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8A <br />Page 2 <br />`Laglslatlve Action Days' Continued from Page 1... <br />The legislative briefings occurred at the Sheraton Grand <br />Sacramento. League President Maria Alegira kicked off Legislative <br />Action Days by welcoming everyone to Sacramento followed by <br />Executive Director Chris McKenzie's update on the organization's <br />strategic goats and priorities. <br />After these introductory remarks, a number of guest speakers from <br />the Legislature spoke about issues of importance to local <br />governmen#, including infrastructure, housing and healthy <br />communities. <br />Sen. Alex Padilla, the League's president in 2006, discussed SCR <br />31, an initiative declaring May as "Healthy Communities <br />Awareness Month." The senator emphasized the importance of <br />healthy living in California. <br />"What good is a sidewalk, or a park, unless someone is healthy,° <br />Padilla asked the assembled crowd of city officials. <br /> <br />infrastructure was the hot topic at Legislative Action Days. Sens. Alan Lowenthal and Bob Dutton <br />spoke on SB 286, a measure allocating funds for local street and road projects from Prop. 1B. <br />"We're going to get this money out the door," Lowenthal <br />said, referring to the bond funding in Prop. 1 B. "What <br />we're pushing for [with SB 286J is at least $1 billion out <br />right away." <br />League President Maria Alegria and Executive Director <br />Chris McKenzie echoed Sen. Lowenthal, stressing the <br />importance of upholding the promise made to voters to <br />put the bond money to work on projects throughout the <br />state. <br />McKenzie reminded city officials in attendance #o deliver <br />that message to legislators during their individual meetings. <br />"Our message today is to have them keep the promise they made to the voters and release the <br />$1 billion to cities,° he said. "It's what the voters expect." <br />Other members of the Legislature who spoke to the League included: <br />+ Asm. Anna Caballero, chair, Assembly Local Government Committee <br />• Asm. John Laird, chair, Assembly Budget Committee <br />• Sen. Dick Ackerman, Senate Republican Leader <br />+ Asm. Roger Niello, vice chair, Assembly Budget Committee <br />...~- <br />