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- TA - a � <br />\Nur,1,. la >AWPi TiRY A- Urntnx � O c u s <br />I'�'tl���tITY <br />November 21, 2003 <br />Issue #45 -2003 <br />GOVERNOR ROLLS BACK "CAR TAX" <br />CITIES URGE LEGISLATORS, ADMINISTRATION TO KEEP VLF <br />Hot Bills PROMISE TO PROTECT LOCAL SERVICES <br />■ <br />IN . Act NOW It happened with breathtaking speed. On November 17, almost immedi- <br />ately following his swearing -in ceremony, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger <br />fulfilled his campaign promise to roll back the "car tax ". He issued an Execu- <br />tive Order rescinding the June 20, 2003 letter of the Director of Finance that <br />SB X51 (Brulte) reinstated the full VLF and eliminated the VLF offset (also known as the <br />AB X41 (Maldonado) backfill ") from the State General Fund. For more, see page 8. <br />■ <br />SB X4 1 (Poochigian) ••••••••••••••••••••••••• <br />LEAGUE WILL SUPPORT GOVERNOR'S WORKERS <br />COMPENSATION REFORM PROPOSAL <br />■ On November 18 Governor Schwarzenegger announced a "California <br />Recovery Program ", which contained a workers compensation proposal that <br />■ will decrease workers' compensation costs by an estimated 45 percent and <br />will increase benefits for the most severely injured employees, while also <br />bringing the state's costs closer to the national average. For more see page <br />■ 10. <br />SENATOR FEINSTEIN ACHIEVES STRATEGIC WIN FOR CITIES <br />ON INTERNET TAX <br />Senator Feinstein took the Senate floor on November 7'h to passionately <br />oppose an expansion of the definition of Internet access included in S. 150, the <br />■ "Internet Tax Non - Discrimination Act of 2003. In doing so, she once again demon- <br />Want more details on strated a clear understanding of city finance in California, and the extent to which <br />these and other bills? the expanded definition of Internet Access would result in a loss of badly needed <br />Log on to the League of discretionary revenue for cities at a time when they face large budget deficits and <br />California Cities web site continuing uncertainty about state action on other sources of critical revenue. For <br />at www.cacities.orgl more, seepage 10. <br />legtracking. <br />Page 2 LEAGUE CEQA TASK FORCE TO FOCUS ON HOUSING, INFILL DEVELOPMENT <br />KESTON INFRASTRUCTURE INSTITUTE RELEASES SURVEY <br />ENERGY COMMISSION ADOPTS NEW BUILDING EFFICIENCY STANDARDS <br />Page 3 LEAGUE BOARD APPROVES KEY NEXT STEPS ON INITIATIVE COURT RULING, MAY LEAD <br />TO REDUCTION IN VLF RATES <br />LOS ANGELES DIVISION'S CITY MANAGERS' MEETING HUGE SUCCESS <br />Page 4 LEAGUE BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS <br />Page 5 LEAGUE LAUNCHES NEW CITIZENS' LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION SERVICE <br />HEARING DATE UNCERTAIN FOR AB 1160 <br />Page 6 CONGRESS POISED TO DISCUSS FUTURE OF CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM <br />Page 8 CA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION SOLICITS COMMENTS ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY <br />PROGRAMS <br />