Posted on 04/13/2008 12:54:46 AM PDT by USMC Brat
Bill would hold funds from city unless it retracts Marines remarks SACRAMENTO The lone Republican Bay Area lawmaker wants to withhold state transportation funding from the city of Berkeley until it rescinds a resolution that grants protesters a parking space in front of a U.S. Marines recruiting office. Assemblyman Guy Houston, R-San Ramon, said the Berkeley City Council is making a political war zone out of what should be a public right of way for those who want to join the military. His bill, Assembly Bill 2615, would suspend $3.3 million in Local Road and Street funding over the next two years from Proposition 1B. It's scheduled to be taken up Monday in the Assembly Transportation committee, but is unlikely to get through the Democratic-controlled panel particularly because the new chairman, Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, is opposed to the bill. "Berkeley's City Council has granted anti-military activists a public resource to assist in barricading the Marine recruitment office," Houston said. "The public right of way has been violated, and the state must not stand idly by." /snip/
(Excerpt) Read more at insidebayarea.com ...
AB 2615 Assembly Bill - INTRODUCED
FYI Berkeley Ping
Assemblyman Guy Houston, walks tall.
Thanks Brat. Assemblyman Houston will be getting a supportive letter from me today. I’m going to look up those sponsoring the bill and send them all a big “thank you” also. Occasionally, I’m reminded there are still some sanity in California, and this is one of those times.
Semper Fi Assemblyman Houston!
Ping. Would be good to send a note to this Assemblyman and copy to everyone on the Transportation Committee.
Doesn’t this also qualify as an ongoing, prohibited “gift of public funds”? As such, a lawsuit could be filed to end it.
Ping
BUMP for Guy Houston!
You are correct, imo. Berkeley taxpayers have not persued legal remedy that we’re aware of.
Good show. Hit the clowns where it hurts.
AMEN and thank you, Assemblyman Houston!
The Press Conference for the Transportation Funding Bill
Later on in the afternoon Move America Forward also attended a press conference for Assemblyman Guy Houston who has a bill coming up before the CA Assembly Transportation Committee that would intend to strip some transportation funds (about $3.3M) from Berkeley coffers because of the misuse of city funds to subsidize one groups point of view and freedom of speech over others (ie. Code Pink)
Deborah Johns, Mother of USMC Sgt. William Johns
In the press conference, Guy Houston explained this rationale for his bill, as quoted by the Contra Costa Times here.
Berkeleys City Council has granted anti-military activists a public resource to assist in barricading the Marine recruitment office, Houston said. The public right of way has been violated, and the state must not stand idly by.
NBC 11 Coverage on Houstons Bill
While it remains to be seen if this bill would ever make it through a democrat-controlled state legislature, this bill makes the statement that we cannot be allowing city governments to take sides on issues, especially when there are the civil rights of multiple parties to think about.
The city council has a right to pass a resolution stating their opinion on the war, and anti-war groups have the rights to protest like any other group but the situation is out of control and the city sanctions this type of thing. They called on citizens to impede the work of recruiters that is part of the resolution they passed and that language has never been rescinded.
Its because of the citys stance that Code Pink is bold enough and freely blocks roadways and sidewalks, parks their abomination of a vehicle in front of the office, graffitis and defaces the recruiting center regularly, blocks entry to the station, harasses the Marines who work out of there, and have no begun trespassing and occupying the recruiting station.
This goes beyond a simple protest: its harassment, its seditious and should not be permitted to continue.
It was not long after the press conference began that Code Pinks Zanne Joi and friends began shouting out questions or making dissenting remarks out loud. One of them, who apparently has some kind of Berkeley Liberation Radio credential (I guess you can get anything laminated at Kinkos) posed a non-question along the brilliant rhetorical formula what about X
I remember that one from 4th grade, I think the proper response is So?
Anyways they tried to be disruptive as usual, but they just werent on their game today
or they just couldnt bring enough whiney girls with them
so the troop supporters in the room easily drowned them out with the applause for Assemblyman Houstons great bill.
After that press conference, both bills came up again in the Assembly Transportation Committee Hearing. Move America Forward and others testified their support for both bills, which went to votes. The License plate bill went out of committee, while Houstons bill is waiting for more votes from members that were not present.
Deborah Johns said this is an organization that is designed to harass a particular class of citizens that is protected by our constitution.
John Bringuel said It was appalling to me, to be in Berkeley on February 12, and watch the City Council support Code Pink.
Move America Forward believes that the State of California should send the city of Berkeley a strong message that this state will not spend taxpayers money in cities that work to impede the lawful work of a United States office. said Catherine Moy, our Executive Director. Would you find it appropriate to use taxpayers funds to sponsor an organizations efforts to occupy your offices and impede your daily work?
There was also a representative from Berkeley there who said, in defense of the City, something to the effect of, the city of Berkeley did have a follow-up meeting .that lasted until 2 in the morning and everyone had the opportunity to speak and rescinded much of that language
Yes, weve heard it all before. That the speech-loving Berkeley city council has gone to such lengths to accommodate both sides, and give everyone a voice yeah right.
Move America Forward has been fighting these un-American, hateful groups that try to undermine our troops for years now, and weve been fighting against some of the inept and quite frankly stupid people of the Berkeley City Council for months.
They havent been genuine in any of their supposed offers
Theyre aligned with Code Pink, and theyve been doing everything in their power to support that group at the exclusion of dissenting groups.
Theres no other way to slice it.
PING - UPDATE @ post 12 from Syncro
Thank you SO very much for posting Danny’s blog. You are a super investigator Syncro!
From the blog and pictures Danny shares it seems like Huston covered the issue pretty thoroughly, with the hlep of Blue Star Mom’s and MAF testimony.
I’ve searched all over the internet for a follow-up news report on AB 2615 with no results thus far.
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