A. Schwarzenegger has vetoed legislation imposing a US$60 fee on containers moving through Los Angeles and Long Beach
California's governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has vetoed legislation that would have imposed a US$60 fee on containers moving through Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The National Retail Federation has warmly welcomed the governor’s move. NRF president and CEO Tracy Mullin said. "The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the source of imported goods that are sold across the nation. This fee would have amounted to a tax that would have driven up the price of consumer goods for working Americans shopping in retail stores in virtually every state, not just California. This would have been a tax on consumers, not foreign entities. Governor Schwarzenegger did the right thing in vetoing it." She added: "Governor Schwarzenegger is correct in his assessment that this bill was laudable in its goals but flawed in its construction. As major shippers and users of California's ports, US retailers support efforts to improve port security, clean up pollution and enhance port infrastructure. This bill, however, would have violated the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, international law and US treaty obligations, and would have exposed the state of California to court challenges had it become law. Ultimately, it would have driven retailers and other shippers to look for other ports outside the state of California."