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IA <br />W/1W fi V1.. pagPi 1 . e .. . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .. . . .... 0 . .... . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . . . ... . . . <br />State Budget/Fiscal Reform Principles. The <br />board reviewed the recommendations of the joint <br />LCC /CSAC /CSDA Fiscal Reform Task Force contain- <br />ing a series of principles for balancing the state <br />budget and fiscal reform. These principles will be <br />further refined in discussions with CSAC and CSDA <br />as well as other coalition partners. A resolution <br />containing the final principles will be a primary focus <br />of the special meeting of the League General Assem- <br />bly on May 15. The draft principles focus on a bal- <br />ance between spending cuts and temporary taxes in <br />addressing the state budget deficit, greater state <br />fiscal discipline, and constitutional protection of local <br />government revenues and services. <br />"Cloudy Skies Over California." The board <br />viewed a new six - minute video designed to help <br />educate members of the public about the risk to city <br />services from state grabs of local revenues. Copies <br />will be mailed to all cities for use at council meetings, <br />local access channels, service clubs, etc. <br />Tax Swap Proposal Discussed. Assembly <br />Member Darrell Steinberg discussed his AB 1221 with <br />the board. AB 1221 would exchange half of the local <br />Bradley -Burns sales tax revenue for an equivalent <br />amount of property tax. The board expressed strong <br />support for amending the measure to provide consti- <br />tutional protection of local government revenue. The <br />following day the board voted to accept the policy <br />committee's recommendation to oppose AB 1221 <br />unless it is so amended. <br />is financed with payroll deductions and is dedicated <br />exclusively to city revenue protection. CITIPAC will <br />receive ongoing support from fundraising events <br />conducted throughout the state, hosted by city <br />elected officials. <br />Ethics Education Task Force Created. This <br />year, one of the League's strategic goals is promoting <br />public confidence in local government, particularly city <br />government. As one strategy to accomplish this goal, <br />League President John Russo has formed an Ethics <br />Education Task Force to evaluate and make recom- <br />mendations on the League's current educational <br />offerings for local elected and appointed officials. <br />Mike Doyle, Mayor, town of Danville, will chair the task <br />force. <br />LOWfrornpage3 so6660006099••ee <br />gloomier"— Discusses VLF, Legislature's failure to <br />make cuts, calls on Sacramento to "cut back on its <br />own excesses before socking Californians with <br />multiple tax hikes and gutting essential programs." <br />San Jose Mercury News, "Budget dillydallying; <br />Legislature Is Leaving Schools, Cities And Counties <br />Hanging" <br />San Bernardino County Sun, "State budget <br />crunch"— Bruits argues that if the state government <br />isn't willing to pay for mandates, it should eliminate <br />them <br />Legislative Action Days —May 14-15. The <br />League's Legislative Action Days will be coordinated <br />with the LOCAL Coalition (Leave Our Community <br />Assets Local). The Governor will release his revised <br />budget proposal--the "May Revise " —on May 14, <br />making these grassroots advocacy activities espe- <br />cially timely. All cities are encouraged to send a large <br />delegation for Legislative Action Days —there is NO <br />REGISTRATION FEE —and work with your division's <br />regional representative to coordinate meetings during <br />that time with your legislators. <br />New Ballot Measure PAC Approved. The <br />board approved creation of a new political action <br />committee ( CITIPAC) under its direction dedicated to <br />ballot measure advocacy on behalf of cities. This will <br />complement the Save Our Services (SOS) PAC, which <br />Sacramento Bee Dan Walters Column, <br />"Califomia's budget crisis may be beyond politicians' <br />control" <br />Sacramento Bee Dan Walters Column, "Legisla- <br />ture occupies itself with trivia as state meltdown <br />looms" <br />News Stories <br />Sacramento Bee, "Attack on deficit limps along; <br />The effort has slowed as lawmakers reject many of <br />Davis' ideas, and questions plague other proposals" <br />Monterey County Herald, "State may need to <br />borrow $11 billion; IOUs could be used to make <br />payments on some bills" <br />(See page 5 for selection of quotes.) <br />Visit the League's Official Web Site-- www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS /PAGE 7 <br />