IN THIS ISSUE: Feb. 8, 2008
Issue #6-2008
Page 2: Positive Results for Local Tax Measures Across California
Page 3: Proposition 1C Funds Available for Affordable Housing for Permanent Low-Interest Loans
Cities Benefit from Affordable Housing Compliance Monitoring Tool
Page 4: League 2007 Legislative Report Now Online
Sustainable Cities Feature: Santa Barbara’s Integrated Pest Management System
Page 5: Department of Homeland Security Announces Availability of $3 Billion in New Grant Funds
Page 6: Register Now for Green California Summit and Exposition
Page 7: Find a Bill, Legislators, Leg Committee, or Ask League Leg Staff
CALIFORNIA’S CLIMATE CHANGE REGULATORY PROCESS MOVES FORWARD
Multiple state agencies are working to produce plans to reduce green house gas (GHG)
emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. This reduction was mandated by AB 32, the Green House
Reduction Act of 2006. Although the work is happening at the state level, city officials will want to
understand the status of the law’s implementation as it stands in 2008. For more, see Page 2.
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STATUS OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS BILLS
The League of California Cities produced a series of “The Worst of the Worst” employee relations
bills at the close of last year’s legislative session. Most of the bills were either two-year bills or
bills that the League needed to oppose and eventually kill. The following is a status of some of
those bills and others that are currently on the League’s radar. For more, see Page 2.
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THE LEAGUE WELCOMES CALIFORNIA’S NEWEST CITY—WILDOMAR
With Tuesday’s election in Riverside County, California will soon have 479 cities. Wildomar, a
community of about 29,000 residents, will be the first city to incorporate in the county since
Murrieta in 1991. It will officially become a city July 1. 2
‘California’s Climate Change’ Continued from Page 1…
In 2007, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) adopted nine discrete early action items to be
executed by significant GHG emitters by Jan. 1, 2010. City officials will be most interested in the
landfill methane capture item which requires gas collection and control measures on landfills
where these systems are not currently required. Methane is a potent GHG which can come from
landfill emissions among other sources.
ARB also adopted 35 early action items. These measures are currently underway or will be
initiated by ARB between 2007 and 2012. A list and description of these items can be found at
www.arb.ca.gov/climatechange.
Late last year, ARB quantified the 1990 emissions level at 427 million metric tons of carbon
dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e). This is the level the state must reduce its emissions by 2020.
In early 2008, subgroups of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Climate Action Team (CAT) began
meeting regularly to develop plans that will feed into the Scoping Plan required by AB 32. This
plan will go to ARB in November 2008. The Scoping Plan will be a document that describes how
California will reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 as well as provide a low carbon view for
the state between 2020 and 2050.
League staff is actively involved with two of the 11 subgroups: land use and local government and
waste management. Draft plans from the 11 subgroups should be released to the public by
spring 2008. The League will provide updates on this process through Priority Focus and the
League’s Web site (www.cacities.org).
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‘Employee Relations Bills’ Continued from Page 1…
SB 726 (Alquist). This legislation was recently amended and would provide retroactive
presumptions for blood borne pathogens to public safety employees in Santa Clara County. This
retroactive presumption would require the affected public employers to reopen claims back to
April 1, 1995. This is not only a dangerous precedent to be set for other entities across the state,
but would result in a tremendous financial burden to cities and counties affected in what promises
to be a lean budget year to begin with. OPPOSE.
SB 1115 (Migden). This legislation strips key and equitable apportionment provisions from the
SB 899 reforms and potentially eliminates the employer’s ability to use any non-industrial
circumstance in determining permanent disability. OPPOSE.
AB 213 (Fuentes). Now dead, this bill would have allowed venue shopping for injured workers.
Current law allows cities to object to a “change of venue” in a work comp case and AB 213 would
have taken that ability away.
