Category Archives: Benicia Mayor Steve Young

Benicia Mayor Steve Young, Democracy under attack, Donald Trump, Local vigilance, No Kings!, Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible

Benicia Mayor Steve Young: NO KINGS DAY Speech

June 15, 2025 Roger Straw

Mayor Young receives kudos for his speech at the Vallejo NO KINGS DAY rally

Benicia Mayor Steve Young, NO KINGS, Vallejo, CA, 6/14/25. Photo: Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible.

[Editor’s comment: Several Benicians who were at the NO KINGS rally in Vallejo said Mayor Young’s speech was excellent. I asked Steve for a copy and here is what he sent. Note more photos and comments on Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible Facebook page. – R.S.]

By Benicia Mayor Steve Young, June 14, 2025

Back on Memorial Day I gave a speech in which I decried the proposed cuts of 83,000 jobs in the VA and speculated that cuts of this size would put veterans at risk. Afterwards, I was criticized for politicizing the event. So I want to make it clear that I am speaking only for myself and not the City of Benicia.

On the opposite coast, a vanity birthday parade is costing $50 million. How many services to veterans could be paid for with that $50 million?

Let’s talk about what is happening in LA. What the feds are doing has multiple purposes.

1. Spread a false narrative that all of LA is on fire and subject to riots and looting. When some anarchists or provocateurs, or the military itself, may instigate violence, it plays straight into their hands. It creates video clips that will play round the clock on Fox and during the 26 elections.
2. It is also a blatant attempt to spread fear and to normalize the use of the military for domestic law enforcement.
3. Because nothing says things are normal like tanks in the streets of DC and marines in LA. Their purpose is to bully and intimidate the rest of us.

Trump is a man who prizes loyalty over the law, and control over freedom. In fact, his calls for law and order are empty as he does not respect the rule of law, and has no respect for due process.

And why the focus on LA? It is nearly half Latino, and immigrants are the lifeblood of that, and other communities.

ICE queen Kristi Noem says LA is a “city of criminals”, while Stephen Miller calls undocumented immigrants “invaders” and protestors as “insurrectionists”.

And why are they there? According to ICE Barbie, “To liberate Los Angeles and California from the socialist and bumbling failures of our Governor and the LA Mayor.”

In other words, if they disapprove of who we elect, they reserve the right to bring in the military to “liberate” us from our wrong-headed decisions.

The riots on Jan. 6, however, had real insurrectionists who took over the Capitol in an attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power, who threatened to kill the VP, and attacked police resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.

Meanwhile, not only was the national guard not called, but every single one of the convicted insurrectionists were pardoned. This gives ICE and other agents who may be enforcing illegal orders the belief that, even if they act in a clearly illegal manner, that they will be pardoned.

This is no longer about the mass deportation of violent criminal immigrants. Now, anyone who is undocumented is considered a criminal and an enemy – including children and US citizens.

It is worth noting that there has been no crackdown on employers of undocumented immigrants. No chicken or beef processing plant owners or farmers have been cited, much less arrested. Only their workers.

And somehow it is OK for ICE agents to be masked and operate without judicial warrants, but protestors who are masked are subject to arrest?

But maybe Trump is chickening out. Maybe his corporate billionaire advisers finally got through to him and made him partly realize the utter insanity of his deportation agenda. That it is immigrants who keep our economy running. Who do the work that most Americans don’t or won’t do. Farm workers, domestic workers, hotel staff, construction workers, restaurant workers. These are the “really bad, violent” criminals we want to deport?

At midnight on June 13, Trump directed ICE to abruptly halt all immigrant raids at farms, restaurants, hotels, and the like. Trump also directed ICE to stop so-called ‘collateral arrests’ where ICE randomly detains and arrests non-criminal immigrants.

Is this real? Who knows? But I do know his policies are massively unpopular, and becoming more so by the day. And he caved before a single protestor hit the streets.

Does that mean we should not continue to protest? No, we need to do it louder and more often. Can we force him from office? Not until after the elections next year.

So what can we do?

As an elected official and a Democrat, I have a message to the Democratic Party.

