As Democrats contemplate what to do with their new supermajority
power in the Legislature, they should avoid Republicans' worst
fears: tax increases to restore depleted services. Nearly 2
million Californians remain unemployed. Economic growth must be
a top priority. And one of the best ways to accomplish it is to
reform the California Environmental Quality Act.  The law, known
as CEQA, requires local governments to analyze the environmental
effects of development projects and look for ways to mitigate
them. It's one reason the state has been able to preserve its
natural beauty -- a central component of its attraction for
residents and businesses -- and it has given residents a strong
voice in community development.  But it is too often abused by a
whole range of interests: NIMBYs to protect their personal
interests, labor unions as a weapon to demand contracts and
businesses to stop competition, to name just a few. As one
example, a competitor of Moe's Stop gas station in San Jose used
the law to prevent Moe