An end-of-legislative-season tour recently found State Senator Wesley Chesbro visiting the City of Clearlake. The end-of-season marks Chesbro”s last year within the office of senator.
“This is my last of what have been eight amazingly quick years,” Chesbro said. “It”s been wonderful.”
Noting that the Second Senate District is made up of small communities, Chesbro said his mission has been to give those small communities a voice within the California capitol. One of the things he said he is most proud of, is the building of minimum funding levels into many state programs so that small communities will receive enough money to make viable investments.
Chesbro cited the COPS program as one example, which guarantees a $100,000 minimum to communities that are awarded the grants. Another example was Proposition 40, the park bond. “Every county got $1 million and each city got $21,000.”
Some of the local Prop. 40 allocations have benefited Austin and Highlands parks. Another allocation funded play equipment for five Lake County parks including the park in Lower Lake.
A flurry of legislative proposals were sent to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the end of this legislative session. “This is the most productive legislative season in my eight years in the Capitol,” said Chesbro.
Some of Chesbro”s bills were vetoed, including a park and resources bond ? but it made the November ballot as Proposition 84 thanks to petitioners generating signatures. Chesbro said he had supported the signature-gathering efforts.
Other bills that will be of benefit to the senate district”s rural communities were signed into law by the governor. These include:
* SB 257 ? Housing for the most needy. ?This bill authorizes the California Housing Financing Agency to finance “special needs housing” including housing for Californians with mental health or physical disabilities.
* SB 1168 ? Rural health care equity. This bill protects the current program that helps firefighters, State Park rangers and game wardens living in rural areas pay the extra cost of health care associated with living in these rural areas.
* SB 1376 ? Community action agencies. Chesbro said that minimum funding was frozen at a formula that was put in place 20 years ago. “This put a new formula in place that includes a cost of living adjustment.”
* SB 1720 ? Veterans exposure to toxic depleted uranium. This bill requires the State to inform returned veterans that served in combat theaters where depleted uranium was used of their eligibility to receive federally funded depleted uranium screening.
* SB 1755 ? Medi-Cal adult day health care. Adult day health care enables the frail older adult to remain living in the community, either in their own home or with their family. This bill reformed the adult day health care program to guarantee fair payments for providers and simplifies eligibility for those frail elderly who need medical care in their home.
Chesbro spoke with pride of California”s leadership in tackling global warming, but expressed concern about the reliability of its governor in continuing to work closely with the legislature. “I think he”s an actor who reads from a script and next year I don”t know what script he”ll be reading from.”
This is Chesbro”s final term as senator due to California”s limit. In regard to his immediate future, Chesbro said he is supporting Patty Berg in her race for another term serving the First Assembly District. At the end of Berg”s term, Chesbro said he will run for state assembly. “I”ve never served in the state assembly and I feel that the eight years I served in the senate will benefit the assembly district.”
Editor”s Note: Some of the above legislative summaries were compiled by Tom Martinez, a publicist in the office of State Senator Wesley Chesbro. Contact Cynthia Parkhill at cparkhill@clearlakeobserver.com.
