Kalra, Ash rep
===
12 25 State Assembly District 25
State Senate District 15
5 24 visionary atl mo = ro khanna
District Office:
100 Paseo De San Antonio
Suite 319
San Jose, CA 95113
Tel: (408) 277-1220
Fax: (408) 277-1036
==
b cda
Kalra is an American politician serving in the California State Assembly. He is a Democrat representing the 27th Assembly District, encompassing parts of eastern San Jose.
Kalra was first elected to the Assembly after defeating fellow Democrat Madison Nguyen in 2016. Prior to being elected to the Assembly, he was a member of the San Jose City Council where he represented District 2 in South San Jose for eight years.
Kalra is the first Indian-American to serve in the California State Legislature.[1]
{nl}Members of the California State Assembly|
- Members of the California State Assembly
- Living people
- California Democrats
- 1972 births
- 21st-century American politicians
- American politicians of Indian descent
- Politicians from San Jose, California
- Driving under the influence
-
12 24
Ash Kalra (born January 21, 1972) is a Canadian-American politician who has served as a member of the California State Assembly since 2016. A member of the Democratic Party, Kalra previously served on the San Jose City Council from 2008 to 2016.
Kalra represents the 25th Assembly District, which encompasses parts of eastern San Jose, and chairs the California Legislative Progressive Caucus and the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee. A first-generation immigrant, he is the first Hindu and Indian American to serve in the California State Legislature.[1]
Early life and education
Kalra was born in Toronto to Indian parents. His family immigrated to the United States in 1978 and settled in San Jose, California, where Kalra has lived ever since.[2]
Kalra attended San Jose public schools and is a graduate of Oak Grove High School.[3] He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in communications in 1993, and later Georgetown University, from which he graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1996.[4]
Legal career
As a law student, Kalra taught at inner city schools in Washington, D.C. He returned to San Jose after law school and became a law professor at San Jose State University and Lincoln Law School.[5]
In addition to teaching, Kalra was a deputy public defender for Santa Clara County for 11 years.[6] He represented clients in felony and misdemeanor trials and spent most of his time in drug treatment court to help his clients get into rehabilitation programs.[5]
Political career
Kalra was elected to the San Jose City Council in 2008 and served two terms on the city council. He represented District 2, which encompassed South San Jose.
Kalra was first elected to the California State Assembly in 2016, succeeding term-limited Democrat Nora Campos and defeating fellow Democrat and San Jose city councilmember Madison Nguyen. He is the first Hindu and Indian American to serve in the California State Legislature.[7]
Kalra currently chairs the California Legislative Progressive Caucus as well as the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on the Future of Work and Workers.[8][9]
Kalra supported Bernie Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign.[10] He was mentioned as a possible replacement for Xavier Becerra as Attorney General of California following Becerra's appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services, but fellow Bay Area assemblymember Rob Bonta was appointed instead.[11]
Kalra authored the California Racial Justice Act of 2020.[12] In 2023, Kalra authored legislation that would prohibit the towing or immobilizing vehicles due to unpaid parking tickets.[13] The San Jose Department of Transportation spokesperson said that the legislation would make parking enforcement in San Jose more difficult.[13]
Kalra is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.[14]
Personal life
Kalra lives in San Jose. He practices Hinduism and is a vegan.[15]
In 2011, Kalra was arrested for and pleaded no contest to driving under the influence of alcohol. He was sentenced to serve community service hours and receive counseling.[6]
===
Staff:
Ryan Guillen Chief of Staff ryan.guillen@asm.ca.gov
Erika Ngo Legislative Director erika.ngo@asm.ca.gov
Zena HallakComms Directorzena.hallak@asm.ca.gov
Maria Parra-MoraSchedulermaria.parra@asm.ca.gov https://a25.asmdc.org/meeting-request-1
Celeste WalkerDistrict Directorceleste.walker@asm.ca.gov
Committees
- Member of Select Poverty and Economic Inclusion
- Member of Select Building a Zero-Carbon Hydrogen Economy
- Member of Select Downtown Recovery
- Member of Housing and Community Development
- Member of Select Opportunities and Barriers for People with Disabilities in the Workplace
- Member of Select Biodiversity
- Member of Select Social Housing
- Member of Local Government
- Member of Natural Resources
- Member of Select Restorative Justice
- Member of Select the Status of Boys and Men of Color
- Chair of Judiciary
- Member of Select the Social Determinants of Health
- Member of Select Permitting Reform
- Chair of Select the Future of Work and Workers
- Member of Select Fentanyl, Opioid Addiction, and Overdose Prevention
===
moved on
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-reefe-99264b6
cos hbj
===
ballotpedia bills
12 24
An act to amend Sections 871.20 and 871.24 of, and to add Sections 871.29 and 871.30 to, the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to civil actions, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.
12/03/2024: From printer. May be acted upon on or after January 2.
An act to add Section 7284.11 to the Government Code, and to repeal Sections 5025 and 5026 of the Penal Code, relating to state government.
12/03/2024: From printer. May be heard in committee January 2.
An act to amend Sections 25354.2, 25364, 25367, 25371, 25372.2, and 25373 of, to add and repeal Section 25354.4 of, and to add, repeal, and add Section 25354.6 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to energy.
10/14/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 1, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Section 15657 of, and to add Section 15657.02 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to elders and dependent adults.
09/29/2024: Vetoed by Governor.
An act to amend Section 102356 of, to add Section 102250 to, and to add and repeal Section 102233.1 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to underage marriage.
09/29/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 984, Statutes of 2024.
An act to add Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 871.20) to Title 10 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to civil actions.
09/29/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 938, Statutes of 2024.
An act to add Chapter 20.5 (commencing with Section 42984) to Part 3 of Division 30 of the Public Resources Code, relating to solid waste.
09/28/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 864, Statutes of 2024.
An act to add Chapter 4.2.5 (commencing with Section 65914.900) to Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code, relating to land use.
09/28/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 820, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Section 66332 of the Government Code, relating to land use.
09/28/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 834, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Section 7700 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to food and agriculture.
09/27/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 720, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Section 1202.4 of, to add Section 1398 to, and to add Article 5 (commencing with Section 13839) to Chapter 4 of Title 6 of Part 4 of, the Penal Code, relating to crime, and making an appropriation therefor.
09/27/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 651, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Sections 35152 and 35159 of, to add Section 35175 to, and to repeal and add Section 35172 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to the Santa Clara Valley Open-Space Authority.
09/27/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 733, Statutes of 2024.
An act to add Sections 38754, 38756, and 38757 to the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.
09/27/2024: Vetoed by Governor.
An act to amend Sections 2089.4 and 2089.22 of, and to add and repeal Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 1670) of Division 2 of, the Fish and Game Code, relating to fish and wildlife.
09/27/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 681, Statutes of 2024.
An act to add Chapter 2.9 (commencing with Section 50495) to Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to housing.
09/27/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 672, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Section 65913.4 of the Government Code, relating to land use.
09/27/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 754, Statutes of 2024.
An act to add Section 15007.5 to the Fish and Game Code, relating to fish and wildlife.
09/27/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 758, Statutes of 2024.
An act to add Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 8301) to Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to state government, and making an appropriation therefor.
