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10,A2 LEAGUE'S ONLINE CALENDAR HELPS YOU BUDGET FOR 2004 MEETINGS Visit the League's website often (www. for a complete sched- ule of upcoming meetings. View dates, locations and pricii ig information up to a year in advance. You can register online, view current program, and use this information to help plan your meeting schedule and budget expenses for the upcoming year. New 2004 meeting information is currently available and continuously updated. ....... ........................ REGISTER NOW! FIRE CHIEFS LEADERSHIP SEMINAR DECEMBER 10 -12 2003, MONTEREY • HIGHLIGHTS ; • Wildland Urban Interface : • Interagency Communications : Interoperability • Continuity of Service in a Disaster • • Joint Fire and Police Programs : • Binding Arbitration • Public Roadway Widths ; • Saving Local Democracy • ThursdavLunch : • "Cubicle Comedy' by Jan McInnis, writer for the "Tonight Shovel' ; Thursdav Evening Hosted Strolling Reception & Mini Exposition ; • Fridav's Kevnote : John Alston - Stuff Happens ; (and then you fix it) Register online by visiting the League's webs its atwww.cacities.oraled ........... ...................: ELECTION from page 1 .00.0.0 0 0 9 9.. We were pleased with his statements during the campaign expressing his belief that cities and coOnties should be kept whole in the process, but the eetails are not yet clear. In contrast, Senator John Burton reportedly said in a Wednesday press conference that if the new governor pro poses to restore the VLF tax cut, the legislature will not be willing to backfill local government, and that cities and counties would be on their own. These contradictory positions signal possibly strong disagreement between the legislature and the new governor, and underscore the importance of the govemor -elect coming out soon with details of how his VLF reduction plan would work. The facts as to the importance of VLF are clear and compelling. On average, two out of every three VLF dollars statewide pay for vital local public safety and public health services. A loss of this revenue would mean drastic reductions in police, fire, EMS and public health staff and services. We estimate that an elimination of the VLF without a stable backfill plan in place would reduce city VLF revenues by about 75% each month after it goes into effect. Clearly such rev- enue losses would be devastating to the safety and health of our communities. The League's position on the VLF remains the same as it has been since the first VLF reduction in 1998: this funding that pays for critical local fire, police and health care services must be continue to be paid to local governments. Whether that funding comes from the VLF or from some other source preferred by the new Governor and legisla- tors is less important than that police, fire and other essential local services are fully funded. The League congratulates Governor -elect Schwartzengger on his recent election and is committed to working with him and the legislature in finding ways to make that happen while keeping (local government funding whole. We will keep you posted as developments unfold. PAGE 2 /PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site-- www.cacities.org