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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/21/1997, C-3 - 1997 LEGISLATIVE ACTION PROGRAMcouncil agenda uepout C I T Y OF S A N L U I S O B I S P O FROM: Jeffrey G. Jorgensen SUBJECT: 1997 Legislative Acti Program CAO RECOMMENDATION DISCUSSION N.a6s Da. Adopt a resolution establishing legislative priorities for 1997 Attached for the Council's consideration is the 1997 Legislative Action Program Resolution. Similar resolutions have been adopted by the Council since 1993. This resolution authorizes staff to respond to legislative issues affecting the City (via letters signed by the Mayor, or in his absence, a Councilmember), provided that the positions taken in the letters are consistent with the formal positions of the League of California Cities and/or the priorities identified in Exhibit A of the resolution. In addition to the submission of letters to Federal and State officials, the resolution also encourages " face- to-face" communication, which in 1997 should continue to emphasize our relationship with north county cities and agencies, and establishing effective communication with the County concerning land use issues adjacent to the City. Also attached for your information are the Legislative Priorities established by the League of California Cities (Exhibit B). FISCAL IMPACT Minor additional staff workload is anticipated. ALTERNATIVES Do not adopt a legislative priority program, or recommend additions or deletions. Attachments 1. Resolution 2. Legislative Action Program 3. Exhibit B (League Legislative Priorities) e -1 AR) ESOLLITIONNO. (1997 Series) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CITY LEGISLATIVE ACTION PROGRAM AND PRIORITIES FOR 1997 WHEREAS, it is vital to the fiscal health and the self determination of the City to effectively communicate with State Legislators and Federal representatives in order to favorably influence the adoption of State and Federal legislation, regulations and grant requests; and WHEREAS, the League of California Cities conducts a legislative analysis and advocacy program on behalf of cities for State issues and major Federal issues; and WHEREAS, with four County supervisors representing different portions of the City, it is imperative that the City develop an improved system for regular communication with the Board of Supervisor;, particularly concerning land use issues adjacent to the City, and WHEREAS, the City should continue to emphasize developing a positive relationship with North County Cities and agencies concerning water issues; and WHEREAS, the City desires to be proactive and involved in the governmental decision Ong Processes directly affecting the City legislative priorities identified in Exhibit "A ", and other selected issues as may from time to time be recommended by the League of California Cities; and WHEREAS, a key component of the City's Legislative Action Program is face -to-face meetings between City representatives and elected officials at the Federal, State, and in particular County levels, and coordination with similar efforts made by other local government entities. Axtctchment 1 12-3-4 Resolution No. (1997) Page Two NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo does hereby establish the Legislative Action Priorities for 1997, as set forth in the attached Exhibit "A", and authorizes staff to take positions on legislation generally consistent with the Legislation Action Priorities and such other resolutions and recommendations of the League of California Cities as may be from time to time presented to the City. Upon motion of . and on the following roll call vote Ayes: Noes: Absent: seconded by the foregoing resolution was adopted this day of Mayor Allen Settle ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: 4 q, !2e xxiev 1997. C33 EXH1Brr A: CITY LEGISLATIVE ACTION PRIORITIES FOR 19967 FEDERAL PRIORITIES • Requiring finding of federally mandated programs, including new water/wastewater regulations, or eliminating such mandates • Promoting continued and increased finding sources for transportation especially transit • Obtaining new funding sources to expand low and moderate income housing • Supporting legislation to transfer ownership of Salinas Reservoir to the-Qunty - of- San -Luis M46,,- ireeeesmy-L! ocal apencv for the pu[pose of facilitating the Salinas Dam Expansion Project • Supporting legislation on coastal preservation • Supporting legislation that provides regulatory relief to local government in complying with the Fair Labor Standards Act and overtime provisions for exempt employees • Supporting continued funding for the Land and Water Conservation Grant Program • Supporting legislation to exempt cities from liability for leakage of hazardous waste discharge to POTW's from sewer • SuRWrting legislation