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MEMBERSHIP IN SENATE POLICY CDBG from page 1................ COMMITfEES ADJUSTED On February 10, 2006, the Board of Directors Earlier this month the state Senate passed for the League of California Cities adopted as one Senate Resolution 21, reducing the number of of its top federal priorities opposition to any pro- members on a number of Senate policy commit- posal that would reduce further or eliminate the tees. CDBG program. The affected committees are Agriculture; The Bush budget proposal for 2007, released Business, Professions and Economic Develop- on February 6, would retain the CDBG program at ment; Education; Elections; and Energy, Utilities, the Department of Housing and Urban Develop- and Communications, which all lost one member; ment (HUD) - something that the League of and the committees on Banking, Finance and California Cities and its members, along with Insurance and Governmental Organization each cities throughout the nation, fought successfully to gained one member. retain last year. But the $1 billion proposed reduc- tion is a blow to local governments throughout the To read the text of SR 21, visit the Sill Search nation, who use these program funds to tackle section of the League's website their most serious community development (www.cacities.org/billsearch.) The current mem- challenges. The program provides funding for bership listing is available on the Legislative public works and infrastructure, decent affordable Resources page of the League's website housing, pUblic services and economic develop- (www.cacities.orallegresources.) ment. Many of these activities are carried out at the local level by private companies, such as .......................... construction contractors, plumbers and electri- INFRASTRUCTURE from page 1 cians, as well as by non-profit community-based providers. The League's recommendations were devel- Every dollar of the COBG program in- oped by a special League Infrastructure Task Force appointed by League President Alex Padilla vested in communities is leveraged by three and chaired by League First Vice President Maria dollars in private funding, bringing much- Alegria, Mayor of the city of Pinole. The board of needed investment, jobs, and the chance for a directors adopted the principles and recommen- fresh start to blighted communities. dations at its February 10-11 meeting in Universal Sen. Dianne Feinstein strongly supports City. retaining the CDSG funding. On Feb. 17 she sent The recommendations respond to the specific a letter to Chairman Christopher Bond and Rank- infrastructure proposals put forward in Gov. ing Member Patty Murray of the Senate Appropria- Schwarzenegger's Strategic Growth Plan, as well tions Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, as proposals and concepts contained in Senate Judiciary, HUD, and Related Agencies, urging Pro Tern Don Perata's SB 1024 and Assembly them not to slash funding for this valuable pro- Speaker Nunez' AB 1783. gram. More importantly, however, the board's "CDSG funds are critical to the revitalization adopted principles will provide a framework that efforts of our nation's neediest cities and this cut will guide the League's responses to specific would have a devastating impact on low-income proposals. families that rely the most on the services pro. vided through this program," Senator Feinstein Visit www.cacities.org view a copy of the said. "These funds are crucial to closing the principles and recommendations. (See also disparity between rich and poor in so many rural "Legislative Conference Committee Considers and urban communities in California and in the Infrastructure Proposals", p.6.) nation." Continued on Page 10 Visit the League's Official Website.-www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS - PAGE 7 February 17, 2006 . Issue #7