Stop texting me every 15 minutes asking for money. Get away from the consultant class offering their ineffective advice. Get out into the field like Bernie and AOC who drew huge crowds all across the country.

Is there a single Democrat in Congress calling for impeachment? Only Elon Musk.

What we need is our own Project 2029. What should it include?

- Codify a woman’s right to choose
- Codify equal rights and marriage rights for all
- Institute universal health care or Medicare for All
- Eliminate the electoral college
- Eliminate the Citizens United decision
- Term Limits across the board, including the Supreme Court
- Prohibit gerrymandering
- Make college affordable
- Adopt common sense gun regulations
- Tax the rich – no tax cuts for people making over $250k
- Cap CEO pay at 35x lowest paid employees
- Tax Megachurches
- More renewable energy

These are things that polls have consistently shown are very popular with people. Democrats need to start working for what people want, not for what corporations will accept.

As we leave here to continue our right to assemble and exercise free speech, be careful. Don’t take the bait by allowing violence when instigators like anarchists, provocateurs or proud boys try to start something.

Our efforts can only prevail through continued nonviolent protest.

The founders fought a revolution to defeat the same things we are fighting.

- Unlimited executive power
- Use of a standing army to suppress dissent
- Lack of due process
- Suppression of freedom of assembly and free speech.

We are the defenders of our country and our Constitution. Reclaim the flag. We are the real patriots. It is up to us. Complacency is not an option.

Benicia CA, Benicia Mayor Steve Young, CA Gov. Gavin Newsom, Just transition, Travis Air Force Base, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero Energy Corporation

KQED: Benicia’s Valero Refinery may NOT close – “Hail Mary” possible?

April 28, 2025 BenIndy

Potential Valero Refinery Closure Leaves Benicia, State Officials Scrambling for Alternatives

KQED News, By Matthew Green, April 26, 2025

The Valero refinery in Benicia on Sept. 21, 2023. The potential closure of the massive Benicia oil refinery by next April would have a huge impact on both the city’s economy and the state’s oil supply. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)

A week after Valero announced plans to “idle, restructure or cease” operations at its massive Benicia oil refinery by next April, company executives said that while the plant’s closure was more than likely, it was not yet a foregone conclusion.

In an earnings call Thursday, Valero executives left open the possibility of a Hail Mary, saying they had plans to meet with state and local officials to discuss potential options.

“I do think there’s a genuine interest in California to avoid the closure,” Richard Walsh, Valero’s executive vice president, said during the call. But he quickly added, “Our current intent right now is to close the refinery.”

In an earnings call Thursday, Valero executives left open the possibility of a Hail Mary, saying they had plans to meet with state and local officials to discuss potential options.

Valero CEO Lane Riggs cited California’s tough “regulatory and enforcement environment” as the main driver behind the company’s intent to cease operations at the sprawling North Bay facility. The sixth-largest refinery in the state, it currently produces up to 145,000 barrels of crude oil a day, accounting for about 9% of the state’s production.

“California has been pursuing policies to move away from fossil fuels for really the past 20 years,” Riggs said, calling the state’s regulations “the most stringent and difficult of anywhere else in North America.”

Benicia Mayor Steve Young doesn’t disagree with the assessment, but said he wishes the company had provided more lead time.

“We need to get moving on this quickly because 12 months is not a long time given the severity of the economic impact,” said Young, noting that nearly 20% of Benicia’s $60 million budget comes from the refinery. “I think that’s part of my frustration, is how little time we have to try to plan for some kind of an alternative.”

Shutting down the facility, he added, would also be a major blow to the hundreds of residents who work there, not to mention the scores of restaurants, hotels and other businesses that provide services to those workers in this city of some 27,000 residents.

The Valero refinery is also the exclusive supplier of jet fuel to nearby Travis Air Force Base, which it delivers through a direct pipeline.

“If that is stopped, what does that mean to the base?” Young said. “Travis uses an amazing amount of fuel to fly all their planes, much more than can be easily replaced, and certainly not replaced within a year. So I think that this becomes a matter of real concern to the Defense Department and it’s potentially a national security issue.”

