How Did The Green Vote Grow?
Bay Area Representatives
Cast Significant Percentage of Green Votes

From California Sierra Club

October 29, 2008

SACRAMENTO – Some Bay Area representatives voted sustainably, while others voted against California’s air, water and wild places, Sierra Club California’s annual Legislative Report Card finds.

Sierra Club California tracked the votes of California’s Assemblymembers and Senators, recording each Earth-friendly vote as a positive score. From toxics prevention to water conservation to environmental education, the measures addressed many of California’s most urgent 2008 environmental priorities.

“We use our Legislative Report Cards to shine a light on what happens in the Capitol, and to help our members hold their representatives accountable,” said Bill Magavern, Director of Sierra Club California. “It won’t surprise anyone to know that Bay Area legislators consistently vote the most green – nearly all of them scored 100% on our scorecard.”

Sierra Club California counted more measures overall on the Assembly side because so many bills died this year in the Senate Appropriations Committee before reaching a floor vote.

Scoring 100% Green (all of them Democrats) were: Senators Elaine K. Alquist (Santa Clara); Ellen Corbett (San Leandro); Carole Migden (San Francisco); Joe Simitian (Palo Alto); Tom Torlakson (Antioch); Patricia Wiggins (Santa Rosa); and Senate President pro Tem Don Perata (Oakland). Assemblymembers Jim Beall Jr. (San Jose); Mark DeSaulnier (Martinez); Noreen Evans (Santa Rosa); Loni Hancock (Berkeley) ; Mary Hayashi (Hayward); Jared Huffman (San Rafael); Mark Leno (San Francisco); Sally J. Lieber (Mountain View); Ira Ruskin (D-Redwood City); and Sandre R. Swanson (Oakland) also had perfect scores.

Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) scored 6/7; Assemblymembers Joe Coto (D-San Jose), Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), Alberto Torrico (D- Fremont), and Gene Mullin (D-San Mateo) scored 9/10; Senator Abel Maldonado (Santa Maria) scored 4/7; and Assemblymember Guy Houston (R-San Ramon) scored a disappointing 2/9.

Statewide, 11 Senators and 11 Assemblymembers scored Eco- Zeroes, all of them non Bay-Area Republicans, Magavern reported.

“We asked the question in 2006: ‘When Will Republican Lawmakers Catch Up To Their Voters?,’ and we’re still waiting for the right answer,” said Magavern. “California Republicans need to follow Assemblymember Sam Blakeslee’s example and realize that protecting our atmosphere and holding polluters accountable really is a bipartisan issue.” Blakeslee sided with the environment on 6 of the 10 key votes, and took a leadership position in passing key legislation like AB 1879, which will reduce toxics in products. Senator Abel Maldonado, who represents some South Bay towns, voted with the environment 4 out of 7 times, the highest among his Senate Republican colleagues.

Search the complete scorecard and read explanations of the bills Sierra Club California used to measure the sustainability of the Legislature’s votes at www.sierraclubcalifornia.org.

FCJ Editor

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