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�-A _30 FEINSTEIN from page 1 Feinstein urged her colleagues to also oppose the expanded definition because of the devastating impact the change would have on cities' ability to provide essential services, incluJing public safety services. In making her case on the Senate floor, Sena- tor Feinstein cited the League's opposition to S.150, as well as the 104 letters she received from California cities individually, asserting that these communications convinced her that the measure as currently drafted is flawed. She reminded her fellow Senators that "cities and counties are where the people are, and they need police and fire and emergency services." event can be found at the League's federal issues page, www.cacities.orq /federal. In addition, a copy of a sample letter, thanking Senator Feinstein for all the hard work she's done on behalf of cities with regards to this issue is available at the federal issues page. Cities that contacted Senator Feinstein over the past month to urge her to oppose the expanded definition of Internet Access are encouraged to follow -up with her and let her know that we appreciate her taking city concerns so seriously. If you have any questions on this issue, please feel free to contact Jessica Mullan at 916.658.8243 (email Imullan(a),cacities.ora) or Frances Medema, 916.658.8218 (email finedema (D..cacities.ora). Thanks in large part to Senator Feinstein's efforts, S. 150 stalled and further action on the measure was delayed until the bill's proponents could reach a compromise with Senator Feinstein and others expressing concern on behalf of state and local governments. Negotiations about the bill's future continue, and it remains possible that some form of the bill could be attached to the omnibus appropriations act that Congress will consider within the next week. As work to develop consensus language continues, Senator Feinstein and several of her allies in the Senate (Senators Voinovich (R -OH), Carper (D -DE), Alexander (R -TX)) held a press conference to further highlight state and local government concerns with the legislation and to "call upon their Senate colleagues to pass an extension of the Internet tax moratorium that does not devastate the budgets of cities, counties and other local governments." As a former mayor herself, Senator Feinstein once again stood by the League, and the now 118 cities her office has heard from on S.150. At the event, she argued that a simple, temporary, two -year extension of the moratorium was the most responsible course of action to take on S.150 given all the confusion with regards to the definition of Internet Access and it application to rapidly changing technology, she argued. A copy of Senator Feinstein's floor statement (11/7) and her release from yesterday's press WORKERS COMP from page 1 6 • • 0 • • The reform package is now being fast - tracked through the Assembly and Senate under bills AB X4 1 and SB X4 3, respectively. The League and the California State Associa- tion of Counties have sent legislators a joint letter of support for the proposed workers compensation reforms, which can be viewed on the League's website at www.cacities.org /employeerelations. City officials are also encouraged to send letters of support for the reform package, which includes these elements: • Enhanced benefits for the most severely injured, once the California's workers' compensa- tion system is brought to the national average in costs. • Reducing costs to employers by attacking the cost drivers from a multi - pronged approach — through managing medical costs and restructuring indemnity payments. • Building on and fine- tuning SB 228 and AB 227, the workers' compensation bills passed earlier this year. For more information, please contact League Legislative Representative Amy Brown at 916.658.8279, email a brown( a�cacities.ora. PAGE 10 /PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site-- www.cacities.org .............. ...............................