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Legislative Bill Action
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<br />The following are summaries of just a few of the legislative bills that are currently being acted upon
<br />by the League of California Cities. For more information about these and other bills, please visit
<br />the League website's new "Issues and Advocacy" page (www.cacitfes.orttl
<br />issuesandadvocactrl a one -stop location to access information about legislation, policy issues
<br />and related developments. You can track information on bills (www.cacities.orgAegtracking), locate
<br />legislators and legislative committees, send letters to legislators or the media through the online
<br />Advocacy Center, research League policy positions, access useful related links, and much more.
<br />REVENUE AND TAXATION
<br />AB 94 (Chu). Property Taxation. Pension
<br />Funding. Prior to 1978, voters in a number of
<br />cities (see list below) adopted a property tax
<br />adjustment to meet pension obligations. These
<br />property tax assessments were unsuccessfully
<br />challenged after Proposition 13 passed. The rates
<br />have been unchanged since the original passage
<br />of the increment. AB 94 would allow for adjust-
<br />ments. Cities impacted by this legislation are:
<br />Albany, Bell, Beverly Hills, Cloverdale, Coalinga,
<br />Compton, El Monte, Eureka, Fairfax, Glendora,
<br />Huntington Beach, Huntington Park, Lynwood,
<br />Maywood, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park,
<br />Oakland, Oxnard, Rialto, Richmond, San
<br />Anselmo, San Fernando, San Gabriel, and
<br />Watsonville. Staff: Jean Korinke, Status:
<br />AsRevTax, Hrg- 3/3, Position: Support.
<br />AB 128 (Campbell). Internet Tax Freedom
<br />Act. Continuation. The current moratorium on
<br />prohibition on any fees on intemet access, band-
<br />width or other intemet services expired January 1,
<br />2003 with the issuance of an interim report by the
<br />Commission on Taxation in the New Economy.
<br />The proposed extension of the moratorium to
<br />2008 with this bill restricts the revenue options
<br />available to adjust to the changing economic
<br />environment. As fiscal and structural changes are
<br />discussed in state and local government budget-
<br />ing options, every alternative must be available for
<br />consideration to balance the extreme cyclical
<br />nature of the current revenue streams. Staff.
<br />Jean Korinke, Status: AsRevTax; Hrg -3/3, Posi-
<br />tion: Oppose.
<br />SB 83 (Soto). Local Agency Assessments.
<br />Currently, tax, fees or charges may be deemed
<br />not to be "increased" for Proposition 218 notice
<br />and hearing requirements if the adjustment is
<br />within a schedule adopted prior to November 6,
<br />1996 or the rate is not more than a previously
<br />approved rate or methodology. SB 83 adds
<br />"assessment" to this qualification. The bill would
<br />clarify the ability of local agencies to have legiti-
<br />mate and graduated adjustments to assessments
<br />without going to full -blown notice and hearing
<br />requirements. Staff: Jean Korinke, Status:
<br />SenLG; Hrg -3/5, Position: Support.
<br />ENVIRONMENTAL
<br />AB 71 (Horton). Tobacco. Retailer Licens-
<br />ing. Last year, after a lengthy journey, legislation
<br />to establish a statewide framework for state and
<br />local licensing of tobacco retailers stalled. Begin-
<br />ning with SB 1700 (Peace) and continuing through
<br />AB 1666 (Horton) and ultimately SB 1843, the
<br />proposal was designed to stop illegal sales of
<br />counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco products. The
<br />League was poised to support SB 1843, after
<br />working cooperatively with both authors to secure
<br />important amendments.
<br />This session, Assembly Member Horton has
<br />introduced AB 71, that is basically a re- introduction
<br />of the last version of SB 1843. This measure also
<br />proposes to establish a statewide licensing
<br />program for tobacco manufacturers, distributors,
<br />wholesalers, importers, and retailers. However, it
<br />is narrower in scope than the program initially
<br />proposed last year in SB 1700. AS 71 includes
<br />Visit the League's Official Web Site -- www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS /PAGE 11
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