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Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010

Our View: Steinberg's job plan a start, but ...

Democrats have refused to repeal labor laws and environmental protections, but maybe they'll have to.

Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg acknowledged Tuesday that the state is limited in its ability to stimulate new jobs.

Unlike the federal government, the state can't print money (although it can print IOUs). Nor can the state, facing a deficit of $20 billion, launch its own public infrastructure program on a scale of the 1930's Works Progress Administration.

Yet Steinberg, being an astute politician, knows that "jobs" are the order of the day. Lawmakers of all stripes will be judged this year on what they've done or attempted to do to reduce unemployment, currently at 12.4 percent. And so Steinberg and Senate Democrats have a 27-bill package he calls "A Plan for 140,000 Jobs."

Steinberg laid out the details in a meeting Tuesday with The Sacramento Bee editorial board.

Part of Steinberg's plan is to pass authorizations that would allow the state to tap into federal funds for high-speed rail, school construction, local roads and other projects.

He also sees opportunities for re-appropriating bond funds to stimulate housing construction, expand work force training and improve energy efficiency at public schools.

Some of these proposals may run into opposition from groups that supported the original bonds, but they are worth pursuing.

Others parts of Steinberg's plan are more spotty.

On Tuesday, he touted an alternative to the governor's plan on ending the sales tax on gasoline, and replacing it, or part of it, with an excise tax on gasoline.

Steinberg's alternative, he says, would help out transit agencies that the governor has stiffed. It sound promising, but more details are needed.

There's also the question if the Senate leader's proposal will actually produce 140,000 new jobs, or save them from being lost? After some questioning, Steinberg conceded it would be a bit of both.

You can quibble all you want with the numbers, but the bigger question is: Is this proposal ambitious enough?

California has lost 1 million jobs since 2007, and it's still not clear that the worst of the recession is behind us. Stronger medicine is needed.

Steinberg has insisted that Democrats will not repeal labor laws and environmental protections to stimulate the economy, as some Republicans are seeking to do.

It's an admirable stance, but it sidesteps the question of whether some if these laws are in need of minor modification.

The California Environmental Quality Act has been abused by nonenvironmental interests to stall hospital expansions and energy plants. Meal break requirements protect workers in sweat shops, but hurt various small businesses.

Steinberg's jobs plan shows promise. But it would be bolder if extended to some laws that Democrats have largely refused to touch.

Editorials are the opinion of the Merced Sun-Star editorial board. Members of the editorial board include Publisher Debra Kuykendall, Executive Editor Mike Tharp, Editorial Page Editor Keith Jones, Copy Desk Chief Jesse Chenault and Online Editor Brandon Bowers.