Schwarzenegger

03/17/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today sent the following letter to Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner to share his concern that a potential 27 percent pure premium rate increase would have an overwhelmingly negative impact on businesses, employees and California’s economy. The Governor has a strong record of working to reform the state’s workers’ compensation system, and those reforms have saved employers more than $40 billion so far.

Text of the letter:

March 17, 2009

Via facsimile: (916) 445-5280

The Honorable Steve Poizner
Commissioner
California Department of Insurance
300 Capitol Mall
Suite 1700
Sacramento, California 95814

Dear Steve,    » read more »

State To Utilize Federal Economic Stimulus Funds & Public-Private Partnerships For Green Jobs Training

03/16/2009 -- Immediately after meeting with President Obama’s Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in Sacramento to discuss federal economic stimulus funding and job creation, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today launched the California Green Corps. Building up communities and the state’s green workforce, the California Green Corps will place at-risk young adults aged 16-24 into jobs in California’s emerging green economy.    » read more »

03/10/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement on his submission of the Governor’s Reorganization Plan (GRP) to the legislature today, which if allowed to take effect, will consolidate statewide information technology (IT) functions under the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).

“It is critical for California to overhaul our technology systems to ensure that they efficiently serve the needs of the people of our state,” Governor Schwarzenegger said. “My Reorganization Plan will help us improve services while cutting waste and saving taxpayer dollars. I look forward to collaborating with the legislature as we work to implement this important proposal.”    » read more »

03/09/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement today in support of extending AFDC-FC benefits to California’s foster youth up to the age of 21:

“I am committed to working with Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg on a bipartisan solution that ensures our children and youth in foster care are provided with the tools needed to succeed at life. Along with our federal partners, together we can better equip our youth by making sure they continue to have access to important resources and services as they transition into adulthood. I look forward to continue working across the aisle with the legislature and our federal and local partners on an issue important to so many Californians.”    » read more »

03/09/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s executive order that rolls back restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research:    » read more »

03/07/2009 -- A transcript of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s weekly radio address is below:

Governor Schwarzenegger:

Hi, this is Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger with another California Report.

One of the best ways to get our economy moving again, is to help stabilize the housing market by keeping more people in their homes.

This week President Obama released the details of his Homeowner Affordability
and Stability Plan.

It could help millions of families avoid foreclosure, through loan modifications
and low-cost refinancing.

I applaud the President, Secretary Geithner and Secretary Donovan for taking this big action.

Of course this is something California has been working on since 2007, and it is great to finally see the federal government get on board.    » read more »

03/05/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement today regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hearing to reconsider a 38-month old waiver request to enforce California’s greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and light trucks:

“Today marks renewed hope that California and a growing number of states will finally get to move forward with a commonsense policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles. California’s standard is the equivalent of taking 6.5 million cars off the road and will make our air cleaner, save drivers money at the pump and reduce our nation’s dependence on imported oil.    » read more »

03/03/2009 -- Addressing the California Business Reception, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today concluded his successful trip promoting California business and the state’s global leadership in information communications technology at CeBIT 2009 in Hannover, Germany. As the first official state partner with CeBIT, the world’s largest technology trade fair for digital business solutions and information and communications technology (ICT), California companies were spotlighted among over 5,000 exhibitors and half a million attendees.    » read more »

03/01/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued a statement following President Obama’s selection of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius for Secretary of Health and Human Services:

“Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has a well-earned reputation of working across the political aisle - on everything from local issues important in her state to global issues such as climate change.

By picking Gov. Sebelius as his Secretary of Health and Human Services, President Obama is showing that he will take a strong and balanced approach to reforming our nation’s health care system - and that kind of approach is exactly what we need to ensure more Americans and Californians have access to affordable health coverage and that we work to slow the rising costs of health care.    » read more »

Proclaims State of Emergency, Directs Government to Utilize Resources, Help People

02/27/2009 -- To combat California’s third consecutive year of drought, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today proclaimed a state of emergency and ordered immediate action to manage the crisis. In the proclamation, the Governor uses his authority to direct all state government agencies to utilize their resources, implement a state emergency plan and provide assistance for people, communities and businesses impacted by the drought.    » read more »

02/26/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement on President Obama’s budget proposal for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to begin developing a national cap-and-trade program:

“Fighting climate change is the number one environmental challenge facing this generation, and the only way to realize real reductions in our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions is through a strict cap. Establishing that cap economy-wide is also the best way to ensure America’s businesses are all competing on a level playing field.    » read more »

02/26/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement on Senator Dave Cogdill’s (R-Modesto) introduction of SB 371:

“Despite the recent rainstorms, California would still need to see weeks of drenching rain to avoid an extreme drought situation this summer. Our water crisis underscores the urgent need to update California’s water infrastructure so we are able to capture excess rain in wet years and have the necessary reserves in dry years like this one-this is critical to our economy, our jobs, our environment and our way of life.    » read more »

02/24/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued a statement following President Obama’s address to Congress.

“There is opportunity in every crisis and President Obama is right to seize our global economic emergency as a time to lay a more solid foundation for our nation’s growth. We have done the same thing in California, finding the opportunities in this economic downturn to create jobs and to put in place meaningful reforms that will bring more stability to California.    » read more »

02/21/2009 -- Today California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger co-chaired a meeting with 11 other governors and President Barack Obama’s top energy and environment cabinet officials to discuss a state-federal partnership on clean energy and climate change issues. Following the meeting, he issued the statement below:    » read more »

Flawed Legislative Process Allowed a Handful of Lawmakers to Push Personal Agendas Instead of Solve Budget Crisis

SACRAMENTO (February 19, 2009) – Ending months of uncertainty and an unprecedented state financial crisis, California’s lawmakers passed a bi-partisan budget today. The announced plan is designed to meet the $41 billion budget shortfall through 2010, but may end up costing the state more in the long run due to partisan policy agendas designed to relax pollution standards for diesel construction equipment and a series of highway projects. A delay in clean-up of diesel emissions from off-road vehicles will cost Californians billions in healthcare costs annually.    » read more »