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LEAGUE GRASSROOTS NETWORK IN ACTION • The Peninsula Division's Legislative Response Team proved this week that timely, well -organized testimony from local elected officials can, and does, make a difference in the Capitol. Team members Sandy Decker, (Mayor, Los Gatos), Matt Grocott (San Carlos City Council), Dave Bauer (Belmont City Council) and Laura Snideman (San Carlos Housing and Redevelopment Manager) testified April 30 before the Assembly's Housing and Community Development Committee in opposition to AB 1160, Assembly Member Steinberg's legislation on secondary units. Supported by the intense lobby- ing efforts of League lobbyist Dan Carrigg, the team was successful in stopping the bill in its tracks. Committee Chair Alan Lowenthal re- quested, and Assembly Member Steinberg agreed, that the bill remain in the committee for additional work, and that the author not ask for a vote at this time. • Central Valley Division Regional Repre- sentative Debbie Olson is conducting dozens of city council briefings on the League's priority bills. In her briefings she provides a synopsis of the bill, the League's recommendations, and sample letters to send to legislators. 'The briefings are helping to keep city officials informed and improve our grassroots response on key measures — shortening the turnaround time and increasing the number of letters coming out of the division," reports Debbie. "CLOUDY SKIES" VIDEO SENT TO CITY MANAGERS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Available in your city now. a new League video, "Cloudy Skies Over California Cities," shipped last week to all city managers throughout the state. Designed to help city officials tell the story about the risk to essential city services from possible state budget cuts, this unique, six minute, six second video describes the services a city offers and explains why and how local services have become so vulnerable to state funding grabs. Many public information officials had an oppor- tunity to screen the video at last week's California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) conference in San Diego. The program tells interested viewers to con- tact city hall for more information, or to visit the League's Web site. Materials distributed with the video include a fact sheet that cities can personal- ize, in order to respond to any calls the city might receive from interested citizens as a result of airing the video in public venues. "Cloudy Skies Over California's Cities" is ideal for airing on local cable government- access channels. It can also serve as a great audio- visual aid to share at council meetings, or by city officials meeting with business groups, neighbor- hood associations or with other organizations that care about the importance of protecting city services. • Imperial cities and the county are partici- pating in a Proposition 46 Housing Bond Work- shop sponsored by Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny entitled "Putting the Housing Bond to Work for You ". The Imperial Division cospon- sored a similar workshop with the San Diego Division and regional housing advocates in early April in San Diego. This May 16th workshop from 1-4 p.m. at the Imperial County Office of Educa- tion in El Centro will focus on the housing bond and the needs of the Imperial and Coachella Valley regions. Senator Ducheny is extending an invitation for anyone interested to attend. The video is also available from the League in a variety of formats which may be required for airing. A link to the video, along with its accompa- nying Fact Sheet and Talking Points, can also be found on the League's homepage, www.eacities.org PAGE 4/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site -- www.cacities.org