09/26/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 624, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Section 51 of the Civil Code, to amend Section 212.1 of the Education Code, and to amend Section 12926 of the Government Code, relating to discrimination.
09/26/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 619, Statutes of 2024.
An act to add Article 17.5 (commencing with Section 13189) to Chapter 2 of Division 7 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to pesticides.
09/25/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 552, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Section 11041 of, and to add Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 16005) to Part 14 of Division 3 of Title 2 of, the Government Code, relating to state government.
09/25/2024: In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
An act to add Article 16.8 (commencing with Section 13178) to Chapter 2 of Division 7 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to pesticides.
09/25/2024: Vetoed by Governor.
An act to add Sections 50710.3, 50710.7, 50710.8, and 50718 to, and to add and repeal Section 50710.6 of, the Health and Safety Code, relating to housing.
09/24/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 523, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Sections 1167 and 1170 of the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to summary proceedings.
09/24/2024: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 512, Statutes of 2024.
An act to amend Sections 127400, 127401, 127405, 127425, 127435, 127436, 127440, 127450, 127452, and 127455 of, and to add Section 127400.5 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care.
5 24
| state Building and Construction Trades Council of California PAC | $21,800 |
|---|---|
| California State Council of Service Employees Political Committee | $15,900 |
| California State Council of Laborers PAC | $11,000 |
| Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians | $11,000 |
| American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees - CA People Small Contributor Committee | $10,900 |
| California State Association of Electrical Workers PAC | $10,900 |
| California State Pipe Trades Council PAC | $10,900 |
| California Teachers Association / Association for Better Citizenship | $10,900 |
| Dignity California Seiu Local 2015 | $10,900 |
| Northern California Carpenters Regional Council PAC | Northern California Carpenters Regional Council PAC |
sacbee but // cal watchdog?
The State Worker
Chronicling civil-service life for California state workers
THE STATE WORKER
Before CalPERS can save the world, public workers want it to save their pensions
BY ADAM ASHTON
aashton@sacbee.com
July 17, 2017 11:30 AM
Updated July 18, 2017 08:39 AM
Police Lt. Jim Auckmakes a regular 400-mile trip to Sacramento delivering a message to the state’s biggest public pension fund.
He says his department can’t hire more cops in part because investment misses at CalPERS require cities like his to chip in more taxpayer money for public employee pensions.
That’s why he’s been urging the California Public Employees’ Retirement System at its monthly meetings to resist a recent wave of appeals for it to divest from politically unpopular industries, such as fossil fuels and firearms.
“We cannot afford to lose funding for law enforcement officers in exchange for a socially responsible investment policy,” Auck, treasurer of the Corona Police Officers Association, told the CalPERS’ Board of Administration at a May meeting.
His recent appearances at CalPERS meetings are signs that some law enforcement and labor organizations are speaking up against proposals that would force the retirement fund to withdraw its investments from specific industries.
The International Union of Operating Engineers, which represents some 12,000 state maintenance workers, is another organization urging CalPERS to focus on making money.
“It’s time for CalPERS to re-evaluate their investment strategies and focus more on improving their investment returns and less on ‘socially responsible’ investments,” said Steve Crouch, its director of public employees.
Opponents to divestment say those decisions are costly. CalPERS has missed about $8 billion in potential earnings because of its divestment choices dating back to the 1980s, according to a February report by Wilshire Associates.
That matters because both CalPERS and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System are badly underfunded, with each holding assets worth about two-thirds of what they’d need if they had to pay all of the benefits they owe immediately. If the funds don’t catch up, taxpayers eventually could be forced to make up the difference.
“The CalPERS board has a fiduciary responsibility to the membership to deliver the best returns possible,” Auck said. “While we don’t necessarily promote tobacco or some of the issues that they’re divesting from, they’re legal. Whatever is delivering the return they need, that’s where they need to put our money.”
Calls for divestment at CalPERS are not new to the fund. It pulled out of South African investments in 1986 as a statement against apartheid. It sold its tobacco stocks in 2000.
But the pace of divestment requests has increased recently.
In 2015, the Legislature approved a bill calling on CalPERS and CalSTRS to reconsider their coal investments. CalSTRS subsequently divested from coal; CalPERS next month is expected to release its decision.
The most prominent proposal this year would have compelled CalPERS to divest from companies that do business with the Dakota Access Pipeline, the controversial 1,200-mile pipeline opposed by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in South Dakota. Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, later modified his bill to require CalPERS to publish a report on its pipeline-related investments.
Another bill would force CalPERS to cut its investments in Turkey. One more would have triggered divestment from businesses that work on the Trump administration’s proposedborder wall.
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CalPERS just lost a lawsuit at the U.S. Supreme Court. That decision will cost Californians
CalPERS just lost a lawsuit at the U.S. Supreme Court. That decision will cost Californians
Those proposals all have passionate supporters.
Dozens of Dakota Access Pipeline opponents packed CalPERS’ February meeting, where they implored the board to shed its investments in the pipeline’s builder. Many of them were retired public workers and teachers, who viewed global warming as a greater threat to their retirement security than CalPERS’ unfunded pension obligations.
“You have my permission to divest,” retired teacher Martha Dragovich, 74, told CalPERS in February.
Some major labor organizations also favor divestment.
State government’s largest union, Service Employees International Local 1000, is one of them. Theresa Taylor, one of the local’s vice presidents, is a member of the CalPERS Board of Administration.
Local President Yvonne Walker said she’d support divestment from fossil fuels in general.
“We all understand the need to make profitable investments but fossil fuels pose a threat to everyone. We’ve learned this lesson before – placing dollars over principles is one of the key factors in today’s income inequality. We can’t change the past, but let’s make the right decisions for our future,” she said in a written statement.
CalPERS has sent its lobbyist to the Capitol repeatedly this year to argue against divestment. The pension fund contends that banning certain investments increases risk for the overall fund and diminishes its voice on corporate boards as a shareholder.
CalPERS has been nudging companies to disclose climate risks with shareholder votes this year, including major oil producers like Exxon Mobil and Chevron. It advertises those votes to demonstrate its impact on social and environmental issues.
State Controller Betty Yee, who has a seat on both CalPERS and CalSTRS, has made that case at public meetings where activists press the funds to divest from fossil fuels. But she joined CalSTRS last month in voting to cut its last investments in foreign coal companies.
“I consider divestment proposals on a case-by-case basis and CalSTRS’ divestment from non-U.S. thermal coal was clear-cut because the holdings were minimal, returns inadequate, and liabilities and risks significant,” she said. “With a fiduciary responsibility to keep retirement benefits funded, I believe full divestment from fossil fuels is not yet feasible. Even as we depend less and less on fossil fuels, the sheer volume of energy and magnitude of pension assets that need to be replaced is still too big.”
Most of the state’s unions have been trying to convey their worries about divestment while maintaining relationships with the Democratic leaders behind the proposals. Senate President Pro Tem President Kevin DeLeon, D-Los Angeles, backed the 2015 coal divestment bill, for instance.