Valero dropped its bombshell April 16 announcement roughly six months after regional and state air regulators fined the company a record $82 million for secretly exceeding toxic emissions standards for at least 15 years. And last month, city leaders voted unanimously to impose moderate new safety regulations on the facility.

Map showing location of Valero's Benicia refinery — Map by Matthew Green/KQED

“I suspect that compared to other refinery operators, they’re a pretty good business operator. But they’ve also had a pretty bad track record on public safety,” said Terry Mollica, who leads a group of residents that pushed for the city’s new safety rules to increase oversight of the refinery.

But Mollica said that he doesn’t think anybody in his group is particularly excited about the possibility of the facility closing altogether.

“There would be long-term and short-term impacts on the community,” he said. “People would lose their jobs. None of us want to see that happen particularly.”

Valero has owned and operated the Benicia refinery since 2000. The refinery was originally built in 1968 for Humble Oil, later called Exxon, and began operations the following year.

Its possible closure comes amid a growing exodus of traditional oil refiners in California. Phillips 66’s refinery in Rodeo and Marathon’s facility in Martinez both recently converted operations to biofuel production. Phillips 66 also plans to close its Los Angeles-area refinery — the seventh largest in the state — later this year.

And Valero executives, in this week’s earnings call, hinted that they may also soon consider “strategic alternatives” for the company’s only other California refinery, located near Los Angeles, which accounts for more than 5% of the state’s crude oil supply.

“California is phasing out its gasoline consumption and refiners see that coming,” said Severin Borenstein, a UC Berkeley energy economist. “We should be seriously concerned about how all that gasoline supply is going to get replaced.”

California has dramatically reduced its reliance on fossil fuels in recent decades, but most residents still drive gas-powered cars and will continue to do so for years to come, Borenstein said, even though the state already has some of the highest gas prices in the nation.

Gov. Gavin Newsom underscored that sense of urgency this week in a letter (PDF) to California Energy Commission Vice Chair Siva Gunda. He urged the commission to “redouble” its efforts to ensure refiners “continue to see the value in serving the California market, even as demand for fossil fuels continues its gradual decline over the coming decades.”

“I am directing you … to reinforce the State’s openness to a collaborative relationship and our firm belief that Californians can be protected from price spikes and refiners can profitably operate in California — a market where demand for gasoline will still exist for years to come,” Newsom wrote.

A customer prepares to pump gas into his truck at a Valero gas station on July 22, 2013 in Mill Valley. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Almost immediately after Valero’s announcement, Newsom was lambasted by state Assembly Republicans, who said the potential closure was among the growing number of “real-world consequences” of [his] war on California energy producers that was “becoming clearer by the day.”

In his letter, Newsom defended two different laws he signed in the last two years that give the state more oversight of the oil industry and regulate backup supply when refineries go offline in order to prevent market irregularities. He also asked state energy and environmental officials to produce a report by July 1 on “any changes in the State’s approach that are needed to ensure adequate supply during this transition.”

“The California Energy Commission continues to be committed to working with stakeholders to explore options to ensure an affordable, reliable, and safe transportation fuel supply,” Sandy Louey, a spokesperson for the commission, said in an email in response to Newsom’s letter.

Young, whose city has long felt the health impacts of the refinery’s toxic releases, said he understands the motivation behind California’s ambitious regulations.

“I think certainly [California’s] done them for lots of good environmental reasons, and that obviously climate change is a real thing and burning fossil fuels is a direct contributor to it,” he said. “Did they go too far? I don’t want to say that. But it certainly has created an environment where oil companies feel that either they’ve been unfairly targeted or they are just seeing this as perhaps a way to negotiate some rollbacks of some of those things.”

Young acknowledged that the refinery’s closure would yield some “net benefit” to the health and safety of his community.

“And so from an environmental point of view, sure, it’s certainly possible to look at it as a silver lining,” he said. “But overall, given how quick this is unfolding, I’m certainly not celebrating it by any means.”

