League of California Cities Priority Focus Editions #37 dated September 19 2008 and #38 dated October 3 2008. IN THIS ISSUE: September 19 2008 Issue #37 2008 Page 7: Flex Your Power Award Applications Due Oct. 10 Special Note: Due to the League s 2008 Annual Conference Priority Focus will not publish on Friday Sept. 26. Publication will resume on Friday Oct. 3. League Latino Caucus Hosts Events at Annual Conference Find a Bill Legislators Leg Committee or Ask League Leg Staff LEGISLATURE EXPECTED TO APPROVE BUDGET DEAL Neither Local Government nor Transportation Revenues Used to Balance Budget After week of veto ultimatums and override stare downs the term Wild West certainly applies to California s budget stalemate which finally appeared to be over 80 days into the new fiscal year when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders came to an agreement late Thursday afternoon. The agreement if passed and signed would resolve how to close the $15.2 billion shortfall. City officials can breathe a sigh of relief the budget does not include borrowing of local government (Proposition 1A) or transportation (Prop. 42) revenues. It does however include a one year $350 million seizure of redevelopment funds. For more see Page 2. SB 375 SESSION SCHEDULED FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE A session on SB 375 (Steinberg) is scheduled for Thursday Sept. 25 during the League s annual conference in Long Beach next week. The open session will be lead by League staff and leadership and will address questions about this bill which has land use implications for cities. SB 375 is currently on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger s desk waiting for his signature. For more see Page 6. PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS FEDERAL HIGHWAY USER TRUST FUND REMEDY BILL President Bush signed the Restoration of Highway Trust Fund Act H.R. 6532 this week providing $8 billion dollars for the Highway User Trust Fund (HTF). This funding allows reimbursements to state highway projects to continue through the remainder of the 2008 f...
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