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��� O ��luis OSPO� oOFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
1��71 S O990 Palm Street ■ San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249 ■ 805/781-7119
January 30, 2012
VIA FACSIMILE ONLY 916-324-6645
Alex Padilla
California State Senate
State Capitol, Room 4038
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: NOTICE OF SUPPORT
SB 659 (Padilla). Community Redevelopment
Temporarily postpone dissolution of redevelopment agencies
Dear Senator Padilla:
On behalf of the City of San Luis Obispo, I am writing to acknowledge the City's support
of your legislation, SB 659. Labor, business, local government, public safety, and affordable
housing advocates all urge legislation that would temporarily postpone the scheduled February 1,
2012 date to dissolve California's 425 redevelopment agencies.
Temporarily postponing this February deadline will allow time for the Legislature and
Governor to develop a new job creation and neighborhood renewal program, and to develop a
solution that ensures that schools and the State budget receive the funding intended by the
Legislature when they passed the redevelopment budget legislation last year.
Without the extension, successor agencies are responsible for winding down all assets,
properties, contracts, leases, records, buildings, and equipment of the former redevelopment
agencies, and laying off workers - actions that are incredibly difficult to undo.
Once the dissolution process starts, it will lead to lawsuits, endless delays, and ongoing
conflict, making it more difficult to develop a new job creation and community revitalization
program in California. Additionally, the dissolution process could take years. Thousands of
jobs and vital economic development and affordable housing projects will be lost in the
meantime.
We encourage lawmakers to create a new program that is appropriately focused on job -
creation, environmentally sustainable growth, affordable housing, and the elimination of true
blight and economic disparity. Any solution would also have to provide the State and local
entities with additional budgetary relief that is now put in question because of the California
Supreme Court ruling.
city of san tuts osispo
Re: SB 659
January 30, 2012
Page 2
In the meantime, the City gives its support to SB 659 to temporarily postpone the
dissolution of redevelopment agencies to allow time to work toward a new job creation and
neighborhood renewal program.
Sincerely,
Jan Marx
Mayor
cc: City Council
City Manager
Dave Mullinax, League of CA Cities