California lawmakers refocus on developing foreign trade (New Int'l Trade Offices)

Sacramento Bee ^ | June 16, 2006 | Judy Lin

[calcowgirl]

California's foreign trade offices--taxpayer-funded enterprises disbanded three years ago amid scandal and budget woes--are staging a comeback despite lingering questions about their usefulness.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and some legislators are once again trumpeting the value of trade promotion for the sixth-largest economy in the world. In recent months, the governor has established an undersecretary for international trade, while lawmakers have proposed resurrecting outposts in Seoul, South Korea, and Johannesburg, South Africa.

In coming weeks, the Legislature is expected to take up bills that call for developing a comprehensive trade strategy and moving the state back into the business of operating trade offices.

Such a move has raised eyebrows among trade experts who believe former state offices were mismanaged. Some have questioned whether the state should even have trade offices.

California's 12 trade offices were shut down in 2003--along with the rest of the Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency--after critical news reports and damaging audits appeared.

(snip)

In the end, only one trade office survived. The California Armenia Trade Office was subsequently transferred to the authority of the Business, Housing and Transportation Agency, where it remains today.

Sen. Jack Scott, D-Pasadena, salvaged the trade office by requiring that it thrive on private donations. ...

Scott considers the Armenia office a pilot project that could, perhaps, become a model for future trade offices. Unlike its predecessors, the office is funded through $75,000 in private donations, must file evaluation reports, and will automatically close in 2008 unless reauthorized by the Legislature.

But experts say accepting private donations is bad public policy. Jeffrey Gersick, former managing director of the state's trade offices in London, Frankfurt, Johannesburg and Jerusalem, said the state's priorities can be muddled by those who "pay to play."

[NormsRevenge]

wow, the state operating trade offices.. what next?

dare I ask? ;-)

[calcowgirl]

The leftists running State Government want a new piggy bank for their follies.

Business, Transportation and Housing Secretary Sunne Wright McPeak said the governor has made trade promotion a priority, citing his trade missions to Baja California, Japan and China. However, she said the agency would be reluctant to spend taxpayer dollars.

Instead, McPeak said the agency has begun coordinating with trade associations and the U.S. Commerce Department as a cost-effective approach to trade promotion.

Agency officials say that even if the Legislature fails to pass a bill, the administration intends to develop a trade strategy for the state.

Is it just me, or does this "Private funding" and public-private partnership stuff seem in conflict with responsible, accountable government? If it is privately funded, why do they need State Govenment involvement at all? Industry, through their private industry associations, should be able to do the necessary trade promotions.

[hedgetrimmer]

Is it just me, or does this "Private funding" and public-private partnership stuff seem in conflict with responsible, accountable government?

Nope, its not just you. There is a terrible conflict with responsive responsible government under public/private partnerships.

[calcowgirl]

It never ends! Here's more private financing and cross-border nonsense, not to mention more "stakeholders". It also, like some of the Trade Office legislation I was reading, allows for separate pots of money to be collected and spent, "without regard to fiscal years".

MEASURE: SB 162
TOPIC: State Department of Public Health.

  SEC. 3.  Section 475 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to
read:
   475.  (a) (1) The State Department of Public Health shall
establish a permanent Office of Binational Border Health to
facilitate cooperation between health officials and health
professionals in California and Mexico, to reduce the risk of disease
in the California border region, and in those areas directly
affected by border health conditions.

   (2) The department shall administer the office, and shall seek
available public or private funding, or both, to support the
activities of the office.

   (b) The Office of Binational Border Health shall convene a
voluntary community advisory group of representatives of border
community-based stakeholders to develop a strategic plan with
short-term, intermediate, and long-range goals and implementation
actions. The advisory group shall include no more than 12 California
representatives. The advisory group shall include, but not be limited
to, members from local government, hospitals, health plans,
community-based organizations, universities, Los Angeles, San Diego,
and Imperial County health departments, and a representative from an
association of local health officers specializing in border health
issues. The office shall invite and request appropriate participation
from representatives of the Baja California health department and
other Mexican health departments affected by border health issues.
Recommendations resulting from the strategic plan shall be developed
and shared in consultation with the California appointees to the
United States-Mexico Border Health Commission established pursuant to
Section 290n of Title 22 of the United States Code, including the
Director of Public Health. The office shall prepare an annual border
health status report, and shall submit it to the Director of Public
Health, the Legislature, and the Governor.

[hedgetrimmer]

PING

[AnimalLover]

WHAT IS THIS?

[calcowgirl]

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_2351-2400/ab_2399_bill_20060403_amended_asm.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 2399	AMENDED
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 3, 2006
INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Garcia
                        
California and Mexico border infrastructure. 

(snip)

CHAPTER 8.3.  CALIFORNIA AND MEXICO BORDER ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING STUDY

   8710.  (a) The Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing
shall prepare and provide to the Legislature, by January 1, 2009, a
study regarding infrastructure development along the border between
the state and Mexico and any need for alternative financing
mechanisms suited to the challenges of the border region. The study
shall be prepared within existing resources of the agency.

   (b) The study shall include, but not be limited to, all of the
following:

   (1) An examination of the financial, geographic, and political
challenges to infrastructure development along the border between the
state and Mexico.

   (2) An examination of the state's ability to develop
infrastructure projects along the border between the state and
Mexico.

   (3) Identification of the necessary level of interaction between
the appropriate local, state, federal, and Mexican agencies in
infrastructure development along the border between the state and
Mexico.

   (4) Identification of current and potential state, federal, or
Mexican revenue sources and financing mechanisms for infrastructure
development along the border between the state and Mexico.

   (5) Identification of the extent to which current state, federal,
or Mexican revenue sources and financing mechanisms for
infrastructure development are being utilized along the border
between the state and Mexico.

