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9 a-6 <br />LEAGUE BOARD ADOPTS WATER <br />QUALITY REGULATORY TASK FORCE <br />ISSUES AND ACTION REPORT <br />Laot week, the League Board of Directors <br />adoptea the final report of the League's Water <br />Quality Regulatory Task Force's Issues and Actions <br />Report. Developed by the Task Force over the last <br />year, the report identifies a series of issues and <br />problems in the wastewater and storm water areas <br />and proposes a variety of actions the League may <br />take to respond to the issues. <br />The League's Water Quality Regulatory Task <br />Force is the result of a broad and vigorous outcry <br />from city officials whose cities are faced with these <br />increasingly dramatic regulatory compliance costs, <br />some of which are viewed as having marginal water <br />quality benefit relative to the cost. Instead of simply <br />saying "NO ", the League has channeled this energy <br />into a productive effort. <br />LOCAL UPDATE <br />City officials and their LOCAL coali- <br />tion partners have continued their efforts <br />to protect local services from state <br />budget cuts, even with proliferating <br />rumors that a final budget "solution" is <br />near. <br />• Editorial Boards: There are two <br />upcoming editorial board briefings next <br />week, with the Ventura County Starand <br />the Riverside Press Enterprise. <br />" Last week the successful 3`" <br />Annual Greater Bay Area Divisions <br />Dinner in Monterey not only raised <br />money for CITIPAC, but secured a com- <br />mitment for local government from one <br />member of the State Assembly. <br />The Task Force was created by the League's <br />board of directors to identify and evaluate wastewa- <br />ter and storm water quality regulatory issues of <br />concern to cities, and to recommend steps that the <br />League should take to address those concerns. In <br />reviewing the challenges facing cities, the Task <br />Force took a proactive approach that stresses <br />problem and issue evaluation, and collaboration. <br />The Task Force believes that other interested <br />groups, including regulators and environmental <br />groups, share some of the same concerns, even <br />though the solutions for resolving these concerns <br />may differ. <br />Thus, a significant portion of the Task Force's <br />Suggested Actions is devoted to establishing a <br />dialogue with the California Environmental Protection <br />Agency (Cal EPA) and the State Water Resources <br />Control Board. While it is not realistic to expect that <br />agreement can be reached on all of the issues <br />raised in the paper, the League believes such a <br />dialogue is vital and can result in a partnership <br />between local government, the Board and others on <br />areas of mutual agreement. <br />The Task Force's recommendations are envi- <br />sioned to be carried out over a three -to -five year <br />period. A copy of the Water Quality Regulatory Task <br />Force is available on the water quality page of the <br />League's website at www.cacities.ora. <br />During dinner, League President John <br />Russo stressed to the 90 -plus city offi- <br />cials on hand the importance of raising <br />money for CITIPAC to finance a League - <br />sponsored ballot measure. Russo col- <br />lected $300 on the spot from city leaders <br />who opened their wallets. <br />Later in the evening, Assemblyman <br />Simon Salinas, chair of the Assembly <br />Local Government Committee, talked <br />about the state budget, the climate in <br />Sacramento and his commitment to <br />cities. Salinas took several questions <br />after including one from Pleasant Hill <br />Council member David Durant. <br />"Assemblyman, can we have your <br />commitment tonight that you will not vote <br />for a budget that hurts local govern- <br />ment?" Durant asked. <br />"Yes, you have my commitment," <br />Salinas said. <br />PAGE 6 /PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site-- www.cacities.org <br />