TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
ATTENTION: Ryan Smoot, City Manager
FROM: Travis Sais, Deputy City Manager
SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to adopt a Legislative Platform authorizing the City Manager to issue position letters on State and Federal legislation impacting local government services in Bellflower.
DATE: May 28, 2024
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Manager is recommending the City Council adopt a Legislative Platform. The primary objective of a Legislative Platform is for the City Council to adopt official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. By doing so, this streamlines the legislative position process by eliminating the need for repetitive concurrence and direction from the City Council on previously approved issues. The Legislative Platform is developed and maintained using the goals and objectives of the City Council, a review of legislative priorities from agencies such as the Los Angeles Division of the League of California Cities and California Contract Cities Association, input from City Council and staff, research of current law and pending legislation, as well as discussions with local legislative staff and the City’s legislative advocates. Staff has prepared a draft Legislative Platform for the City Council’s consideration.
If a Legislative Platform is adopted, Federal and state legislative proposals and policies consistent with the City’s Legislative Platform may be supported by the City. Policies and proposals inconsistent with the Legislative Platform may be opposed by the City. For proposed legislation, either consistent with the City’s Legislative Platform or consistent with legislative positions the City has taken in the past, City staff will be authorized to prepare and submit position letters with the City Manager’s authorization and signature. Items not addressed in the City’s Legislative Platform may require further direction from the City Council. Legislative priorities will address issues directly relevant to or impacting the provision of local government services. Generally, the City will not engage in matters that do not directly affect Bellflower.
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Adopt the proposed Legislative Platform; or
2) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
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Staff Report – Legislative Platform
May 28, 2024
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact with respect to this action.
DISCUSSION
The primary objective of the Legislative Platform is to enable the City Council to adopt official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. This approach streamlines the legislative position approval process by eliminating the need for repetitive concurrence and direction from the City Council on previously approved issues . The Legislative Platform is developed and maintained using the following resources:
• The goals and objectives of the City Council;
• A review of legislative priorities from agencies such as the Los Angeles Division of the League of California Cities and the California Contract Cities Association; • Input from the City Council and staff;
• Research of current laws and pending legislation; and • Discussions with local legislative staff and the City’s legislative advocates.
If adopted, the City may support federal and state legislative proposals and policies that align with the Legislative Platform. The City may oppose policies and proposals that are inconsistent with the Legislative Platform. For proposed legislation that aligns with the Legislative Platform or with previous legislative positions taken by the City, City staff are authorized to prepare and submit position letters with the City Manager’s authorization and signature. Items not addressed in the Legislative Platform may require further direction from the City Council. Staff has drafted the following Legislative Platform for the City Council’s consideration:
Legislative Platform – Scope of Legislative Priorities:
Legislative priorities will address issues directly relevant to or impacting the provision of local government services.
I. Preserve Local Control
• Support the provision of municipal services through contracting. • Support legislation that preserves and enhances local control. • Oppose preemption of local authority whether by county, state or federal legislation or ballot measures.
II. Promote Fiscal Stability
• Support legislation that further protects local government revenue from being taken, confiscated, shifted, diverted or otherwise used to fund state government operations and responsibilities.
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Staff Report – Legislative Platform
May 28, 2024
• Support legislation that protects the City’s ability to collect its “fair share” of sales tax and property tax.
• Support legislation that reforms the local government financing structure to create long term stability for public services, facilities and future city growth. • Support continued grant opportunities through the county, state and federal government. • Oppose legislation that would preempt or reduce local discretion over locally imposed taxes.
• Oppose legislation that changes the sales or property tax collection method or formula that would result in less overall tax revenue to local governments. • Oppose legislation that threatens a local government’s ability to receive compensation for use of its public right-of-way.
• Oppose any effort to eliminate, or cap, the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds, one of the few tools left for local governments to finance large capital projects.
III. Enhance Public Safety
• Support legislation that maintains and improves public safety, and that provides additional tools and resources to address challenges such as homelessness, mental health, and drug rehabilitation.
• Support legislation and funding that enhance law enforcement services in the community.
• Support legislation that provides for greater protection to victims of crime and accountability in criminal prosecution and sentencing.
