Jackson –Assemblywoman Alyson Huber told some stories of her first year to members of the Amador County Business Council last week, in a meeting at Sutter Amador Hospital. Huber had no cell phone signal – a good segue into one of her battles for District 10. She said she lobbied in Washington D.C. to get broadband grants steered to Amador County. Council member Frank Lenschinsky of Volcano Communications said he “heard that loud and clear” and could help phone reception in Amador. Huber said broadbands use “tele-medical” capabilities “to get benefits from the U.C. system into our rural communities.” Amador Business Council President Anne Platt and Sutter Amador Hospital CEO said the hospital already uses that technology and has U.C. Davis medical students living in Amador, in a donated home, and “getting the experience of rural medicine.” Huber apologized for not being able to meet with the council until her 11th month in office. She said: “I’m going to let you make your own decision about my record of being business-friendly.” A member of the Jobs & Economic Development Committee, Huber said state “enterprise zones” are a “tool in our tool box right now, just not a very sharp one.” She said a big issue will be trying to refill the hole left by lost manufacturing jobs. She said she is “trying to talk with those less business-friendly in the Legislature.” Business council member Ken Deaver, owner of Deaver Vineyards, said “let us know if you want some help.” Council Executive Director Jim Conklin said Governor Schwarzenegger had vetoed Huber’s bill that would have audited the workload of the state’s 1,000 or so appointed commissions and boards. She said the state budget is $88 billion, yet pays some commissioners $130,000 a year to meet once a month. She said the state will soon face retirement deficits, in vested and contractual pensions, and will “have to pay it off” and “can’t go back and undo the decisions of the ‘60s and ’70s.” She said the governor vetoed her audit bill, saying it could be done in a 1-time audit. Huber said there is “no systemic way to review – from the top down – the entire government structure, and see where we are losing money.” She said she would bring people in to testify about government waste. The council asked Huber to meet with them once a year and will ask her to also have an aid attend its monthly meetings. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.