Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutLocal Government Sign-On Letter - Opposition to Forthcoming Wildfire Liability Reform Package - Aug 2026Page 1 of 7 Page 2 of 7 Page 3 of 7 August 27, 2026 The Honorable Monique Limón The Honorable Robert Rivas Senate President pro Tempore Assembly Speaker California State Senate California State Assembly 1021 O Street, Suite 8518 1021 O Street, Suite 8330 Sacramento, CA 95814 Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: Opposition to Forthcoming Wildfire Liability Reform Package that Would Limit Public Agency Recovery Dear Senate Pro Tem Limon and Assembly Speaker Rivas, On behalf of the League of California Cities (Cal Cities), the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), and the undersigned local elected officials, cities and counties, we are calling on you to reject efforts to limit public agency recovery when private electric utilities cause wildfires, as proposed in the Governor’s wildfire liability reform package, prompted by the SB 254 Report. This proposal will wrongly shift costs to taxpayers and force devastating consequences on public agencies and wildfire victims already struggling to rebuild their communities. The proposal relies on the false hopes that public property, infrastructure and emergency response costs can be recovered from FEMA or insurance. Limiting public agency recovery will only shift costs to taxpayers and leave public agencies financially stranded – or even worse, bankrupt. We strongly oppose the following reforms and urge the Legislature to reject them outright from being included in any wildfire package that will advance this legislative session. 1. Limiting Public Property and Infrastructure Damages Imperils Public Agencies Tasked with Rebuilding their Communities The proposal will have negligent private electric utilities pay just pennies on the dollar to rebuild critical infrastructure and public facilities that are destroyed. Limiting such costs to the mere depreciated value of the public facility or infrastructure will impact the rebuilding of: Page 4 of 7 • Public facilities and buildings • Water, sewer, roads, communication, and traffic signal infrastructure • Parks, schools, libraries, and fire stations When a private electric utility causes a wildfire, they are required to fully compensate for property damage. Public agencies cannot rebuild damaged infrastructure on recovery dollars that only cover the depreciated value of an asset. Rebuilding public facilities and infrastructure is not a luxury - it is an essential public service for homeowners, businesses, and communities to return home. 2. Limiting Recovery for Emergency Response and Mutual Aid Forces Public Agencies to Absorb Costs and Increase Financial Risk, Waiting Years For FEMA Reimbursement While Communities Struggle to Recover The proposal prevents public agencies from recovering emergency response and mutual aid costs from the very private electric utilities who cause these devastating wildfires and inappropriately suggest FEMA as the solution. Limiting emergency response cost recovery will be catastrophic for small jurisdictions and fracture our mutual aid system upon which the state and communities rely on. There is a federal obligation to pursue negligent parties per the Stafford Act. This will create ambiguity when negligent parties must meet that requirement and will jeopardize federal reimbursement. FEMA has strict rules on recoverability, and some events aren’t even eligible for FEMA reimbursement. Since FEMA is a reimbursement model, funds must be spent upfront. Interpretations in FEMA change from Administration to Administration, creating uncertainty whether future relief will even be available for these incidents. 3. Eliminating Property Tax Losses Leaves Communities Financially Stranded Schools, cities, counties, and special districts rely on property taxes to fund basic needs in our communities. The proposal will financially strand public agencies by eliminating the ability to bring claims for lost property taxes. This has tremendous consequences for essential public services, including fire, police, social services programs, drinking water, public infrastructure, and drastically risks school closure. There is no evidence in the SB 254 Report to suggest that public agency claims are unreasonable or unjustified. Public agency damages amounted to merely 4% of the total wildfire claims that utilities paid from 2017 to 2024. Public infrastructure, lost tax revenue, emergency response, and mutual aid are necessary and critical for local governments to function while struggling to rebuild their communities. If public agencies cannot recover costs from negligent private electric utilities, local taxpayers will pay more instead. The very survivors whose community burned will foot the bill which is NOT an equitable approach to socializing wildfire risk. We respectfully request the Legislature to protect public infrastructure, safeguard emergency response and our mutual aid system, and