SACRAMENTO, CA, Apr 23 (MARKET WIRE) --
California is simultaneously tackling the issues of a dramatically growing
population, crumbling infrastructure and a monumental commitment to
significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a relatively short amount
of time. The question of how to responsibly address growth and sustainability is
facing California's local and state elected officials who must provide services
-- roads, housing and water to name a few -- to an ever increasing number
of residents.
Californians are confronted on a daily basis with gridlock and the stress of
commuting long distances in heavy stop-and-go traffic. Transportation and
housing issues
go hand in hand because people who can't afford a home near their job are
forced to make a long commute, contributing to air pollution and a diminished
quality of life.
This presents a Catch 22 in terms of how California will meet the
emissionsreduction targets established by AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions
Act. In
addition, the need for housing to accommodate a growing population means that
valuable agricultural land and open space are sacrificed to development.
Local communities need the state to invest in infrastructure, water, transit and
transit-oriented development so they can grow in a way that improves the
quality of life for Californians and combats climate change.
These growth-driven challenges are compounding daily. To help start a
discussion about growth -- not just with elected officials but also with
California's 37 million residents -- Western City, the monthly magazine of
the League of California Cities, produced "How Should California Grow?," a
series of perspectives on these growth-related issues from a diverse group of
experts, opinion leaders and policy-makers who offer approaches for solving
the interconnected problems our state faces.
We hope this series will inspire additional discussion with further news
coverage and in-depth analysis. We urge reporters to take the topics covered --
demographics, land use, housing, infrastructure and water -- and explore them
with their audiences. The expert authors are available for interviews.
The League of California Cities is an association of California city
officials
who work together to enhance their knowledge and skills, exchange information
and
combine resources so that they may positively influence policy decisions that
affect cities. The opinions expressed in "How Should California Grow?" are those
of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the League's policies.
Please contact Eva Spiegel, communications director, for a copy of the
series
at (916) 658-8228 or espiegel@cacities.org.
League Contacts:
Jim Madaffer: President, League of California Cities, and Council Member,
San
Diego, (916) 658-8200
Chris McKenzie: Executive Director, League of California Cities, (916)
658-8200
Leading Experts/Authors
William Fulton: president, CEO, Solimar Research Group, (805) 643-7700
ext. 105
Hans Johnson: associate director and senior research fellow, Public Policy
Institute of California, (415) 291-4400
Carol Whiteside: founding director (retired), Great Valley Center, (209)
522-5103
Ellen Hanak: associate director and senior research fellow, Public Policy
Institute of California, (415) 291-4400
Yazdan Emrani: president, American Society of Civil Engineers Orange County,
(949) 855-8300
Contact:
Eva Spiegel
(916) 658-8228
Cell (530) 400-9068
1400 K Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 658-8200
Fax: (916) 658-8240
www.cacities.org
Copyright 2008, Market Wire, All rights reserved.
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