November 10, 2005
Issue #44-2005
The Legislature is
in recess until
January 4.
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BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES
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Rudy Natoli, council member of Pismo Beach and a member of the
League of California Cities board of directors, is spearheading an effort in the
Channel Counties Division to collect the ethics policies of cities and encour-
age cities without such policies to adopt them. For more, see Page 2.
CHANNEL COUNTY CITIES MAKE ETHICS A PRIORITY CHANNEL COUNTY CITIES MAKE ETHICS A PRIORITY CHANNEL COUNTY CITIES MAKE ETHICS A PRIORITY CHANNEL COUNTY CITIES MAKE ETHICS A PRIORITY CHANNEL COUNTY CITIES MAKE ETHICS A PRIORITY
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Senate President pro T em Don Perata has announced the following changes
among caucus leaders and committee chairs: For more, see Page 2.
SENATE SHIFTS COMMITTEE CHAIRS SENATE SHIFTS COMMITTEE CHAIRS SENATE SHIFTS COMMITTEE CHAIRS SENATE SHIFTS COMMITTEE CHAIRS SENATE SHIFTS COMMITTEE CHAIRS
With a contentious election behind them, state legislative leaders and Gov.
Schwarzenegger are reportedly scheduled sit down on November 10 to
explore post-election opportunities to work together more cooperatively.
That’s good news for Californians everywhere, including California cities.
Elected city officials – who serve their constituents in a non-partisan capacity
– understand as well as anyone that voters want and expect their elected
officials to work together to solve problems. For more, see Page 3.
POST-ELECTION OPPORTUNITY: LET’S SOLVE THE STATE’S POST-ELECTION OPPORTUNITY: LET’S SOLVE THE STATE’S POST-ELECTION OPPORTUNITY: LET’S SOLVE THE STATE’S POST-ELECTION OPPORTUNITY: LET’S SOLVE THE STATE’S POST-ELECTION OPPORTUNITY: LET’S SOLVE THE STATE’S
INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMVisit the League’s Official Website--www.cacities.org PAGE 2 - PRIORITY FOCUS
November 10, 2005 - Issue #44
On October 27, the U.S. Congress took action to
complete the Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) process by voting not to reject the list of
military facilities slated for change.
The U.S. Department of Defense prepared the
list of military facilities in order to transform our
military to meet our nation’s future security needs. It
was reviewed and modified by a commission of
retired military leaders and other experts and then
forwarded to the president and ultimately Congress.
The October 27 vote was likely the final step in
that process and virtually ensures that the existing
BRAC list will be enacted without change.
“This is very good news for California,” said Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger. “In its preparations and
review, the Pentagon and the BRAC Commission
recognized what we here in California have long
known - California is critical to our nation’s ability to
meet the threats of the 21st century and our military
bases have unique advantages because of their
location in California in meeting those threats.”
BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO BRAC UPDATE: CONGRESS VOTES TO
MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES MAINTAIN LIST OF FACILITIES
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The collected policies of the Channel County
cities are posted on the Institute for Local Gov-
ernment (ILG) website (www.ca-ilg.org/
ethicscodes), and include:
• Goleta
• Simi Valley
• San Luis Obispo
• Port Hueneme
• Fillmore
• Morro Bay
• Thousand Oaks
• Pismo Beach
• Paso Robles (Council Policies and
Procedures, Chapter 2)
• Oxnard (Administrative Manual, Standards
of Ethics)
In 2004, the League encouraged cities to
adopt positive, values-based ethics codes as part
of its focus on ethics and public confidence as a
strategic priority. Research conducted by ILG
(the League’s non-profit research arm) indicated
that when it comes to the effectiveness of ethics
codes, process is almost more important than
product.
For those whose conduct is to be guided by
such a code, having a significant role in develop-
ing it ensures greater adherence to it. Regular
review and updating of the code is also important.
As Council Member Natoli observed, “The goal is
to foster a culture of ethics and ethical decision-
making at city hall.”
For more information about public sector
ethics and ethics laws, please visit ILG’s Ethics
Resource Center at www.ca-ilg.org/trust.
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• Sen. Tom Torlakson replaces Sen. Kevin
Murray as caucus chair.
• Sen. Kevin Murray replaces Sen. Carole
Migden as Appropriations chair.
• Sen. Carole Migden replaces Sen.
Richard Alarcon as caucus whip and
Sen. Elaine Alquist as Public Safety chair.
• Sen. Elaine Alquist replaces Sen. Joe
Simitian as Human Services chair.
• Sen. Joe Simitian replaces Sen. Alan
Lowenthal as Environmental Quality chair.
• Sen. Alan Lowenthal replaces Sen. Tom
Torlakson as Transportation and Housing
chair.
The new assignments present a good opportu-
nity for city officials represented by these senators to
reach out to them, and to congratulate them on their
new assignments. You can find their addresses and
phone numbers on the Legislative Resources page
of the League’s website.
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Restore and protect local control for cities
through education and advocacy to
enhance the quality of life for all Californians.
Our MissionPRIORITY FOCUS - PAGE 3 Visit the League’s Official Website--www.cacities.org
November 10, 2005 - Issue #44
While there are many statewide issues that
urgently require attention, one that both the admin-
istration and the Legislature are likely to identify as
ripe for action is the need for increased investment
in infrastructure.
This need was identified last year by the League
board of directors as one of three strategic goals for
the organization. The League worked hard last year
to ensure that, with the state’s improving revenue
situation, Proposition 42 transportation funding
would – for the first time since it was authorized by
the voters in 2002 – be appropriated to transporta-
tion projects, rather than shifted into the state
general fund to offset the state deficit.
The governor and legislators agreed – resulting
in $1.3 billion in funds flowing to transportation
projects throughout the state, including $254 million
to cities and counties to help pay for local street and
road maintenance projects. Under Prop. 42 funding
formulas, that local share is scheduled to increase
to $560 million in FY 2008-09.
It is clear to most observers that the state’s
growing infrastructure needs can only be ad-
equately addressed with a permanent, dedicated
source of revenue. Toward that end, the League
has been working recently with an alliance of trans-
portation stakeholders to explore the potential for a
ballot measure or initiative that would permanently
dedicate Prop. 42 funds – the sales tax on gasoline
– to transportation. Such a constitutional amend-
ment would put an end to the annual fight to make
sure these transportation-derived revenues always
go to transportation investments.
Moreover, the League will be working with other
partners through the California Infrastructure Coali-
tion (CIC), a coalition of business groups, local and
regional government association and non profit
organizations. The League and CIC will assist both
the governor and the Legislature in the months
ahead to assess the extent of statewide infrastruc-
ture needs and voters’ willingness to support mea-
sures that provide ongoing infrastructure funding.
(League Executive Director Chris McKenzie cur-
rently serves as Chair of the CIC.)
The League will have a special interest in
proposals that help construct infrastructure
needed to serve the increasing number of resi-
dents of California’s cities, home of approximately
80 percent of all Californians. Neither the League
nor the CIC have taken formal positions on any
bond measure at this time, but it is expected to be
at the top of the list of options to be considered
during the next legislative session.
As these discussions continue, we believe that
the experience of local officials in working to gain
voter support for local transportation funding
measures can be useful and important for state
officials who are trying to craft workable, winnable
statewide solutions. For example, local officials
have learned that they must do a good job of
documenting the need for additional funding, and
present to voters a specific program for how new
funds will be spent. The local experience with
these measures is just one of many reasons that
consultation with, and participation by local offi-
cials is an integral part of statewide infrastructure
strategies.
For more information on CIC, please visit its
website at www.calinfrastructure.org.
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