AB 1496 (Swanson). This is the bill that will force cities to move ALL part-time workers into full-
time positions within a three month period. The bill is in Senate Local Government Committee,
where it is expected to stay due to issues with costs to local government and concerns from the
senator who holds the swing vote. If the bill makes it out of committee and is amended, it will
have to come back to the Assembly for concurrence, where the League will have another
opportunity to kill it. OPPOSE.
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Positive Results for Local Tax Measures Across California
Along with the presidential primary candidates and state level initiatives on the ballot Tuesday,
Feb. 5, nearly 100 local measures appeared on the ballots across the state. Sixty-two of these
local measures related to city, county, special district or school bonds or taxes.
The results were positive for most California cities with revenue measures on the ballot this week.
Thirteen of the 62 local revenue measures concerned city taxes. All seven majority vote city 3
taxes passed, including six measures to modernize existing utility user taxes. Four of the six
super majority vote city tax proposals also passed.
Two city incorporation proposals also came before voters. While Wildomar in Riverside County
will become the state’s 479th city, residents of Oakhurst, in Madera County, turned back that
effort. See ‘Wildomar’ on p. 1.
League fiscal consultant Michael Coleman has prepared a preliminary breakdown of the
measures. His report can be found online at www.californiacityfinance.com/#VOTES.
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Proposition 1C Funds Available for Affordable Housing for Permanent Low-
Interest Loans
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the availability of $69.5 million in Prop. 1C funds for
affordable housing projects on Thursday, Feb. 7. The funds will be used to provide permanent
low-interest loans for the construction and rehabilitation of affordable apartment homes across
California.
The funds will go toward 14 affordable housing projects in the following counties: Alameda,
Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and
Ventura.
The Governor, when announcing the availability of these funds, also touted the benefits of an
investment which would create new jobs and help boost the state’s economy.
The Department of Housing and Community Development has more information about Prop. 1C
funding online at www.hcd.ca.gov.
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Cities Benefit from Affordable Housing Compliance Monitoring Tool
U.S. Communities offers software to help local agencies comply with the complex requirements of
affordable housing laws. The incentives that support affordable housing often require the public
agency to monitor the property for compliance with federal and state affordable housing laws.
The public agency’s monitoring responsibilities are important to ensure that the full public benefit
of the affordable housing project is realized in return for the incentives provided to the developer.
Proper compliance monitoring also will help to ensure the property remains affordable in the
event of an IRS audit.
Compliance monitoring involves reviewing and analyzing regular reports from the owner, as well
as periodic site visits to audit tenant files and perform physical inspections. The required monthly
reporting can be demanding. The public agency needs a well-organized and dependable system
to track, analyze and file the reports.
Compliance Monitoring Solutions—AB 887 Compatible
U.S. Communities developed FOCUS Compliance Software, a web-based compliance monitoring
software and reporting system for public agencies and developers with affordable housing
compliance monitoring obligations. The software automates a series of complex and time-
consuming income and rent calculations that must be performed for every tenant to ensure
individual tenants and the overall property are in compliance with federal, state and local income
and rent restrictions.
FOCUS is also compliant with the new requirements of AB 887. Effective Jan. 1, redevelopment
agencies must now post information about their affordable housing projects online. FOCUS
makes this easy to do.
4
Launched in 2006, FOCUS is now used to monitor over 500 affordable housing properties
representing over 55,000 units. The program has proven to significantly reduce the time and cost
associated with compliance monitoring while improving reporting compliance, reducing paperwork
and increasing accuracy.
U.S. Communities can provide the custom software or additional compliance services (including,
but not limited to compliance training and/or consulting support) to assist cities in managing their
affordable housing compliance requirements.
Please contact Lorna Henri for further information at lhenri@cacommunities.org. Additional
information about compliance issues can be found online at www.housingcompliance.org.
U.S. Communities is a joint powers authority sponsored by the League of California Cities and the
California State Association of Counties. Its mission is to create programs that assist local
authorities to build better communities, stimulate social and economic growth and save public
agencies time and resources.
