SACRAMENTO - A bill by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) that would allow the Smith River Rancheria to join the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority won unanimous, bipartisan approval today from the state Assembly’s Local Government Committee.
"Del Norte County depends on the whole community pulling together to make progress toward economic prosperity and the tribal governments are an essential part of this team work," said Chesbro, who presented his bill to the Committee this afternoon. "Elk Valley Rancheria has been a valuable member of the Airport Joint Powers Authority since its inception in 2007. This bill will grant the same status to Smith River Rancheria, which has been invited by all five members of the JPA to join them."
Assembly Bill 798 would amend Section 6529 of the California Government Code to designate the Smith River Rancheria Tribal Council a "public agency" for the purpose of entering "into a joint powers agreement with County of Del Norte County and the City of Crescent City, or both," a status that Elk Valley Rancheria already enjoys.
Members of the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority JPA, which manages Crescent City’s commercial airport, Jack McNamara Field, are Crescent City, Del Norte County, Elk Valley Rancheria, Brookings, Ore. and Curry County in Oregon.
Smith River Rancheria Tribal Administrator Russ Crab Tree, Elk Valley Rancheria Tribal Chairman Dale Miller and Del Norte County Supervisor David Finigan, who also chairs the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority, each testified in support of AB 798 at today’s hearing.
Chesbro authored a similar bill last year, which passed both houses of the Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, but then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it.
"I’m hopeful that our new governor will see the value of allowing tribal governments such as Smith River Rancheria to participate in the management of important local economic drivers like the airport in Crescent City," Chesbro said.
The next stop for AB 798 is the Assembly Floor for a full vote of the lower house.
CONTACT: Andrew Bird, (916) 319-2001