Unions held back on Kalra’s Dakota Access Pipeline bill until he rewrote it in a way that did not force divestment. The new version, which simply requires disclosure of pipeline-related investments, cleared a Senate committee last week with endorsements from the powerful California Teachers Association and the state’s largest firefighter union, California Professional Firefighters.
California Professional Firefighters spokeswoman Carrol Wills said the union usually does not take positions on divestment proposals.
“We think the practice of direct engagement, currently employed by CalPERS and CalSTRS, is the appropriate way to effect change without sacrificing its fiduciary responsibility to act in the best interests of beneficiaries and employers,” she said.
Members of Auck’s police union in Corona of Riverside County plan to keep showing up at CalPERS meetings. Auck, 60, said officers followed news about the divestment proposals and decided to dip into their union funds to pay for the travel, worrying that CalPERS would hear only from people who favor divestment.
The department has about 30 fewer positions for sworn police officers than it had a decade ago, he said. The city expects to pay more money to CalPERS every year for pensions since the fund in December voted to lower its investment rate forecast, a decision that requires governments to kick in more money up front for their workers. That leaves Corona less room to bring back some of those law enforcement jobs, Auck said.
“We’ve lost billions of dollars because of divestment. That’s billions of dollars we could have had. Maybe we’d still have these same issues, but we don’t know that,” he said.
no lnx
==
9/18
Aging and Long-Term Care, Chair
Primary jurisdiction includes area agencies on aging, California Department of Aging, long-term supports and services, Older Americans Act, Older Californians Act, senior citizen advocacy activities, the California Senior Legislature, services for seniors in residential and day settings and the California Commission on Aging.
Water, Parks, and Wildlife
Primary jurisdictions are water resources, flood management, fish and game, parks and recreation, and wildlife.
Judiciary
Primary jurisdictions are family law, product liability, tort liability, Civil Code, and Evidence Code (excluding criminal procedure).
Labor and Employment
Primary jurisdictions are wages, hours, employment discrimination, Cal-OSHA, employment development, and public job programs.
Education
Primary jurisdictions are education generally, certificated employees of schools, school finance, and school facilities.
==
Senate Bill 1 is a landmark transportation measure that invests in rebuilding California by fixing neighborhood streets, freeways and bridges throughout California. The measure also targets funds toward transit, congested trade and commute corridors.
Senate Bill 1 invests $5.4 billion annually over the next decade to fix California’s transportation system. It addresses years of backlogs and needed repairs, while ensuring a cleaner and more sustainable traffic network for the future.
Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 5, which is on the June 2018 ballot, specifically states that Senate Bill 1 funds will be designated for transportation use only. ACA 5 will ensure that future revenues passed by the Legislature to pay for road and highway maintenance will be spent exclusively on vitally needed repairs and not on other legislative priorities.
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Oil Rigs to Return to California’s Coast?
The Trump Administration has announced plans to open California waters to off-shore oil drilling.
Obviously, California residents are concerned.
Offshore oil drilling is terrible for the environment, and our economy. In 1969, 4.5 million gallons of oil spilled off the Coast of Santa Barbara inspiring the environmental movement and the creation of CEQA, NEPA and the EPA. As of 2010, 69% of Californians oppose off-shore oil drilling.
The Current Situation
The Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has released a Draft Offshore Oil & Gas Leasing Program for 2019 – 2024 which, if approved, would open thousands of miles of U.S. coastline to oil drilling, including regions of the Pacific that have been protected for decades. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has opened a 60-day comment period for citizens to provide feedback on the proposal. The agency will also hold public hearings in affected communities in the coming weeks.
This draft proposes six new off-shore oil leases for California; two in Northern California, two in Central California and two in Southern California. The first lease will be sold in 2020 in Southern California, followed by two more sales in 2021, one in 2022 and two in 2023. There have been no new oil leases in the Pacific Region since 1984.
==
Kalra Commends California Supreme Court Ruling on Predatory Lending
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
SACRAMENTO– Assemblymember Ash Kalra commends the California Supreme Court’s ruling in De La Torre v. CashCall finding that high-interest rates on loans above $2,500 are “unconscionable.” Over the past two years Assemblymember Kalra has been leading the effort to place reasonable interest rate caps on high dollar consumer loans over $2,500.
“I applaud the California State Supreme Court for doing what the Legislature could not; finding that high-interest rate loans are unacceptable.” Assemblymember Kalra goes on to say, “This ruling is a significant step forward, however, it remains the responsibility of the Legislature to put in place sound and reasonable financial protections for consumers who need a loan when faced with stressful financial circumstances.”
===
==
https://www.scpr.org/news/2016/11/11/66059/flood-of-spending-by-charter-advocates-leads-to-el/
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Charter school advocates flooded state legislative races with more than $19 million in campaign spending — and mostly got the results they were seeking.
In seven of eight races where charter advocates made at least $900,000 in "independent expenditures," the candidate they supported will advance to Sacramento. That's according to a KPCC review of election results and campaign finance records.
Richard Garcia of the California Charter Schools Association Advocates said those millions of dollars were money well spent.
"It seems that the voters recognized what we recognized in these candidates," Garcia said. "It's a big win for those who value their right to choice in education."
Garcia's group is linked to theParent Teacher Alliance, one of the two main charter spenders. The other big spender wasEdVoice's independent expenditure committee. The two groups spent a combined $18.4 million trying to get their favored candidates to seats in Sacramento.
In fact, EdVoice and the Parent Teacher Alliance were the number one and two outside spenders in state legislative races, beating out groups backed by political heavyweights like the oil industry and developers.
If you add an additional $930,000 from two smaller pro-charter committees — Parents and Teachers for Student Success and CCSA Advocates's independent expenditure group — the total reaches $19.4 million from charter groups. The money they spend is separate from actual candidates' campaigns.
**RELATED: Election results in the races charter groups targeted**
Not everyone was on board with the charter groups' aims.
Their one big defeat came in the 27th Assembly District, representing the San Jose area. There, the Parent Teacher Alliance dumped more than $4 million into an effort to elect Madison Nguyen — the most any group spent in a single race.
Yet San Jose city councilman Ash Kalra defeated Nguyen in that race. A union group was active there, pouring more than $1.2 million into the contest, which funded a big chunk of negative spending against Nguyen.
That dynamic was flipped in the 14th Assembly District, where charter-backed Tim Grayson cruised to victory. EdVoice spent $3.3 million in that race supporting Grayson and opposing the union-backed Mae Torlakson. Her husband is the state's top K-12 education official, Superintendent Tom Torlakson.
...
===
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/06/01/climate-change-and-bail-reform-bills-fall-short-in-the-california-assembly/
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/07/11/debate-rages-over-california-cap-and-trade-deal-concessions-to-big-oil/
A new deal to extend California’s landmark climate program known as cap and trade was met with both praise and condemnation Tuesday as environmentalists, business groups and lawmakers worked furiously to untangle — and wrangle over — the complex proposal that could be up for a vote within days.
Reactions to the agreement, unveiled late Monday by Gov. Jerry Brown and top lawmakers after weeks of closed-door talks, reflect a long-running split in the world of environmental advocacy. As grass-roots “environmental justice” groups expressed shock over regulatory changes and other concessions granted to Big Oil, mainstream environmental organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund and the Nature Conservancy lined up behind the hard-fought compromise as a pragmatic way forward.
One of the more controversial provisions of the bill would block local air regulators from setting additional carbon-emission rules for industry. The proposal also would limit the California Air Resources Board’s ability to set rules for carbon outside of the cap-and-trade program.
“The concessions to industry are bitter pills,” Alex Jackson, legal director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s California climate project, said in a statement, “but on balance the package ensures our emissions limits are enforceable against polluters and secures critical gains to improve air quality for millions of Californians. The world is watching for California to chart a path through the climate denial and obstruction coming from the White House — and California is yet again poised to deliver.”
Securing the future of the cap-and-trade program — and protecting it from future court challenges — will require a two-thirds vote in the Legislature, a heavy lift especially in the more politically moderate state Assembly, where another cap-and-trade proposal last month failed to win even a majority vote. So far, no Republicans have publicly come out in support of the bill, but Brown and other supporters are working to drum up the support they need from both sides of the aisle.
Assembly Bill 398 would extend through 2030 a program that sets an ever-lowering cap on greenhouse gas emissions and essentially requires industry to pay to pollute, acquiring permits for every ton of carbon released into the atmosphere.
State regulators now issue millions of free permits, but had planned to begin weaning factories and the refineries from the help starting next year, forcing them to pay for a larger share of the permits. Instead, the new proposal would keep the aid flowing. Free permits for the oil and gas industry alone would add up to $10 billion-$30 billion from 2018 to 2030, said Danny Cullenward, an economist and researcher with the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford University.
“The biggest winners of this proposal are the oil industry, by and large,” said Cullenward, who advised Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, on another cap-and-trade proposal that has been stalled in the Senate.
Officials with the governor’s office say that the free permits are designed to keep industry from leaving the state and emitting carbon somewhere else. They argue that this and other concessions won’t slow emissions reductions — the overarching goal of the program.
But the change to local authority would stop the Bay Area Air Quality Management District from setting new limits on greenhouse gases from the area’s Chevron, Shell, Tesoro, Valero and Phillips 66 refineries — a proposal scheduled for a vote in September. The air district — which opposes the cap-and-trade bill for that reason and others — would be able to set a cap on emissions that contribute to local air pollution, but not on carbon.
“We find it painful to be in a position where we’re having to oppose a goal that we support so strongly,” said Tom Addison, a senior policy adviser for the Bay Area district.
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who serves on both the Bay Area Air Quality Management District board and the California Air Resources board, said he was concerned about the regulatory changes.
“My reaction to this is it is unfortunate that the bill takes away local authority to regulate greenhouse gases at large, stationary sources like refineries,” he said. But he noted that “this is part of the horse-trading in Sacramento to get the two-thirds vote to extend cap and trade.”
Indeed, winning the blessing of the Western States Petroleum Association and other industry groups was widely seen as a political necessity — the only way to secure support from business-friendly Democrats and some Republicans.
The California Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday said only that it was reviewing the bill language, and the petroleum association did not respond to requests for comment.
Two Bay Area business groups— the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the East Bay Leadership Council — quickly endorsed the measures. The negotiations, said Mike Mielke, one of the Silicon Valley group’s executives, “have resulted in a proposal that maintains the integrity of the program while balancing the needs of the business community.”
To address local environmental concerns, especially in districts long burdened by dirty and toxic air, Brown and top leaders introduced a separate bill, Assembly Bill 617. It would require oil refineries and other plants in heavily polluted areas to replace their equipment with cleaner technology by the end of 2023. The bill could pass with only a simple majority vote.
“Overall, I find it really encouraging that they went the route of a separate bill targeting local pollutants,” saidProfessor James Bushnell, a UC Davis economics professor and former research director at the University of California Energy Institute in Berkeley.“To get to two-thirds, you need a coalition of the people who are really focused on the local pollutants joining the people who are focused on the climate question.”
But the air-quality bill was not enough to assuage the concerns of advocates such as Amy Vanderwarker, of the California Environmental Justice Alliance.
While it contains important provisions, she said, “Our bigger picture analysis is that even with those steps forward in the air quality bill, it’s not enough to justify the backsliding under AB 398.”
===
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB378
Introduced by Assembly Members Cristina Garcia, Holden, and Eduardo Garcia{nl}{nl}(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bloom, Bonta, Eggman, Friedman, Gomez, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, McCarty, Reyes, Mark Stone, Thurmond, and Ting){nl}|
| February 09, 2017 |
==
==
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-kalra-2b874b3
https://ballotpedia.org/Ash_Kalra
Democratic member of the California State Assembly, representing District 27. Kalra is running for re-election in the general election on November 6, 2018.[1] He was first elected to the chamber in 2016.
Kalra has also served as a member of the San Jose City Council in California, representing District 2. He was first elected to the city council in 2008, and he was term limited out of office in 2016.[2][3]
...
sunshine info 1st amend
https://www.billtrack50.com/BillDetail/832273
Relative to Equal Pay Day.
5/1/2018: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 52, Statutes of 2018.
Relative to the Armenian Genocide.
5/24/2018: Chaptered by Secretary of State
https://a27.asmdc.org/
Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0027
Tel: (916) 319-2027
Fax: (916) 319-2127
District Office:
100 Paseo De San Antonio
Suite 319
San Jose, CA 95113
Tel: (408) 277-1220
Fax: (408) 277-1036
off bio
Ash Kalra was elected to represent the 27th Assembly District in November 2016. The district encompasses eastern portions of the city of San Jose. A resident of that city for most of his life, Ash previously represented the 2nd District on the San Jose City Council, where he was the first Indian American elected to that body.
During his time serving as a councilmember, he provided a voice on a number of issue areas, including improved schools and transportation options, and a cleaner environment as well as providing the tools for effective public safety.
Notably, he has fought to maintain funding in the face of cuts to public safety, specifically to restore the San Jose Police Department’s burglary unit and the Violent Crimes Enforcement Team.
He has also worked to bring economic incentives to the area and given a strong voice to extendBART into Silicon Valley.
Before serving on the city council, Ash spent 11 years as an attorney in the Santa Clara Public Defender’s Office.
Previously, he taught at San Jose State University and at high schools in Washington DC. During his tenure on the city council, he was a law professor at Lincoln Law School of San Jose.
Among the many non-profit boards that he has served include the Santa Clara County Bar Association, the Asian Law Alliance, Somos Mayfair, and the South Asian Bar Association.
Ash lives in Hayes, the same San Jose neighborhood where he grew up. He is one of the founders of the Hayes Neighborhood Association.
He is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he has a degree in communications and has a law degree from Georgetown University.
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Committees
Aging and Long-Term Care, Chair
Primary jurisdiction includes area agencies on aging, California Department of Aging, long-term supports and services, Older Americans Act, Older Californians Act, senior citizen advocacy activities, the California Senior Legislature, services for seniors in residential and day settings and the California Commission on Aging.
Housing and Community Development
Primary jurisdictions are building standards, common interest developments, eminent domain, farm worker housing, homeless programs, housing discrimination, housing finance (including redevelopment), housing, natural disaster assistance and preparedness, land use planning, mobile homes/manufactured housing, redevelopment: housing, and rent control.
