|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 11, 2024
VICTORVILLE, Calif. — This morning, Victorville Mayor Liz Becerra joined with other California mayors and business leaders to urge Governor Newsom to veto Assembly Bill 98, an expensive, duplicate bill authored by local Assemblymember Juan Carrillo that will limit business development, job creation, and economic prosperity for Victorville and communities throughout the High Desert and California.
The Victorville City Council authorized Mayor Becerra to formally voice the City’s opposition to AB 98, which relates to warehouse and logistic use standards and truck routes, during an urgency vote at its Council meeting, Sept. 3.
According to City leaders, AB 98 stifles business development, economic growth, and job creation while increasing traffic congestion and costs for the City of Victorville as well as communities throughout the High Desert and California.
In her remarks to Governor Newsom this morning, Mayor Becerra explained that the City of Victorville has been focused on building a more balanced local economy, following the closure of George Air Force Base in 1992, by attracting manufacturing, warehousing, and aerospace jobs to the site of the former base now known as the Southern California Logistics Airport or SCLA; however, these efforts are harmed by AB 98.
“AB 98 severely limits our job creation efforts, leading our residents to drive one to two hours to find employment in the Inland Empire and LA area,” said Victorville Mayor Liz Becerra. “Not only do these long commutes negatively impact the quality of life for our residents and their families, but long commutes also increase vehicle miles traveled and harm air quality.”
Mayor Becerra also voiced concerns that the bill, “baked in a vacuum without the opportunity for public input,” costs the City of Victorville hundreds of thousands of dollars to update the City of Victorville traffic circulation plan, ignores millions of dollars the City already spent on new roadway improvements to reduce congestion, and paradoxically requires an additional investment in road improvements to alleviate the congestion caused by the bill.
Mayor Becerra urged Governor Newsom to veto the bill stating that, “AB 98 hurts the community of Victorville.”
The City of Victorville is not alone in its opposition of AB 98. On Aug. 29, while a draft of AB 98 was being pushed for adoption, CSAC and Cal Cities submitted a joint opposition letter to the Senate Local Government Committee on behalf of all 58 counties and 483 California cities.
Additional information about AB 98 is available on the League of California Cities Website.
Located in Southern California at the high-point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Victorville is the leading city for both industry and retail in the High Desert region. Victorville is a growing, vibrant community that is home to approximately 135,000 residents and some of the area’s largest employers. Clean air, abundant mountain vistas, family-friendly recreational activities, spectacular sunsets and breathtaking night skies entice locals and visitors alike to fall in love with this city that is within a few hours of SoCal beaches, National Parks, mountain retreats, and other major attractions. Ontario International Airport is less than an hour away. Learn more about the City of Victorville at VictorvilleCA.gov.
|
