By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh came to the mountain communities on Tuesday evening, Sept. 23 to hear some of the concerns of the community through a town hall format meeting held in the auditorium at Rim of the World High School.
As she clearly explained, although she is a Republican, this meeting was not political, but about the government, how it works and how she can better represent the mountain’s concerns in the California state legislature. To connect with the people better in the room, she stood down on the floor in the front of the auditorium instead of at the lectern up on the stage.
As a former teacher, she gave a short civics class on how government works in Sacramento and her role in it. As a member of the minority party in Sacramento, it is through her negotiating skills and finding a consensus with other members in the senate that she gets her 19th district’s wants and needs recognized. There are 40 state senators and she is one of only 10 Republicans in that house. She mentioned that, of the 80 members in the Assembly, there are only 20 Republicans. It does make it difficult to get a bill through being in the minority, but she does her best to get attention for our area.
Ochoa Bogh said she wants to make a difference in the lives of the lives of those who live in her district for the positive. Otherwise, she asked, why would she leave her family for almost eight months of each year, five days a week, to be in Sacramento? She thinks sharing her voice with the needs of our area up there will make help our communities be better off.
The Inland Empire is the fastest growing area in the state at this time and needs to get more attention and funding coming this way for infrastructure improvements. She suggested if anyone has expertise in a topic area being discussed with legislation in Sacramento, to let their voice be heard. It is important to be “to the point” when writing to legislators, not overly wordy, when expressing opinions, she said. Every letter sent to her office is read.
Ochoa Bogh explained a bit about the legislative process; the number of bills to be introduced and considered each year has been reduced to 35, which she supported. There are many committees and meetings she attends that keep her busy and engaged.
This means her staff is also very busy staying up on all the details of each bill and the feedback her constituents give on each bill in the Senate. She sends out an email newsletter that anyone may subscribe to that will keep them updated on her positions and how a bill is moving or not moving through the committees, through the Senate and Assembly, what is on the governor’s desk and her opinion of the final bill and its potential impact on our area.
She explained “gut and replace” bills where the contents have been replaced after approval at the committee stage, so that content was not discussed and passed.
Ochoa Bogh recognized the school board members in the audience and had them speak on the recent passage of Measure E and that the bonds would be sold soon. There is still an opening on the Measure E oversight committee for these bond funds. The bond which was approved at the election last November will cost each homeowner an additional $27 per year of assessed $100,000 value on a home.
County Supervisor Dawn Rowe’s mountain representative Robin Bull spoke on the state of the county report to the taxpayers that occurred last week and how the county is moving forward in developing additional tourism, entertainment industry angles, manufacturing, mining, technology and investing in education.
Statements and questions from the audience touched on a number of issues, especially fire insurance. The senator addressed the issue with a bit of historical background. The problem dates back several decades, so the insurance rate and cancellation problem is complex. She assured the audience that the insurance commissioner is working on it.
The recent flooding and washout on Highway 38 closed the entire roadway isolating 17 camps on that roadway. Representatives from those camps came from Big Bear to address the urgent issue of inaccessibility.
Ochoa Bogh was asked about several bills and other issues, including the movement toward all-electric living. She stated she opposes this mandate moving toward an all-electric lifestyle. She does support Edison in building another trunk line to the mountains up the back side to supply more electricity to the mountains, but its approval is currently tangled up in red tape.
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