Emily Rusch
Vice President and Senior Director of State Offices, The Public Interest Network
Vote No on Props 23 and 26
Media Contacts
CALPIRG
Statement by Emily Rusch, State Director of CALPIRG
No on Prop 23
Prop 23 is an attempt by the out-of state oil industry – including Valero, Tesoro, and the Koch brothers – to prevent California from reducing our oil use. The ballot measure would effectively repeal California’s landmark global warming pollution law.
California’s overdependence on oil already harms public health through unhealthy air pollution and leaves consumers and businesses susceptible to fossil fuel price spikes. Furthermore, because of California’s leadership, clean energy jobs have been a bright spot in the California economy.
Say no to the oil companies. Vote no on Prop 23.
No on Prop 26
Prop 26 is an attempt by oil companies, the cigarette industry, the chemical industry, and other special interests to avoid accountability for the harms they sometimes cause to our health and safety.
Right now, programs that protect us from pollution and unsafe products are usually paid for by fees assessed on the regulated industries. Prop 26 would mandate that for any new protections, those costs would fall on taxpayers instead, unless supporters could round up a two-thirds supermajority in the legislature. That would mean that the special interests wouldn’t have to pay their fair share, and ordinary Californians would have to make up the difference.
Furthermore, Prop 26 could exacerbate our state’s record budget deficits, because it would require a supermajority for fiscally responsible regulations that cover their own costs and allow unfunded mandates to pass by an ordinary majority vote.
