Editor's Note
For a printable copy of City Advocate Weekly please visit the League's Web site.
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Senate Expected to Return to Sacramento Next Week: SB 67, 65, Other Issues Remain in Balance
The Senate is expected to return to session on Tuesday, Oct. 13, close to a month after the official end of the 2009 legislative session. The goal is to address a number of items, including two of critical importance to local agencies. SB 67 contains clean-up language to the Proposition 1A property tax provisions that will enable California Communities to move forward with the securitization program benefiting more than 700 local agencies. SB 65 contains necessary clean up to the Highway User Tax Account (HUTA or gas tax) deferral language.
[FULL STORY]
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League Summaries of RTAC Report Now Available
Last week, the Regional Targets Advisory Committee (RTAC) released its report advising the state Air Resources Board (ARB) on how to set regional targets for transportation related greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks under SB 375.
[FULL STORY]
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State’s Raid on Transit Funds Ruled Illegal
State Supreme Court Rejects State’s Request for Review
The California Supreme Court last week rejected the state’s request to review a lower court’s ruling that the recent seizures of transit funding were illegal. Earlier this year, the Third District Court of Appeal ruled that the state violated statutory and constitutional amendments enacted by voters since 1990. By not accepting the state’s petition for review, the high court upheld the lower courts ruling.
[FULL STORY]
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Ninth Circuit Concludes City’s Mobile home Rent Control Ordinance Constitutes a “Taking” Under the Constitution
Local governments were dealt a blow last week when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal issued its opinion in Guggenheim v. City of Goleta. A three-judge panel of the court concluded in this case that the city’s mobile home rent control ordinance constitutes a “taking” under the United States Constitution, for which the government must pay “just compensation.” This decision follows an equally disappointing decision by a federal district court last August, MHC Financing v. City of San Rafael, which likewise concluded that the city’s mobile home rent control ordinance constituted a taking.
[FULL STORY]
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Ninth Circuit to Consider Retiree Benefit Case
The League filed an amicus brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal earlier this week in Retired Employees Association of Orange County v. County of Orange. The district court in this case concluded that the county is not required to subsidize retiree health benefits absent an express commitment by the Board of Supervisors, which was never given. Unhappy with the lower court’s decision, the retiree association has appealed to the Ninth Circuit. In this era of rising healthcare costs and fiscal instability, the court’s decision will have consequences for local governments throughout the state.
[FULL STORY]
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Upcoming Events
October
10 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. All recipients of federal stimulus funding must report information to granting agencies, as required by Section 1512 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. For more details, see story, “October 10 Federal Stimulus Funding Reporting Deadline Looms.” More information on reporting requirements is available in the Chapter on “General and Accountability Provisions in ARRA” the League’s City Funding Book on the League’s Web site.
15 The Great California Shakeout: Statewide Earthquake Preparedness Drill
20 Pre-Bid Conferences for the State Energy Program Solicitations American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) – 9 a.m. California Energy Commission staff will conduct three Pre-Bid Conferences to discuss their Municipal Financing District Program (AB-811-type programs); California Comprehensive Residential Building Retrofit Program; and Municipal and Commercial Building Targeted Measure Retrofit Program. Up to $95 million are expected to be made available through the solicitation process for these three programs. The conference will be held at the California Energy Commission, 1516 9th Street, Hearing Room A, Sacramento, CA. For more information: http://www.energy.ca.gov/recovery/meetings/index.html.
28 Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities Campaign Seminar: Arcata. Arcata Mayor Mark Wheetley and Eureka City Council Member Linda Atkins invite Mayors, Council Members, City Managers and Planning, HR, RDA Directors to join them at the B Street Community Center in Arcata from 3:45-7:30 p.m. Please RSVP by Oct. 14 to Heather Stevens, City of Arcata, (707) 822-7091 or RSVP online. To learn more about the HEAL campaign, please visit www.HEALCitiesCampaign.org.
[FULL STORY]
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