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Written by: Elizabeth Larson

Published: 05 March 2019

SACRAMENTO – California’s Board of Equalization has faced significant challenges and scandals in recent years, leading the California legislature and Gov. Brown to strip the board of the vast majority of its responsibility in 2017, including removing all of its non-Constitutional tax administration duties and transferring them over to the newly created Department of Tax and Fee Administration.

This week, a joint hearing of the Senate Governance & Finance Committee and the Senate Committee on Budget & Fiscal Review Subcommittee 4 will be held to evaluate the current operations at the Board of Equalization, discuss the current strengths and weaknesses of the BOE and have a conversation about what its future looks like.

“There have been some real challenges at the Board of Equalization over the past several years,” Sen. Mike McGuire said. “As the reorganization and shift of responsibilities and staff to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration has taken hold, it’s time the state evaluates its current operation and has an open dialogue with all sides about what the future looks like.”

The hearing: “140 Years Young: What is the Future for the State Board of Equalization after the Taxpayer Transparency and Fairness Act” will be held this Wednesday, March 6, at 9 a.m.

“As the new chair of Senate Budget Subcommittee 4, I am looking forward to the discussion about the future of the Board and the appropriate level of resources for the BOE, the new Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and the Office of Tax Appeals. I hope that this informational hearing will provide some important context for upcoming budget discussions,” Senator Maria Elena Durazo said.

State Controller Betty Yee as well as BOE Chair Malia Cohen and the BOE Executive Director will be testifying during this week’s hearing. Each will be discussing the current duties of Board of Equalization members and will be asked to discuss the future direction of the Board.

Also testifying during Wednesday’s hearing are:

– Calaveras County Assessor Leslie Davis, President, California Assessors Association;
– Rich Benson, Assessor, County of Marin (retired);
– Therese Twomey, California Taxpayers Association;
– Samantha Corbin, California Tax Reform Association.

The hearing will be livestreamed at www.senate.ca.gov. More information about the hearing can be found at https://sgf.senate.ca.gov.

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Written by: Elizabeth Larson

Published: 03 March 2019

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Food and Agriculture is pleased to announce a competitive grant application process for the Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program.

CDFA will fund energy efficient refrigeration units in corner stores and small businesses in food deserts throughout the state to stock California-grown fresh produce, nuts, and minimally processed foods – improving access to healthy food choices in the small retail environment for underserved communities, while promoting California-grown agriculture.

The Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program was made available through the Budget Act of 2018 and will be administered by CDFA’s Office of Farm to Fork.

The program will disburse up to $4,500,000 by March 2022. There may be multiple funding rounds if all funds are not awarded in the first round.

“This is an important program for food access in California,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “The objective is to provide as many food sellers as possible with the equipment necessary to offer fresh and healthy foods to customers who may not have access to them otherwise.”

One of the initial supporters of this program was Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), who said, “Your address shouldn’t determine your diet. The state is stepping in to ensure more people have access to healthy and nutritious foods, no matter where they live.”

A range of applicants are eligible to apply for these grants, including corner stores (or their equivalents, such as bodegas or neighborhood stores), small businesses, cities, counties, and nonprofits with healthy retail programs. There are two different proposal forms – one for corner stores and small businesses, and one for cities, counties and nonprofits.

The Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program builds on the success of the California Nutrition Incentive Program, or CNIP, which offers nutrition incentives to CalFresh shoppers at certified farmers’ markets and mobile markets throughout the state.

With the Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program, CDFA will improve access to California-grown produce in the small-retail sector – and help pave the way for greater participation in CNIP, creating even more value and access for shoppers with low incomes.

More information on the Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Program, including the request for proposals and application template, can be found at http://cafarmtofork.com/hsrgp.html.

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Written by: Elizabeth Larson

Published: 03 March 2019

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) has introduced legislation that would require companies selling beauty or personal care products in California to report the presence of toxic fragrance and flavor ingredients in their products to the California Department of Public Health Safe Cosmetics Program.

This information would then be publicly available through CDPH’s Safe Cosmetics Database.

Recent data compiled by Women’s Voices for the Earth reveals that a third of all fragrance chemicals currently in use have been flagged as potentially toxic by scientists around the world.

“In California, we actually know more about the fragrance ingredients in products that we use to clean our homes than those that we put on our faces or bodies,” Senator Leyva said. “Consumers have a right to know what ingredients are in the beauty and personal care products they bring home to their families and use daily on their bodies. The bottom line is that no toxic ingredients should be kept secret. SB 574 will empower consumers so that they can make educated decisions about which products to use with their kids and families.”

No state or federal law currently requires the disclosure of fragrance or flavor ingredients to consumers or regulatory agencies.

This loophole allows dozens – sometimes even hundreds – of chemicals to hide under the word “fragrance” on the labels of beauty and personal care products with little regulatory oversight of the safety of those ingredients.

The same loophole exists for flavorants, which are appearing more frequently in flavored lip gloss and chapsticks marketed to children.

Thousands of synthetic chemicals are used to create the fragrances and flavors that comprise the beauty and personal care products that we use every day.

Some of these chemicals have been linked to negative health impacts ranging from allergic reactions to reproductive harm and increased risk of breast cancer.

Fragrance chemicals are found in more than 95 percent of personal care products such as shampoos, conditioners, hair styling products, antiperspirants and shaving products, as well as fine fragrances, body sprays and lotions.

SB 574 is sponsored jointly by Black Women for Wellness, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, and Women’s Voices for the Earth.

Following today’s introduction, SB 574 will be considered by the appropriate Senate committees later this spring.