   (6) Identification of any deficiencies or gaps in the available
financing mechanisms for infrastructure development along the border
between the state and Mexico.

   (7) Identification of possible infrastructure development projects
along the border between the state and Mexico and an analysis of the
need for each project.

[calcowgirl]

California legislation, in progress. SB = Senate Bill.

[calcowgirl]

I'm sorry, I thought you were asking about a later post. Re: #1, I don't know what you are asking. As the article states, California officials are pursuing with zeal the opening of new International Trade Offices. I counted at least 10 pieces of legislation, some current, some dormant. The article says they are trying to consolidate the various bills into one. They want trade offices in Mexico, Korea, So. Africa, the Middle East, etc. California's history says the effectiveness of these offices is questionable and they have been a good example of waste and abuse. This time around, they are pushing that these offices will be privately funded, another opportunity for pay-to-play politics. Did I answer your question?

[calcowgirl]

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0801-0850/ab_825_bill_20060104_amended_asm.html

BILL NUMBER: SB 1282 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 2, 2006
INTRODUCED BY   Senator Ducheny

SB 1282, as amended, Ducheny  Transportation: federal funds: border infrastructure program.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1.  Section 164.1 is added to the Streets and Highways
Code, to read:

   164.1.  (a) Federal funds derived from apportionments made to the
state under Section 1101(a)(11) of the federal Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA-LU; P.L. 109-59) for the coordinated border infrastructure
program established under Section 1303 of that act shall be included
and separately identified in the fund estimates prepared pursuant to
Sections 14524 and 14525 of the Government Code, the interregional
transportation improvement program submitted by the department
pursuant to Section 14526 of the Government Code, and the state
transportation improvement program adopted by the commission pursuant
to Section 14529 of the Government Code. Except as otherwise
provided in subdivision (b), these funds shall be programmed,
allocated, and expended in the same manner as other federal funds
made available for capital improvement projects in the state
transportation improvement program.

   (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law:

   (1) The programming, allocation, and expenditure of the funds
described in subdivision (a) may be for any purpose authorized under
federal law, including projects in Mexico.

   (2) The funds described in subdivision (a) shall not be subject to
the distribution formulas and limitations described in Section 164.

   (3) The nonfederal match for the funds described in subdivision
(a) may be programmed from any available local source,
or any available state transportation funding source,
including other state transportation improvement program funding, if
the regional transportation planning agency concurs.
  SEC. 2.  This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the
meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate
effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
   In order to establish a process for the programming and
expenditure of federal border infrastructure funds as quickly as
possible, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.
                                                           

[calcowgirl]

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_1251-1300/sb_1286_bill_20060526_amended_sen.html

 

BILL NUMBER: SB 1286 AMENDED
Binational air pollution
AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 26, 2006
INTRODUCED BY   Senator Ducheny

  SECTION 1.  Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 39950) is added to
Part 2 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

      CHAPTER 9.  Binational Air Pollution

   39950.  (a) Upon the execution of a memorandum of understanding
between any state agency, the County of Imperial, the State of Baja
California, and the City of Mexicali that establishes a binational
council to address air quality issues in the binational air basin
that encompasses Imperial County, California, and the City of
Mexicali, Baja California, all of the following shall apply:

(snip)

   (5) In the event that the number of state or local representatives
from Baja California should exceed the number of state and local
representatives from California described in paragraph (1), the
Secretary for Environmental Protection shall appoint additional
members to the California delegation in a manner that provides
jurisdictionally equivalent representation to that of the Baja
California delegation.
   (6) The California delegation shall always include, in addition to
any local representatives, at least one state representative from
California, and the binational council shall not meet without at
least one state representative from California being present.
   (b) In case of conflict between this section
chapter and the memorandum of understanding, the
provisions of this section chapter
shall apply.
   39951.  (a) The binational council may sponsor conferences,
symposiums, and other public forums, to seek a broad range of public
advice when establishing priorities for improving air quality within
the binational air basin.
   (b) The council shall do all of the following:
   (1) Assist in the coordination of activities by state and local
agencies on both sides of the border between California and Mexico,
relating to the protection and regulation of air quality.
   (2) Establish policies to coordinate the collection and sharing of
scientific data related to air pollution and air quality protection
measures.
   (3) Identify and recommend to the state and local governments of
both California and Baja California changes in law needed to achieve
the goals of this chapter.
   (4) Identify and recommend to the state and local governments of
both California and Baja California strategies and actions that could
be taken to improve air quality within the binational air basin.
   (5) Identify changes in federal law and policy of both the United
States and Mexico that are necessary to achieve the goals of this
chapter and to improve air quality within the binational air basin.

   39952.  The binational council shall, pursuant to specific
processes established in the memorandum of understanding that
establishes the binational council, establish basinwide goals to
assist the state and local governments to do all of the following:
   (a) Achieve ambient air quality standards for the binational air
basin.
   (b) Monitor ambient air pollutant concentrations in the binational
air basin.
   (c) Develop and maintain a valid emissions inventory for the
binational air basin, updated and disaggregated as practicable.
   (d) Conduct basinwide air quality modeling to identify appropriate
control strategies for attainment of ambient air quality standards.
   (e) Monitor the health of residents to track the incidence of
health problems within the binational air basin.
   (f) Establish instruments to promote and achieve emissions
reductions.
   (g) Promote partnerships between and among industry and regulatory
authorities on both sides of the border to pursue economic
incentives according to each country's laws.
   (h) Investigate opportunities for pursuing, and seek authorization
from respective state and federal governments to pursue, strategies
that facilitate the achievement of environmental and public health
goals.                                                       

[Czar]

Perfect.

Just what we need: an International Trade Office to obstruct and interfere with private industry.