Joking that he was out of place wearing a suit, Newsom paused after the meeting to discuss those issues with the media.
"Trust me. I get it," he said of skyrocketing fire insurance costs. "It's one of many issues that concern us."
Newsom referred to a comprehensive report, which he expects within two months, that will include the issue of fire insurance. He noted insurance for his family's home in Dutch Flat has jumped to $5,000 from about half that.
The governor also said he wants to create a summit that will focus on emergency planning — a gathering that will bring communities together to address wildfire concerns.
* * *
Newsom said rural counties face different challenges than their urban counterparts. He called it important to visit those rural areas, where he regularly hears about housing and homelessness.
* * *
Fielding a question about rural broadband, the governor said his administration is exploring an aggressive agenda. He said officials have been discussing it for two decades with few results.
Newsom said,
It's like an applause line for politicians. We've got to get serious about it.
Newsom is famously liberal--more liberal even (especially fiscally) than his (also Democratic) predecessor Jerry Brown. Brown tended to be shunned by locals when he visited rural California, including Colusa County, where he owns family land, and where he and his wife Ann Gust Brown are retiring. See two related posts here and here. Lisa Swarthout, the mayor of Grass Valley, in contrast, seemed to gush about Newsom's visit, commenting:
Grass Valley is very pleased the governor took his time to speak to the League of Cities. I think he likes this area a lot.
Grass Valley, California is just about an hour from greater Sacramento, so Newsom didn't have far to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment