Conference Committee Looks at Locals
By Paul McIntosh, Executive Director
pmcintosh@counties.org
Yesterday, June 17, the Budget Conference Committee discussed the fiscal relationship between the state and local agencies. The centerpiece of the hearing was a presentation by Marianne O’Malley of the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO). She began by broadly outlining the composition and responsibilities of local agencies in California compared with the rest of the country. She noted, for example, that counties’ revenue streams in California — where about two-thirds comes from the state and federal governments and only one-third from local sources — is exactly opposite from most of the country, and that redevelopment agencies in this state are far more active and robustly funded than elsewhere.
[FULL STORY]
|
New CSAC Publication to Replace Around Our Counties and Legislative Bulletin
Beginning Friday July 9, Around Our Counties and the Legislative Bulletin will be merged into the CSAC Bulletin, a weekly e-publication. The CSAC Bulletin will be distributed on Fridays, and will contain the excellent news stories and analysis you’ve come to expect from CSAC. The new format is easier to read and navigate. If you are already receiving Around Our Counties or the Legislative Bulletin, you will automatically be subscribed to the CSAC Bulletin. The Budget Action Bulletins and Executive Directors Watch will continue to be produced. We are excited about this new and improved communication effort, and will be keeping you posted on the transition as we approach July 9.
[FULL STORY]
|
Administration of Justice
On Monday, June 14, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review California’s appeal of the federal three-judge panel’s January 2010 ruling requiring California state to reduce its prison population to 137.5% of its facilities’ design capacity.
[FULL STORY]
|
Agriculture and Natural Resources
As reported in previous Bulletins, this bill would require that the use of copper in brake pads sold in California be reduced to no more than .5% by 2025.
[FULL STORY]
|
Employee Relations
SB 477, by Senator Dean Florez, would codify certain heat illness regulations from the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal-OSHA) and add further heat illness prevention requirements for employers.
[FULL STORY]
|
Government Finance and Operations
AB 1718, by Assembly Member Bob Blumenfield, would restore the Senior Citizen’s Property Tax Postponement Program, which was eliminated in the February 2009 budget agreement, and is the result of ongoing discussions between the state and local entities.
[FULL STORY]
|
Health and Human Services
AB 12, by Assembly Member Jim Beall and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, would allow California to draw down newly available federal funds to provide enhanced support for relative caregivers and foster youth from age 18 to 21.
[FULL STORY]
|
Housing, Land Use and Transportation
This measure will allow more local agencies with newly formed housing trust funds to have better access to state bond funds such as Proposition 1C, the Housing and Emergency Trust Fund Act of 2006.
[FULL STORY]
|
Washington, D.C., Report
With the ecological fallout from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill serving as a potential catalyst for action on broad climate and energy legislation, President Obama and Democratic Senate leaders continued discussions the week of June 14 aimed at developing a consensus on a comprehensive energy policy that would reduce U.S. reliance on fossil fuels.
[FULL STORY]
|
