AgdaPkt 2015-04-27 Interview and Joint SA and PFA

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Ma 7.1.B. - Page 3 City Hall VicE OVIQ9„1 I.,,0a111 .,,..,, 1017 Middlefield Road (A& Redwood City,CA 94063 Council Members Voice(650)780-7220 Alicia Aguirre Fax(650)261-9102 Ian Bain mail @redwoodcity.org Diane Howard City worm www.redwood city.org Barbara Pierce u y Founded 1861 John Seybert April 27, 2015 The Honorable Assemblymember Brian Maienschein, Chair Assembly Local Government Committee Legislative Office Building, 1020 N Street, Room 157 Sacramento, CA 95814 alcl.committee©assembly.ca.gov fax: 916-319-3959 Re: Support for AB 746 (Ting) Dear Chair Maienschein: On behalf of the City Council of Redwood City, I am writing to urge your support for AB 746, which clarifies the process for the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority (SFBRA) to effectively carry out its mission to restore critical bay wetlands. The San Francisco Bay wetlands are an invaluable part of life for the people who live and work in Redwood City. Redwood City residents, employees and visitors enjoy the recreational opportunities, environmental benefits and peaceful beauty of our location along the bay. Over the years, Redwood City has worked to support this in many ways, including through our involvement in the restoration of Bair Island, which benefited greatly from the leadership of Vice Mayor and SFBRA Board Member Rosanne Foust and Councilmember Barbara Pierce. Unfortunately, over the last century, there has been enormous harm to the Bay with landfill and toxic pollution. Today, only 20 percent of the Bay's original wetlands remain due to filling and diking. Because these wetlands provide clean water, flood control, habitat, recreation, and economic benefits, they are crucial to the health of San Francisco Bay and to the safety and quality of life of Redwood City residents and businesses, along with the millions of residents in the communities that surround the Bay. SFBRA was created by the legislature to raise local revenues to help restore 36,000 acres of publicly-owned bay shoreline into tidal wetlands (AB 2954, Lieber, 2008). The estimated cost of this endeavor is estimated at $1.43 billion over 50 years. Only limited state and federal funds are available for wetlands restoration, so the potential local revenue that can be raised by the SFBRA to leverage and add to these funds is critical to protect and restore this essential natural resource. SFBRA's authorizing legislation grants its Governing Board powers to carry out the Authority's mission, including powers to levy taxes and issue bonds. However the current statute includes certain limitations that effectively preclude SFBRA from using these powers to maximum benefit. AB 746 clarifies several provisions of the underlying statute to ensure that SFBRA will be able to issue bonds in an amount and for a duration that will allow it to fulfill the mission set out in the original act, and will have sufficient time to propose a revenue measure to finance any such bonds. On behalf of my Council colleagues, I urge your support for AB 746, and thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Jeffrey Gee, Mayor City of Redwood City