Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) cut the fire department's budget, supported diversity hiring in the fire department and water and power departments, and flew to Ghana as ferocious winds threatened the city. Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has neglected to maintain forests, dumped winter snowmelt into the ocean, and blamed “climate change” for wildfires.
At a time when the failures of city and state government are on full display, residents need to know that another state agency is a big part of the problem.
Contrary to Gavin Newsom, wildfires are not caused by “climate change,” but “regime change” could be part of the solution.
Founded in the 1970s, the California Coastal Commission is a regulatory-minded non-elected agency that overrides dozens of elected city and county governments on land use and environmental issues. The appointed commissioners succeeded in combining Stalinist regulations with Mafia-style corruption. For example, Commissioner Mark Nathanson, appointed by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in the 1980s, served a prison sentence. extort a bribe From Hollywood celebrities and others seeking building permits along the coast.
The CCC has jurisdiction that extends to: 5 miles inland” and includes coastal mountains.” The commission could require “restoration of the site to its native habitat” but doubts “removal of major vegetation”. In addition to being able to seek judicial penalties, the commission can also “administratively impose penalties itself” without requiring court approval. So, in a real sense, an unelected committee is a law unto itself and is not accountable to the public.
Property owners in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and coastal mountains aren't free to remove brush that could pose a danger in the event of a fire like the one that reduced neighborhoods to ashes last week. On the other hand, the CCC also serves to prevent California from accessing its greatest natural resource, the Pacific Ocean.
For example, the Poseidon Desalination Plant in Huntington Beach, planned to provide 50 million gallons of fresh water per day to Orange County, has been under construction for 20 years with the support of a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers. In 2022, CCC refusedCommissioner and Dana Bocco explains“The ocean is already under attack from climate change.”
Ms. Bochco, an attorney, is the wife of the late Stephen Bochco and president of Stephen Bochco Productions, a producer of television shows such as “Doogie Howser'' and “Cop Rock.'' Mr. Bocco was first appointed by the State Senate Rules Committee in 2011, has been reappointed several times, and currently serves until May 20, 2027. There are no term limits for unelected members.
Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County has been launching jets and missiles for decades. Last year, the committee voted: Prevent further SpaceX launches Because, as Secretary Caryl Hart put it, Elon Musk was “throwing himself into the presidential race.” In other words, what really matters is politics, not the environment.
The unelected commissioners have been pretty quiet about the coastal fires, but there's no need to worry. The CCC website currently declares: “Homes, businesses, churches, schools and other structures destroyed in recent fires are exempt.” Coast Act permit requirements” Victims can be forgiven for believing that the request should never have been made in the first place.
Smoke and strong winds forced Mayor Karen Bass to fly to Ghana. As for what happened next, consider this Jan. 8 email from a friend involved in the fire scene.
Everything was destroyed. Entire neighborhoods evaporated. Worse than a thousand nightmares. The power went out at 7pm. It's pitch black everywhere. Fierce embers came flying like a piercing rocket. The palm tree exploded like a Saturn V. Cyclonic winds swirling at 80 miles per hour. Forced evacuation, cars abandoned on Sunset Boulevard. Everything will be erased. all! ! ! ! !
Contrary to Gavin Newsom, wildfires Not caused by “climate change”” But “regime change” may be part of the solution. As of this writing, Angelenos are in dire straits. preparing for recall For Karen Bass. So, as Donald Trump likes to say, we'll have to wait and see what happens.
