HomeMy WebLinkAboutSB 594 LTR to Gatto 20130821* ao
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0lOFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
/ g 990 Palm Street ■ San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249 ■ 805/781-7119
August 21, 2013
VIA FACSIMILE ONLY: (916) 319-2143
Assembly Member Mike Gatto, Chair
Assembly Appropriations Committee
California State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: OPPOSITION to SB 594 (Hill) Use of Public Resources.
Measure would silence the voice of police, sheriffs, cities, counties, special
districts, public safety, schools and others.
Dear Chairman Gatto:
On behalf of the City of San Luis Obispo, I am writing to express our strong opposition
to Senate Bill 594 (Hill) as recently amended. This last-minute gut -and -amend legislation would
silence the informed voices of trusted nonprofit organizations representing local governments,
police and sheriffs, schools, businesses and others by stopping these organizations from
participating in state and local ballot initiative campaigns. In doing so, SB 594 would deprive
policy makers and the public process of some of the most educated, practical and trusted
perspectives on matters of critical importance to the residents of California and of our City.
This last minute gut -and -amend is being promoted by a few special interests wishing to
increase their influence by silencing important and engaged organizations that may not always
agree with their political positions. This bill is fundamentally at odds with the values of
transparency and consideration of divergent viewpoints in the political process.
SB 594 is a solution in search of a problem. California already has strong laws on the
books that prohibit the use of public funds in political campaigns. The organizations
representing local governments, as well as the local governments themselves, are well versed in
these laws and are vigilant to ensure they do not expend public resources on campaigns.
Lastly, SB 594 creates vast new responsibilities for the Attorney General to conduct
biennial audits of thousands of nonprofit organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their
annual revenues from one or more local agencies. This would create a new and costly
bureaucracy at the Attorney General's office, as well as time-consuming and costly audits for
nonprofit organizations.
city of San 1U1S OBISpo
Chairman Gatto
August 21, 2013
Page 2
We are joining the broad coalition of organizations representing sheriffs, police, cities,
counties, special districts, schools and others in opposition to SB 594. We urge you to reject this
measure when it is heard in Assembly Appropriations.
Sincerely,
Jan Marx
Mayor
Cc: Senator Jerry Hill, fax 916-651-4913
Council Member Katcho Achadjian, fax 916-319-2135
City Council
Katie Lichtig
David Mullinax, dmullinax@cacities.org
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