Fresno County Supervisor Judy Case lost her seat on the state Air Resources Board Thursday, when the Senate rejected her nomination on a party-line vote. Case came under fire from environmentalists angry at the slow pace of the Valley's air district in cleaning up our dirty air, and state Sen. Dean Florez happily took up the cudgel.
Case represents Fresno County on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District board, and was appointed by the governor to the district's seat on the ARB board. But Democrats in the Senate were upset with Case's votes to extend the deadline for clean air in the Valley, and with her earlier opposition to various measures -- most of them sponsored by Florez -- to tighten regulations on pollution and to expand the membership of the Valley district board to include more representatives from cities and a pair of members form the medical and scientific communities.
The Senate's move against Case should be seen as a shot across the bow of the Valley air district. It needs to get a good deal more aggressive than it has been in addressing Valley air quality. That pressure has been building from the district's constituents in the Valley; now it's coming from Sacramento as well.
Boo hoo Florez needs to grow up already. If he doesn't get his way he lashes out like big ol baby. We need somebody from the valley on the board and Case is just fine. With her medical background she sees what effect the bad air has on us. Reality is that extending the deadline was probably necessary to get the job done. We would just be fined if we don't make the deadline.
We don't need just anyone from the Valley. Whoever is on that board should represent the interests of those who breathe the air, not just those who want to pollute it. Better to have no representation at all than someone who's looking out for the interests of Big Ag.
"find a camera florez" would have more credibility if he didn't tap his feet 3 times before he says,"lights, camera, action"
Tim
I don't believe she was looking out for Big Ag interests. She also has to breathe the same nasty air that we do.
I am sick of hearing people defend Judy Case because she is an RN. For the record last time she worked as a full time nurse was 18 years ago!
She is so concerned about the health crisis in Fresno County she didn't even know the percentage of kids with Asthma in her County!
The Bee and Russ have got it right!
The rest of the air board better shape up or ship out!
I am sorry that you have asthma but Judy Case did not pollute the air all by herself. Put the blame on the growing population. The people to blame are the ones who are building so many homes that bring in a slew of more people with a slew of cars usually at least 2-5 per household.
I am sick of people being nasty towards one person when there is an entire board making decisions. Judy Case is a very nice person who cannot clean our air by herself.
Case may not be able to clean the air by herself, but it's the very definition of her job to try. It doesn't matter whether she is an RN or a nice person--she has a responsibility to the Valley to work aggressively against our horrifying air safety issues. It's obvious that many many factors contribute to the valley's worsening air, but the people on the air resources board have to be absolutely steadfast and relentless in their pursuit of cleaner policies and city management programs. Judy Case wasn't doing her job, and her firing is a reality check for the valley to get serious about the problems facing us all
First of all, nobody is blaming Judy Case for causing the Valley's Air Pollution crisis, to imply that is ridiculous.
Judy didn't cause the pollution by herself, but she sure has a history of fighting to protect the industries that pollute the most.
Advocates and citizens who opposed her confirmation are not opposed to her personality. We are opposed to her constant efforts to protect the financial interests of polluters rather than the health of Valley residents. Case's record as a Supervisor and Air Board member is stacked with numerous votes that have successfully watered down regulations seeking to hold polluting industries accountable.
Judy Case is not the only Valley politician guilty of this. The other 7 County Supervisors on the Air District Board, are just as guilty of protecting big industry, as Judy. But they weren't up for confirmation to CARB Judy was.
Lets take a look at some of the other 7 Supervisors on the Air District Board:
Let's start with Supervisor and current chair of the Board Leroy Ornellas who recently stated in an article in the Stockton Record, "Here I am, in the Belly of the Beast," in reference to his new position as chair.
("S.J. dairyman takes over air board", Stockton Record January 7, 2008)
The fact that Mr. Ornellas views this public health agency as a beast, is disgusting and alarming. Who do you think he will be representing as a Board member? Be honest!
What is more alarming were statements made last year at an Air District Board meeting, by then Board member McQuiston and current member Worthley, both whom declared the agency was not a public health agency. Their statements contradict both the agency's actual mission statement which says it is a public health agency, and State law which established the District as such.
You are right Judy Case isn't the only one, the other County Supervisors on the Air Board are just as bad.
Raji Brar and Henry T. Perea who represent the cities of Arvin and Fresno are the clear exceptions to this critique. These two have demonstrated real leadership and dedication to cleaning the air in their short time as members of the Air Board.
Either of them would be excellent choices to CARB and would garner support from the same organizations that opposed Judy Case. We opposed Judy not for her personality, but for who she as an elected official has chosen to represent, the polluters.
It is time that we hold leaders in the Valley accountable for protecting the health of this Valley.
“just fine” is not good enough
I've recently received several calls from people upset by the Senate's action to remove Supervisor Judy Case from her post at the Air Resources Board. They called after learning that my organization opposed her confirmation--along with dozens of other public health and clean air groups--from the Bee article that included my comment. They were resourceful folks who found our phone number and used a few talking points to express their discontent, or "disgust" as one put it, about our actions. It would be a stretch to describe these conversations as insightful, as some who called resisted even disclosing their name. They did however help me think about the situation at hand, about power structures in the Valley, about the kind of leadership we need to advance policies that really clean our air and reinvigorate our economy, and about who, in some people’s eyes, have the "right" to participate in these activities.
Ultimately, I was comforted to conclude that while we did not see eye-to-eye we did agree on important points regarding Supervisor Case's appointment. Or rather, the reasons that the callers wanted to have an appointee like Ms. Case on the Air Resources Board were the very same reasons why my colleagues in the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition and I felt like she should not hold that post. In general the Case supporters saw no problem with farmers being able to burn their waste, described air pollution and climate change as "a bunch of emotional hogwash," claimed that an advocate for agriculture was just what the Valley needed, stated that those ill with asthma were "lazy" people that need to "help themselves" and "stop eating McDonald’s." They themselves had lived in the Valley all their lives and were in perfect health--for that I told them that they should be grateful and reminded them that 30% of Fresno County’s children did not share that same luck.
California and the Valley are changing. The beliefs and attitudes espoused by the Case supporters who called us are part of what got the Valley into this mess. Supervisor Case, despite her training as a nurse, has developed a record as a Supervisor and an Air District Board member that is far from impressive when it comes to air quality and public health. While we respect Supervisor Case as an individual and appreciate her years of public service, we will only support a person for this post that makes health their top priority. The health of the people of this Valley is more important to us than politics. It is in accordance with this ideal that we develop our policy positions.
The Governor now has the opportunity to appoint a new member from the Valley to the Air Resources Board as well as 2 public members to our Valley Air Board (a doctor and a scientist). I only hope that he does so with the best interest of Valley breathers in mind, realizing that "just fine" isn't good enough.
[Fresno Metro Ministry is a non-profit multi-faith organization founded in 1970. Its mission is to work to create a more respectful, compassionate and inclusive community that promotes social, economic, and environmental justice.]