Budget

State PILT

CSAC and the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) are working together in seeking legislative support for payment of past due monies owed to counties pursuant to Fish and Game Code Section 1504. This section specifies that when income is derived directly from real property acquired and operated by the State as wildlife management areas, the Department of Fish and Wildlife shall pay annually to the county in which the property is located an amount equal to the county taxes levied upon the property at the time title was transferred to the State. Section 1504 © further specifies that payments provided by this section shall be from funds available to the department. 

These PILT payments are intended to offset adverse impacts to county property tax revenues that result when the State acquires private property for wildlife management areas. It has been roughly fourteen years since counties have received the payments and in total, the Department is in arrears $22,755,965 through the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

In addition to advocating for payment of monies owed, CSAC and RCRC are also requesting the addition in the 2013-2014 State Budget of a specific line item for this purpose to help ensure future payments are made in a timely manner.

This week, the State PILT issue was raised during the hearings of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee 3 (Resources) and Senate Budget Subcommittee 2 (Resources & Transportation). Members of the Assembly Subcommittee were clearly interested in further examination of the issue by the Department. They also directed committee staff, the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Finance to look into potential funding sources. CSAC and RCRC extend a note of appreciation to Assembly Members Gordon, Bloom and Patterson, and Senator Nielsen for their support and positive comments expressed at both hearings. CSAC and RCRC will continue to advocate for these payments throughout the remaining budget process.

Solid Waste Management

AB 158 (Levine) – Support
As Amended April 9, 2013

AB 158, by Assembly Member Mark Levine, was placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee Suspense File this week. This bill would phase- out the use of single-use bags at certain retailers and place requirements on reusable bags. Specifically, this bill would prohibit retailers with gross annual sales of $2 million or more or 10,000 square feet or more of retail space on and after January 1, 2015 from providing a single-use carryout bag to a customer at the point-of-sale. In addition, this bill would require a store, on and after January 1, 2016, to only provide a reusable grocery bag to a customer, which may be made available for purchase. 

As previously reported, AB 158 does not pre-empt local ordinances relating to single-use bags. CSAC is working with the author’s office on amendments that would ensure that all existing ordinances are grandfathered in and that this bill would in no way preempt local governments from adopting ordinances. 

AB 403 (Stone) – Support
As Amended April 18, 2013

AB 403, by Assembly Member Mark Stone, is being held by the author and is now a 2-year bill. This bill would create an extended producer responsibility program for home generated sharps. Specifically, this bill would require a producer of home-generated sharps or a stewardship organization designated by the producer to submit a home- generated sharps stewardship plan to Cal Recycle by April 1, 2015. The bill would require the plan to provide for the development and implementation of a recovery program to reduce the generation of, and manage the end-of-life of, home-generated sharps.

Cap and Trade

AB 416 (Gordon) — Support
As Amended April 4, 2013

AB 416, by Assembly Member Rich Gordon, was placed on the Assembly Appropriations Suspense File. As you might recall, this bill would establish a competitive grant program from Cap and Trade funds for local governments to fund projects that develop and implement greenhouse gas emission reductions at the local level. The program would cover a variety of projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Consideration would be given to projects that decrease water pollution; reduce the consumption of natural resources or energy; promote public-private partnerships to implement energy efficiency and clean energy projects with financing incentives for residential and commercial facilities; Increase the reliability of local water supplies; Increase solid waste diversion from landfills; reduce vehicle miles traveled; and, prevent the conversion of agricultural, forest, and open space lands to uses that result in higher greenhouse gas emissions. CSAC has been working with a coalition of local governments to support this effort. 

Delta

SB 735 (Wolk) – Support
As Amended April 24, 2013

SB 735, by Senator Lois Wolk, was placed on the Senate Appropriations Suspense File this week. This bill was amended in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee to require the Delta council, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Contra Costa County, Sacramento County, Solano County, the Yolo County Habitat/Natural Community Conservation Plan Joint Powers Agency, and the San Joaquin Council of Governments to enter into a written agreement by January 1, 2015 that would describe how the parties would ensure that adopted and future multispecies conservation plans are consistent with the Delta Plan and vice versa. The council would be required to invite and encourage participation from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.