Who is former GOP congressman Doug Ose, candidate in California governor recall election
Name: Doug Ose
Political party: Republican
Residence: Sacramento
Occupation: Small Businessman/Farmer
Education: B.S. Business Administration UC Berkeley 1977
Experience: A successful businessman since 1977, building houses, mini-storage, and farming. I have created hundreds of jobs in the process. I served three terms in Congress, where I cut taxes, reduced regulations, and created a USDA program for California’s specialty crops. I was instrumental in dedicating billions towards environmental improvements, and significantly boosted funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Women Infants and Children (WIC), and school lunch programs.
Website: www.oseforcalifornia.com
What precautions, if any, should California continue to take to cope with COVID-19 and its variants?
There is no way to reduce risk to zero, yet that is what public health will recommend if they are the only experts asked. Employers should get a statutory safe harbor from liability if they require employees to get vaccinated. Delta is not the last variant that we will be dealing with. We must remain vigilant in the public health protocols we use to combat this disease. When the variants evolve, our response must evolve with them.
California provided cash support to individuals and small businesses during the pandemic. To what extent should that assistance continue?
This assistance is not sustainable. The economy must be reopened so that the need for this assistance ends. Extra EDD payments that serve as an incentive to not return to work must stop.
What more would you do to address California’s housing crisis?
Defer to local land use authority. The Legislature has no business trying to micromanage local land use decisions. When a community adopts a General Plan with an approved Environmental Impact Report (EIR), that should serve as a safe harbor for any housing that is consistent with the General Plan. Do more logging. Build more lumber mills. Expand concrete production capacity. Expand apprenticeship programs for framers, plumbers, and electricians. Simplify the lot approval process. Lower utility connection fees. Reduce school impact fees.
What should California do to build up its middle class?
A sound education is the fundamental building block to creating lifelong success and generational wealth. Fix the education system. Emphasize reading, history, math, and science. Stop teaching useless stuff to K-12 students like gender studies or Critical Race Theory. Create and/or expand vocational education options for kids not on the college track. Reduce state income taxes and state fuel taxes.
Would you propose any new policies to address climate change?
Since climate change is arguably a global issue, acting unilaterally is foolish. It will only reduce our standard of living because it will cost us jobs. California is already doing more than its fair share and should call a statewide timeout on new proposals until the rest of the world catches up. One way to do this would be to prohibit import of products from countries where environmental practices don’t meet certain standards.
What should California do in the long term to address wildfire and drought conditions?
About fifty percent of California is owned by the federal government. The federal government needs to properly maintain these public lands. Reduce tree density in the forests through timber harvesting. Clear the underbrush that acts as fire fuel. Significantly increase the number of cogeneration plants in rural California. In anticipation of forest fires, build roads into and allow the use of mechanized equipment in wilderness areas. Build new water storage and conveyance as approved by California voters in 2014. Change PUC Renewable Portfolio Standards so that Investor Owned Utilities put transmission lines underground.
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Who is former GOP congressman Doug Ose, candidate in California governor recall election."