DUMP DAVI$ & the Den of Socialists
GO SIMON
Posted on 08/12/2002 8:11:24 PM PDT by DiamondDon1
On February 16, 2000 two Plumbers Unions gave $15,000 each for a total of $30,000 to Davis (Transactions 645217-A33984 & 645217-A33985). Coincidently, a new member Sidney Cavanaugh (an employee of the United Association of Apprentices and Journeyman in the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry (the plumber's union) was appointed by Davis to the Building Standards Commission on February 24, 2000 (note that all the members of the Committee were appointed during the Davis term).
http://www.bsc.ca.gov/abt_bsc/abt_cbscmem.html
The "coincidence" happened in October of 2000. The Building Standards Commission was going to do the usual code adoption process which happens every three years, but this time the code adoption process went awry. Rather than adopt the new International Building Code (IBC 2000), the commission voted to retain the old 1997 Uniform Building Code (UBC).
The adoption of the 1997 UBC happened on October 25, 2000. And the two unions then combined for a total of $40,000 on October 30, 2000 (Transactions 719073-A41793 & 719073-A41794).
http://www.buildersbooksite.com/info/icbo_cbsc_press.htm
Anyone interested can also review a L.A. Times article by David Lesher, May 12,1999 that also talks about the possibility of this deal before the fact.
FYI: The plumbers are in favor of the National Fire Protection Code (NFPA) which is stricter with regard to fire related issues and in general requires more fire sprinkler systems (plumbing) than does the IBC.
Good job all!
calgov2002:
 calgov2002: for old calgov2002 articles. calgov2002: for new calgov2002 articles. Other Bump Lists at: Free Republic Bump List Register |
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 20, 2002--State officials appointed by Gov. Gray Davis have allegedly violated the law and forced families to spend millions of additional dollars on housing by illegally restricting the use of plastic pipe in new home and apartment construction according to a lawsuit announced today by attorneys for plastic pipe manufacturers. The plastic, known as "PEX," is widely used in the rest of the US, Canada and Europe for the safe delivery of drinking water.
"California families continue to be ripped-off for millions of dollars in the name of politics," said Robert Friedlander, spokesman for the Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association. "It's not fair to us and it's not fair to consumers.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Brown, Winfield and Canzoneri on behalf of PPFA, alleges that the California Building Standards Commission (BSC) and other state agencies responsible for adopting the California Plumbing Code, missed the legal deadline for approving an updated code by more than a year and a half, and compounded their error by illegally removing PEX as an approved building material before adopting an updated Plumbing Code on May 2, 2002.
According to PPFA, the BSC's action puts PEX in consumer limbo. Communities in California that currently allow the use of PEX may continue to do so, but any expansion would have to be approved by each local building department or city council, a daunting task in a state with nearly 550 separate cities and counties.
The suit seeks to overturn the state's action on May 2, and recognize the automatic adoption of the Uniform Plumbing Code, effective October 2000. It names the BSC and five state agencies that advise the BSC on code adoption--Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), Division of the State Architect (DSA), Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
By law, the BSC is mandated to update these building codes every three years, based on national model codes prepared by organizations like the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), which publishes the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC). The law gives the BSC one-year from the date of its publication by IAPMO to review the Uniform Plumbing Code and make changes needed to adapt them to California. At the end of a year, if the BSC has not acted, then the Uniform Plumbing Code automatically becomes law.
The most recent update to the Uniform Plumbing Code was published in October 1999 and included the unrestricted use of PEX. The BSC adopted an updated California Plumbing Code, eliminating all references to PEX, on May 2, 2002, some two and a half years later, and more than one and a half years after their legal deadline for action.
The lawsuit also alleges that the BSC and the other state agencies violated the civil rights of PEX manufacturers by acting arbitrarily and failing to follow their own policies and procedures.
In August 2001, state agencies indicated support for the inclusion of PEX in the California Plumbing Code. The only opposition came from the California Pipe Trades Council, the statewide umbrella organization for the plumbers' unions, which suggested an environmental review should be conducted before PEX was included in the codes. Subsequently, the state agencies reversed themselves, using nearly identical language to suggest they didn't have time to do an environmental review before they could make a recommendation on the use of PEX in California.
In the end, the BSC ruled that an environmental assessment needs to be prepared evaluating the effect of PEX on the environment, but failed to require a similar assessment for any other proposed change in the Plumbing Code.
"This is especially absurd given the 2 1/2 years the BSC and other state agencies took to adopt the new code," said Friedlander. "Even if they really needed an environmental review, which of course they do not, they had more than enough time."
At the urging of the California Pipe Trades, the Davis Administration has been very supportive of efforts to eliminate or reduce the use of plastic pipe in home construction in California. Gov. Davis has received nearly $1.4 million in campaign contributions from the plumbers.
Unions have historically opposed the use of PEX -- and other plastic piping -- because it costs less and is less expensive to install than traditional copper pipe. In a typical new home, the cost difference can be as much as $500 per house.
At current labor rates, on the 107,000 single family homes built in California last year, California families paid an extra $53.5 million "Davis Plumber's Tax" on new houses.
The suit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. A hearing date has not been set.
I think Davis' people think that if they are going to cheat, lie, steal, manipulate, and shakedown people, they might as well go all the way ... who would believe that they would be doing this stuff out in the open, anyway? Must be legit, right?
Dump Davis!
Democrats can't afford to blow California governor's race
Still true too!
But then read this:
<California's one-party campaign
What happened?
ronically, recent reports show that some of the businesses most impacted by the new costs and regulations are the ones most heartily funding the Democrats (or at least withholding their support from the Republicans), given that Democrats are the party in power. It's hard to blame these business contributors, given the many uncanny coincidences in which Gov. Davis supports the causes of those who support him financially.I wish these people would wake up and smell the coffee. Simon is leading in 7 or 9 polls and the election is still 2-1/2 months away! The problem with instant information in the Internet age, is that time is now an enemy, and everyone wants everything solved NOW. We have plenty of time for the election, and Simon is being smart, saving his money for the crucial last two months.
The fact is that Davis has spent $8 million since the primary (or more) and it hasn't helped his negatives -- if anything, he's gone DOWN in the polls the more advertising he's doing! So remain steadfast: Simon is a good candidate, a conservative, and he will put up a good fight ... and don't be surprised when he wins on November 5th.
Go Simon!
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