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(P. A- \0 CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSE ERAF from page 1 ........... DELEGATION AND LEAGUE TO SPONSOR Be sure to tell them about the impacts that the HOMELAND SECURllY DISCUSSIONS ongoing ERAF shift have had in your city over the The California Congressional delegation and years, and what a ZWo increase in that shift will the League of California Cities invite all California mean on an ongoin!.> ~ Even if, for example, city officials to participate in a roundtable discus- this shift does not requi-e you to immediately layoff sion on homeland security and anti-terrorism, to employees or eliminate programs, it will probably be held immediately following the National League over time cause the kind of gradual erosion of of Cities Conference, March 5-9, 2004 in Wash- services that lead to a deterioration in the quality of ington, D.C. life in your city. Examples: With anti-terrorism at the top of the Administra- o A beautiful park that is now harder to main- lion and Congressional agendas. the Congres- tain. Trash isn't picked up as frequently; graffiti sional delegation wants to hear cities' safety, appears and isn't cleaned up; gang activity gradu- security, funding and infrastructure concerns. ally increases and people are not as comfortable This will help support California's federal-local using the park any longer. goal of better protecting and maximizing resources for our citizens back home. o Potholes and other road repairs are deferred The program over longer periods of time. . Tuesday, March 9, 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Room B- o Businesses find fewer city staff available to 339 of the Rayburn House Office Building: The California State Society hosts an evening recep- review building applications or process permits. tion for California city officials and the California Delays increase project costs, and impede job Congressional delegation. creation. . Wednesday, March 10, 10:00 to 11 :30 am, o Hours at the senior center or teen center are Room (to be announced): Roundtable discussion cut back. between California Members and cities on Home- land Security Issues. Hosted by California delega- Other points to make: tion Co-Chairs David Dreier and Zoe Lofgren. We urge all city officials to attend this critical · Voters are opposed to this new ERAF program and help strengthen our ability to com- shift, 60% to 29%. According to a Field poll municate with Congress and make our local needs released this week, both Republican and Demo- be known. Please let Jessica Mullan. League cratic voters are strongly opposed to the state Staff. 916/658-8243, email: jmullan@cacities.org, transferring local property tax dollars to meet state know immediately of your plans to attend. obligations to fund schools. (See "Field Poll Re- CALPERS from page 3 0 0 . 0 0 . 0 . · 0 0 . 0 . suits on ERAF Shift".) fide separation in service provisions do NOT apply · Cities are alreadv net donors to the state in this case. It would only apply if that city manager general fund. We understand that in a tough acts as "interim city manager". bUdget year, some cuts are inevitable. But Califor- nia cities and counties are already contributing to Non CalPERS Agency Employment the state's general fund, in the form of the ongoing ERAF shift - about $5.2 billion in the current year. A person who retires from a CalPERS agency Over the past 4 years cities have contributed more and accepts employment with a non-CaIPERS than $3 billion to the state than they have received agency is not bound by either the NRA or 90-day in all forms of state assistance. This new ERAF elimination provisions. Continued on Page 5 PAGE 4/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site--www.cacities.org