recreation programs to improve the quality of life

Comprehensive Legislative Update 6-5-2010 (29 pages - 578Kb pdf document)

CARPD Legislative Update Summary - July 2010
By Ralph A. Heim

STATE BUDGET
The start of the new fiscal year came and went with the Legislature and Governor miles apart on how to resolve the current $19 billion state budget deficit.

But, alas, the Assembly Speaker and Senate President decided to allow their members to return to their districts on July 2nd, the start of the scheduled month-long Summer Recess, but cautioned them to be prepared to return to Sacramento on short notice should there be a breakthrough in the budget impasse.

The leadership and members of the Budget Conference Committee will remain in Sacramento to continue budget negotiations and one or more “Big 5” meetings are scheduled in the coming days.

In recent weeks, there have actually been 3 budget proposals in play—the Governor’s; the Assembly Democrats; and, the Senate Democrats, but the Assembly Speaker and Senate President announced on June 30th that Senate and Assembly Democrats have, or are very close, to melding their competing budget proposals into one all Democrats will support.

Key to the Democrats’ plan is an oil severance tax, which as of this writing is opposed by the Governor and virtually all Republican legislators. Also melded into the Democrats’ proposal is the state/county realignment proposal the Senate Democrats’ developed with the counties input, that would define which health/human services and law enforcement programs will be conducted by the state and which by the counties, coupled with funding to fully pay the counties for such service delivery.

As of this writing, it’s impossible to predict when a budget compromise will come together, so we wait….

WHAT HAPPENED TO REFORM?
Earlier this year it appeared the Legislature was poised to enact the reforms developed by California Forward relating to the state budget process and others related to the state/local fiscal relationship. As of this writing, there are a number of proposal still active regarding the state budget process, including a 2-year budget proposal, but other than the state/counties realignment proposal now contained in the Democrats’ budget cited above, much of the remaining California Forward proposals relating to the state/local fiscal relationship appear to have dropped off the reform agenda, including the Communitywide Strategic Action Plan. California Forward is planning community forums around the state to seek input on a host of state/local reform proposals, including the Communitywide Strategic Action Plan and these, too, need to be monitored and attended when possible.

LEGISLATION
July 2nd was the deadline for policy committees to act upon bills that must also be heard by the fiscal committees. The deadline for fiscal committees’ to report bills to the Assembly or Senate Floor is August 13th. There is some speculation that both the Senate/Assembly Appropriations Committees’ will meet during the Summer Recess and should they do so, will certainly reduce the number of bills the Committees’ will have to hear prior to August 13th.

Presented below are short summaries and the status of a number of bills CARPD is currently following:

Assembly Bill 155 (Mendoza):
This is the local government bankruptcy legislation that would provide that local agency may only file under federal bankruptcy law with the approval of the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission. Assembly Bill 155 is pending on the Senate’s Inactive File, but we expect the bill will be removed from the Inactive File sometime in August. CARPD remains opposed to Assembly Bill 155.
Assembly Bill 1955 (De La Torre):
This bill attempts to add two new conditions to trigger local incompatible offices, which are the power of eminent domain and the statutory authority to charge fees and/or impose taxes. Sponsored by the Los Angeles District Attorney, most legal experts believe adding these two new conditions would virtually eliminate persons serving on two or more elected local bodies, including joint powers authorities. On June 30th, Assembly Bill 1955 was defeated in the Senate Local Government Committee on a 1 to 3 vote. CARPD opposes Assembly Bill 1955.
Senate Bill 503 (Kehoe):
This bill would require the State Controller to select one or more projects funded by any state general obligation bond act approved on or after January 1, 2010. The purpose is to ensure state general obligation bond approved projects are utilizing those funds for their intended purpose. Senate Bill 503 is pending on the Assembly Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File, to be taken-up sometime in August. CARPD supports Senate Bill 503.
Senate Bill 623 (Ashburn):
This bill would prohibit a local agency from entering into a financial advisory, legal advisory, underwriting, or similar relationship with an individual or firm with respect to a bond issue that requires voter approval on or after January 1, 2011, if that individual or firm, or an employee, agent, or person related to an employee or agent of the individual or firm, provided or will provide bond campaign services to the bond campaign. Senate Bill 623 was approved by the Senate Local Government Committee on June 30th on a 5 to 2 vote. CARPD supports Senate Bill 623.
Senate Bill 1374 (Kehoe): This bill would add new and important requirements on redevelopment agencies and plan amendment procedures. Included are requirements the redevelopment agency meet with all interested parties, including all taxing agencies; include all comments received from interested parties, including taxing agencies, in the plan amendment’s written report, and, require that all such comments are discussed by the redevelopment agency in public hearing prior to adopting the plan amendment. Senate Bill 1374 is pending on the Assembly’s Consent Calendar. CARPD supports Senate Bill 1374.

NOVEMBER BALLOT MEASURES
The Secretary of State has assigned numbers to the ten measures that will appear on November’s General Election ballot. As of this writing, it appears the Governor and Legislature are prepared to remove Proposition 18, the water bond. Proposition 21 establishes the $18 annual vehicle license fee surcharge to help fund state parks and wildlife programs and grants free admission to all state parks to surcharged vehicles. Proposition 22 is the “save local revenues” initiative and is supported by CARPD.

Comprehensive Legislative Update June 6, 2010 (29 pages - Word doc)

CARPD California Association of Recreation & Park Districts, P.O. Box 22671, Sacramento, CA 95822

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