Senator Tony Strickland (R–Huntington Beach) has delivered a letter to the chair of the California Energy Commission (CEC), demanding that the five members of the Commission resign after passing a new tire mandate that will force struggling Californians to pay more. In June, Senator Strickland joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators calling on the CEC to address concerns with the new replacement tire mandate before the commission approved it. Click HERE to read Senator Strickland’s letter to the chair of the CEC and click here to read the June letter.
The CEC is composed of five unelected commissioners who are appointed by the Governor and the supermajority. These commissioners are paid a six-figure salary ranging from $153,689 to $199,380. Unlike members of the California State Legislature, these commissioners are not held accountable to the people of California through elections.
Senator Strickland issued the following statement:
“These commissioners are tone-deaf, and I am calling on them to step down. This regulatory agency should not be making life more challenging for struggling Californians when both Democrats and Republicans recognize that affordability is the No. 1 issue facing families this year.
“As unelected and unaccountable political appointees, these commissioners are passing onerous policies that ultimately hit families in their wallets. The CEC’s latest policy decision is wrong, is an overreach, and is the opposite of what California families need right now.”
Senate Bill 885: The Restoring Accountability Act
Earlier this year, Senator Strickland introduced Senate Bill 885, which would have reigned in unelected boards and commissions, such as the California Energy Commission, that wield too much power without accountability to California residents. Unfortunately, legislative Democrats blocked his legislation from advancing out of committee.