Environmentalists have found yet another ally in their battle to prevent the passage of California’s regressive Proposition 23, which would put a temporary end to the environmental protections passed by governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates announced this week that he will be writing a check for $700,000 to the “No on Prop 23” campaign. In addition to Gates’ generous donation, other Silicon Valley moguls have put money into the campaign to defeat Prop 23. Google co-founder Sergey Brin has already given $200,000, and Intel co-founder Gordon Moore has given more than $1 million to the campaign.
But these tech moguls are fighting the powerful and cash-flush oil and gas industries, who have poured millions of dollars into the campaign to pass Prop 23. One of the most high-profiled donors working to help pass Prop 23 is Koch Industries, who has poured more than $1 million into the campaign.
As we’ve reported before, California has one of the most comprehensive and sweeping laws in place to help curb the emission of greenhouse gases. Officially titled “The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32),” the law was passed in 2006.
Prop 23 is being sponsored by groups who claim that the protections that were put in place by AB 32 are hindering their ability to create new jobs. California currently has an unemployment rate of 12%, and Prop 23 would suspend current environmental protections until that rate falls below 5.5%.
With elections less than two weeks away, the big money on both sides of the bill could have a serious influence on voters. We’ll have to wait until November 2nd to see which side used their money better.
Farron Cousins is an editor and senior staff writer for The American Trial Lawyer magazine, where he has covered issues of renewable energy and environmental law since 2007. His writings have also appeared in publications such as California's Information Press, and Pensacola's Independent Weekly.
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