[Editor: For more information about Mike Ioakimedes, see his website: Ioakimedes4Solano.com. – RS]
Mike understands the issues when it comes to Crude By Rail and other local health and safety issues
A recent newspaper article mistakenly gave credit to only two of the three candidates for County Supervisor who clearly oppose Valero crude by rail. Benicia’s own Mike Ioakimedes made his position perfectly clear on Friday in his Facebook posting. I endorse Mike for County Supervisor for his stand on CBR, and for his local understanding of the issues raised over the past 3 years’ of review, hearings and fierce citizen opposition in Benicia and uprail communities. Please vote for Mike Ioakimedes on June 7. Here is Mike’s excellent Facebook statement:
Mike Ioakimedes for Solano County Supervisor
May 20 at 2:57pm
Today I’d like to address a topic that’s at the forefront of many voters’ minds: crude oil by rail.
Lately some concerned citizens and community activists have pressed me to expand upon my position concerning Valero’s crude oil by rail proposal. Here’s the short answer: I can’t support a proposal until I am convinced that it is safe and meets our local health and safety standards. As presented, this proposal doesn’t meet those standards. That’s it. If it doesn’t meet our standards (and right now, this proposal doesn’t), I don’t believe it should be approved, and would not vote for approval myself.
The crude oil by rail proposal is critical not only to the health and safety of our community, but also to a very basic principle of local government – the right of the community to have a say in decisions that deeply affect that community. The threat isn’t from only one project: the VMT proposal in Vallejo and the coal train controversy in Oakland are two other instances where federal preemption could result in significant health risks to surrounding communities. Solano County’s District 2 includes the deep water ports of both Vallejo and Benicia. If the federal government has the right to regulate commerce without any say from the local community, then both of these ports could be forced to receive dangerous cargo that may have a significant impact on our health and safety.
I believe that the most important responsibility of local government is to protect the health and safety of its residents. Nothing should ever force a local elected official to abdicate or subordinate that responsibility. In fact, I consider it more than a responsibility – I consider it a sacred trust between government and citizens.
Please join me in the fight to preserve and defend local control over local health and safety. This is about more than one project. We must work to protect every community along the rail corridor.
For information on how to register and where to vote, see Steve Young’s LINKS PAGE.