• Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) released a Thomas Fire and California storm recovery guide on Jan. 16 to help people affected or displaced by the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides find and apply for federal resources available under the Stafford Act. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) amended the Major Disaster Declaration for the fires on Jan. 15, allowing individual assistance for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. “The Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides tragically killed at least 20 Montecito residents and one Cal Fire engineer, forced thousands of people to evacuate, and destroyed hundreds of homes,” Carbajal said in a statement. “As the Central Coast recovers from the largest fire in California’s history and its deadly and devastating after effects, I am inspired by our community’s resilience. … Should anyone have any issues when contacting a federal agency, they should not hesitate to contact my office. We are here to help.” The Fire and CA Storm Recovery Guide is available at carbajal.house.gov.
• Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) called on all county boards of supervisors in California to pass resolutions opposing the Trump administration’s proposal to sell new leases for offshore drilling in federal waters in a letter released on Jan. 10. The proposal included six new leases along the California coastline, according to a release from Feinstein’s office. Feinstein pointed to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s decision to remove Florida from the proposal due to resistance from state officials, and called on California supervisors to voice their concern. “A resolution to disapprove of new offshore drilling leases will send a clear, united message to the Trump administration that Californians value the well-being of our coastal community environments and expect relentless protection,” Feinstein wrote in the letter. “As Californians, we must stand together to ensure that our coast is not subject to new offshore oil and gas drilling projects.”
• Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) spoke to the City News Service about the meaning of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, saying it is “a day to recognize what it’s taken for us to arrive at this point as well as acknowledge much more work we have to do.” Harris was named the grand marshal of the Kingdom Day Parade in South LA, and said that the celebration honors King for his vision in fighting for both civil rights and economic rights. “So let’s remember the history we have of having moments that were about fighting for equality among all people, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, but also remembering that if we are going to truly achieve equality, it is also about economic equality and economic justice, which means making sure everyone has access to a good job with fair wages and safe working conditions,” Harris said.
• State Assemblymember Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) issued a statement on Jan. 10 on the budget presented by Gov. Jerry Brown, saying that it addresses funding needed following the devastation left by the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslies. “As we get back on our feet and move forward, it will be more important than ever that we rebuild smart, utilizing new technology and knowledge,” Limón said in the statement. “The budget proposal currently includes funding to cover wildfire response and recovery, improvements to emergency communications systems, and assistance to cover tax revenue losses incurred by cities, counties, and special districts. In the wake of these back-to-back disasters, I know that the governor and the rest of the state have us in the forefront of their minds. As our assessment of the losses across the Central Coast develop, the allocations for the range of emergency related needs will also adjust. I will push harder than ever to make sure that our community receives the assistance it needs from our state.”
This article appears in Jan 18-25, 2018.