• Support legislation that encourages legislators to coordinate and consult closely with law enforcement agencies prior to introducing legislation that affects public safety. • Support reasonable criminal justice reform measures that are inclusive of concerns from prosecutors, victims’ rights groups, and law enforcement agencies and do not hinder law enforcement’s ability to protect the community.
• Support programs that help ensure public safety through the assistance and rehabilitation of individuals challenged with mental and/or substance abuse illnesses and increase awareness and training opportunities.
• Support legislation that provides funding to local agencies for emergency planning, disaster training, preparedness, prevention, protection, mitigation, response, recovery and resiliency to disasters, biological and environmental threats. • Support legislation and funding that promote traffic and pedestrian safety. • Support legislation that increases accountability for criminal behavior.
IV. Promote Economic Development and Strengthen Local Land Use
• Support legislation that encourages sustainable economic development for cities to create jobs and improve the economy.
• Support legislation that strengthens local control for land use and zoning regulations. • Support legislation that returns local governments’ ability to enact property tax increment financing or other redevelopment tools.
-3-
Staff Report – Legislative Platform
May 28, 2024
• Support training and development initiatives and funding that support collaboration between community partners, including, without limitation, non-profits, school and community college districts and the workforce development board. • Support measures that support the City’s continued efforts to retain and promote local businesses and for removal of regulations that impose excessive requirements or restrictions that hinder the success of these enterprises. • Support legislation that will restore funding mechanisms to promote continued economic development, including initiatives to provide financing for business assistance loans/grants and infrastructure improvements.
• Support legislation preserving the City’s interest in telecommunication, broadband and infrastructure operations.
• Oppose efforts to require additional CEQA review and process requirements that delay projects and increase costs.
• Oppose legislation that seeks to limit or eliminate municipal authority to regulate street or sidewalk vendors.
V. Support Housing and Homelessness Resources
• Support legislation that provides flexibility, support and resources to cities to assist with the development of affordable housing options and programs for all income levels in the community.
• Support incentives for cities to create regional and collaborative solutions to address homelessness.
• Support the expansion of conservatorship laws allowing for increased guardianship control and health supervision of those suffering from mental illness; and recognizes mental illness and addiction as a contributor to chronic homelessness. • Support direct Measure H funding on an annual basis for cities, such as Bellflower, that are required to contribute additional sales tax.
• Oppose legislation that seeks to convert the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process from a planning process to a production standard. • Oppose legislation that imposes penalties on a city or local government for not constructing the units identified in the RHNA.
• Oppose efforts and legislation that propose to limit public engagement, design and environmental review related to housing projects.
• Oppose legislation that removes local control or interferes with the protection of established residential neighborhoods.
• Support and pursue the repeal of state laws that negatively affect local control on housing and land use.
VI. Infrastructure
• Support legislation that provides adequate and consistent funding to support acquisition, development, operation and maintenance of recreation services and facilities. • Support legislation that provides ongoing and sustainable transportation infrastructure funding, including funds for the preservation and maintenance of streets and roads. -4-
Staff Report – Legislative Platform
May 28, 2024
• Support legislation that appropriates state funds to local and regional transportation projects.
• Support legislation that provides funding for water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure; flood prevention, water resources planning and development; and water quality improvement.
• Support legislation that bridges the digital divide as equitable access to information and communication technologies are becoming increasingly essential for everyday life. • Support legislation and park bond measures that provide per capita grants to local governments to fund parks and capital improvements, as well as recreation programs that enhance the quality of life for Bellflower residents. • Support legislation that provides funding for the rehabilitation, development, and capital improvements of local parks and community facilities.
• Support regional planning and investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure (both public and private) and zero-emissions equipment through robust grants and financial incentives.
• Support legislation that supports local control and flexibility to regulate solid waste and recyclables.
• Support legislation that provides funding for local governments to create capacity around current and future State recycling mandates.
• Oppose legislation that directs local transportation funds away from cities.