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League 2007 Legislative Report Now Online
City officials interested in information about legislation tracked by the League and signed by Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007 can find a copy of the League’s Legislative Report on online at
www.cacities.org/legresources.
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Sustainable Cities Feature: Santa Barbara’s Integrated Pest Management System
The city of Santa Barbara boasts some of the “greenest” parks and public landscaping in
California thanks to its reliance on an integrated pest-management (IPM) system instead of toxic
chemicals to control weeds and eliminate pests.
The city’s long history of working to enhance and preserve the natural environment formally
culminated when Santa Barbara adopted its sustainable city program in 2006 to ensure that all
city operations supported this goal. The city formalized its IPM approach to landscaping two
years prior.
IPM uses a combination of biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools to minimize the health,
environmental and financial risks associated with pest management. In short, pesticides are
avoided wherever possible and only used as a last resort. The least toxic option is always the
preferred method with IPM.
In the past five years, pesticide use in the city has dropped by 92 percent. In fact, 98 percent of
Santa Barbara’s parks are now maintained using only nontoxic methods or low hazard pesticides.
For example, less than three gallons of glyphosate (Round-Up) was used in management of
nearly 1900 acres of parkland in 2007.
The city uses IPM throughout the city including the airport, golf course, street landscaping,
creeks, beaches, and the AC Postel Memorial Rose Garden across from Mission Santa Barbara.
Various city departments, including parks and recreation, work with a five-member citizen IPM
advisory committee to implement the program. IPM techniques used in Santa Barbara include:
• Hot water/steam and green-flaming in high use parks;
• Mulching;
• Mow strips and planning bed renovations to reduce herbicide need;
• Trapping rodents at high use parks; and
• Cultural modifications to manage clover and associated bee sting hazards around pools.
5
Looking to expand the integrated pest management system in the city, Santa Barbara is currently
investigating how increasing the bat population would reduce the need to use mosquito
abatement treatments. The city soon hopes to install bat nesting boxes.
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation honored Santa Barbara for its efforts with its
2007 Integrated Pest Management Innovator Award. The award, given Jan. 17 in Sacramento,
was given to eight recipients. Santa Barbara is one of five cities to receive this award since 1994.
Santa Barbara has more information about the city’s sustainability activities online at
www.santabarbaraca.gov/Government/SustainableSB/.
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Department of Homeland Security Announces Availability of $3 Billion in New
Grant Funds
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released applications this week for 14 federal grant
programs designed to strengthen prevention, protection, response and recovery at all levels of
government. Created in 2005, DHS has administered $22.7 billion in federal grants so far to
states, territories, urban areas and transportation authorities.
In conjunction with the grant announcement, DHS also released grant application guidelines to
give applicants more time apply for funding to allow for a more efficient process that will expedite
the ultimate implementation of grant programs.
Application Deadlines
Infrastructure Protection Program (IPP) applications are due March 17. Homeland Security Grant
Program (HSGP) applications are due May 1.
Additional information, including individual fact sheets on each program, is available at
www.dhs.gov.
