DEAN FLOREZ: Let's take sludge fight to state Supreme Court
Another decision is ahead for Kern County on the issue of Los Angeles importing its waste into our backyard. The war is over sludge, but the battle is over whether our Board of Supervisors will direct Kern County Counsel Theresa Goldner to ask the California Supreme Court to review the 5th District's recent decision and challenge its ruling that "Measure E is pre-empted by the California Integrated Waste Management Act" and conflicted with the state's "regional welfare doctrines" and therefore "exceeded Kern County's authority."
Ironically, that same day, our California Supreme Court left little doubt that it would uphold the authority of local governments to ban medical marijuana dispensaries within their borders. The pot suppliers' lawyer argued that "local ordinances conflict with state laws that allow the use of medical marijuana," saying that local government's authority to regulate land use has never extended to "totally banning activity which is lawful under state law."
Sound familiar? The pot sellers' attorney sounds a lot like the lawyers from L.A.: Local government has no say in protecting its borders if it conflicts with what has been lawful for the state.
Now here is what is different. Unlike the Fresno court, the Supreme Court justices felt differently about "restricting local authority." State marijuana laws do not limit local governments' powers, under zoning laws, "to control what happens in their own community."
The Supreme Court justices seem to care very much about what local governments have to say about protecting themselves, even if the state has a compelling interest.
The sludge battle should continue at this same Supreme Court, where Kern County should finally get a receptive audience for something we all fought very hard for in 2006: the ability of citizens to protect themselves from forced sludge dumping (Measure E) and, more importantly, from the state laws that Los Angeles seems willing and able to hide behind in order to continue dumping its unwanted waste on Kern County land. Perhaps the odor of this practice will finally reach a court where local control means something. This is a no-brainer for the Board of Supervisors: fight on.
Dean Florez
Former state Senate majority leader
Shafter
Facebook
Twitter
Mobile
RSS
Most CommentedMost Popular
Two cellphones confiscated last week from witnesses to the in-custody death of David Sal Silva were returned Wednesday to the attorney representing the witnesses.
About two dozen protesters stood in front of Kern County Superior Court next to the Liberty Bell Thursday morning to make a statement about police brutality.
The death of a man in custody following a prolonged struggle with Kern County Sheriff's deputies and CHP officers and the subsequent fracas over confiscated witness cellphones have gained international attention and raised concerns here that the incidents could tarnish the county's emerging...
Sheriff’s investigators served a search warrant on Kern Medical Center and the Mary K. Shell Mental Health Center seeking medical records to find possible reasons for David Sal Silva’s behavior prior to and during his encounter with law enforcement, The Californian learned Friday.
Blood stains are still visible on the sidewalk at the corner of Flower Street and Palm Drive, where a Bakersfield man struggled with as many as nine officers and later died this week.
Responding to what he called a case that “has consumed the media and our community,” Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said Tuesday he has asked the FBI to conduct a “parallel” investigation into the death of Bakersfield father of four David Sal Silva, who died May 8 after he was beaten by deputies.
A war of words erupted Friday over video footage taken of David Sal Silva’s deadly encounter with law enforcement officers.
Bakersfield College will vacate its 2012 state football championship and forfeit its regular-season wins from the 2011 and 2012 seasons because of California Community College Athletic Association rules violations.