Judiciary
Primary jurisdictions are family law, product liability, tort liability, Civil Code, and Evidence Code (excluding criminal procedure).
Labor and Employment
Primary jurisdictions are wages, hours, employment discrimination, Cal-OSHA, employment development, and public job programs.
Privacy and Consumer Protection
The jurisdiction of the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee spans a wide range of technology-related issues, and includes matters affecting consumer protection in both the digital and analog worlds. Specifically, the Committee has jurisdiction over matters related to privacy, the protection of personal information (including digital information), the security of data, and information technology, as well as false advertising, charitable solicitations, weights and measures, and consumer protection generally. The Committee is also responsible for oversight of the Department of Technology within the State's Government Operations Agency.
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Dakota Access Pipeline Bill Authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra Signed By Governor
Monday, October 9, 2017
SACRAMENTO – Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill (AB) 20 authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), requiring the state’s two largest pension systems to submit a report on investments in the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).
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http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB1608
| ASSEMBLY BILL | No. 1608 |
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:{Introduced by Assembly Member Kalra }: |
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| February 17, 2017 |
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An act to add Division 10.6 (commencing with Section 12300) to the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental protection.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1608, as introduced, Kalra. Vibrant landscapes for climate, people, and multiple benefits.
The California Farmland Conservancy Program Act requires the Department of Conservation to implement and administer a program to provide grants for the acquisition by specified applicants of agricultural conservation easements, as defined. The act allows an agricultural conservation easement to provide for the construction and use of structures necessary for agricultural production and marketing, additional residences for immediate family members of the landowner, and necessary housing for seasonal or full-time employees of the agricultural operation.
Existing law establishes the Agricultural Protection Planning Grant Program administered by the department to provide planning grants to improve the protection of agricultural lands and grazing lands, including oak woodlands and grasslands.
Existing law authorizes the Wildlife Conservation Board toexpend moneys for the acquisition of conservation easements to protect rangeland, grazing lands, and grasslands.
This bill would require the department to develop and implement the Vibrant Landscape Program to assist eligible applicants in the development of county and regional plans that integrate the conservation and management of natural and working lands with other sectors toreduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and to provide other environmental cobenefits and to provide funding for land management and conservation activities that reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and achieve other environmental cobenefits. The bill would require the department, in collaboration with the Strategic Growth Council and the State Air Resources Board, to develop guidelines and criteria for the program. The bill would establish the Vibrant Landscape Program Fund in the State Treasury and would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, authorize the department to expend moneys in the fund to implement the program.
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DIGEST KEY
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Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal Committee: yes Local Program: no
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BILL TEXT
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1.
Division 10.6 (commencing with Section 12300) is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:
DIVISION 10.6. Vibrant Landscape for Climate, People, and Multiple Benefits
CHAPTER 1. Findings and Declarations
12300.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) The state’s natural and working lands have critical roles in providing multiple benefits, including food, wood products, habitat, water quality, and climate change mitigation. [wood pallet recycle lumber, preserve forest, hybrid adobe takes paper from landfill (methane) insulation]
(2) Natural and working lands should be managed and conserved for the multiple benefits they provide.
(3) The state recognizes the critical role of natural and working lands in providing solutions to climate change, as identified in the Governor’s Executive Order B-30-15 and Chapter 545 of the Statutes of 2016.
(4) Natural and working lands store considerable amounts of carbon. These terrestrial ecosystems store 2,100 gigatons of carbon and they are unique as they can actively remove carbon from the atmosphere and store that carbon for long periods of time.
(5) Local governments and land managers across the state have significant influence over the maintenance and management of natural and working lands for their climate and other benefits. In spite of this, there is little guidance, and there are few tools and incentives for them to advance the conservation and management of these landscapes for climate and other benefits.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature tocreate a program and fund for local governments and land managers in rural and urban areasacross the state to develop and implement land use plans and activities to address climate change and advance other critical benefits, including food, habitat, wood products, water quality, and public health, provided by both natural and working lands.[urban/community/school gardens?]
...
CHAPTER 2. Definitions
12305.
For purposes of this division, the following definitions apply:
(a) “Department” means the Department of Conservation.
(b) “Eligible applicants” means cities, counties, special districts, including open-space districts and resource conservation districts, metropolitan planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations.
(c) “Fund” means the Vibrant Landscape Program Fund established pursuant to Section 12320.
(d) “Greenhouse gas reduction” includes the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through carbon sequestration.
(e) “Greenprint” means a plan that identifies strategically planned and managed networks of natural lands and waters, working landscapes, including farmland, ranchland, and working forests, and recreational and other open spaces that conserve ecosystem values and functions, creates climate resilient communities, and is integrated into community and regional growth strategies.
(f) “Natural lands” means lands consisting of forests, grasslands, deserts, freshwater and riparian systems, wetlands, coastal and estuarine areas, watersheds, wildlands, or wildlife habitat, or lands used for recreational purposes, including parks, urban and community forests, trails, greenbelts, and other similar open-space land.
(g) “Program” means the Vibrant Landscape Program developed pursuant to Section 12310.
(h) “Working lands” means lands use for farming, grazing, or the production of forest products.
CHAPTER 3. Vibrant Landscape Program
12310.
(a) (1) The department shall develop and implement the Vibrant Landscape Program to assist eligible applicants in developing county or regional plans, including countyclimate plans and greenprint, across rural and urban areas integrating the conservation and management of natural and working lands, including agricultural and forest lands with other sectors to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and achieve climate resilience and other public and environmental cobenefits. The program shall support plans that do the following:
(A) Demonstrate how plan implementation will advance the conservation of natural and working lands and associated habitat and measurable and durable reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gases.
(B) Advance climate resilience, water quality, food production, wood products production, and other benefits.
(C) Complement a sustainable communities strategydeveloped pursuant to Section 65080 of the Government Code, if applicable.
(2) In awarding funds pursuant to this subdivision, the department shall give preference to an application submitted by a group of eligible applicants that includes a county.
(b) (1) The program may also provide funding for land management and conservation activities across the state that reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and achieve multiple environmental cobenefits.
(2) Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
(A) Riparian restoration.
(B) Preventing the conversion of natural and working lands to development and other intensive land use.
(C) Improvement in forest management.
(D) Urban forestry.
(3) In awarding funds pursuant to this subdivision, the department shall give preference to activities that would do both of the following:
(A) Implement a plan developed pursuant to subdivision (a).
(B) Provide the most cobenefits.
12311.
The department, in collaboration with the Strategic Growth Council and the State Air Resources Board, shall develop guidelines and criteria for the program.
CHAPTER 4. Fiscal Provision
12320.
The Vibrant Landscape Program Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, may be expended by the department to implement the program. Moneys from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund established pursuant to Section 16428.8 of the Government Code and other appropriate funding sources may be deposited into the fund as authorized by the Legislature.
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http://www.ashkalra.com/issues/environment
ASH'S RECORD
Ash Kalra is a passionate advocate for environmental protection. He has been recognized as a leader on issues surrounding the environment for years. In 2015, Ash was named “Legislator of the year” by the Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters and has been officially endorsed by the California League of Conservation Voters as well.