2008 Grant Allocations
The grant program allocations for 2008 are:
• Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) – $1.69 billion. HSGP is comprised of four
programs:
o State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) – $862.9 million to enhance state,
territorial and local capabilities through planning, equipment, training and
exercise activities
o Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) – $781.6 million to build capabilities in 60
high-threat, high-density urban areas across the country
Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities - In addition, the
department is directing that at least 25 percent of funds allocated from
both SHSP and UASI build state and local law enforcement terrorism
prevention capabilities
o Metropolitan Medical Response System Program (MMRS) – $39.8 million to 124
MMRS jurisdictions to enhance mass casualty preparedness
o Citizen Corps Program (CCP) – $14.5 million to states and territories to engage
citizens in community preparedness
• Infrastructure Protection Program (IPP) – $852 million. IPP is comprised of five overall
programs:
o Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) – $388.6 million protect critical transit
infrastructure from terrorism, including:
TSGP to intracity systems - $348.6 million to owners and operators of
transit systems, which include intracity bus, rail and ferry systems,
focused on employee training, infrastructure protection (e.g. intrusion 6
detection, hardening of tunnel ventilation and drainage systems) and
deterrent activities like canine teams
Intercity Passenger Rail (Amtrak) – $25 million to Amtrak to harden
underground and underwater track and tunnels against IEDs, and train
key employees in counter-terrorism
Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP) – $15 million to target
resources through security plans, vulnerability assessments and
employee security awareness training
o Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) – $388.6 million to enhance access control
and credentialing, protect against IED and other non-conventional attacks, and
conduct disaster-response training
o Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) – $48.5 million to safeguard critical
infrastructure sites from terrorist site surveillance or attacks with a focus on
public-private partnership and fusion center coordination
o Trucking Security Program (TSP) – $15.5 million to identify and recruit highway
professionals (carriers, drivers, first responders, highway workers) to actively
participate in an anti-terrorism and security awareness program, as well as
implement training programs and enable 24/7 call center support
o Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP) – $11.1 million to prioritize
vulnerability assessments, security plans and preparedness exercises
• Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) – $291.4 million to support
state and local emergency management programs
• Operation Stonegarden Grants (OPSG) – $60 million to land border states to enhance
law enforcement border security operations
• Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) – $60 million to
bolster catastrophic incident preparedness in designated UASI jurisdictions
• REAL ID Systems Integration and Data Verification Grant Program – $48.5 million to
states for cooperative efforts to enhance the integrity and reliability of driver’s licenses
• UASI Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) –$15 million to support target-
hardening activities by nonprofit organizations at high risk of an international terrorist
attack
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Register Now for Green California Summit and Exposition
The Green California Summit and Exposition is scheduled April 7-9, at the Sacramento
Convention Center. This event was created to support efforts by local and state government to
implement effective and innovative green services, products and solutions.
Session topics include:
• Climate change
• Energy innovation
• Green building
• Environmentally preferable purchasing
• Waste management
• Transportation
• Water management
• Developing an organizational “green culture”
• Planning and development
• Funding
Registration
Register online at www.green-technology.org/gcsummit. 7
Early bird registration ends March 1 for a discounted entry fee. Registration will be open until the
conference starts at full price. Special group rates for the education program are available for
groups of four or more. The keynote speeches and expo floor are free, but you must register to
attend.
For questions, please contact Cindy Dangberg at (916) 838-3339.
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Find a Bill, Legislators, Leg Committee, or Ask League Leg Staff
Visit (and bookmark!) the League’s Legislative Resources Web page
(www.cacities.org/legresources). You’ll find a roster and contact information for the League’s
legislative staff; the online Bill Search program, background materials on lobbying your
legislators, and more.
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IN THIS ISSUE: Feb. 15, 2008
Issue #7-2008
Page 4: Energy, Funding and Infrastructure Top League Federal Priorities
League Sets Climate Change Policies and Guiding Principles
Page 5: Institute for Local Government Web site Offers Resources on CEQA and Climate Change
Institute for Local Government Releases New Publication
Page 6: Find a Bill, Legislators, Leg Committee or Ask League Staff
LEAGUE BOARD MEETS IN SAN DIEGO
Strategic Priorities, Eminent Domain, SB 375, and Other Issues Discussed
The League of California Cities board of directors met on Friday, Feb. 8 and Saturday, Feb. 9 in
San Diego. The board addressed a variety of legislative and administrative issues and received
an update on the League’s strategic goals for 2008. For more, see Page 2.
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LEGISLATURE SET TO VOTE ON BUDGET TODAY
Package Includes Five Month Deferral of Highway User Tax
As of the Priority Focus print deadline, the both houses of the Legislature were expected to vote
on and pass a package of budget related bills on Friday, Feb. 15. This package contains a
variety of program cuts, payment deferrals and other mechanism designed to address cash flow
issues in the current fiscal year. Included is a five month deferral of the Highway User Tax
Account (HUTA). For more, see Page 3.
