Low-Cost Car Insurance Bill

Thank you for the painfully accurate article (Part A, Jan. 18) on how the $180 auto insurance bill was unconscionably killed by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) through the actions of Assemblymen Steve Peace (R-La Mesa) and Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles).

The ironic part of this scenario was that Polanco actually approached the Minority and Consumer Coalition, who assisted in writing the bill, and requested the opportunity to co-author the bill. We recognize that it takes an exceptionally courageous assemblyman to oppose the wishes of the Speaker (Peace learned that the hard way). And, we would have understood if Polanco had turned to us and said he would no longer, because of political reasons, support this bill. He, instead, chose to continue acting as a friend, and at the last minute, withheld his vote.

Assemblywoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Los Angeles), who voted no on the bill, to her credit met with minority organizations supporting the bill and face-to-face, stated her objections to it.

We should have been forewarned about Polanco. Last year he abruptly and mysteriously disappeared from the Ways and Means Committee vote, which in a procedural attempt to kill this bill, sent it back to the Finance and Insurance Committee for a re-vote.

The saddest part of this situation is that 6 million California drivers will continue to drive in fear and face jail simply because they cannot afford to pay exorbitant auto insurance rates. In addition, up to 1 million immigrants who have been granted amnesty under the immigration laws are subject to deportation if they violate the current law, a misdemeanor of driving without a driver’s license, or a suspended license, because of the failure to provide proof of insurance.

JOHN GAMBOA

Executive Director

Latino Issues Forum

San Francisco