VII. General Government
• Support legislation that preserves public, educational, government (PEG) television channel funding, and programming support by video service providers, such as:
payments to local government of franchise fees and PEG fees. • Support reasonable reform of local government pension systems that is respectful of local control and local collective bargaining processes. • Support legislation that reforms the workers compensation system to lower employer costs while continuing to protect employees.
• Support legislation that provides resources to cities to improve disaster preparedness, recovery and resiliency.
• Oppose legislation that undermines local government's authority to regulate businesses that engage in the sale, distribution, cultivation, or manufacturing of cannabis products. • Support legislation that provides funding to local agencies for emergency planning, disaster training, preparedness, prevention, protection, mitigation, response, recovery and resiliency to disasters, biological and environmental threats. • Oppose policies and legislation that compromise the City’s ability to enforce state and local parking ordinances.
ATTACHMENT
Legislative Platform ......................................................................................................... 6 -5-
LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
(DRAFT)
Adopted: May 28, 2024
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City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
May 28, 2024
Introduction
The primary objective of the Legislative Platform is for the City Council to adopt official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. By doing so, this streamlines the legislative position process by eliminating the need for repetitive concurrence and direction from the City Council on previously approved issues. The Legislative Platform is developed and maintained using the goals and objective of the City Council, a review of legislative priorities from agencies such as the Los Angeles Division of the League of California Cities and California Contract Cities Association, input from City Council and staff, research of current law and pending legislation, as well as discussions with local legislative staff and the City’s legislative advocates.
Federal and state legislative proposals and policies consistent with the City’s Legislative Platform may be supported by the City. Policies and proposals inconsistent with the Legislative Platform may be opposed by the City. For proposed legislation, either consistent with the City’s Legislative Platform or consistent with legislative positions the City has taken in the past, City staff are authorized to prepare and submit position letters with the City Manager’s authorization and signature. Items not addressed in the City’s Legislative Platform may require further direction from the City Council. Legislative priorities will address issues directly relevant to or impacting the provision of local government services. Generally, the City will not engage in mat ters that do not directly affect Bellflower.
Scope of Legislative Priorities:
Legislative priorities will address issues directly relevant to or impacting the provision of local government services.
I. Preserve Local Control
• Support the provision of municipal services through contracting. • Support legislation that preserves and enhances local control. • Oppose preemption of local authority whether by county, state or federal legislation or ballot measures.
-7-
City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
May 28, 2024
II. Promote Fiscal Stability
• Support legislation that further protects local government revenue from being taken, confiscated, shifted, diverted or otherwise used to fund state government operations and responsibilities.
• Support legislation that protects the City’s ability to collect its “fair share” of sales tax and property tax.
• Support legislation that reforms the local government financing structure to create long term stability for public services, facilities and future city growth. • Support continued grant opportunities through the county, state and federal government.
• Oppose legislation that would preempt or reduce local discretion over locally imposed taxes.
• Oppose legislation that changes the sales or property tax collection method or formula that would result in less overall tax revenue to local governments. • Oppose legislation that threatens a local government’s ability to receive compensation for use of its public right-of-way.
• Oppose any effort to eliminate, or cap, the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds, one of the few tools left for local governments to finance large capital projects.
III. Enhance Public Safety
• Support legislation that maintains and improves public safety, and that and provides additional tools and resources to address challenges such as homelessness, mental health, and drug rehabilitation.
• Support legislation and funding that enhance law enforcement services in the community.
• Support legislation that provides for greater protection to victims of crime and accountability in criminal prosecution and sentencing.
• Support legislation that encourages legislators to coordinate and consult closely with law enforcement agencies prior to introducing legislation that affects public safety.
• Support reasonable criminal justice reform measures that are inclusive of concerns from prosecutors, victims’ rights groups, and law enforcement agencies and do not hinder law enforcement’s ability to protect the community. • Support programs that help ensure public safety through the assistance and rehabilitation of individuals challenged with mental and/or substance abuse illnesses and increase awareness and training opportunities. • Support legislation that provides funding to local agencies for emergency planning, disaster training, preparedness, prevention, protection, mitigation, response, recovery and resiliency to disasters, biological and environmental threats.