•••• ••• ••• •• •••• ••• ••• •• •••• ••• ••• ••
CITIES BEGIN TO RECEIVE PROP. 1B LOCAL STREET AND ROAD FUNDS
The Department of Finance (DOF) announced this week that 46 cities will receive their FY 2007-
08 Proposition 1B local street and road funds on Friday, Feb. 15. A city-by-city list of funds can
be found on the League’s Web site at www.cacities.org/infrastructure. For more, see Page 4. 2
‘League Board Meeting’ Continued from Page 1…
Strategic Priorities
The board learned that its first priority of “protecting funding for vital community services” was
advanced when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget did not contain a
recommendation to borrow property taxes from local governments through Proposition 1A or
Prop. 42/Prop. 1A transportation funds.
League President Jim Madaffer reported on a number of meetings that he attended with the
Governor in recent months to discuss the impact of the budget on cities as well as how to
increase infrastructure investment to help jump-start the economy. Cities will be affected directly
and indirectly by the Governor’s proposed across the board reductions in funding for state
services, including the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, as well as the
early release of non-violent prisoners.
The board learned that its priority to “support green and sustainable cities” is being advanced in a
significant way through the Institute for Local Government (ILG). Board members received a
copy of “Climate Action Network Best Practices Framework,” developed by ILG. This document
includes a set of voluntary best practices cities and counties can take to address climate change.
The document is available on ILG’s Web site at www.ca-ilg.org/climatepractices.
The board also reviewed and approved new League Climate Change Principles. These policies
were developed by the Climate Change Working Group and approved by the EQ, HCED, and
TCPW policy committees when they met in Sacramento in January. The League’s Climate
Change Policies are now on the environmental quality page of the League’s Web site at
www.cacities.org/eq.
The board was advised that its third priority, “expand infrastructure investment,” will be addressed
this legislative session by continued efforts to commit the 2006 infrastructure bonds. These
efforts include plans for the Department of Finance allocation of the Prop. 1B local street and
road funds, the full funding of Prop. 42 for FY 2008-09, proposals for use of the spillover funding
for the Public Transportation Account, and the Governor’s proposed $771 million in Prop. 1C
funding for FY 2008-09. The Governor has also proposed issuing new bonds and other initiatives
under his Strategic Growth Plan.
Finally, the board was briefed on the status of its efforts to “enact honest and responsible eminent
domain reform.” This included reports on the qualification of Prop. 98 (League opposed) and
Prop. 99 (League supported) for the June 2008 ballot.
The board learned that Eminent Domain Reform Now, the coalition supporting Prop. 99, the
Homeowners Protection Act and opposing Prop. 98, is growing dramatically. Groups are joining
forces to support responsible eminent domain reform and oppose Prop. 98 with its hidden
agendas to eliminate rent control, put critical water projects in jeopardy, destroy local land use
planning and gut environmental protections. The board was urged to get involved with the
campaign on their own personal time.
SB 375
The board spent a considerable amount of time on SB 375 (Steinberg), a bill which would require
that green house gas (GHG) emissions, from cars and light trucks, be addressed through the
regional transportation planning process.
The board has kept an open mind on how to approach the issues involved with AB 32 (2006) and
emissions from cars and light trucks, but last year it opposed SB 375 unless it became a two-year
bill. In the interim, the League has worked with other local government groups, planners, and the
author and sponsor of SB 375 to identify and attempt to address some of the League’s major
concerns.
The board also welcomed representatives of the California Building Industry Association (CBIA),
who discussed their ideas for an alternative to SB 375 to address GHG reduction through 3
regional blueprints instead. The board discussed the proposal generally but did not take any
position.
After further discussion of SB 375, the board changed its official position on the bill from opposed
to opposed unless amended. The board created a process for deciding whether negotiated
amendments would be sufficient to secure a change in position.
