Bill Would Ease Air Board Change
SACRAMENTO — The State Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would make it easier for Orange County cities to appoint or replace their representative to the governing board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The bill, which was introduced by state Sen. John R. Lewis (R-Orange), reduces the current requirement of a two-thirds vote to a simple majority vote.
It was that two-thirds threshold that kept Henry W. Wedaa, a Yorba Linda councilman, in power as chairman of the board last year during an unsuccessful effort to replace him with Costa Mesa Councilman Peter F. Buffa.
Buffa is a conservative considered more sympathetic toward the business community. He was backed by a majority of the cities but failed to get two-thirds of the vote.
The bill, which was passed in a 23-5 vote, will next be voted on by the Assembly.
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