Ash is currently the Chair of San Jose's Transportation & Environment Committee on the City Council and has previously served as the Chair of the influential Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). His work to ensure that we respect and preserve our planet for generations to come is unmatched in this campaign for State Assembly.
While Chair of BAAQMD, Ash led the organization to create action plans and set state goals to ensure we are addressing issues like air quality, climate change and pollution. While on the board, Ash led the way on many projects, including:
- Making our Air District the first in the nation to pass a Climate Action Plan to set a process to achieve aggressive state greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals
- Passing a Resolution against the Keystone XL pipeline
- Launching the Bay Area Bike Share Program, which is now expanding in San Jose and throughout the Bay Area
- Creating the Commuter Benefit Program, requiring employers with 50 or more employees to provide some kind of incentive for environmentally friendly modes of transit
- Advocating for projects to make a “greener” Bay Area including:Expansion of electric vehicle charging stations
- Tougher rules on refinery emissions
- More expansive wood burning rules
- Making sure the Lehigh Cement Plant in Cupertino is held to the most stringent air pollution standards of any cement plant in the nation
While on the San Jose City Council, Ash has also been a champion for the environment.He has built a reputation on the council for pushing San Jose to lead the way in creating programs that will help combat climate change and preserve our water, including:
- Fighting against developing Coyote Valley, the last major region of developable farm land in the city.
- Pushing San Jose to become the first E-Steward city in the nation, requiring all electronic waste recyclers working with the city to document the responsible end point of all electronic waste collected
- Creating a strong riparian corridor policy in order to protect our waterways from overdevelopment
- Advocating for the creation of the Habitat Conservation Plan and for protection of burrowing owl and spotted butterfly habitats
- Speaking out for Community Choice Aggregation, allowing cities to aggregate the buying power of individual customers to secure alternative energy supply contracts on a community-wide basis
- Promoting further investment in transit and multi-modal transportation in order to allow for residents to leave their cars at home or, better yet, give up their cars altogether
Ash received theCalifornia League of Conservation VotersSilicon Valley Legislator of the Year Award 2015
ASH'S VISION
Ash is excited about California being a global leader in the fight against climate change. But, more needs to be done to ensure we preserve the environment, create good jobs in the clean energy sector, and learn to grow responsibly in order to leave future generations with a sustainable state and planet.
Ash supports:
- Aggressive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to slow global warming
- Investing in clean energy for a better environment and more jobs in our innovation economy
- Community Choice Aggregation to allow for residents to pool together in order to ensure a rapidly expanding use of alternative energy
- Banning frackingimmediately in order to protect vulnerable communities from the environmental impacts and to save millions of gallons of water a year
- Investing into transit infrastructure and safe bicycle/pedestrian networks to allow for multi-modal living in our communities
- Passing an oil excise tax– joining every other state that produces oil – in order to invest in solar for low and middle-class residents and clean energy research and funding for our universities
- Banning oil trains and refinery projects that facilitate the refining of Canadian tar sands or Bakken crude in California simply to be shipped overseas
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bomb train
Calling all members to the 2015 Annual Meeting
We are privileged this year to have San Jose Councilman Ash Kalra of District 2 address the issue of the threat of oil trains traveling through San Jose from San Luis Obispo on route to the Martinez refineries.lwv
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:{Elected Officials & Community Leaders
Civil Rights Leader Dolores Huerta
State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson
Board of Equalization Member Fiona Ma
Former Secretary of Transportation and San Jose Mayor Norman Y. Mineta
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren
Congressman Mike Honda
Congressman Ami Bera
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo
State Senator Jim Beall
State Senator Jerry Hill
State Senator Bill Monning
State Senator Bob Wieckowski
Speaker Pro Tempore Kevin Mullin
Assemblymember & API Legislative Caucus Chair Das Williams
Assemblymember Kansen Chu
Assemblymember Rich Gordon
Assemblymember Mark Stone
Assemblymember Phil Ting
Former Assemblymember Paul Fong
Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese
Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez
Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith
Former Santa Clara County Supervisor Rod Diridon, Sr.
San Jose Councilman Raul Peralez
San Jose Councilman Donald Rocha
Saratoga Councilman Rishi Kumar
Former San Jose Councilwoman Nancy Pyle
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Why new attack ad on SJ Councilman Ash Kalra is misleading
Posted on May 24, 2016 by Ramona Giwargis
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San Jose Councilman Ash Kalra
With Election Day exactly two weeks away, there’s a lot of nasty political mail flying around.
But none more misleading than a new attack ad on San Jose Councilman Ash Kalra from the California Apartment Association — which used bogus statistics to claim the termed-out councilman missed a lot of council meetings.
The group, angry with Kalra for his push to strengthen the city’s rent control law, put out a mailer with an empty black office chair against a white background. Bold words above the chair ask “Where was he?”
The mailer attempts to answer that question with Kalra’s face on the next page — with the words “ABSENT” sprawled across his eyes. It said “official city roll-call records” show Kalra was absent from City Council meetings 20 percent of the time.
The problem is — the ad used roll-call records which are taken at the beginning of meetings. Using that criteria, the entire City Council would be absent most of the time. Most members don’t take their seats until after roll call is taken.
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
“I could be in the back getting a cup of coffee or talking to someone in the audience,” Kalra explained. “But I was there for every vote.”
The real stats show Kalra had a 97.4 percent attendance record for 383 council meetings over his seven years in office. He had ten excused absences.
The association spent $67,230 to oppose Kalra, state finance records show. The group’s local representative, Joshua Howard, could not be reached for comment.
Kalra said “wealthy special interests” are attacking him in his run for the 27th State Assembly seat because they cant “buy” his vote. “So they want to keep me from winning,” he said.
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(Another) Soda Ban Gets the Can
(August 29th, 2013)
We wrote earlier this week about City of San Jose Councilman Ash Kalra’s proposal to ban ALL sodas and whole milk at city-owned facilities and events, even despite evidence that such regulations don’t achieve their ultimate goal of reducing obesity. Today, however, we deliver … Continue reading :{→}:
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Councilmember Ash Kalra earned his seat on the San José City Council in the November 4, 2008 election. He represents Council District 2, which is located in the Southern region of San José bordering Morgan Hill. District 2 has approximately 100,000 residents, and San José as a whole has a population of almost 1 million, making it the 10th largest city in the nation. He has been a resident of San José for over 36 years and is proud to be the first Oak Grove High School graduate on the San José City Council. Kalra was re-elected to a second term in June 2012.
Councilmember Kalra sits on San José’s Community and Economic Development Committee. In December of 2013, he was unanimously appointed as the Chairperson of the Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board, and is the immediate past chairperson of theBay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Board. Kalra also serves on the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers (CalTrain) Board, and also serves as a member of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan Liaison Group, the Association of Bay Area Governments Executive Board, the Santa Clara County Cities Association Legislative Action Committee, the Housing Trust of Silicon Valley Board, and is also currently serving on the Sister Cities International Board of Directors.
