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8A Page 5 Eligible uses include water treatment facilities, replacement of aging infrastructure, planning studies, consolidation of water systems, and source water protection. Ineligible uses include dams or rehab of dams. O&M costs and projects mainly for fire protection. Universal pre-applications for federal stimulus loans and grants through the SDWSRF are DUE FEB. 27. 2009. Please visit the Department of Public Health's Web site at htto://www.cdoh.ca.gov/services/fundinalDocuments/EconomicRecovervFundslnformationAttach ment.odf for more information on the SDWSRF loans and grants. The New Law Could Mean Faster State Mandate Reimbursement The city of Newport Beach continues negotiating with the Department of Finance (OOF) over the costs imposed by the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act (AB 220) (htto:/Ict2k2.caoitoltrack.comf07/BiIIs/asmJab 0201-02501ab 220 bill 20071013 chaotered.odf) under the authority of a recent law designed to bypass the current lengthy mandate claim process. Results could pave the way for cities to receive faster claim processing and reimbursements on other unfunded mandates. Newport Beach's efforts follow the passage of AS 1222 (htto:/Ict2k2.caoitoltrack.comJ07/Bills/asm/ab 1201-1250/ab 1222 bill 20071008 chaotered.odf) in 2007, which provides cities with an alternative "legislative determined mandate" (LDM) method to the current lengthy and extensive administrative "test claim" process, which often takes up to six years to deliver results. LDM allows a local agency, or statewide associations representing local governments, to enter into discussions with the OOF on statutes and executive orders to negotiate and jointly deveJop a proposed amount of reimbursement, and submit it to the legislature for its approval. If the Legislature determines that local governments are entitled to reimbursement, it adopts the proposed methodology, and appropriates funds or suspends the operation of the program. Most significantly, notification of the State Mandates Commission of an agreement pursuing an LDM also suspends the statute of limitations for the filing of a test claim. By statute, the test claims must be filed within one-year after the mandate becomes effective, or costs are first incurred. If a test claim succeeds, it qualifies alllocel agencies with costs in the same area to seek reimbursement. Cities that do not individually file for test claims often don't know they can claim the costs of new state mandated programs until the test claim is approved, or may not have the records and documentation needed to file claims for the prior years. Consequently, by the time a reimbursable mandate is identified! the cost for delivering the program locally for the first year may not be reimbursable for many cities. LDM's would provide cities with the opportunity to recover their cost going back to the first day the mandate becomes effective, or costs are first incurred. Another key provision of AS 1222 is that local agencies are no longer required to maintain and submit detailed actual time records to support their mandated cost claims. Instead, a formula or simplified method consisting of unit time or costs called a reasonable reimbursement methodology (RRM) is available. Newport Beach has been utilizing the resources of the League and California State Association of Counties (CSAC) joint advisory committee on state mandates, the I&SB 90 Advisory Committee." Named after 58 90 of 1972, instituting the principle of the state reimbursing local governments for mandates, the advisory committee has been assisting the cities and counties for nearly 20 years with Identifying new mandates that are eligible for reimbursement, and provides technical assistance to cities with filing test claims with the State Mandates Commission. At a time when cities feel the pain of declining revenues, following the City of Newport Beach's steps and pursuing the LDM option to identify unfunded mandates could mean getting faster results and reimbursement. The League is strongly encouraging your city to closely look and identify programs mandated by statutes, executive orders, and regulations that may be eligible for 5