-8-
City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
May 28, 2024
• Support legislation and funding that promote traffic and pedestrian safety. • Support legislation that increases accountability for criminal behavior.
IV. Promote Economic Development and Strengthen Local Land Use
• Support legislation that encourages sustainable economic development for cities to create jobs and improve the economy.
• Support legislation that strengthens local control for land use and zoning regulations.
• Support legislation that returns local governments’ ability to enact property tax increment financing or other redevelopment tools.
• Support training and development initiatives and funding that support collaboration between community partners, including, without limitation, non - profits, school and community college districts and the workforce development board.
• Support measures that support the City’s continued efforts to retain and promote local businesses and for removal of regulations that impose excessive requirements or restrictions that hinder the success of these enterprises. • Support legislation that will restore funding mechanisms to promote continued economic development, including initiatives to provide financing for business assistance loans/grants and infrastructure improvements. • Support legislation preserving the City’s interest in telecommunication, broadband and infrastructure operations.
• Oppose efforts to require additional CEQA review and process requirements that delay projects and increase costs.
• Oppose legislation that seeks to limit or eliminate municipal authority to regulate street or sidewalk vendors.
V. Support Housing and Homelessness Resources
• Support legislation that provides flexibility, support and resources to cities to assist with the development of affordable housing options and programs for all income levels in the community.
• Support incentives for cities to create regional and collaborative solutions to address homelessness.
• Support the expansion of conservatorship laws allowing for increased guardianship control and health supervision of those suffering from mental illness; and recognizes mental illness and addiction as a contributor to chronic homelessness.
• Support direct Measure H funding on an annual basis for cities, such as Bellflower, that are required to contribute additional sales tax. • Oppose legislation that seeks to convert the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process from a planning process to a production standard. -9-
City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
May 28, 2024
• Oppose legislation that imposes penalties on a city or local government for not constructing the units identified in the RHNA.
• Oppose efforts and legislation that propose to limit public engagement, design and environmental review related to housing projects.
• Oppose legislation that removes local control or interferes with the protection of established residential neighborhoods.
• Support and pursue the repeal of state laws that negatively affect local control on housing and land use.
VI. Infrastructure
• Support legislation that provides adequate and consistent funding to support acquisition, development, operation and maintenance of recreation services and facilities.
• Support legislation that provides ongoing and sustainable transportation infrastructure funding, including funds for the preservation and maintenance of streets and roads.
• Support legislation that appropriates state funds to local and regional transportation projects.
• Support legislation that provides funding for water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure; flood prevention, water resources planning and development; and water quality improvement.
• Support legislation that bridges the digital divide as equitable access to information and communication technologies are becoming increasingly essential for everyday life.
• Support legislation and park bond measures that provide per capita grants to local governments to fund parks and capital improvements, as well as recreation programs that enhance the quality of life for Bellflower residents. • Support legislation that provides funding for the rehabilitation, development, and capital improvements of local parks and community facilities. • Support regional planning and investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure (both public and private) and zero-emissions equipment through robust grants and financial incentives.
• Support legislation that supports local control and flexibility to regulate solid waste and recyclables.
• Support legislation that provides funding for local governments to create capacity around current and future State recycling mandates. • Oppose legislation that directs local transportation funds away from cities.
-10-
City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
City of Bellflower Legislative Platform
May 28, 2024
VII. General Government
• Support legislation that preserves public, educational, government (PEG) television channel funding, and programming support by video service providers, such as: payments to local government of franchise fees and PEG fees.
• Support reasonable reform of local government pension systems that is respectful of local control and local collective bargaining processes. • Support legislation that reforms the workers compensation system to lower employer costs while continuing to protect employees.
• Support legislation that provides resources to cities to improve disaster preparedness, recovery and resiliency.
• Oppose legislation that undermines local government's authority to regulate businesses that engage in the sale, distribution, cultivation, or manufacturing of cannabis products.
• Support legislation that provides funding to local agencies for emergency planning, disaster training, preparedness, prevention, protection, mitigation, response, recovery and resiliency to disasters, biological and environmental threats.
• Oppose policies and legislation that compromise the City’s ability to enforce state and local parking ordinances.
-11-