Councilmember Kalra earned aBachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a law degree from Georgetown University. Ash is a Professor at Lincoln Law School of San José, and he previously was an instructor at San José State University. For 11 years, Kalra worked as an attorney for the Santa Clara CountyPublic Defender'sOffice representing indigent clients in Drug Treatment Court prior to being elected. He is the first Indian-American to be elected to the San José City Council. In 2012, Kalra was honored to receive the San José Silicon Valley NAACP Legislator of the Year Award and the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee (BAYMEC) Straight Ally Award.
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{nl}Steven Aponte{nl}Policy Director{nl}t: 408.535.4923{nl}steven.aponte@sanjoseca.gov|Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Steve Aponte moved to San José at the age of five, and attended Silver Creek High School. He graduated fromSan José State University with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature, and a minor in Business Administration. While at San José State, he served as President for El Círculo Hispanico (the Spanish Club), and was a Student-at-Large of the University Affairs Committee for the Associated Student Body. Steve first worked for the City of San José in 2002 as a Senior Class Instructor at The Biblioteca Lationamericana. Soon after, he transferred to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services as a Recreation Leader assigned to the Mobile Recreation Program, and was responsible for bringing recreational activities to parks and neighborhoods that lacked nearby access to community centers. He continued on with the City of Sunnyvale’s Department of Community Services for three and a half years, after which he returned to the City of San José as a Job Placement Assistant for Work2future in the Office of Economic Development. In addition to his current employment with the City of San José, he is a part-time volunteer with the City of Sunnyvale’s Department of Public Safety, working in the Crime Prevention and Neighborhood Preservation Units.|
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berman:
One would think that the food regulators would give up on their incessant lobbying for total food and beverage control, given the evidence that taxing and regulating soda (and other “junk food”) won’t have a meaningful effect on obesity rates. City of San Jose Councilman Ash Kalra didn’t just propose a soda tax or portion control, but a ban on ALL sodas — including zero-calorie diet beverages — and whole milk at city-owned facilities and events.
This is not the first time the San Jose City Council has tried, and failed, to preach health and wellness to its citizens. Former City Councilwoman Nora Campos tried to cap the number of fast food restaurants in the city; mercifully, the resolution failed to pass.
The citizens of California have repeatedly decided that they want the government out of their fountain drinks. In May, a soda tax pushed by activists was introduced to the California State Legislature, only to be put in the “suspense file” — legislative-speak for “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
The repeated failure of food nannies is largely due to the lack of scientific evidence for and preponderance of evidence against the effectiveness of food regulation. Studies have shown that when persons decrease their consumption in one area like soft drinks, they simply increase their caloric intake in another. In other words, banning a refreshing can of cola in your public library will not stop people from getting their calories elsewhere. Since activists have never been one to let facts stand in their way, the people’s overwhelmingly negative opinion on food regulation – roughly 6 in 10 reject soda taxes, according to an Associated Press poll– should suffice.
With many Americans labeled as obese, it is easy to point fingers at a “cure all” scapegoat for American obesity. However, government food regulations are not the answer. America’s “epidemic” of obesity can be cured by regulating one’s food intake and increasing one’s exercise. As we have said, a calorie is a calorie and a daily walk in the city park does more for everyone than an onerous regulatory city council.
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/2013/08/the-anti-soda-empire-strikes-back-in-san-jose/
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Councilmember Ash Kalra earned his seat on the San José City Council in the November 4, 2008 election. He is amongst the first South Asian to hold a significant position in elected office. For 11 years, he worked as an attorney for the Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office representing indigent clients in Drug Court prior to being elected. He has also taught as a part-time professor at San Jose State University. Get to know Ash Kalra (the most eligible bachelor in bay area) as he talks to our team on all things bay.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a 33 year resident of San José having moved to California in 1978 from Canada. I was born in Toronto as my father was completing his Ph.D. in Aeronautics from the University of Toronto. I have one older brother, Vinay, who works at Oracle. He is married to Suman and they have a 4 year old son named Jashun. They live in Menlo Park. I went to public schools growing up, graduating from Oak Grove High School. I went on to graduate from UC Santa Barbara with a Communication Degree. I went to Washington DC for law school, graduating from Georgetown University. I am currently a Councilmember for the City of San José representing District 2 in south San José, having been elected in November 2008. There are approximately 100,000 residents in my district and approximately 1,000,000 in San José, making it the 10th largest city in the nation. I am the first South Asian to ever be elected to the San José City Council and the first one ever, along with Susie Nagpal who was elected to the Saratoga City Council at the same time, to be elected to any city in Santa Clara County. Prior to my election, I worked for 11 years as a lawyer in the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office, representing indigent clients in a wide range of criminal matters.
What inspired you to join politics?
I was never inspired to specifically enter into the political arena. However, from a young age, I was profoundly drawn to public service. I have always felt blessed that I was afforded the opportunity to grow up in one of the greatest places on earth, especially considering the sacrifices made by my parents and grandparents in order to allow me to live in America. I have always seen this blessing as an obligation to make the most of my life and to use as much of my energy to serve others as possible. I always consider the greatest measure of wealth my parents ever gave me, and one they were not as fortunate to have as they made decisions in their life, is the existence of options. I have always opted to choose service over personal wealth or other traditional measure of success and status. It is with that foundation and a keen interest in civil rights history, particularly as it pertained to American history through the 19th and 20th Centuries, which continues to inspire me in my journey.
You were amongst the 1st South Asian to reach such heights in politics, How does it feel? Can you tell us about your journey?
It is an enormous honor to be amongst the first South Asians to hold a significant position in elected office. Keep in mind, I represent the neighborhood I grew up in, which has less than 3% of the registered voters identified as South Asian. So, I grew up as someone with long roots in the neighborhoods in my district. However, I also understand the importance of being the first and the obligations that come with it. This journey has been amazing and I feel lucky to be one of many South Asians who have the opportunity to have influence on our community and to serve as a role model for the next generation of South Asian leaders.
Historically there were not lot of South Asians involved in politics, what is the reason for that and are your seeing a paradigm shift after your success?
For all of the right reasons, our parents’ generation pushed us towards the sciences. Not only have the sciences been held in high regard in our community, but they allowed so many of our parents to have the opportunity to experience the American dream. It is the sense of certainty and stability a career in the sciences can offer that had most of our parents pushing us in that direction. When I went to law school in the mid-1990’s, it was still a curious decision at that time. I do believe that we are seeing a shift over the last decade or so as our generation and the one that follows do not face many of the cultural and language barriers that made careers in the law, arts and finance more formidable. I also see that with the election of President Obama and a steady increase in the number of South Asians in positions of prominence across the nation through elections and appointments, we are starting to see a more common desire to enter into public policy. My hope is that individuals who choose to seek appointments or stand for election have the notion of public service as their guide and not any perceived benefits, celebrity or climbing in status.
How important is it for bay area South Asians to be aware of political / government system? How can it impact our everyday life like with grants, budgets, etc.
It is extraordinarily important for all residents, South Asian or otherwise, to understand how government works. Since we tend to be an educated bunch and stay on top of current events, South Asians may have a better grasp of national or maybe even state politics than most. But, like the majority of the population, I do not believe we have a great understanding of what happens at the local level. The decisions made by cities, counties, school boards, water districts, and the like have a dramatic impact on our quality of life. I believe it is our obligation, particularly for those of us who were born here or chose to become naturalized citizens, to educate ourselves on what we can do to make our community a better place in which to live. And, it literally starts with the neighborhood you live in.
