community education campaigns, such as "Be SMART," to promote safe storage practices and share informative data with the public.
On June 14, 2023 City staff and MDA Carpinteria Chapter representatives met to discuss potential gun safety measures that Carpinteria could consider implementing, these are the basis for the recommendations that Council is considering.
According to the National Institutes of Health
1 , in 2015, "approximately 7% of US
children (4.6 million) live in homes where at least one firearm is stored loaded and unlocked." A 2020 study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that 54% of gun owners in the United States do not store all of their firearms locked up and that millions of children live in households where guns are unlocked and loaded.
According to US Census data, Carpinteria has 2922 households with children ages 0-
17. If approximately 7% of US children live in homes where at least one firearm is stored loaded an unlocked, il Gem be concluded that roughly 205 children are at risk of exposure to unsafe gun storage in Carpinteria.
A total of 63 cities in California have already passed Secure Gun Storage Ordinances along with public education campaigns. In Santa Barbara County, only Goleta has passed a Secure Gun Storage Ordinance (September 6, 2022). In San Luis Obispo County, Morro Bay implemented a Secure Gun Storage Ordinance on September 28, 2021. Notably, a 2019 survey indicated that nearly 80% of Americans, including both gun owners and non-gun owners, support mandatory locked storage for firearms.
The purpose of this agenda matter is to allow the Council to initiate actions in response to the MDA request made at the Council meeting of May 8, 2023, to promote gun safety and prevent gun violence.
DISCUSSION
1. Secure Gun Storage Ordinance in Carpinteria:
The MDA provides a sample Secure Gun Storage Ordinance (Attachment A) The Ordinance would require firearm owners in Carpinteria to store their firearms in residences, with specified exemptions, using DOJ-approved lockboxes or trigger locks.
The purpose of this ordinance is to promote accountability for unsecure storage practices by imposing a penalty such as $1,000 fine on weapons involved in a crime that were not properly stored. The primary objective of the ordinance is to reduce in the City of Carpinteria both intentional and accidental injuries or fatalities associated with firearms. Adoption of the ordinance would necessitate amending the City Municipal Code and undergoing two ordinance readings.
1 Firearm Storage in Gun-Owning Households with Children: Results of a 2015 National Survey G:\CC Staff Reports\2023 0710\2023.07 05 Gun Safety Measures - Staff Report - BHFS(25820761.1 )003.docx
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July 10, 2023
The development of a Secure Gun Storage Ordinance for Carpinteria requires comprehensive discussions and consultations with various stakeholders, including the community, law enforcement agencies, and legal advisors. These engagements aim to ensure that the ordinance is well-crafted, enforceable, and aligned with local context and values. It is essential to conduct a thorough analysis, engage the community, and implement proactive measures to address any potential disparate impacts associated with this ordinance.
2. Public information campaign in collaboration with MDA:
Implementing a public information campaign in partnership with MDA would focus on effectively communicating a clear and concise message to community members and gun owners regarding the significance of secure gun storage. The City would actively support and promote materials developed in conjunction with MDA. Furthermore, the City would likely encourage collaboration with the Community Services Support Grant Recipient Hope Net, as their studies have shown that individuals who store their guns safely are less likely to die by suicide. MDA provides a wide range of examples and ideas for communication tactics, such as advertisements, Public Service Announcements (PSAs), informational materials, social media content, videos, posters, brochures, and cards. The successful execution of such a campaign would require dedicated staff time and a budget allocation for social media management and additional printing and mailing costs if relevant.
The City Gun Violence Reduction Insight Portal (CityGRIP), an online clearinghouse of data-informed gun violence reduction strategies, emphasizes that city leaders and partners should prioritize education and outreach on secure gun storage to protect homes and communities.
3. Carpinteria gun buyback event:
Organizing a gun buyback event in Carpinteria or participate in a regional gun buyback program. This could be undertaken in collaboration with MDA and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, which serves as the law enforcement provider in the City of Carpinteria. In the past, the City has allocated $500 from the Community Services Support Program budget to support the Coalition Against Gun Violence Santa Barbara County Gun Buyback Event. The Coalition Against Gun Violence has disbanded and no longer provides support for these events. Gun buyback events are conducted across the country as a means to encourage private owners of unwanted firearms to dispose of them safely and responsibly.
POLICY CONSISTENCY AND PRIORITIZATION
As part of the City's standard procedure, each new initiative is thoroughly assessed in relation to the Council's established priorities, as outlined in the annual work plan. Given the constraints of staffing resources, it is important to note that unless otherwise instructed by the Council, the proposed initiative, either in its entirety or specific components, should be evaluated for potential inclusion in the 2024 work plan. This G:\CC Staff Reports\2023 0710\2023.07.05 Gun Safety Measures - Staff Report - BHFS(25820761.1 )003.docx
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evaluation ensures that all efforts align with the Council's goals and objectives while taking into account available resources.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
No Additional Funding Requested. Minimal staff time to prepare the report is included in the Adopted FY 2023-24 General Fund Budget.
