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Meeting Date
Agenda Item
Name
Email
Comment
Position
Status
City Council
10/28/2025 3:30
PM
Resolution in
support of the
Polluters Pay
Climate Superfund
Act of 2025 (Senate
Bill 684/Assembly
Bill1243)
Jane Courant janecourant@gmail
.com
Richmond must
join the many
people of
California in
support of the
popular state
effort, “Make
Polluters Pay.” I
urge you to vote
yes on this
resolution.
For Appro
10/28/25, 2:31 PM richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment https://richmond.escribemeetings.com/Pages/ReportingPrintFriendly.aspx?reporting-reporttype=PublicComment 1/1 From: Jeff Ritterman
To: City Clerk Dept User
Subject: make polluters pay
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 6:30:58 PM
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
Speaking in favor of making polluters pay
My name is Jeff Ritterman.
I am a former Richmond City Councilmember, a retired
cardiologist and a Board member of Physicians for Social Responsibility.
If someone came into your house and dumped garbage which was toxic and caused heart disease, asthma, and birth defects to you and your family, wouldn't you want them to pay for the damage to your home and the health of your family.
Let's hold those who make millions and cause toxicity and harm the health of our families accountable.
It's a simple equation.
Make polluters pay!!!!
Dr. Jeff Ritterman
From: kevin wong
To: City Clerk Dept User
Subject: Public Comment for City Council Meeting 10/28
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 5:15:38 PM
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
Hi, I would like to submit the following comment for the council meeting tonight.
I'm writing to urge the council to pass the resolution in support of CA SB684. The burning of oil and gas has lead to significant impacts on our state, most of which are born by communities like the city of Richmond.
It is basic fairness that companies should be responsible for the negative impacts of their products.
Arguments that the bill would raise prices for consumers are unfounded.
The bill does not tax gas stations and California law tightly regulates the price of gas and prohibits passing on the cost of taxes to consumers.
The only way
prices would go up is if Oil companies break the law.
Meanwhile everyday citizens are left to deal with the costs of burning fossil fuels:
higher food prices as a result of droughts, higher housing costs as a result of rising insurance and wildfire hardening, higher healthcare costs from polluted air and water, and higher energy costs from dealing with extreme heat and the costs of an electricity grid that can withstand extreme weather.
Please, do the right thing and urge Sacramento to pass CA SB684 Thanks,
- Kevin
From: Marilyn Sargent
To: City Clerk Dept User
Subject: comments on Climate Superfund
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 5:37:43 PM
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
To the Richmond City Council,
I live in Richmond and support the rule to create a superfund to recover from toxins and pollutants which come from fossil fuel production and any other pollution covered by the rule.
I live close to Chevron and close to the building materials plant (Gold) in Point Richmond.
I smell awful chemical
smells and see the flared smoke on a regular basis.
My car parked outside receives much more dust, dirt and debris deposited from the air than in any other location.
We have to consider what these
plants may leave behind in our soil and air.
Most importantly, we have to take care of the health effects on people in the community.
Otherwise, we will be left with the hurt, while they leave with the profits.
We need a Climate Superfund.
From:
Marilyn Sargent, Point Richmond, Richmond CA 94801
--
Marilyn Sargent
From: Mark Orcutt
To: Eduardo Martinez; Jamelia Brown; Cesar Zepeda; Doria Robinson; Soheila Bana; Sue Wilson; Claudia Jimenez; Shasa Curl; City Clerk Dept User
Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item #O.2
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025 9:03:32 AM
Attachments: image001.png
Richmond_Polluters Pay Resolution_10.28.25.pdf
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
This email originated from outside of the City's email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
Dear Mayor Martinez and Members of the Richmond City Council,
On behalf of the East Bay Leadership Council, I am writing to share the attached letter regarding the resolution in support of the proposed Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act (SB 684 / AB 1243). The letter outlines our concerns about the economic impacts of this legislation and urges the Council to reconsider its support.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Best regards,
Mark Orcutt
---
Mark Orcutt | He/Him
President & CEO | East Bay Leadership Council
O: 925-246-1880 | C: 415-312-1394
www.eastbayleadershipcouncil.com
October 28, 2025
Richmond City Council
440 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, CA 94804
RE: Polluters Pay Resolution
Mayor Martinez and Members of the Richmond City Council:
As a public policy organization representing hundreds of employers across Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, the East Bay Leadership Council (EBLC) knows how essential local governance is to sustaining regional economic vitality and quality of life. For nearly 90 years, EBLC has built a reputation for balanced advocacy that considers the needs of employers, workers, and communities across the region.
We respectfully urge the Council to reconsider support for the proposed Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act (SB 684 / AB 1243). While EBLC supports California’s climate goals, this legislation would assign decades of retroactive financial liability to select industries—costs that would ultimately be passed on to consumers. The California Center for Jobs & the Economy estimates the proposal could add roughly $51.7 billion per year in new costs, or about $3,400 annually per household, with the greatest burden falling on renters and low-income families already struggling with affordability.
Symbolic resolutions like this one may make a statement, but they do not move us closer to real climate progress. Instead, they risk endorsing policies that raise costs for residents and jeopardize local jobs without achieving meaningful emissions reductions.
Industries that have long operated in and contributed to Richmond already play a significant role in supporting the city’s fiscal stability and employment base. Proposals that add retroactive financial penalties risk discouraging investment and reducing resources available for essential public services.
Thank you for your consideration and for your continued commitment to the East Bay’s economic and environmental health. I am available for any questions.
Sincerely,
Mark Orcutt
President & CEO
East Bay Leadership Council