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9 A3 <br />LOCAL UPDATE <br />The following are a few of the activities carried out <br />by city officials and others under the "LOCAL" banner <br />(Leave Our Community Assets Local" — the coalition <br />jointly sponsored by the League, the California State <br />Association of Counties, and the California Special <br />Districts Association. The coalition now includes more <br />533 members from throughout the state, including 27 <br />companies, 151 individuals and 355 organizations. <br />Grassroots Activities <br />• Regional Representative Dave Mullinax <br />reported late last week that a Channel Counties <br />Division LOCAL editorial board briefing with the <br />Ventura County Star went very well. He was right! <br />The editorial ran March 30, and was strongly in <br />support of the need for the legislature to act quickly to <br />protect local services. (See "The Budget Story — <br />Some Press Quotes.) <br />• Salinas Police Chief Dan Ortega carried the <br />LOCAL message about funding pressures on local <br />services as a guest this week on the KUSP -FM "Talk <br />of the Bay" radio program in the Monterey Bay area. <br />The half -hour program on the NPR Santa Cruz NPR <br />affiliate was billed as a discussion about homeland <br />security and the further strain it imposes on California <br />state and local budgets. LL Roger Wildey of the <br />Santa Cruz County Sheriff's office provided an <br />overview of local law enforcement coordination <br />efforts. Police Chief Ortega described the current <br />risks to public safety and other local services posed <br />by the state's current fiscal crisis, and the added <br />pressures presented by the demands of homeland <br />security. <br />• The March 28 LOCAL meeting organized by <br />the League's Peninsula Division with Assembly <br />Member Leland Yee, Assistant to the Speaker Pro <br />Tern, provided a good opportunity for participants to <br />tell the story of how city/county services would be <br />impacted by the proposals to cut local funding. <br />Present were San Francisco Supervisor Jake <br />McGoldrick, Daly City Vice Mayor Sal Torres, Los <br />Gatos Mayor Sandy Decker, Council Members Lee <br />Panza (Brisbane) and Dave Bauer (Belmont), San <br />Carlos City Manager Mike Garvey and Regional <br />Representative Rebecca Elliot <br />The discussion covered a range of challenges <br />facing cities and counties, including the state budget, <br />PERS costs, Basic Aid Schools, legislation and other <br />topics. <br />"Supervisor McGoldrick talked about the LOCAL <br />coalition - how strong we are together and how cities <br />and counties will stand together through this crisis'," <br />reported Rebecca Elliot. 'He also drew attention to <br />the coalition's 2003 recommendations and encour- <br />aged Assembly Member Yee to study the packet we <br />provided, in order to get a better understanding of the <br />coalition and its direction." <br />Yee shared his insights on several aspects of the <br />budget debate. He told the group that the vehicle <br />license fee trigger is likely to be pulled in May; that the <br />state is still spending money as if it has it; that early <br />returns on personal income tax are not encouraging; <br />that he views the economic downturn as a 3-4 year <br />recession; and that there is no.industry to replace the <br />hi -tech industry revenue stream. <br />The group shared ideas about fiscal reform <br />approaches, expressing support for bills that would <br />change the sales tax on internet and catalogue sales; <br />and for a state budget based upon first determining a <br />3 -5 year running average of expenses, including a <br />COLA, and then adopting a budget that does not <br />exceed that figure. The Assemblymember listened <br />intently and commented on each person's presenta- <br />tion and asked good questions. <br />Other discussion points: <br />Yee said the state needs to examine its role in <br />"realignment" (shifting health and human services to <br />counties); that cities will have to look at the budget in <br />terms of how much of a cut they can take and in what <br />areas the cuts need to be made. He reiterated that <br />everything is back on the table for the 2003 -04 <br />budget. He further said that: <br />• LOCAL and the League need to stay in dose <br />contact with legislators in Sacramento and let them <br />know our views/ooncemsAimits/etc. <br />• The big budget decisions will most like be <br />made by legislative leadership. <br />• Tough cuts must be made or the State will be <br />in bankruptcy; he doesn't like the Orange County <br />Continued on Page 7 <br />Visit the League's Official Web Site -- www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS /PAGE 3 <br />