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LOS ANGELES PRESS CONFERENCE DELIVERS STRONG MESSAGE TO SACRAMENTO
<br /> Coalition Aisc Offers State Budget Solutions
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<br />A June 13 press conference held at Los Angeles County- more than any other agency toward the State's general
<br />USC Hospital by the LOCAL Coalition ("Leave Our Commu- fund. Members of the coalition also outlined a series of
<br />nity Assets Local") delivered a strong message about the budget recommendations that they have offered the
<br />importance of not balancing the state budget on the backs administration and the Legislature that they say can be used
<br />of local government, to help meet the state's deficit, without eroding local
<br /> services. A list of the coalition's budget recommendations
<br />Los Angeles County Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and can be found at www.calocal,oro.
<br />Yvonne Brathwaite Burke stood united with Sheriff Lee
<br />Baca, L.A. City Councilmember Nick Pacheco, and dozens of Sheriff Lee Baca said, "We are seriously concerned
<br />Los Angeles community leaders, calling upon the State about the various state budget proposals that directly, and
<br />Legislature and Governor Gray,Davis to protect funding for indirectly, will hinder our ability to maintain the level of
<br />local health, public safety, and other critical local services, public safety services that Los Angeles area residents
<br /> deserve and demand."
<br />Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite
<br />Burke said the location of the news conference, County-USC Representatives of seniors, hospital workers and
<br />Hospital, was no coincidence, libraries joined the elected officials at the press conference,
<br /> all wearing bright yellow LOCAL buttons,
<br />"The state budget measures now under consideration
<br />by the Legislature would not only compound the current Six Los Angeles television stations covered the event,
<br />health care crisis facing our county, but could serve as the along with several radio stations and newspapers,
<br />breaking point in our ability to deliver care - particularly to
<br />those most in need," said Supervisor Burke. "It's no stretch A similar event is scheduled June 14 in Rancho
<br />to say the proposed state budget cuts and cost-shifts will Cucamonga, Dozens of LOCAL supporters are expected to
<br />result in reduced level of health, trauma and emergency participate, including law enforcement, fire, health,
<br />services we are able to provide, further reductions in business and labor representatives.
<br />medical and health workers, and reduced access to care for
<br />ALL Los Angeles area residents."
<br />Los Angeles City Council Member Nick Pacheco said STORM DRAINAGE from page 2 .......
<br />looming cuts at the state would hurt those most in need. What this r~,~ans for Cities
<br />"As it stands, the budget measures now being considered by
<br />the Legislature would gravely~jeopardize services for those Whiie the decision is being considered for review, cities
<br />most in need," said ?acheco. "The young, sick, etdedy and should carefully draft, or re*draft their ordinances or
<br />working poor will be among the hardest hit if the Legislature resolutions imposing storm drainage fees to reflect that the
<br />goes through with these cuts to our health and social fees are not property-related, and are imposed on those
<br />services, youth protection and crime prevention, libraries, who use storm water systems, rather than those who own
<br />parks and other critical local services." improved property. Both a user fee and regulatory fee are
<br /> distinguishable from a property-related fee and, therefore,
<br />Participants at Wednesday's news conference ecknowl- not subject to proposition 218,
<br />edged the severity of the budget deficit requires sacrifices,
<br />but noted that local governments are already contributing To view updates on this case visit the "Hot Topics"
<br /> section of the League's Website at http://www.cacities.or_o/
<br /> hottooics. To access a recent paper on storm drainage fees
<br /> For more information on this and other and Proposition 218 authored by League Special Counsel,
<br />important topics for California cities, visit the Betsy Strauss, visit the League's city attorney Web page at
<br /> www.cacities.or_o/attorneys under the Proposition 218
<br /> League's Web site, www.cacities.org section.
<br />
<br />Visit the League's Official Web Site--www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS/PAGE 5
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