Redevelopment

SB 1151 (Steinberg) – Support in Concept
As Amended on March 29, 2012

SB 1156 (Steinberg) – Support in Concept
As Amended on March 29, 2012

These two bills, SB 1151 and SB 1156, by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, would create a structure for continuing redevelopment activities in the form of county-city joint powers authorities.

The foundation of CSAC’s support is that counties would have an option whether to financially participate in a Community Development and Housing Joint Powers Authority. The approach outlined in the bill package encourages a collaborative partnership between local governments to jointly govern and utilize various financing tools formerly afforded redevelopment agencies to provide economic development that also focuses on the public good. As you well know, counties provide numerous programs on behalf of the state, especially after the recent realignment, and are the level of government responsible for the general health and welfare of all the state’s residents. 

While CSAC supports economic development consistent with the SB 375 goals, as allowed by the two bills as currently drafted, we would support both an expansion of the project area definition and the list of eligible uses currently outlined in the bills in order to support the myriad of public safety, and health and human services that counties provide on behalf of the state. We envision a new structure for community development and affordable housing that gives counties and cities working together the power to both spur economic development and at the same time provide the public infrastructure that can help ensure the community’s success. This infrastructure could include transitional housing for people entering or reentering the workforce after incarceration or a childhood spent in the foster system, as well as others who need transitional and supportive housing. It could include the child care facilities that allow parents to work, or the clinics that keep those housed locally healthy, working, and out of emergency rooms. Some rural and disadvantaged communities need upgraded infrastructure to simply meet health and safety standards.

The Senate Governance and Finance Committee will consider SB 1151 and 1156 at its hearing next Wednesday, April 18.

Realignment

SB 1566 (Negrete McLeod) – Oppose
As Amended on April 10, 2012

SB 1566, by Senator Negrete McLeod, would give a share of vehicle license fees to newly incorporated cities and to cities that recently annexed inhabited land.

As part of last year’s realignment, the state transferred two revenue sources to counties: the portion of VLF that counties weren’t already receiving and a specific share of the state’s sales tax. The VLF revenue is specifically allocated to public safety programs.

The explicit understanding of 2011 Realignment is that counties take on the considerable risk that these funding sources will be sufficient to fund the realigned services, and in return the shift in funding sources will be permanent and uninterrupted. Unfortunately, SB 1566 would alter this agreement made last year. It does so in two ways.

First, under the bill’s provisions, there is no guarantee that the amount of money transferred to newly incorporated cities and cities with recent inhabited annexations will not interfere with the realignment appropriation to counties. The bill removes DMV’s appropriation of $25 million from the Motor Vehicle License Fee Account, but if the calculation grants new cities more than that amount in any future year, it would directly reduce realignment funding.

Second, SB 1566 would grant these cities permanent funding. Prior to realignment, all cities received a share of VLF revenues based on their population. New cities received a greater share of VLF that stepped down over five years to the amount that all other cities received. This bill would give new cities both the startup amount and the ongoing amount, guaranteeing that over time the amount appropriated would take away money guaranteed to public safety realignment.

Counties are already nervous that the revenue for realignment will be insufficient to its purposes. To put this promised money in jeopardy, especially in the very first year, is a cause of great concern.

The Senate Governance and Finance Committee will consider SB 1566 at its hearing next Wednesday, April 18.

Elections

SB 1331 (Kehoe) – Support
As Introduced on February 23, 2012

SB 1331, by Senator Christine Kehoe, would create a fully independent redistricting commission to draw the supervisorial districts in the County of San Diego.

Californians generally have shown their desire for political districts to be drawn by those who do not hold affected offices by passing the two ballot measures that created the state’s independent commission and giving it power over all the state’s legislative, congressional, and Board of Equalization districts.

The citizens of San Diego County and the San Diego Board of Supervisors want a similar process for their own county. The commission contemplated by SB 1331 would ensure transparency by subjecting the commission to the Brown Act and requiring public hearings throughout the county. It requires the county to provide financial support and would be made up of retired judges. It would only apply to San Diego County.

The Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee will consider SB 1331 at its hearing next Thursday, April 19.

SB 1346 (Negrete McLeod) – Support
As Amended on April 12, 2012

SB 1346, by Senator Negrete McLeod, would authorize geographically large counties to collect ballots from polling places once during the day, before the polls are closed.

The bill ensures the integrity of the vote by requiring a team of two to retrieve the ballots, by requiring the ballot container be sealed just like at the close of polls, and by requiring advance notice of which precincts will be subject to the early pickup. Furthermore, it would limit the early pickup to no more than a quarter of precincts in the county and would sunset in 2017.

Allowing early pickup from far-flung precincts will help speed the processing of ballots, which can take hours simply to deliver in California’s largest counties, which are the largest in the country. It would also reduce costs and give voters and the public generally more timely and accurate election results.

The Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee will consider SB 1346 at its hearing next Thursday, April 19.

Government Finance

SB 954 (Liu) – Support
As Amended on March 1, 2012

SB 954, by Senator Carol Liu, would authorize the State Controller to, at the request of a county or city, offset any payments due to people from the unclaimed property held by the state in order to pay debts those people owe the county or city.

This authority already exists for offsetting tax refunds and lottery winnings. The bill would provide an appeal process for people who believe the billing was in error, ensuring the process is fair to all parties. All current protections for those billed would be retained from the current process.

SB 954 extends a proven, efficient system for recovery of money due to local agencies, and in doing so will ensure millions of dollars owed to counties and cities are paid.

The Senate Governance and Finance Committee passed SB 954 on its consent calendar at its hearing on Wednesday, April 11. The bill now moves to Senate Appropriations Committee.