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ADMINISTRATION EXPLORES OPTIONS THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING The hole in the state budget is prompting the Forensic Law Enforcement Services Administration to consider a variety of funding cuts, cost-shifting proposals, and appropriation reversion The Analysis of the Fiscal Year 2002-03 Governor's options. Although we are unsure of our fate until the Budget and its companion document Optio~ of Address- May revise is issued and have received no indication lng the State's Fiscal Problems, both released last week by that current funds will be touched, we need to be aware the Legislative Analyst, include various recommenda- tions regarding the Department of Justice. Those that related actions directly impact the public safety recommendations include: 1) shift support, for statewide services provided by communities across the state. forensic program from General Fund to fees for service to be paid by local agencies (estimated to save $16 Local Forensic Lab Improvement Projects million); and, 2) delete $5 million in funding for site (LFLIP) Funding acquisition for the proposed DNA laborato~. The The League has heard that the Office of Criminal Attorney General has provided a letter to the legislature Justice Planning (OCJP) is calling local agencies that strongly opposin§ the recommendations by the Analyst have received LFLIP funds and questioning whether the due to the harmful impacts on critical forensic law agency has spent their grant funds. These phone calls enforcement services. The League encourages cities to are likely the result of the budget bind and the state's review the AG's arguments in opposition to these realization that any opportunity for reversion of moneys funding cut proposals and send letters to your respec- to the General Fund is apparently worth exploring. In rive legislators. (See www. cacities.org/crimelabfundir~3 order to prove that local governments are excellent for copy of letter.) stewards of state dollars, the League would like to · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · encourage those agencies that have received funds to spend it in an expeditious and efficient manner. ETHICS LAWS GUIDE RELEASED PUC DECISION from page 1 · · · · · · · The League's nonprofit research arm is pleased to The CPUC referred the issue to an administra- announce the publication of A Local Official's Guide to rive law_judge for a decision on the franchise fee Ethics Laws. The guide was produced as part of the The Institute for Local Self Government's new ethics issue. The administrative law judge issued a request for response to legal questions by ~3ril 9roject 16, 2002. Reply briefs are due April 26. ~'~e Wr,. m for ,.:cai officials, this handy and easy-to- City of San Francisco is taking the lead on read reference guide contains information on ethics- providing a response that outlines the argu- ments supporting the continued receipt of related legal requirements, including public disclosure franchise fees by municipalities. Due to the short of personal economic interests; receipt of loans, gifts, travel payments and honoraria; conflicts of interest, time frame, a draft of San Francisco's comments will not be available for review prior to April campaign contributions and bias; having an interest in a contract; dual office-holding/incompatible 16th. However, to view the foundational argu- ments for San Francisco's response visit http:// offices; and criminal misconduct in office. www.caciti~.Qrg/doc.asp?intparentid=5052. The Institute is sending a complimentary copy of Cities interested in adding their name and the ethics guide and an order form to each city support to San Francisco's April 16 efforts manager (or city clerk in non-manager cities) shortly. should send the name of the city, contact To order additional copies for your city, please visit person, address, phone number, fax and email ' www. ilsg.org/orderform to print out an order form or address to Joe Como at the San Francisco City use the one attached to this newsletter. For more information on the Institute's ethics project, please Attorneys office at,joe_como@ci.sf.ca.us. visit www. ilsg.org/publicconfidence. Visit the League's Official Web Site--www. cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS/PAGE 3