, cite sugar cane production as the primary reason huge Brazilian corporations are clear-cutting pristine rain forest. We should not have to choose between clean air and massive deforestation...


...And what of California's economy? I want to see a petroleum-free world, like many others. My wife and I own one car, a 45-mpg hybrid, and I bicycle everywhere I can. But as long as Californians are still using gas to fill their tanks and to heat their homes, they should have some of the jobs in that industry. There are more than 200,000 such jobs in Southern California. These are well-paying jobs, and driving them overseas doesn't make sense...

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Small businesses bend Assemblyman Gatto's ear on industry challenges


Highlights from Daniel Siegal's coverage for the Glendale News-Press, of the first meeting of my newly created small-business advisory council:


...Speaking at Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Silver Lake) first Small Business Advisory Commission meeting at Woodbury University on Saturday, Mark Dornfeld, owner of Custom Film Effects in Burbank, said the situation was becoming untenable for the countless independent businesses in the industry as tax breaks and cash incentives draw production out of state...

...Gatto told the business owners that the primary purpose of the advisory commission meeting was to assist him in developing legislation based on the actual needs of constituents in time for introduction to the Assembly by the Feb. 22 deadline.

“Most bills these days are being conceived by and championed by special interests,” he said...

...Also discussed was Proposition 65, which requires businesses that serve alcohol to display cautionary signage. A provision in the law allows the public to sue businesses for up to $2,500 for each day the signage isn’t properly displayed.

Business owners complained that the law is easily abused by some people who file claims with the sole purpose of extracting settlements....

...On a separate track, Gatto said he hopes to pursue initiative reform while also seeking a way to prevent unscrupulous profiteering...

--

Follow Daniel Siegal on Google+ and on Twitter: @Daniel_Siegal.

You can read this entire article and more at the Glendale News-Press HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Broken meters may provide free parking


Highlights from Erin Donnelly's article in the UCLA Daily Bruin:

L.A. Assemblyman Mike Gatto introduced a bill last week that would allow L.A. drivers to park at broken parking meters for free, according to a statement from the assemblyman released last week ... 
...If passed, Gatto’s bill would require city or county governments to follow Brown’s policy on parking meters.  “It’s just wrong for cities to ticket people who want to park at a meter that the city has failed to fix,” Gatto said in the press release... 
...Westwood Village already has limited parking and the loss of any available spots because of broken meters could hamper businesses in the area, said Steve Sann, chair of the Westwood Community Council.  “Anything that makes it more difficult for people to find parking is bad for business,” Sann said.

You can read the entire article and more at the University of California Daily Bruin HERE


Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

California OKs Retro Plates

Highlights from Blake Z. Rong's article in Autoweek and FOX Sports SPEED:

...in March, we reported that California State Assemblyman Mike Gatto was pitching a reissue of vintage California license plates, perfect for your Kaiser-Darrin (black on yellow), your Pontiac Star Chief (yellow on black), or your Holden Hurricane, (yellow on blue).  
At the time it seemed like the pipe dream of a particularly enthusiastic legislator, one whose pet project would be guaranteed to be mired in bureaucratic forgetfulness and left to languish, like the revival of the 30-year smog exemption and the ability to import Audi RS2s. 
But California cool makes a comeback – and the money helps.  
Out of the darkness comes news that Assembly Bill 1658 has not only passed the gilded pen of Governor Jerry Brown, but will take effect at this juncture, three days into the new year. 
Enthusiasts can pay $50 to reserve any of the three almost-period-correct styles. California will need 7,500 detail-sweating obsessives to lay down deposits by Jan. 1, 2015, to make the program work; furthermore, it will need $385,000 to cover start-up costs, which the application fees will cover. If the program fails to meet these numbers, applicants will get their money refunded...  
...The plates will be available both sequentially numbered and personalized, with due consideration to not issue character sets. Imagine the Kafka-esque nightmare that would ensue. Happily, you won't have to go to your DMV to experience Gregor Samsa's nightmare, as local offices won't accept applications. If you want a nuevo-retro plate, mail a check to Sacramento, along with the accompanying form. 
This story originally appeared at Autoweek.com.   