LEGAL AND RISK MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
A perfunctory analysis of a potential Secure Storage Ordinance is outlined below yet a thorough analysis and significant City Attorney Office time would be required to draft an ordinance and additional City attorney and staff time would be needed to implement and administer the ordinance.
I. Comparison to State Law
Tile MDA sample "Safe Storage Ordinance" and existing state law governing secure storage of firearms differ slightly.
Penal Code 25100 criminalizes the negligent keeping of storage of firearms in a location "where a person knows, or reasonably should know, that a child is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of the child's parent or legal guardian." This action is criminalized regardless of whether the child obtains the firearm and brings it to a public place or causes injury (though these instances do result in a more severe sentencing). Separately, Penal Code 25100 criminalizes the negligent storage of firearms in a location "where a person knows, or reasonably should know, that a person prohibited from possessing a firearm could gain access to the firearm." However, this is only criminalized if that person obtains the firearm and causes death or injury.
On the other hand, the proposed local regulations would impose penalties on any gun owner that fails to store their firearm either (1) unloaded and in a locked container, or (2) unloaded and affixed with a locking device. Also, the proposed local regulations purport to impose liability regardless as to whether the gun owner "knows, or reasonably should know" about potential access to the firearm.
While there is significant overlap in instances that are criminalized under both state law and the proposed local regulation, the local regulation does go a bit further and criminalizes several actions not covered by Section 25100. Furthermore, because the proposed regulation is more strict than existing state law, the City likely would not be preempted from adopting such an ordinance. As the Court of Appeals held in Kirk v.
City of Morgan Hill (2022) 83 Cal.App.5th 976, local government may impose stricter gun regulations than state law where the laws do not conflict. The Court in Kirk reasoned that unlike areas such as licensing and sale of firearms which the legislature intended to occupy; local regulation of gun control is generally allowed.
G:\CC Staff Reports\2023 0710\2023.07.05 Gun Safety Measures - Staff Report - BHFS(25820761.1 )003.docx
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Accordingly, the City could enact the proposed local regulations and penalize a gun owner's conduct that might not otherwise constitute a violation of state law.
OPTIONS
1. Initiate a Secure Gun Storage Ordinance in Carpinteria; and/or
2. Implement a public information campaign in collaboration with MDA; and/or
3. Organize a gun buyback event.
PRINCIPAL PARTIES EXPECTED AT MEETING
Moms Demand Action - Carpinteria Chapter Representatives
ATTACHMENTS
A. Sample MDA Safe Storage Ordinance
B. Other MDA materials
Staff contact: Olivia Uribe Mutal, Program Manager
(805)755-4401, [email protected]
Reviewed by: Dave Durflinger, City Manager
(805) 755-4400, [email protected]
G:\CC Staff Reports\2023 0710\2023.07.05 Gun Safety Measures - Staff Report - BHFS(25820761.1 )003.docx
ATTACHMENT A
MOMS DEMAND ACTION / EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY
Model Safe Storage Ordinance
RESPONSIBLE STORAGE
WHEREAS, unsecured guns may increase the likelihood of crime and violence through an increased risk of gun theft;
WHEREAS, each year, an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 guns are stolen.jmd many are funneled into the underground market;
\VHEREAS, access to unsecured firearms contributes to glm violence among children and teens; WHEREAS, despite the safety risks, the majority of gun owners do not secure all of their firearms;
WHEREAS, contrary to popular belief, locking devices do not prevent owners from readily accessing their firearms;
WHEREAS, we are all safer when guns are stored unloaded, locked and separate from ammunition.
Sec. 1.
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Firearm" means [state code reference].
(2) "Locked container" means a secure container that is fully enclosed and locked by a padlock, key lock, combination lock, or similar locking device. "Locked container" shall not include the utility or glove compartment of a motor vehicle. (3) "Locking device" means a trigger lock or other designed to prevent a firearm from functioning and, when applied to the firearm, renders the firearm inoperable. (4) "Unloaded" means without a cartridge
(i) in the chamber of the firearm;
(ii) in the cylinder of the firearm, if the firearm is a revolver; or (iii) in the magazine of the firearm, if any part of the magazine is in or affixed to the firearm.
(b) It shall be an offense for a person to store or keep any firearm on any premises tmless the firearm is:
(1) Unloaded and in a locked container, or unloaded and affixed with a locking device; or (2) carried on the person, or is otherwise in the immediate possession, of an individual in accordance with all applicable laws.
(c) Subsection (b) shall not apply to:
(1) A firearm stored or kept on premises owned by or under the control of a law enforcement agency.
(2) A firearm stored or kept on the business premise of federally licensed firearms dealer. ( d) A violation of subsection (b) is punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000.
ATTACHMENT 8
MOMS===
DEMAND
ACTION
FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
(www.momsdemandaction.org) is a grassroots, non-partisan movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence and keep our families safe.