Benicia CA, Benicia City Council, Benicia City Council Member Kari Birdseye, Benicia City Council Member Trevor Macenski, Benicia elections, Benicia Mayor, Benicia Mayor Steve Young, Benicia Measure F, Benicia Measure G, Benicia Measure H, Benicia Vice-Mayor Terry Scott, Benicia's Budget Crisis, Local elections, Tom Campbell

Your Vote, Our Future: Benicia City Council, Community Groups Urge YES Votes on Measures F, G and H

November 3, 2024 BenIndy

Benicia Mayor Steve Young, Vice Mayor Terry Scott, and City Council Members Tom Campbell, Trevor Macenski, and Kari Birdseye have endorsed YES votes on Measures F, G and H for Benicia’s future. They are joined by the Napa-Solano Central Labor Council, Solano County Democratic Party, Benicia Police Officers’ Association, Benicia Dispatchers’ Association, the Fire people, and the Solano Association of Relators. | Images from City of Benicia and organizations’ sites.

November 3, 2024

Dear Benicia Voters,

As your City Council, we are unified in supporting Measures F, G, and H, which represent a lasting investment in Benicia’s future—strengthening our roads, enhancing infrastructure, and preserving essential services that safeguard our quality of life.

These measures weren’t proposed lightly. They reflect thoughtful planning and a vision to secure a stable, vibrant Benicia for generations to come.

While new taxes can be challenging, they’re a pathway to achieving a resilient city that thrives.

The strength of this vision is reflected in the broad support we’ve received from the Benicia Police Officers Association, Benicia Dispatchers Association, Benicia Fire Association, Solano County Association of Realtors, Napa-Solano Labor Council, California Democratic Party, and many other organizations. With these measures, we’re building a legacy of excellence and reliability that our city deserves.

Let’s come together and Believe in Benicia’s bright future.

Here’s what each measure will accomplish:

Measure F – Street Repair Sales Tax

A citizen-initiative 0.5% (half-cent) sales tax
Dedicated exclusively to street repair
Includes oversight by an independent citizens committee
Revenue cannot be used for any other purpose

Measure G – Limited Charter City Status

Establishes Benicia as a Limited Charter City
Limited and Sole purpose is to enable implementation of the Real Property Transfer Tax (Measure H).

Measure H – Real Property Transfer Tax (RPTT)

Applies to residential and commercial property sales
Includes important exemptions:
- Family transfers (spouse, children, parents, grandparents)
- Property transfers into trusts
- Mortgage refinancing
- Creates a sustainable revenue source as Benicia grows with new housing development.
RPTT is a one-time tax (closing cost) only affecting sale of residential and commercial property and can be paid by either party or negotiated.

We strongly believe these Measures will significantly improve Benicia’s future.

While we encourage your support, we most appreciate your thoughtful consideration of both supporting and opposing arguments. Your engagement in this process ensures that the outcome truly reflects our community’s will.

Thank you for your participation in this crucial decision-making process.

Sincerely,

The Benicia City Council

Mayor Steve Young
Vice Mayor Terry Scott
Council Member Trevor Macenski
Council Member Kari Birdseye
Council Member Tom Campbell

Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), Benicia Mayor Steve Young, California Air Resources Board (CARB), Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO), Valero Benicia Refinery

Air District and CARB fine Valero Refining Co. $82 million for Benicia air quality violations

October 31, 2024 BenIndy

Smoke from the Valero Benicia refinery during a 2017 incident. | Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Bay Area Air Quality Management District, October 31, 2024
(Emph. added by BenIndy)

SAN FRANCISCO – The Bay Area Air Quality Management District and California Air Resources Board are announcing today a nearly $82 million penalty in a joint case to address significant air pollution violations by Valero Refining Co. at its Benicia refinery. This penalty is the largest ever assessed in the Air District’s history.

Over $64 million of these funds will be returned to the local community to finance projects aimed at reducing air pollution exposure, mitigating air pollution impacts and improving public health in areas surrounding the refinery. These projects will be selected through a public process with input from residents, community organizations, elected officials and advocates representing the impacted area. The remainder of the penalty will be used to fund beneficial clean air projects in overburdened communities throughout the Bay Area, as well as to offset the costs of investigating and prosecuting the case. In total, nearly $80 million of this historic penalty will be returned to Bay Area communities.

