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LEGISLA TIVE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE CONSIDERS INFRASTRUCTURE PROPOSALS A bi-cameral conference committee held its first however, with the need for funding for parks, and hearing on February 16 to consider infrastructure especially urban parks in growing areas such as proposals and concepts proposed by the governor the Central Valley, noting that funds from the last and legislative leaders. park bond are almost full spent. She also said that her caucus was interested in funding for Chaired by Sen. Kevin Murray (Los Angeles), mass transit, and not merely building highways. the committee also includes Sens. Wesley Other areas of concern: air quality; the need for Chesbro (Arcata) and Dennis Hollingsworth new funding for affordable housing, and to rein- (Murrieta), and Assemblymembers John Laird force the structural integrity of hospital facilities, (Santa Cruz), Judy Chu (Monterey Park) and Rick particularly charitable institutions. Keene (Chico). Assemblymember Rick Keene said that The conference committee is beginning its affordability was a key issue for his Republican deliberations, even as policy committees in both caucus. He stressed that his members believe the Senate and Assembly are continuing to hold the state should not pass up an opportunity to oversight hearings on aspects of the bond propos- eliminate the structural deficit in the general fund. als that fall under their jurisdictions. Working in His caucus has proposed earmarking a small parallel with the conference committee, and under percentage of the state general fund for infra- tight timeframes, the policy committees will contrib- structure, building up a fund to address infra- ute their findings and perspectives as deliberations structure needs on a pay-as-you-go approach. proceed with the goal of placing one or more bond "We should set aside funds" for infrastructure, he measures on the June 2006 ballot. (See also, said, rather than "create a future obligation for our "League Board of Directors Adopts Infrastruc- kids." ture Recommendations", p.1.) Keene also said his caucus believes that Committee Members Stake Out Policy Con- before talking about specific appropriations, siderations legislators should discuss and identify their core values, for example, funding public safety needs, Chairman Murray opened the hearing by offer- such as levees and water storage, in addition to ing all committee members an opportunity to transportation, which he described as being at outline the principles and concerns that will guide the heart of California. "Everyone's heart is in the their reactions to the various proposals. right place," he said, "but what about the specif- ics?" Before deciding on a plan that "takes For Assemblymember John Laird the issues decisions out of hands of future legislatures," he were that the governor's plan required bond repay- urged that the committee focus on determining ment costs to fall too heavily on the state general the core values, of what the Legislature wants to fund, and that the size of the package would accomplish, and then what should be funded. "crowd-out" the opportunity to fund future needs 'The (funding) mechanisms should be the last and priorities. He also expressed concern about piece we decide," he said. the impact of the proposals on the environment, and questioned whether the proposal sufficiently The Governor's Plan considers the infrastructure needs of areas of the state experiencing rapid population growth. The first hearing focused primarily on Gov. Schwarzenegger's Strategic Growth Plan. This Assemblymember Judy Chu said that she and proposal calls for $68 billion in proposed bonds other Assembly Democrats appreciate the over a ten year period to fund education, trans- governor's attention to education, transportation, portation, water and flood control projects and water and flood control. She expressed concern, libraries. Continued on Page 9 PAGE 6 - PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Website--www.cacities.org February 17, 2006 - Issue #7 .,._-.,...