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You can read the entire article and more at FOX Sports SPEED

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Monday, January 14, 2013

Selling home-baked goods now legalized

Highlights from Tara Duggan's article in the SF Chronicle:

When a commercial kitchen wasn't available, that took a slice out of Patricia Kline's pie business.  Now she can bake at home. 

Photo: Russell Yip, The Chronicle

...Patricia Kline's miniature pies have been featured in O magazine and the Wall Street Journal, yet she has struggled to pay the $25 hourly rental required for commercial kitchen space...
"...Finding a (commercial) kitchen, number one, and being able to keep it is really a barrier to entry," Kline said. "It's put a lid on my business..." 
...Kline is one of many Bay Area entrepreneurs eager to take advantage of AB1616, also called the Cottage Food Bill. It allows producers of certain nonperishable foods, which don't require refrigeration, to forgo commercial kitchens and prepare the food at home... 
"...Food production, or the food business in general, have been pretty good gateways, especially with women, to enter the business world," said California Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles. "With the economy being the way it is, people have more time to do things like that and could really use the extra cash..." 
...Other Bay Area counties, including Alameda, Marin, Sonoma, San Mateo and Contra Costa, are slowly making permits available, meaning that entrepreneurs who get permits in those counties can start preparing foods like nuts and nut butters, crackers, popcorn, dried pasta, dried herbs and seeds, flours, certain candies and coffee.
Also included in the new law are tortillas, churros and other baked goods that aren't made with meat, cream or custard. In general, the foods allowed are ones that are nonperishable and don't inherently pose a risk of food-borne illness...


San Francisco just began offering permits to cottage food entrepreneurs such as Kline. 
Photo: Russell Yip, The Chronicle

...Amber Gillespie of Sacramento has applied for her health permit and is checking into zoning requirements before she starts her cake decorating business in her home... 
"I have two young children, which makes it financially difficult to get out of the house anyway, but a commercial kitchen is astronomical to start up," said Gillespie...

Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan

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You can read this entire article and more at the San Francisco Chronicle HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Thursday, January 10, 2013

California taking orders for replicas of vintage license plates

Highlights from Patrick McGreevey's article in the Los Angeles Times:


...The styles available for use as official license plates on cars include black lettering over a yellow background as issued in the 1950s, yellow lettering over a black background last issued in the 1960s and yellow lettering over a blue background previously available in the 1970s, according to the DMV. 
The state is taking pre-orders for the $50 plates and will issue each of the three styles when it receives 7,500 applications for that style... 
...A pre-order form must be accompanied by a check, money order or cashier’s check and cannot be processed at DMV field offices or Auto Club offices. 
The program was proposed by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D–Silver Lake) who introduced legislation authorizing it...

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You can read this article and more at the LA Times by clicking HERE

Order your California Legacy License Plate HERE

Find out more about the Legacy License Plate program HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Pasadena Star-News Editorial Board Supports Gatto Reform Efforts

A few days ago I posted an opinion-editorial entitled "The Martial Art of Subduing Special Interests."  The Op-Ed had originally appeared in the Glendale News Press back in December and apparently I wasnt' the only person thinking about reform.  I am happy to say that on the same day that my Op-Ed appeared, the editorial boards of both the Pasadena Star-News and the  San Bernardino Sun wrote editorials supporting my reform efforts and calling on Sacramento to do more.  

I will continue pushing for these important reforms this session.  If you think reforming ballot-box budgeting is important, I encourage you to write your state representatives and tell them to do something about it.  The text of the board's Editorial is below.
THIS has been a big year for political reform in California. Voters in districts drawn for the first time by an independent commission used the state's new open-primary system to elect a group of officeholders bound by redefined term limits.

There's hope these changes will have the intended effect of making lawmakers more representative of actual communities, less beholden to party extremists, and less shortsighted.

What might next year bring?

Plenty remains to be done to improve how the state is run. So let's narrow down the possibilities: The theme for the next round of reforms should be transparency.

Transparency is the

catchall word that political watchdogs use to describe some essential qualities of an effective government. All-too-rare features like openness, honesty and accountability. Things that let constituents know what their leaders are up to, that allow people to participate in the process.

Here are four ideas for promoting transparency. None is exactly new, and some have been proposed before and defeated. Which makes them overdue for action by reform-minded California lawmakers or by voters:

Expand disclosure of campaign contributors.