Tribal and City Governments Collaborative Approved
The board approved League participation in a Tribal and City Governments Collaborative upon
the recommendation of a special task force chaired by Los Angeles City Council Member Tony
Cardenas. The Collaborative will invite participation by representatives of tribes across California
and will initially discuss issues surrounding the Indian Tribal Gaming Special Distribution Fund,
federal transportation issues, and off-reservation gaming issues. Members of the League board
that served on the Task Force will continue on the new Collaborative.
Nominating Committee for League Board of Directors
The board approved President Madaffer’s nomination of Jere Melo, Fort Bragg council member
and board member, to chair the 2008 Nominating Committee for the League board of directors.
Information about opportunities to serve on the board will sent to members in the near future.
May 16 is the deadline to apply for an at-large position on the board of directors or 2nd Vice
President.
2-1-1 San Diego
John Ohanian’s presentation on 2-1-1 San Diego gave the board an opportunity to learn about 2-
1-1 systems and its tremendous impact during the firestorms last September. Ohanian, the
organization’s CEO, was on board just a month when the fires started.
On a typical day, 2-1-1 San Diego receives a few hundred calls. During the firestorm, they had as
many as 35,000 calls a day. The program is growing to meet the needs of 300,000 calls
annually.
2-1-1 San Diego is a free, 24-hour community, health and disaster information referral service in
San Diego County. In California, 18 different 2-1-1s cover 90 percent of the state. Across the
country, 2-1-1 reaches 198 million people. A live person answers each call and directs people to
the various services they need. Calls to 2-1-1 cover a range of issues including financial
assistance, physical and mental health services, job training, disaster response and more.
Next Board Meeting
The board will next meet April 17-18 in Sacramento.
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‘Highway User Tax Account’ Continued from Page 1…
When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a fiscal emergency in January, it triggered
constitutional provisions under Proposition 58 (2004) that required the Legislature to send the
Governor legislation to address the fiscal crisis within 45 days. That deadline is Saturday, Feb.
23.
Local agencies have been concerned about the proposed deferral of HUTA. The Governor has
proposed deferring payments of HUTA from April through August, with local governments
receiving full repayment in September. The total amount of the deferral is approximately $500
million.
As the budget bill package came together, as usual, it was difficult to find the proposed language
associated with the HUTA deferral proposal. Once this language was obtained, the League and
California State Association of Counties (CSAC) worked quickly to analyze the proposal. 4
While the proposed language is clear that repayment will happen in September, the League and
CSAC, as of this print deadline, are continuing to pursue additional amendments to that would
tighten the assurance that this repayment will be made to local governments. There is significant
political momentum to pass the package as a whole without any tinkering with the proposals.
Right now there are two bills that address the HUTA issue, SBX3 5 in the Senate and ABX3 7 in
the Assembly. One of these two bills will ultimately become the final budget package passed by
the Legislature.
Visit the Senate Web site at www.sen.ca.gov to review SBX3 5.
Visit the Assembly Web site at www.asm.ca.gov to review ABX3 7.
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‘Proposition 1B Funds’ Continued from Page 1…
The application materials DOF sent cities in January included a letter explaining how to apply for
the Prop. 1B funds as well as a list detailing each city’s proportional share of the funds. These
materials, along with the Prop. 1B Implementation Guidelines are posted on the infrastructure
page of the League’s Web site (www.cacities.org/infrastructure).
Cities that have not already submitted their applications for Prop. 1B local street and road funds,
should do so immediately.
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Energy, Funding and Infrastructure Top League Federal Priorities
The League of California Cities board of directors approved the 2008 federal priorities at its
recent board meeting in San Diego.
During 2008, the League anticipates an aggressive federal effort working with the National
League of Cities (NLC) on issues such as securing full funding of the Energy and Environmental
Efficiency Block Grant program, resisting proposed cuts to the Community Development Block
Grant program, continuing to make the case for increased infrastructure investment, and other
matters.
Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge, in his role as NLC 2nd Vice President, and the four other
California city officials on the NLC board, give California a strong voice in national matters.
California City officials will be visiting Washington, D.C. for the NLC Congress of Cities, March 8-
12.
