California fires: How should the state use money for climate bonds?

Go wide or go deep? This is one of the big questions that state MPs are discussed while struggling with how to use $ most effectively1.5 billion that voters approved last year as projects to reduce the impact of California fires.

That the money comes from Proposal 4The November vote measure, which authorizes a $ 10 billion bond to pay climate -related projects, such as water systems and a fire mitigation.

In his budget proposal in January, the government. Gavin Newsom It is recommended that $ 325 million of bond money should be allocated during the upcoming fiscal year to various fire prevention programs. The rest will be spent in the next five years.

But a democratic assemblym Steve BennettThe chairman of the budget subcommittee on the climate, energy and transport, told the administration at a hearing on Wednesday that the state should pursue a focused strategy to use the most limited resources.

“It can’t be small here and a little here and a little here,” said Bennett, who is Oxnard. “We need a complete plan to say that these are the resources we have; By connecting these things together, we could maximize our efficiency. “

Robin Penig, an assistant director to mitigate the danger to the Civil Service Service, has identified the proposal for the upcoming fiscal year as a part of a width strategy, which may include an attempt to provide federal coincidence.

Bennett also noted that the state faces a huge challenge to deal with climate change threats.

“There is a change in the sea about what is happening as a result of climate change,” Bennett said. “The insurance insurance crisis was serious, but now it will be unmanageable for California if we do not find a way to reduce our losses when these fires swing it near or in communities.”

State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant defended the administration’s approach.

“I fully agree that (home -hardening) must be a focal point, but our strategy must do all these things together,” he told the legislators. “If we do not manage the forest, we will have large forest fires that burn right in our communities. “

The language of measurement of bonds approved by the legislature last year offers some flexibility on how to spend money, Rachel Elrs, a political analyst at the office of the legislative analyst, said at the hearing.

But this flexibility leaves some questions about the legislators, she said, submitting a proposal to the governor’s budget plan to add an additional $ 9 million to a pilot program that provides financial assistance to housing owners to make their homes more resistant to fire.

“Do you want the funding to deepen and have less structures that are protected but more covered? Or do you want it wide where you give less grants that will not protect the whole structure, but maybe more properties get access to it? What regions of the state do you want to focus? “

For the pilot program created in 2019, the administration’s approach was to focus on the most vulnerable communities, Berntla said.

It currently features six counties based on factors, including the health and age of the population, as well as the risk of wild fire and other climate data. State reports 17 homes have completed the fire process and another 23 are underway. Additional money can expand the program to two more counties.

The selection process may be similar to one of the new programs proposed under the Prop.

“You talked about how to prioritize? We can’t help everyone, “Beralent said. “We can educate everyone, but those who are most vulnerable who cannot physically do the job that cannot financially afford to do this work, this program will provide funding to support them.”

The administration noted that the Newsom budget proposal is underway – the one that was prepared before the wild fires in Southern California.

“I admit that we have to do everything above and I admit that it is very difficult to try to understand:” Do we do 10% here, etc. “Bennett said during the hearing. “In my opinion, there has not yet been enough focus on (home) hardening and I think we are starting to recognize it.”