which strengthens the ability of cities to control their public ri ghts - of-wav and aooly zoning -- latons relative to the telecommunications industry STATE PRIORITIES FINANCE • Balancing the State Budget without further losses to City revenues • Supporting efforts to protect the City for loss of revenues due to. State mandates • Supporting legislation that strengthens opportunities for local fiscal independence COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Opposing mandated State approval of local General Plan Elements, such as implementing and compliance with State General Plan Housing element law Attachment 2 G�3 -� • Promoting fimdmg sources to encourage the retrofitting of unreinforced masonry buildings PUBLIC SAFETY • Repealing legislation that requires cities to pay booking fees (SB 255 • Preserving city's authority to investigate police misconduct • Preserving city's authority to establish emergency medical service levels • Increasing City authority to regulate group homes for juvenile offenders • Continuing support for disaster preparednesslearthquake awareness • Supporting grant requests for Regional Hazardous Material Response Team, disaster preparedness, and training facility • Supporting efforts to secure higher levels of cost recovery for DUI's • Supporting efforts to expand the scope of parental responsibility for crimes committed by minors • Supporting efforts to provide the Governor with authority to override the parole board when anyone convicted of a violent offense is proposed to be released on parole SuPP©i effex{ s- t. e- streamhne-amWmprove- SB- I082 -GUPPr • Encourage the California Highway Patrol to improve traffic safety on the Highway 41-46 corridor through increased enforcement • Preserving the authority of local control on issuance of concealed weapons permits • Supporting a state -wide gaming commission to oversee all forms of gambling in the state • Supporting legislation which will return funding for the commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) back to its original format TRANSPORTATION • Changing Gas tax laws to allow local tax for transportation purposes based on a majority vote of the public (ESTF recommendation) C 3 -S 1 • Increasing transportation funding (including transit, bicycles, others) espeaally transit Encourage the Department of Transportation to improve traffic safety on the Highway 41- 46 corridor through engineering solutions such as additional passing lanes, median barriers, etc. PERSONNEL EMPLOYEE RELATIONS • Further reforming Worker's compensation • Preserving the fiscal integrity of PERS • Opposing binding arbitration and expansion of the "Peace Officers' Bill of Rights" • Monitoring employee healthcarethenefit changes PUBLIC WORKS • Better defining qualified" bidders in public contracts bidding • Redefining Prevailing wages as "average" local wages • Streamlining Federal and State process for funding street projects • Install median barriers on multi-lane segments of Hwy. 46 (Paso to Hwy. 41) • Increase to $20.000 limits of work (from $5.000) for public projects not requiring competitive bidding PARKS AND RECREATION • Supporting recreational programming, particularly for "at risk" individuals within the City • Supporting funding for: protection of natural resources (e.g., the Morros), open space, and parks development • Supporting efforts to streamline regulatory requirements associated with child care and aquatic programs • Sunnort fimding for rehabilitation of urban parks • Sunnort efforts at the State level for a park and open space bond measure C-3 -6 UTILITIES • Providing funding for reclaimed water programs • Supporting clean water grant programs • Supporting efforts to enhance local government's ability to comply with solid waste requirements • Supporting legislation to exempt cities from liability for leakage of hazardous waste discharged to POTW's from sewer • Sunnortine legislation to amend the State Health and Safety Code to allow simultaneous use of lake Nacrmrento for body contact recreation and domestic water suDoly COUNTY PRIORITIES • Reaching agreement with the County and north county communities on solutions for Salinas Reservoir expansion and Nacimiento pipeline projects • Develop consistency between the City and County General Platys, particularly to emphasize the concepts that (1) urban development should be municipal, and (2) unincorporated areas shall remain rural, agricultural, or open space in character • Increasing local funding of the Transit Transfer Center • Retaining County offices in the downtown area Revising fc- FeSpEiiZSe • Improving regional solid waste management • Developing cooperative approaches for providing services on a regional basis Effectively and cooperatively implementing the Community Development Bloc Grant Program • &*Mr4- St£eand Ding-eri&ee rselidating4 mu -dous-mater}als- inspectiekpeFn it-end -fee 131`09r-amat- the- looaNevel 3-7 • 0 I Discussing uses for _the County -ow more consistent.with the Do_wntow vitality ofthe downtown Resdvfig-a�riex� R- %X!ftW feF4� (I zjt.B is not available at this-tinie.. It will be distributed prior to Jaivary 21, 1997 Council meeting.) %A. League Priorities for 1997 The League Board of Directors will meet uus weekend and set the priorities for the organizatioMEETING AGENDA for 1997. The League Executive Committee has already recommended to the Board that the- t���!