As Los Angeles burned in early January, my heart broke for the thousands of Angelenos who lost their homes and their most cherished possessions.
After processing the shock of the natural disaster, I wondered how we were ever going to rebuild with potentially tens of billions of dollars in damage to our communities.
Thankfully, state and federal leaders immediately committed to the rebuilding effort, with Gov. Gavin Newsom himself on the ground in Los Angeles for what seemed like weeks. With state and federal partners working together, and with the governor securing $2.5 billion in upfront funding for relief efforts, Angelenos saw a glimmer of hope that rebuilding would be put ahead of petty politics.
Unfortunately, instead of staying focused on relief, rebuilding and mitigation, some in the Legislature are attempting to use wildfire victims to make a political statement. We should have realized that a disaster the size and scope of the LA wildfires would bring out the worst ideas from some of our legislators.
State Sen. Scott Wiener represents San Francisco in the Legislature (a 386-mile drive from the Pacific Palisades and a 383-mile drive from Altadena). Sen. Wiener seems to embody the old saying, “To a person with only a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”
Sen. Wiener’s crazy proposal, Senate Bill 222, would allow Californians to sue energy companies for any and all weather-related disasters, including wildfires and earthquakes, without having to prove any causation between the energy company and the disaster. This is a ridiculous overstep that could have serious consequences for all California consumers and the environment.
Legally, Weiner’s entire concept is on shaky ground. Since the bill applies retroactively – all the way back to 1965 – it would be destined for serious legal challenges. A lawsuit challenging this bill would tie up even more state resources when we need to be focused on relief, rebuilding, and mitigation.
However, the legal issues – and the costs associated with defending an unconstitutional bill – are only the beginning of SB 222’s problems.
When our state needs to be focused on keeping costs low for victims, Sen. Wiener’s bill would significantly increase the cost of living for all Californians. According to a recent independent economic analysis of SB 222, gasoline could jump to $7.38 per gallon, an increase of 63%, while electricity rates could go up by 55%. Overall, consumers could see their average annual expenses increase by $6,200.
San Francisco state Sen. Scott Wiener’s legislation in response to the LA wildfires is pure political posturing, and an unnecessary distraction from the major issues related to January’s fires. Using one of the worst disasters in our state’s history to score political points while increasing costs across the state is opportunistic at best. At worst, it’s a callous, insensitive approach that does nothing to help rebuild our communities.
Instead of using our community’s grief to advance Sen. Weiner’s San Francisco agenda, the Legislature should be focused on recovery, relief, and mitigation. The victims of this tragedy are not nails that need to be hammered.
Senator Wiener must shelve SB 222 – let’s rebuild LA without distractions, and without delay.
Peter Kwong is a Los Angeles businessman and a director of the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. He is a former Chairman of the Board for Best Western International Hotels and a former Vice President of the Los Angeles Chinese Chamber of Commerce.