In the State Assembly, Tuesday
January 24th, Assemblyman Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia) issued the
following statement in response to the Governor Brown’s State of the State
Speech:
“The central theme of Governor Brown’s State of the State
address this year was the assumption that the Legislature will be called on to
defend the people of California from the actions of the new federal
administration. I am disappointed with the tone of the Governor’s speech,
and I feel his defensive posture towards the new administration is premature at
best. It’s an enormous disservice to our state to assume that California’s new
relationship with Washington will be an adversarial one.
“I feel that California should focus instead on the
tremendous opportunity that collaboration with the federal government
presents. The new President has just committed to invest a trillion
dollars in infrastructure projects throughout the country. Since California is
currently one of only 11 states that is a net tax donor to the federal
government, we can make a compelling case that a substantial portion of that
investment should occur here.
We have urgent infrastructure needs such as repairs to our
crumbling roads and highways and construction of new water storage projects
that would be of enormous benefit to our state.
“I am encouraged
that the Governor ended his address on a positive note. He acknowledged that we are Californians
first and urged the Legislature to work together in the spirit of bipartisan
cooperation to set an example for the rest of the country. I came to Sacramento
to get things done and I look forward to working with my colleagues to improve
the lives of all Californians.”