Solorio hits the ground running with a Fairgrounds-saving bill, first day of session.

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Beautiful.  I knew this bill was coming but I didn’t realize it would be ready so quick.  And Jose introduced two other bills as well, but this one’s an emergency – ONE MORE WEAPON we have to slow down the Fairgrounds Swindle until Arnold’s out of office in a month.

I’ll be in touch with Jose to check on the progress of the bill – AB 35 – and when it’s going to be voted on;  I’m sure we’ll be needing to bug all our other legislators to make sure they support it and don’t let it get watered down to uselessness like AB 1070 did earlier this year.  Here’s Jose’s press release, he’s doing a fine job…

Assemblyman Solorio Introduces Three Bills on
First Day of 2011 Legislative Session

Pending sale of Orange County Fairgrounds, local water-quality protection and
insurance company procurement policies are first-day top priorities

SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim) introduced his first three bills of the 2011-2012 Legislative Session today, shortly after taking the Oath of Office for his third Assembly term.

“Usually only one bill per legislator is introduced this first day of session,” Assemblyman Solorio says. “But there is much work to be done and no time to waste. By introducing legislation now, there will be more time to move pressing matters forward.”

In light of the current lawsuit before the Orange County Superior Court that temporarily halts the sale of the Orange County Fairgrounds, Assemblyman Solorio introduced AB 35 as urgency legislation, to address some of the flaws in the sale process, and to ask the court for more time to ensure that Governor Schwarzenegger’s Administration is fulfilling the intent of the law.

The state’s Department of General Services (DGS) was authorized to conduct an auction for the Orange County Fairgrounds through AB X4 22, legislation enacted in 2009 to help with the state’s budget deficit. The proposed sale ignited a groundswell of local opposition while the sale process recently prompted a lawsuit.

“I don’t understand why DGS continues to proceed with such haste to sell the fairgrounds with so many unanswered questions, and in a down economy,” Assemblyman Solorio says. “Where is the outside appraisal of what the property is worth? Why wasn’t the Legislature properly notified of the pending sale, as the original legislation to sell the property called for? Is it appropriate for DGS to threaten Orange County Fairgrounds employees with layoffs right before the holidays when the sale is still in question?”

To ensure that the interests of the State and Orange County are well protected, AB 35 would address two areas of AB X4 22 that Assemblyman Solorio believes DGS has not interpreted as the Legislature intended. To clarify how “fair market value” is established, the sales process would require an outside appraisal of the historic property to discover its true value. The bill also clarifies the steps that DGS needs to take to properly notify the Legislature of the proposed sale. In addition, it requires legislative approval, given that DGS, in its most recent RFP, included language referencing legislative approval.

Assemblyman Solorio also introduced today a bill prompted by unhealthy drinking water concerns in a Santa Ana neighborhood. AB 54 would promote broader protection of California’s drinking water supplies by authorizing local agencies to self-fund drinking water improvements while the State processes funding requests for such projects. And, to increase California jobs and diversity in insurance industry procurement policies, AB 53 would require insurance companies to report on jobs in California and contracts that are with women owned, minority owned, or veteran owned businesses.

Assemblyman Solorio’s hectic first week back in Sacramento also includes attending Governor-Elect Jerry Brown’s recently announced State Budget Forum, and many other budget and legislative meetings.

“After my first election to the Assembly, I made a vow to my constituents that they would be well represented in Sacramento,” Solorio says. “And four years later, that vow is still intact. I’m back in Sacramento and ready to work.”

State Assemblyman Jose Solorio is the Chair of the Assembly Insurance Committee and serves on the Assembly Appropriations, Local Government and Transportation committees. He represents the Sixty-Ninth Assembly District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana. For more information about Assemblyman Solorio, visit www.assembly.ca.gov/solorio.