The November election highlighted the problem.

An Arizona-based nonprofit group, widely and accurately described as shadowy, sent $11 million to the campaigns against the Proposition 30 tax hikes and in favor of the Proposition 32 restrictions on unions' political power. Under current campaign finance laws, the source of the money didn't have to be revealed, leading critics to liken the maneuvers to money-laundering.

Voters must be allowed to know who is trying to influence elections, so they can figure out the real motives of initiative campaigns and candidates.

State Sen. Ted Lieu of Torrance is one of two legislators promoting bills that would tighten disclosure rules and increase penalties for breaking them. These would be good steps.

Related to this, Assemblyman Mike Gatto of Burbank has proposed requiring backers of voter initiatives to identify their top five campaign contributors in ballot pamphlets.

It's worth pursuing.

Rein in ballot-box budgeting.

California's budget problems are complicated by the creation of expensive state program through ballot initiatives. Here, too, Gatto is promising to continue to push to at least warn voters of the risk by requiring initiative campaigns to state how new programs would be funded.

End "gut and amend" legislating and other rush-job laws.

The gut-and-amend practice causes outrage one week per legislative cycle, during the days before the deadline for passing bills, but the anger hasn't lasted long enough to spur reform.

In August, Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes of Sylmar turned a Senate bill concerning vehicle pollution into a bill to give as many as 2million undocumented immigrants "safe harbor" in California. Though the bill didn't pass, it was an egregious example of an effort to completely alter a bill at the last minute to try to slide something unrelated through the Legislature.

Around the same time, a pension-reform bill was jammed through before lawmakers, let alone members of a concerned public, could figure out what as in it.

A remedy is to require bills to be made public at least 72 hours before lawmakers vote. This was among several reforms in Proposition 31, which voters rejected in November. The proposal deserves another chance.

End vote-switching.

The game-playing doesn't end after legislators cast their votes. Thanks to an Associated Press report, Californians now know how often members of the Assembly take advantage of rules allowing them to alter or add votes in the official record after the fact (more than 5,000 times this year). Sometimes there are legitimate reasons to do this, but usually the aim is to make their voting history more attractive to the public and party leaders.

Come election time, voters should be able to judge incumbents' performance in office in part by reviewing which bills they supported and opposed.

Not surprisingly, Assembly leaders have signaled they have no plan to forbid vote-switching. So, as with most good reforms, the impetus will have to come from the public itself.

These ideas are a start on the next round of California political reform. There will be more where they came from.

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This Editorial originally appeared in the Pasadena Star-News.  You can read this editorial and more by visiting the Pasadena Star News HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

ABC7 - LA broken parking meter battle: Assemblyman seeks to block city from issuing citations

Highlights and Video from KABC's coverage of my bill to block local governments from issuing tickets to drivers who park at broken parking meters:



DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A bill was introduced in Sacramento on Tuesday that seeks to block the city of Los Angeles from issuing tickets to drivers who park at broken meters. 
A new state law that took effect Jan. 1 allows drivers to park at broken meters, but it also allows cities to opt out. The Los Angeles City Council did just that last month by a vote of 12-1, which means motorists can still be fined if parked at a broken meter. 
Assembly Bill 61, introduced by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D- Los Angeles), would block the city from enforcing the citations and allow drivers to park for the maximum time allowed. 
"The taxpayer pays to install the meter, the taxpayer pays to maintain the meter and it's just outrages to say the taxpayer can't park at a meter if the government hasn't fixed it," Gatto said... 
...Gatto also said cities are trying to get extra revenue through the citations. 
"They're trying to issue more fines and I just don't think that's right," Gatto said... "If the meter don't work, they should fix it. Everything is just to squeeze money out of people. That's just what it is. It's just money, money, money." 
City News Service contributed to this report.

