Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), joined by Tustin Mayor Austin Lumbard and Tustin Mayor Pro Tem Ryan Gallagher, celebrated the passage of Senate Joint Resolution 13 (SJR 13 click here) and highlighted the strong bipartisan support for the resolution.
SJR 13, authored by Senator Newman, places the California Legislature firmly on record in urging federal assistance for the disaster cleanup made necessary by last year’s catastrophic fire at the historic Navy North Fire Hangar in Tustin. The resolution successfully passed through the Legislature in July with unanimous consent.
The gathering outside the cleanup site also underscored the need for continuing federal support to address the lingering impacts of the fire. SJR 13 calls on President Biden, the U.S. Congress, and the U.S. Navy to allocate $100 million in supplemental funding for ongoing cleanup and mitigation efforts. The resolution also urges the President to declare a national emergency, recognizing the severity of the situation.
“The passage of SJR 13, which enjoyed overwhelming and bipartisan support in both the Senate and the Assembly, is a testament to the state’s commitment to the residents of Tustin and surrounding areas,” Senator Newman said. “This resolution sends a strong and clear message to our federal partners that continued action is necessary to support the ongoing recovery efforts. I’m encouraged by and grateful for the Navy’s active engagement with and for the efforts of local officials and Tustin city staff. As the cleanup work continues, it’s critical that our federal counterparts match this urgency.”
“The City of Tustin strongly supports SJR 13, which will help assure funds are available to make our community and its finances whole in the wake of the Navy North Hangar Fire,” said Tustin Mayor Austin Lumbard. “We are encouraged by the bipartisan support this crucial resolution received in both the Senate and Assembly. Our city is grateful for the hard work by Senator Newman in advancing this effort to address the impacts of the Navy North Hangar Fire and to protect public health, the environment, and our local economy.”
The fire, which broke out on November 7, 2023, destroyed one of the two historic World War II-era hangars at the former Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin. The massive wooden structure burned for nearly a month, affecting more than 1,500 homes, 29 local schools, and 14,000 residents. The City of Tustin has been left with unprecedented financial burdens as emergency expenses rapidly surpassed 100% of the city’s budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
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State Senator Josh Newman represents the 29th Senate District, which is comprised of portions of Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Bernardino County. The 29th District includes all or parts of the cities of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Chino Hills, City of Industry, Cypress, Diamond Bar, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Placentia, Rowland Heights, Stanton, Walnut, West Covina and Yorba Linda. Senator Newman is a former United States Army officer, businessperson, and veterans’ advocate, and lives in Fullerton with his wife and daughter.
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Categories: Local Government, Local News
This is not in his district right? Which senator represents Tustin, and why is Newman the one doing this?
Why? A bipartisan resolution like this gives a sense of (the opinion of) the legislature as a whole.
Legislators don’t just “vote their district” when it comes to disaster and cleanup relief. They have to work together or such things would only pass if a disaster was statewide.
Only coalitions can pass things in a majoritarian system.
Imagine if Fullerton had some disaster we didn’t cause and everyone else in the legislature told us to pound sand and voted the narrow short term interests of their district.
I don’t really see what you intend. This is not about giving the shaft to other districts, it’s about the time and attention from our own senator on an issue outside his district. The original question still stands. Why didn’t the local senator take the lead on this? Was he/she opposed to this resolution for some reason?
I don’t know. Maybe it’s a matter of committee assignments.
I looked it up and Dave Min= is a State Senator (D) for Tustin and is a bill co-author of SJR13, so, not opposed.
If Fullerton’s senator does it, it’s Fullerton news.
I think that the confusion is that while Josh Newman currently represents the 29th district, due to redistricting since his previous election, he is now running for election in the 37th district which in its present configuration includes both Fullerton and Tustin. Dave Min who represents Tustin at the moment, is running for Congress.