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<br />money on these activities. The Court also highlighted that the city emphasized facts concerning <br />the effect of the measure's passage, used non-inflammatory language, and only distributed the <br />Information through regular city infonnation channels. <br /> <br />The Court also reaffirmed that government entities are entitled to the protection of the Anti. <br />Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (Anti-SLAPP) laws, which allow these cases to be <br />decided on a more expedited basis. <br /> <br />The decision Is undoubtedly a big relief for the now-retired city manager who was sued In this <br />case. since missteps in this area of the law subject a public official to per80nalllabilily for the <br />amounts improperly spent. <br /> <br />The League of Callfomla Cities and the California State Association of Counties are grateful to <br />Karen Getman with Remcho, Johansen and Purcell for preparing the amicus brief In this matter <br />and organizing the practice argument for the city's advocates. <br /> <br />The full court decision ,Is available at <br />httD:/lwww.courtlnfo.ca.aov/ooinionsldocumentslS140911.PDF. A more extensive analysis of the <br />Court's decision is available from the Institute for Local Government at www.ca-i1a.ora/varaas. <br /> <br />City attomeys will have a session on this case at their upcoming conference at the beginning of <br />May. Information about the conference Is available at WVM .cacltles.ora/events. Onslte registration <br />Is available. <br /> <br />Governor Announces the California Federal Economic Stimulus Task Force <br /> <br />In response to the emphasis on transparency and accountability in the American Recovery and <br />Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger created the California Federal <br />Economic Stimulus Task Force. The Governor's press release Is online at <br />httD:/Iwww.aov.ca.aov/oress-release/11927/. <br /> <br />The Task Force will: <br />. Track ARRA dollars received by the state; <br />. Help cities gain access to the funding; <br />. Work with President Barack Obama's administration; <br />. Ensure the state is effectively and efficiently using the money; and <br />. Update www.recoverv.ca.aov. the Web site Califomian's can use to track the stimulus <br />dollars. <br /> <br />Cynthia Bryant. deputy chief of staff to the Governor and director of the Governor's Office of <br />Planning and Research, will lead the task force and act as California's liaison to the federal <br />government. <br /> <br />Other members of the Task Force Indude: Chief Deputy Director of the Department of Finance <br />Ana Matosantos. Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Finance Fred Klass, California's <br />Chief Information OffIcer Ter! Takai, Director of the Governor's Constituent Affairs Office Luis <br />Portillo and Chief Deputy Director of Communications to the Governor Jeffrey M. Baker. <br /> <br />The Task Force also includes a representative for each of the main program areas through which <br />the federal funding will flow: Joe Munso. undersecretary of the Health & Human Services Agency; <br />Will Kempton. director of Caltrans; Lynn Jacobs, director of the Housing & Community <br />Development; Todd Ferrara. deputy secretary of Resources Agency; Patty Zwarts. deputy <br />secretary of Cal-EPA; Tracy Arnold, Governor's director for Jobs & Economic Growth; Kathy <br />Gaither. undersecretary of the Office of Secretary of Education; and Jaime Fall, deputy secretary <br />of Workforce and Development. <br /> <br />The Task Force can be reached through the Web site www,recoverv.C8.aov or by telephone at <br />(916) 322-4688. <br /> <br />SA <br />Page 7 <br /> <br />7 <br />