(Copyright ©2013 KABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

You can read this entire article and more at ABC News HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly. He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood. www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

LA Weekly: Hit-And-Run Loophole Lets You Walk After 3 Years; Mike Gatto Wants That Fixed

Highlights from Dennis Romero's article in LA Weekly: 

In the wake of Simone Wilson's excellent LA Weekly coverage of the city's hit-and-run crisis, including the revelation that nearly half of all vehicle collisions in town involve people who flee the scene, an L.A.-based state lawmaker wants to do something about it. 
State Assemblyman Mike Gatto... says he'll propose closing a loophole that allows hit-and-run suspects to avoid prosecution after three years. You see, ... 
... under current law, the window for prosecuting a hit-and-run suspect runs out three years after the date of the incident, Gatto spokesman Justin Hager explained to us...
Courtesy Marie Hardwick X-ray image from a hit-and-run victim in L.A. 
...Under language Gatto's office is working on, people could be prosecuted based on the time they are actually identified as suspects, giving authorities a fresh, three-year clock for possible prosecution... 
...Gatto said he identified with our follow-up story about how bicyclist Don Ward was struck by a hit-and-run driver in Echo Park in 2009 and lived to hunt down the suspect.
The bicyclist that got hit -- that's the route I take home. You put yourself in that person's shoes. 

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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You can read the entire article and more at LA Weekly by clicking HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

AB 1616, The California Homemade Food Act: What You Need to Know

Highlights from Rachael Narins article in LA Weekly:


...When bread baker Mark Stambler's homemade bread operation -- he was selling in a few local markets -- was shut down by health inspectors in 2011, Stambler decided to do something about it... 
...Thanks to the help of Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-CA) the law [AB 1616] -- which includes two types of permits -- was written, passed and went in to effect on Jan. 1... 
...So what does the law mean to you, the aspiring Cottage Food Operator (CFO) and which type of permit should you get, if any? There is a lot more to it than what we are able to cover here, but this is a good place to start. The Department of Public Health has a FAQ page with lots of additional information... 
...A cottage food law course is being created, and when it is implemented, all permit holders will be required to take it within 90 days of the permit being issued... 
...Once you have all of that established, there is still the matter of being a real, registered business. You need to be paying taxes. If you rent your home, the lease must allow for a home business. You should check with your municipal zoning office to make sure home businesses are allowed where you live. You should also be insured and have a food handlers license. None of those are prerequisites, but without them, the permit won't help you much...

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You can read this entire article and more at LA Weekly by clicking HERE

See a five minute video of the story behind AB 1616 and learn more about Assemblyman Mike Gatto's support for Mark Stambler, Patricia Kline, and other Cottage Food businesses by clicking HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

Monday, January 7, 2013

LISTEN LIVE: Assemblyman Gatto Talks about tickets at broken parking meters on the Morning Show on KNX Radio

If you haven't heard yet, I've introduced legislation on Monday that would prevent authorities from issuing tickets to California drivers who park at a broken or malfunctioning meter.  I'll be discussing the bill, AB 61, tomorrow morning on the KNX Morning show.  You can tune in live at 7:40AM to KNX radio by following one of the links below:

http://tunein.com/radio/KNX-1070-NEWSRADIO-s34407/

http://betaplayer.radio.com/player/knx-1070-newsradio

Gatto introduces bill to prevent cities from ticketing drivers who park at broken meters

Highlights from Daniel Siegal's article in the Glendale News-Press:


Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) introduced legislation on Monday that would prevent authorities from issuing tickets to California drivers who park at a broken or malfunctioning meter. 
“It’s just wrong for cities to ticket people who want to park at a meter that the city has failed to fix, or to force a motorist to drive around or park in a paid lot when a perfectly good spot on the street is available,” Gatto said in a statement... “It is the responsibility of local governments to maintain their meters and keep them in good working order,” Gatto said in his statement.  “The people should not have to pay for the government’s mistakes or inefficiencies, especially when the people already paid to install and maintain the meters in the first place."

-- Daniel Siegal, Times Community News

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

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

California eases regulations on homemade food businesses, boosting startups



Patricia Kline will be able to bake her pies at home when the city of San Francisco issues permits, 
and sell them at events including weddings. (Courtesy: Scott R. Kline)

By Michelle Macaluso - Published January 05, 2013 - FoxNews.com

FRESNO, Calif. –  California's homemade food makers are now able to sell their products to restaurants and grocery stores, thanks to a new law that went into effect this year.


The California Homemade Food Act created a new category of producers called "cottage food producers," which will allow people to cook their food items right from their kitchens at home.

"We all are very optimistic and excited," said Patricia Kline of San Francisco, who makes and sells small fruit pies.