% League focus in 1997 on three primary issues. These issues are as follows: DATE ITEM # o Revenue and Taxation Reform. A key issue this session will be restoring some integrity to local government finance. Already, the authors of proposals last year to return to cities, counties and special districts, property taxes taken by the stale in the early 1990's to balance its budget have reintroduced the measures. Assembly Fred Aguiar has introduced A13_l and ACA4, two measures that take different approaches to the return of property taxes. Also, Assembly Member Mike Sweeney has introduced AB 95, yet another approach to the property tax problem created by the state in the early 1990's. In addition, the Revenue and' Taxation field will be focusing on other key fiscal issues including an expected proposal to return sales tax to local -governments, restructuring fines and forfeitures, examining a Santa 1 ra/ , , rdino implementation solution and a .. number of other issues. o Strengthening Governance/Home Rule. Originally, city government was given authority under the state constitution to establish greater autonomy and local control on issues that were clearly "municipal" or local in nature. This authority has been slowly eroded over the years through court decisions and sweeping state ballot measures. This priority contemplates a longer term examination of proposals to reestablish a strong local government governance structure in California. o Welfare Reform. The newly enacted federal welfare reform law will be a primary focus of attention during the 1997 state legislative session. As a result of federal action, there is a significant and urgent need to overhaul the state delivery system for welfare benefits to meet the parameters of the federal program. While cities have traditionally been outside of the welfare delivery system, cities consistently deal with the fallout of then welfare system through city services. This debate during the 1997 session will be c critical one in which cities must be involved. COUNCIL j�[)D DIR O N DIR In addition to these priority issues identified by the League Board of Directors, there are a �AO FIRE CHIEF number of additional issues that city officials should place on the priority list for 1997. A brief �TTIiRNEY p1 DIR listing of those issues include: CLERKIOiEt3 ji CE CHF O AIf W TEAM DIA o Te lecommunications Implementation. Enact legislation to implement the recent 0JJC READ RIE DIR federal telecommunications legislation with a focus on city authority to properly manage . DIR the use of public rights -of -way. o Federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) Implementation. As Congress moves to renew the federal transportation finance law, a parallel course will be taken in Sacramento to ready the state and local governments for " the changes at the federal level. The focus of the debate for local governments will be the increase of direct federal dollars to local government designed for system preservation projects. In addition, the legislation will examine methods to reduce unnecessary federal and state bureaucracies permitting more efficient use of the federal resources. o AB 939 Modification. It is expected that the Legislature will also be entertaining a proposal(s) to modify the integrated waste management law enacted in 1989. We anticipate that modifications to the law will focus on procedural issues as well as increasing flexibility for local governments. o Housing Flement Law, Once again, we expect to see yet another round of housing element related proposals in the 1997 Legislature. The League priority will again be the simplification of the act to focus more on housing production and less on unnecessary litigation. o public Records ActlElectronic Access, It is expected that legislation will again be introduced to address electronic access to public records. The League has offered proposals to operate as incentives for agencies to provide public access.] 9 o Alcohol Wablisliment Regulation. While important strides have been made in recent ��p+ years, there are Feveral issues;9iating to the regulation of establishments that sell alcohgi in our comniurpti es. Among Ilt more,_important issues is greater funding for lotal EXHIBIT B enforcement;ctivities r;, .,