“Today’s historic penalty against Valero Refining Co. for its egregious emissions violations underscores the Air District’s unwavering commitment to holding polluters accountable and safeguarding the health of those living in refinery communities,” said Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Air District. “Investing these funds back into the community will empower local residents to drive air quality projects that benefit the surrounding neighborhoods, advancing our mission of cleaner air for all.”

“CARB is pleased to have supported the Air District in investigating and settling this important case that helps remediate the harms Valero’s operations caused to surrounding communities,” said CARB Executive Officer Dr. Steven Cliff. “The Air District’s new community fund provides critical funding for projects that improve air quality and public health for impacted local communities. CARB is proud to direct the majority of its share of the penalties from this settlement to the community fund to expand the reach of its projects.”

“This penalty sends a strong message; adherence to air quality standards is both necessary and expected, and failure to do so can lead to significant fines,” said Steve Young, Benicia Mayor and a member of the Air District Board of Directors. “Benicia residents need to know that air quality violations are taken seriously. The use of these funds will help us address local air quality issues going forward. I am grateful for the work of the Air District, CARB and the California Department of Justice in helping bring this long-standing issue to conclusion.”

The penalty stems from a 2019 inspection that found unreported emissions from the facility’s hydrogen system containing harmful organic compounds in violation of Air District regulations. These organic compounds contributed to the Bay Area’s regional smog and particulate pollution problems, and they contained benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, or BTEX, compounds, which cause cancer, reproductive harm and other toxic health effects. Air District inspectors discovered that refinery management had known since at least 2003 that emissions from the hydrogen system contained these harmful and toxic air contaminants but did not report them or take any steps to prevent them. The refinery emitted an estimated 8,400 tons of these organic compounds in total over this period in violation of Air District regulations – an average of more than 2.7 tons for each day on which a violation occurred, over 360 times the legal limit.

Subsequent investigations uncovered a host of other problems involving the hydrogen system, including emissions in violation of applicable limits, failure to install required emissions abatement equipment, failure to inspect equipment for leaks and failure to report required information, among other violations.

The Air District sought abatement orders from its independent Hearing Board to require Valero to abate ongoing violations. In conjunction with CARB, the Air District has now assessed this monetary penalty to resolve all the violations. In addition to the penalty, Valero will be required to undertake several measures to prevent future violations. Valero will be required to reconfigure the facility’s main hydrogen vent and vents in its hydrogen production plants to prevent emissions from being released directly into the atmosphere. Valero will also be required to implement a training program to ensure that its staff are fully aware of all relevant Air District regulations.

In May 2024, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board of Directors adopted a groundbreaking policy that directs a significant portion of penalty funds to the communities most impacted by air quality violations. Under this policy, most of these penalty funds will be reinvested in local projects specifically designed to reduce pollution and enhance public health. To help improve regional air quality and advance the Air District’s environmental justice and equity goals, penalty funds will be allocated in accordance with this new policy. The policy will ensure that significant amounts of large penalties benefit the community where the violation occurred while also setting aside funds to address the needs of communities overburdened with air pollution that may not have industrial sources that could be subject to large penalties.

This penalty is the third major fine the Air District has assessed against Bay Area refineries this year. In February, the Air District announced a $20 million penalty against the Chevron refinery in Richmond, and earlier this month the Air District announced a $5 million penalty against the Marathon refinery in Martinez. “These significant penalties should put the refineries and other industrial operations on notice,” said Alexander Crockett, the Air District’s general counsel. “If you violate our regulations and pollute our air, we will hold you accountable to the maximum extent provided for by law.”

The joint prosecution with CARB is also indicative of a new level of cooperation among enforcement agencies for air quality violations. The Air District will look to partner with other agencies where appropriate to ensure that maximum enforcement resources are brought to bear for significant violations.

CARB is charged with protecting the public from the harmful effects of air pollution and developing programs and actions to fight climate change. From requirements for clean cars and fuels to adopting innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, California has pioneered a range of effective approaches that have set the standard for effective air and climate programs for the nation, and the world.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is the regional agency responsible for protecting air quality in the nine-county Bay Area. Connect with the Air District via X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.