Kline sells her pies at farmer's markets, online and also does special events like weddings and lunches. She says one of the huge barriers to enter into this business was the requirement to use commercial kitchens.
"Having the this law in place will allow me to be able to take advantage of orders that come in that day, and take advantage of pop-up opportunities and pick-up wholesaling," she said.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto, a Democrat from Los Angeles, helped pioneer the new law after he read a story about Mike Stambler, a bread maker from Los Angeles who had his business shut down in 2011 after authorities discovered he was selling bread he made from his home. Gatto saw this as an opportunity to help those like Stambler and drafted the bill.

"If you want to enter the food production business, the barriers before this bill were enormous," Gatto said. "I just thought there was a lot of business demand for people who wanted to enter this business and they didn't have an outlet. I wanted to make it a bit easier for them," he said.

Approved items include jams, baked goods, cookies, coffee, nuts, vinegar, candy and dried pasta.

"We talked with the different health departments and various scientists, and these are products that are 99.9 percent safe," Gatto said.

Nutritionist Laura Cipullo says that if the food item is cooked, it will probably kill any type of food-borne illness, and since vinegar is acidic it would be less likely to carry bacteria.

"The pros are that they are made better, more wholesome and healthier and give more people the ability to have more jobs and a different variety of food," Cipullo said.

The state will require cottage food producers to a take a food-handling class and pass an exam that is created by the California Department of Public Health.

The California Restaurant Association does not see any major fallout for the restaurant industry with the new law. But it had initial concerns about whether the new cottage food producers would be held to similar food safety and sanitation standards as restaurants.

"We kind of have a wait-and-see attitude to see how the agencies enforce some the of standards that our outlined in the law," said Angelica Pappas spokesperson for the California Restaurant Association.

Kline believes this new law will help families create small businesses they need to help them make that extra money they need in a bad economy.

"It can only be a good thing to have a close relationship with you, the customer, and me, the producer of what you're going to eat," Kline said.

In 2013, the total revenue limit will be $35,000 and will rise to $50,000 by 2015.

"People view it as a way to become the small business and are very excited and very positive about the law and a lot of people think it will change their lives," said Gatto.

Michelle Macaluso is part of the Junior Reporter program at Fox News. Get more information on the program HERE.

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You can read this article and more at Fox News by clicking HERE

See a five minute video of the story behind AB 1616 and learn more about Assemblyman Mike Gatto's support for Mark Stambler, Patricia Kline, and other Cottage Food businesses by clicking HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

The martial art of subduing special interests


By Assemblyman Mike Gatto

Passing a major reform in Sacramento has the same odds as a novice knocking out the champ at a martial-arts competition. This is particularly true when it comes to reforming ballot-box budgeting. I’ve introduced eight measures on this topic over the past 2 1/2 years, and people often ask me why I bother. Changes to the status quo are long shots that require heavy lifting. Complex constitutional amendments are not easily explained in sound bites. And many of these bills don’t exactly ingratiate a legislator with special interests. I always respond that I am lucky enough to have been made to see the big picture, and that the big picture imparts in me a sense of martial duty.


When I first ran for state Assembly, I sought the endorsement of former Speaker Robert Hertzberg, whose encyclopedic knowledge of our government and involvement in various reform groups made him a prime candidate to teach this karate kid a thing or two. In true Mr. Miyagi fashion, he wanted some wax-on, wax-off. “You can’t have my endorsement until I know you’re prepared for the monumental task before you. And you cannot be prepared until you’ve studied the roots of California’s problems.”



Undaunted, I humbly left his office and began my quest. I read everything I could, whether he’d suggested it or not: California histories, Legislative Analyst Office reports, think-tank studies and more. After months of study, I was ready to spar. At our next meeting, I was able to thoroughly discuss the big picture with Hertzberg. The good news? I received his endorsement and won my race. The bad news? I’ve remained acutely aware of the need for reform, and troubled by the general inaction to achieve it.
Buried in the documents I studied were disturbing facts about the scope and harmful effects of ballot-box budgeting. Unfunded program spending from ballot initiatives costs California at least $8.6 billion each year, and special funds created by ballot initiatives soak up an additional $2 billion taxpayer dollars each year. This is nuts.

