League of California Cities Priority Focus Editions #43 and #44. IN THIS ISSUE: Page 2: Page 3: Page 4: Page 5: Nov. 9 2007 Issue #43 2007 Preliminary Report on 2007 Local Revenue Measures Released Gang Reduction Intervention and Prevention Program Grants Now Available Public Employee Post Employment Benefits Commission to Meet in Sacramento Public Utilities Commission to Rehear Taking of Cities Rule 20A Funds Local Program to Help Obtain Census Info Available Find a Bill Legislators Leg Committee or Ask League Leg Staff OREGON VOTERS UNDO UNFAVORABLE LAND USE RESTRICTIONS California Voters Could Learn Something from Oregon s Mistake In 2004 Oregon voters approved Measure 37 a ballot initiative that placed severe restrictions on local government land use authority. This week three years and 7 500 lawsuits later Oregon voters showed that they had learned from that mistake. Voters passed a statewide ballot proposition (Measure 49) by a 61 percent to 39 percent tally undoing many of those restrictions. California voters have an opportunity to learn from Oregon s initial misstep. With two eminent domain reform measures slated to be on the state ballot in June 2008 California has a chance to get it right the first time. For more see Page 2. ECONOMIC WOES FORCE PREPARATIONS FOR FY 2008 09 BUDGET DEFICIT Governor Warns Department Heads to Cut Budgets by 10 Percent With an increased potential budget deficit that could be as high as $10 billion for FY 2008 09 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger earlier this week told state agency department heads to trim their budgets by 10 percent. When the FY 2007 08 state budget was signed in August the Department of Finance originally projected an approximate $6 billion deficit for FY 2008 09. The newly projected top end deficit of $10 billion amounts to about 10 percent of the budget for the current General Fund. For more see Page 2. Oregon Voters Continued from Page 1 The Homeowners Protection Act supported by the League of California Cities th...
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