The Government Finance and Administration Policy
Committee met on Thursday, November 21 during the CSAC
130th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles County. The meeting
began with a
presentation on the state of the California economy, with a
focus on trends impacting county revenue, including inflation,
home values, and consumer behavior. The presentation set the
table for a discussion with three county executives: Tracie
Riggs, County Administrative Officer, Tuolumne County; Susan S.
Muranishi, County Administrator, Alameda County; and Paul
Nerland, County Administrative Officer, Fresno County.
The panel discussed a wide variety of issues related to county
budgets, including:
Models for public education and engagement during budget
development;
Approaches to using one-time federal funds;
The opportunities and challenges of short-term rentals; and
Opportunities for tax reform.
Following the discussion, the committee approved changes to the
CSAC Platform, including:
Adoption of a new section on the use of Artificial
Intelligence;
Addition of a new section on the Public Records Act;
New language urging more state support for election costs;
New language outlining opposition to efforts by
telecommunications carriers to remove themselves from obligations
to serve as a carrier of last resort for “plain old telephone
services;” and
New language regarding the need to formalize guidance on how
counties should report reimbursable state-mandated costs.
Following adoption of the platform amendments, the committee
heard a summary of the legislative year in review and adopted
priorities for 2025, including modernizing the Brown Act,
addressing workforce challenges, and prioritizing the pursuit of
more state-mandated reimbursement payments.