I believe those funds should be spent on the core functions of government: Paving roads, improving our education system, keeping courts open so lawsuits don’t drag on for years, and making sure someone promptly responds when you dial 9-1-1.  Ballot-box budgeting for special interests’ pet projects siphons resources away from these core functions.  And when government cannot perform its core functions adequately, people lose faith.  That is why I have tried mightily to reform our system.


In 2011, I introduced ACA 6, a simple measure that said an initiative could not create a new program without first identifying how it would pay for it.  Special interests shouldn’t be allowed to enshrine a new spending program without telling the voters exactly how they will find the money to fund it.  I introduced AB 65, which would print the top five financial supporters of an initiative in our ballot pamphlets.  Following the money is the easiest way to know who will benefit from a measure.  And I introduced ACA 10, which would make it harder to add junk to our constitution but ensure that reformers can still remove junk.  The federal constitution has been amended just 27 times in 225 years.  California’s has been amended 521 times in less than half that period, a major cause of the state’s dysfunction.

I am heartened to see so many newcomers echoing the calls for reform, now that Democrats have a two-thirds majority in the legislature.  Although my proposals and others are far from partisan, I, too, hope that party unity gives reformers a better chance of winning hearts and votes, even if the clear need for reform previously did not.  I also believe that Republican leaders would be wise to join reform efforts, instead of blocking them because the author happens to be a Democrat.  After all, fiscal responsibility used to be what Republicans campaigned on, and protecting our state constitution from special interests should appeal to all patriots.

Will this year be the one where the karate kids finally defeat the special-interest champs?  I will continue pushing for these important reforms this session.  If you think reforming ballot-box budgeting is important, I encourage you to write your state representatives and tell them to do something about it.  
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This opinion-editorial first appeared in the Glendale News-Press on December 22, 2012 - You can read this OpEd and more at the Glendale News-Press by clicking  HERE
Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto  

New California law represents ‘small step’ in fighting fan violence



San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow, who was brutally beaten at Dodgers Stadium, was transferred in May 2011 from Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center to San Francisco General Hospital.
Credits:   Al Seib-Pool/Getty Images



JANUARY 1, 2013 BY: JOHN EGAN

A state law aimed at curbing fan violence at professional sports venues in California took effect New Year’s Day.

The law (Assembly Bill 2464), authored by state Assemblyman Mike Gatto, a Los Angeles Democrat, requires major-league sports stadiums in California to clearly post the numbers that fans can use to call or send text messages to report violence to stadium security personnel. The law came in response to outbursts of fan violence around the state, including the brutal beating in March 2011 of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodgers Stadium, and the shooting of two fans and the beating of another fan in August 2011 at a San Francisco 49ers-Oakland Raiders preseason game at Candlestick Park.
The Improving Personal Safety at Stadiums Act was signed into law in September by Gov. Jerry Brown.

“It has become apparent that we need to act to keep the action at professional games on the field and out of the stands,” Gatto said earlier this year.

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

Gatto pointed out that in several high-profile beatings at major-league sports venues in California, fans dialed 911. In those cases, contacting stadium security makes more sense, according to Gatto, as stadium security officers already are at the venues while police officers could be coming from outside the venues.

Longtime Oakland Raiders fan Kathy Samoun, founder of a Bay Area-based group called Fans Against Violence, said most pro sports venues in California already had violence-reporting systems in place – especially texting mechanisms – but a few did not. Samoun said those that did not were the venues for the San Jose Earthquakes (soccer), the Los Angeles Angels (baseball) and the Los Angeles Galaxy (soccer).
“One of the goals with our organization is to encourage fans to take responsibility in their own safety along with the teams and the leagues,” Samoun said. “Currently, these security text codes are the number one tool fans have for being proactive. … Many fans are not aware they have this tool available to them.”

California venues covered by the law are those with teams from Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, the National Football League and Major League Soccer.

Samoun said Gatto’s law represents a “small step” toward ending fan violence at sports venues. A previous version of the measure would have created a list of fans who’d be banned from pro sports stadiums in California if they’re convicted of committing a serious or violent felony crime at a major-league sports venue. The previous version also would have established a state fund to compensate victims of violence at pro sports stadiums.

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You can read this story and more at the SF Examiner by clicking HERE

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto