Legislative Wrap-Up: Town Hall Meetings, Housing Market, Military Base Closures

Rep. George Miller (D-Concord) is hosting three town hall meetings on Saturday in Central Contra Costa County.

The forums begin at 9 a.m. at the Orinda Library, 10:30 a.m. at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek and at noon at Pleasant Hill Elementary School.

The focus of the meetings will be the major issues facing Congress.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) will host a Coffee With Your Congressman gathering this weekend.

The event begins is from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Hayward Memorial Hall, 22737 Main St. in Hayward.

Swalwell also joined other congressional representatives in signing a letter opposing two proposals by the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

The agency is considering lowering the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan limits across the country as well as requiring minimum down payments as high as 30 percent.

Swalwell said these changes could destabilize the Bay Area's recovering housing market.

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa) introduced legislation to help communities hit by military base closures and realignments.

H.R. 3439 would expand the New Markets Tax Credit by authorizing up to $100 million per year for distressed communities that have had a military base closed.

Rep. Mike Honda (D-San Jose) will host a high-technology workshop this weekend.

The event begins at 9 a.m. at Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Building 400, Los Altos Hills.

The workshop will provide for local educators on how to promote STEM studies in the classroom.

Honda also introduced legislation recognizing October as Bullying Prevention Awareness Month.

"From our classrooms to the workplace to even our homes, bullying affects people of every age, income level, ethnicity, and sexual orientation in this country," said Honda.

State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) announced his office will lead an investigation into the issues that plagued the construction of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge.

DeSaulnier will also oversee a series of hearings before the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee.

“While I am glad that the toll payers are finally able to cross the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge, it is important that we examine the problems that caused the construction of the new span to be 10 years late and $5 billion over budget,” said DeSaulnier. “The need for a new eastern span has been evident since the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989 and our committee will investigate the key decisions that shaped this project over the past 24 years."

State Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) announced figures that showed California collected $263 million in the 2012-2013 fiscal year from out-of-state online merchants.

Skinner co-authored AB 155, which took effect on Sept. 15, 2012 and allows the state to collect sales tax on online purchases.

State Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) is hosting a Covered California and health care workshop this weekend.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Cherrywood Elementary School, 2550 Greengate Road in San Jose.