Can you tell us a little bit about local community projects that you are personally spearheading in San Jose?
There are a number of projects I am trying to get off the ground here in San José. One involves increasing volunteerism in our community. Particularly because of the challenging fiscal times we are in, it is more important than ever for the community to come together to help those in need and to work together to beautify our neighborhoods. Another initiative that has been an ongoing process since I was elected into office is to work tirelessly at empowering our local neighborhoods to organize and work together to tackle challenging neighborhood issues. I also work to promote healthy living by focusing on eating a healthful diet and exercising as well as working with a local nonprofit to help have gardens planted in yards of working class families.
San Jose has been one of the top cities to encourage Green initiatives, can you tell us a about them.
The city of San José has a 15 year Green Vision which commenced in 2007 that focuses on environmentally friendly goals which also help to promote job growth. Some of the goals include the planting of 100,000 trees, creating 25,000 jobs in the clean energy sector, and converting 100% of our city vehicle fleet to alternative fuels. Additionally, San José is very aggressive in seeking out global leaders in clean tech as well as budding entrepreneurs and we were named the top city in the nation to start a clean tech company by Business Week. We also promote transit oriented development to get people out of their cars and on their feet, bicycles and buses.
Can you talk about the entrepreneurship and education issues in San Jose?
If the Silicon Valley wants to maintain its position as the center of global innovation, there is no doubt that we must be able to attract the top talent in the world. However, we must also be able to produce home grown thinkers that possess an entrepreneurial spirit. Our education has failed so many of our young people. I hope that we begin to put a greater emphasis on educating all of our youth in the years to come. Furthermore, the technology sector does not represent the demographics of our community. It is up to those who are progressing well in Silicon Valley to find ways to lift all communities up by supporting our public school students with the wealth that too often does not reach neighborhoods in our very own backyard.
What are challenges are you facing?
As an elected official, there are numerous challenges I face on a regular basis. Currently, the fiscal crisis our nation has been enduring has hit municipalities particularly hard. I try to find the balance of dealing with issues of long term debt and short term deficit with the need for us to provide quality services to our residents. It is particularly challenging dealing with these issues when some of the details are very complex, yet, nuanced positions are unfairly generalized with sound bites that do not always convey a complete picture. My schedule also presents a challenge for me in a practical sense. Keeping up with my goal of being accessible and engaged with the community leaves little time for much else. In over two years, I have yet to take a vacation and only have a day off on very rare occasions.
What does future hold for you?
I am not really sure in the long term. For right now, I do plan on running for reelection next year for another 4-year term on the Council. Beyond that, I cannot say for certain I have a definite plan except that I know I will continue in public service in some meaningful capacity.
How do you get more young people involved in local politics?
Young people are not so hard to attract to community initiatives. The challenge is keeping them engaged in community service as a lifestyle regardless of what field they go into. We already know that younger people have a generally dismal record of showing up to vote. This must change, especially since most of the decisions made by elected officials or pushed through ballot initiatives have a disproportionate impact on younger generations as they have to live with the choices made for many years.
Do you feel local “desis” have been supportive?
Local desis have been extraordinarily supportive of me in the couple of years I have been in office. It’s actually quite overwhelming at times how much love I get from the community. It makes me want to continue to do everything I can to support organizations and groups that help to promote the South Asian culture. That is why my schedule is always very busy. In addition to attending events and meetings pertaining to my work as a Councilmember in San José, I also try to attend as many South Asian events as possible to show support for the community.
Has being a South Asian affected you in either good or bad way in achieving your goals? Do you feel being in the Silicon Valley accelerated your career goals?
It’s hard to determine how being a South Asian has affected me in getting where I am today. I do not define myself through a South Asian lens, however, I do know that much of my value system and cultural upbringing was grounded in my South Asian heritage. I feel that it has been helpful for me to be South Asian because I embrace it in a manner that allows me to very clearly be an individual who cares about the entire community and still have an affinity towards my heritage. I do not believe any of my goals were accelerated by me being South Asian. While campaigning, I felt it was important to go to extreme lengths to knock on doors and introduce myself to residents so they new me for who I am and not based upon on any stereotypes or preconceived notions. Now that I am an elected official, I do believe I get more attention than I personally deserve simply because I am one of a few South Asians in my field. I try to take that as an obligation rather than a burden or personal sense of pride.
Apart from work, are you involved with any other organizations / non-profits? If yes, can you tell your involvement with them?
As part of my work on the Council, I serve on the Community and Economic Development Committee. Additionally, I am on the Board of Directors for the Valley Transportation Authority, CalTrain, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the Association of Bay Area Governments. I also serve on the Boards of Sacred Heart Community Service and the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County. I help with numerous non-profit organizations throughout the Bay Area by recognizing their efforts, assisting in marketing and fundraising, and participating in their events. Over the years I have served on numerous non-profit Boards of Directors.
How can bay area locals get involved in community projects?
There are countless ways to get involved. I suggest people start with what they are most familiar with and find areas of interest. If you enjoy the arts, find a non-profit arts group to volunteer for or help with fundraising. If you are passionate about the environment, there are numerous organizations that help to beautify the community or educate people on important issues. The two suggestions I would definitely have is do something very local. Whether it is for a neighborhood association where you live or a local school, get connected to your community. And, get outside of your comfort zone. Do not exclusively volunteer for organizations that benefit the South Asian community or in which all of the volunteers are South Asian. Expand your wealth of experiences and find a variety of causes to learn more about.
Favorite places to eat? Activities? Places to go?
We are lucky to live in such a diverse community with ample options to experience other cultures, especially their food! I love a wide variety of food. There are dozens of places that come to mind in San José, a small sample of which include Falafel’s Drive-In, Pho 69, Taqueria San José, Morocco’s, Jewel of India, Hanuman and Mandarin Gourmet. There are also a number of food trucks to choose from, including MoGo BBQ, Treatbot and Curry Up Now. If I were to hang out with friends, in addition to Santana Row, you may find me at Azucar Lounge, Single Barrel, Koji or Kaama Lounge, or bowling at 300 and movies at Camera 12 or Oakridge. Once in a rare while, even karaoke at 7 Bamboo. There are events all year round in San José, including the Jazz Festival, the Mariachi Festival, Christmas in the Park and free music on Thursdays through the summer at Music in the Park. If you have children, San José has Happy Hollow Park & Zoo as well as the Children’s Discovery Museum. If you have not been to San José, you have to check it out!
If you had one piece of advice for South Asians, what would it be?
I do not know if I am in any position to give advice to South Asians as a whole. However, one piece of advice I would give to people in general is to not take what you have in life for granted. I really believe most people would be thankful for living in the Bay Area and to show gratitude one should find ways to make your community an even better place in which to live.
How can people learn more about you & stay connected to you in future. Please share your FB, Linked, Twitter information.
I do have a Facebook fan page. My personal page is almost at the limit, but I do have some space left. Both of my Facebook pages are Ash Kalra. I also have a twitter account of Ash_Kalra and you can find me on Linked In as Ash Kalra as well.
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