AgdaPkt 2003-04-28 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

9.AAW Legislative Bill Action ................................ ............................... address their widespread and urgent infrastructure needs. To respond to the state's projected growth, attract quality jobs, and maintain California's famous quality of life, cities must be able to improve their local infrastructure. In particular, sewer systems must be replaced and expanded, water supplies must be increased and used more efficiently, low - density urban patterns must be replaced with more compact development, investments in public trans- portation must expand, affordable housing must be built close to employment centers, and our natural environment must be protected. Studies conducted by the California Business Round Table, the State Treasurer, and the Governor's Commission for Building in the 21st Century all confirm that local infrastructure has been severely neglected. Infrastructure investment deficits are estimated to be as high as $82 and $90 billion, and local needs are likely increase rather than subside in the near future. However, under the existing system of local finance, California's cities lack the tools to make these needed investments without facing the almost insurmountable two thirds - vote threshold —a threshold not faced by state ballot measures. AB 531 assists cities seeking to address their infrastructure needs in this difficult economic cli- mate. The Kehoe legislation would enact the Community Infrastructure and Economic Develop- ment Bond Act of 2004. If adopted, the Community Infrastructure and Economic Development Bond Act would authorize the issuance of $10 billion in general obligation bonds to finance a broad variety of local infrastructure and economic development projects. The act would be administered by the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank, and local governments would be eligible for grants, loans, or a combination of grants or loans. Projects that are consistent with smart growth principles because they address regional jobs/ housing priorities, support increased residential density developments, support transit oriented development, or identify quality of life improvements would be given priority. Although matching funds would be required by provisions in AB 531 this requirement could be reduced or waived in cases where the local government can demonstrate significant hardship or the project would achieve more than one of the identified priorities. Staff: Dan Carrigg, Status: AsJbEcDev &Ecnmy;Hrg-4/22, Position: Support. ADMINISTRATIVE AS 718 (Pacheco). Elections. Municipal Elec- tions. AS 718 amends (Sections 1003, 1301, 4000, 9283, 9285, 13113, 17100, and 17304 of the Elections Code), and (Sections 6253.5 and 36512 of the Government Code), relating to elections. AB 718 provides that special municipal elections can be held on dates other than an established election date and would permit any vacancy of an elected city office to be filled at that election. AB 47 would require a general municipal election to be held on any established election date or on the second Tuesday of April in each odd - numbered year, and requires a general municipal election held on the same date as a statewide election to be consoli- dated with that statewide election. AB 718 permits a municipal election that is held to submit a measure or measures to a vote wholly by mail; clarifies that arguments must be signed by the author /authors of the argument; permits rebuttal arguments to be signed by an author of the original argument, a combination of the authors of the original argument, or by all the authors of the original argument; requires rebuttal arguments to be signed only by the author or authors of the original argument and would require that rebuttal arguments contain no more than five signatures; requires the randomized alphabet drawn for purposes of the first election held by a charter city that holds two elections in the same year which occur on other than one of the four major election dates, to be used for both of those elections; and, provides that nomination documents and signatures in lieu of filing fee petitions are not public records and not open to public inspection. Staff: Amy Brown, Status: AsPubEmpRet &SS; Hrg -4/22 Position: Support. ENVIRONMENTAL SB 983 (Alarcon). Urban Landfills. State Pre- emption of Land Use Authority. SB 983 would preempt local land use authority. It would propose additional regulatory controls and requirements upon new or expanded "urban landfills ". However, PAGE 10 /PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site-- www.cacities.org