A copy of the League’s 2008 federal priorities can be found on the federal priorities page of the
League’s Web site at www.cacities.org/fedpriorities.
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League Sets Climate Change Policies and Guiding Principles
The policies and guidelines that will shape the League’s legislative work on issues related to
climate change have been approved. These principles will be used on a daily basis by League
staff to evaluate legislation, make policy recommendations, and lobby on behalf of city needs.
The process that began in March 2007 to establish the principles with the creation of the Climate
Change Working Group, culminated at the League’s first 2008 board of directors meeting in San
Diego last week. The board approved the principles that were drafted by the working group and
reviewed by policy committees when they met in Sacramento in January.
The Climate Change Working Group consisted of representatives from three of the League’s
policy committees: Environmental Quality, Housing, Community and Economic Development, and
Transportation, Communication and Public Works. 5
The League’s Climate Change Policies and Guiding Principles can be found on the environmental
quality page of the League’s Web site at www.cacities.org/eq.
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Institute for Local Government Web site Offers Resources on CEQA and
Climate Change
The Institute for Local Government’s (ILG) California Climate Action Network (CCAN) Web site
recently launched a new page (www.ca-ilg.org/climateceqa) to help local agencies address
climate change under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Local agencies have increasingly come under pressure from the state Attorney General and
others to analyze the impact of their land use decisions on greenhouse gas emissions. CCAN’s
CEQA web page provides a variety of resources that can help local agencies accomplish this
task.
CEQA requires local agencies to identify the significant environmental impacts of their actions
and to avoid or mitigate those impacts, if feasible. CCAN’s CEQA Web page offers links to
guidelines for evaluating the significance of greenhouse gas emissions and examples of local
actions to address climate change in planning documents.
California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) identifies global warming as "a serious
threat" to the economic and environmental wellbeing of the state. In response, the Attorney
General and various citizen groups have filed actions challenging environmental studies that do
not analyze climate change impacts. They argue that CEQA requires both an analysis of a
project’s impacts on climate change and mitigation measures to reduce these impacts.
The lack of standards for determining the level of greenhouse gas emissions that have a
significant impact on the environment is one obstacle to incorporating climate change in a
CEQA analysis. State guidelines to assist agencies in analyzing greenhouse gas emissions
under CEQA will not go into effect until 2010.
Additional climate change resources are available on the ILG Web site at www.ca-
ilg.org/climateresources.
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Institute for Local Government Releases New Publication: Understanding the
Basics of County and City Revenues
The Institute for Local Government’s (ILG) newest publication, Understanding the Basics of
County and City Revenues, provides a basic overview of the sources of county and city revenues.
Hard copies of Understanding the Basics of County and City Revenues are being mailed to city
finance officers and county administrative officers.
This is the first in a new series of “Local Government 101” publications that will provide
information about the nuts and bolts of local government structures and processes. These
publications are designed to be a resource for newly elected officials, newly-hired staff, the media
and members of the public who want a better understanding of how local government works.
Additional hardcopy versions of Understanding the Basics of City and County Revenues can be
ordered from the Institute for $10 each or at a discounted bulk rate. The order form is available at
www.ca-ilg.org/ilgpubs.
Hardcopy sales support the Institute’s work in service to local officials. The publication is
available on ILG’s Web site at www.ca-ilg.org/revenueguide free of charge.
Understanding the Basics of County and City Revenues was published thanks to the generous
support of MuniFinancial. 6
ILG is the nonprofit research affiliate of the League and the California State Association of
Counties. Its mission is to develop forward-thinking resources to help local officials in their
service to their communities.
___________________________________________________________________________
Find a Bill, Legislators, Leg Committee, or Ask League Leg Staff
Visit (and bookmark!) the League’s Legislative Resources Web page
(www.cacities.org/legresources). You’ll find a roster and contact information for the League’s
legislative staff; the online Bill Search program, background materials on lobbying your
legislators, and more.
_____________________________________________________________________________