protect taxpayers from this private electric utility bailout – and to reject the Governor’s proposal to limit public agency recovery when such utilities cause wildfires. Page 5 of 7 Sincerely, Melissa Sparks-Kranz John Kennedy Legislative Advocate Senior Policy Advocate League of California Cities Rural County Representatives of California Jordan Wells Legislative Advocate California State Association of Counties And on behalf of the following cities, counties and local elected officials: City of Arcata City of Artesia City of Atascadero City of Albany City of Agoura Hills City of Azusa Alameda County Town of Apple Valley City of Benicia City of Bellflower City of Buena Park City of Beverly Hills City of Big Bear Lake City of Brea Calaveras County Contra Costa County City of Camarillo City of Coachella City of Claremont City of Colton City of Clearlake City of Corona City of Cloverdale City of Carlsbad City of Daly City City of Del Mar City of Diamond Bar City of Downey City of Danville City of Dublin City of El Cerrito City of Emeryville El Dorado County City of Fremont Fresno County City of Glendora City of Greenfield City of Goleta City of Hayward City of Half Moon Bay City of Hemet City of Hesperia City of Highland City of Irvine City of Jackson Kern County Lake County City of La Mirada City of La Verne City of Lake Elsinore City of Lakeport City of Lake Forest City of Lakewood City of Lomita City of Los Alamitos City of Livermore Lassen County City of Manteca City of Maywood City of Moreno Valley Marin County Mariposa County Mendocino County Monterey County Modoc County Mono County City of Monrovia City of Morgan Hill City of Mission Viejo City of Napa Napa County Nevada County City of Oakland City of Oceanside City of Orinda City of Palm Desert City of Petaluma City of Poway City of Point Arena Placer County City of Pleasanton City of Rosemead City of Rancho Palos Verdes Redwood City City of Rio Dell City of Riverside City of Rolling Hills City of Rolling Hills Estates City of San Fernando City of San Jose City of San Marcos City of Santa Cruz City of Santee City of Salinas City of Seal Beach City of Santa Rosa City of Sierra Madre City of Stanton City of Sunnyvale City of Santa Monica City of Santa Barbara City of Solana Beach City of San Luis Obispo City of Santa Paula City of Saratoga City of South Gate Santa Cruz County Santa Barbara County San Bernardino County Santa Clara County San Joaquin County Page 6 of 7 San Mateo County San Luis Obispo County Sonoma County Stanislaus County Sutter County Sacramento County Tehama County City of Temecula City of Torrance City of Thousand Oaks City of Tracy City of Tustin City of Vacaville City of Visalia City of Vista City of Walnut City of Walnut Creek City of Weed City of West Hollywood City of Whittier City of Willits City of Yreka Yolo County Yuba County Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers Orange County Fire Authority Sonoma County Mayor’s and Councilmembers’ Association Ventura Council of Governments Supervisor Anne Contrell, Napa County Mayor Brett Taylor, City of Visalia Mayor Bill Powers, City of Portola Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen, City of Piedmont Vice Mayor Conna McCarthy, City of Piedmont Mayor Dr. Cynthia Gonzalez, City of Cudahy Mayor Carlos Juarez, City of Santa Paula Mayor David Tennessen, City of Camarillo Councilmember Debby Stegura, City of Rolling Hills Estates Councilmember Dorothy Pemberton, City of Downey Councilmember David McGowan, City of Palos Verdes Estates Councilmember Evan Branning, City of Livermore Mayor Frank J. Navarro, City of Colton Supervisor Gary Bradford, Yuba County Mayor Glenn R. Sylvester, City of Daly City Councilmember Holly Tillman, City of Clayton Supervisor Jake Withrow, Glenn County Supervisor Jill Cox, Trinity County Supervisor Justin Cummings, Santa Cruz County Vice Mayor Jaime Patino, City of Union City Councilmember Jen Long, City of Piedmont Mayor Joshua Barron, City of South Gate Mayor John Stephens, City of Costa Mesa Mayor Kevin Wilk, City of Walnut Creek Supervisor Kim De Serpa, Santa Cruz County Mayor Kerry Hills, City of Moraga Councilmember Larry Spicer, City of Monrovia Councilmember Lorrel Plimier, City of Piedmont Supervisor Manu Koenig, Santa Cruz County Supervisor Monica Martinez, Santa Cruz County Mayor Michael Kemps, City of Palos Verdes Estates Mayor Mike Hannon, City of Newark Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Monica Sánchez, City of Pico Rivera Councilmember Nathan Steele, City of Seal Beach Councilmember Norma Martínez-Rubin, City of Pinole Councilmember Pamela Campos, City of San Jose Mayor Stephanie Hellman, City of Fairfax Mayor Sylvia Lemus, City of Cotati Chair of Supervisors Sukhminder S. Dhaliwal, San Joaquin County Vice Mayor Steve “Woody” Culleton, Town of Paradise Councilmember Tom Ramsey, City of Piedmont Councilmember Xouhoa Bowen, City of San Leandro Page 7 of 7 cc: The Honorable Governor Gavin Newsom Members, California State Senate Members, California State Assembly