Morns Demand Action has a chapter in every state and, along with Mayors 1\gainst Illegal Guns, Students Demand Action and the Everytown Survivor Network, it is part of the nation's largest gun violence prevention organization, Everytown for Gun Safety, with nearly 6 million supporters. fv1orns Demand Action works with survivors, mayors, law enforcement officers, faith leaders. educators, gun owners, doctors and communities across the country to prevent gun violence. \/Ve do this work because every day 100 Americans die from gun violence and hundreds more are wounded. Gun violence is the second leading cause of death for American children and teens overall and the first leading cause of death for Black children and teens.
The daily toll of gun violence in America doesn't always make headlines, but this violence affects everyone, everywhere. It strikes big cities, small towns and rural communities.
We can support responsible gun ownership while doing much more to keep guns out of the wrong hands and create a culture of gun safety. That's why we advocate for the following, evidence-based policies to keep our families and communities safe:
• Keeping Guns Out of the Wrong Hands -A Better Background Check System. Lawmakers need to close loopholes in the system, such as those that allow people to buy guns without a background check.
• Protecting Kids and Communities - Supporting Red Flag Laws and Responsible Ac~ess to Firearms. To keep our families safe from mass shootings and reduce gun suicides, lawmakers must pursue policies like Red Flag laws, which allow family and law enforcement to intervene if someone poses a threat to themselves or others, before deadly tragedies involving firearms take place. Lawmakers must also limit easy access to firearms and accessories capable of inflicting mass casualties and encourage safe and responsible storage of al! guns. • Addressing America's Uniquely Lethal Domestic Abuse Problem - Disarming Domestic Abusers. More than half of women murdered with guns in America are killed by an intimate partner or family member. and women are five times more likely to be killed in a domestic confrontation when a gun is present. Lawmakers must strengthen laws that help keep guns out ·of the hands of domestic abusers.
• Combating Daily Gun Violence - Supporting Research, Law Enforcement and Local Solutions. The government needs to support law enforcement, researchers and local communities in their efforts to combat daily gun violence by funding new research into gun violence; comrnunity-driven evidence-based interventions to curb city gun violence; and new tools to help law enforcement collect evidence, trace all crime guns, reduce trafficking and solve gun crimes.
It's time for our government to enact common-sense gun laws supported by the overwhelming majority of Americans. And if our elected officials choose not to act, we will mobilize voters to replace them with leaders who wil!.
For more information on joining, volunteering, finding a local chapter or donating, visit MOMSDEMANDACTION.ORG
FACEBOOK.COM/MOMSDEMANDACTION @MOMSDEMAND
Introductory points
• One small child dies every day in this country after finding an unsecured firearm in their own home or in a relative's home or while playing at a friend's house. • Two older children, particularly teens, die every day in this country by suicide from an unsecured firearm obtained from their home or another family member's home. • In addition, 80% of school mass shootings are done by current or former students, using an unsecured firearm obtained from their own home or a relative's home. • Research shows that keeping guns securely stored does NOT hinder self-protection- a gun can be accessed within seconds- but it DOES prevent unintentional deaths of children and teen suicides, by as much as 85% depending on the type of storage. • A national survey found that more than half of teens reported they could access a loaded gun in their homes in under an hour, with most saying they could access it under five minutes.
• Storing firearms in a securely locked container can also prevent guns from being easily stolen in a home robbery. A DOJ- approved safe can be obtained for as little as $40 so the cost is not prohibitive, and trigger locks are often given out free at police stations. • In addition, gun owners who do not safely store their guns are significantly more likely to have their guns stolen. Data suggests that approximately 380,000 guns are stolen from individual gun owners each year.
• While millions of responsible gun owners DO follow recommended storage practices, research shows more than half of gun owners do not store their guns securely. An estimated 4.6 million US children live in households with at least one unlocked and loaded gun. These numbers have likely increased because of a surge in gun sales during the COVID 19 pandemic- including an estimated 22 million guns sold in 2020, and increase of 64% from 2019.
*While the California Penal Code (25100) addresses child access to firearms, it does not define how to safely store a firearm and it doesn't apply to all homes.
For example, parents often hide their guns rather than locking them up, but studies show 70% of children know the location of these hidden guns in their own home and many have even handled them.
• Finally, those who store their guns safely were less likely to die by suicide.
Access to a gun, irrespective of age, triples this risk (suicide) and doubles the risk of death by homicide.
• Studies have found that households who locked both guns and ammunition were associated with a 78% lower risk of self-inflicted gun injuries and 85% lower risk of unintentional gun injuries among children, compared to those that locked neither. • Additionally, it has been found that if at least HALF of households with children and at least one unlocked gun began locking all their guns, 1/3 of gun suicides and unintentional deaths could be prevented. This translates to an estimated 251 lives saved in a single year.
• Regarding reluctance to implement safe storage, it should also be noted that gun storage devices do not prevent owners from accessing guns in a timely manner. Many affordable options exist for secure gun storage that provide access within a matter of seconds while still preventing access by children and people at increased risk of harming themselves or others.
• A 2019 survey found that nearly 80% of Americans- including those who own guns and those who don't- support requiring gun owners to store their guns locked. • Our messaging comes down to 3 steps to securely store guns that have been effective in communities across the country:
- Unload ammunition, including any chambered rounds
-Lock unloaded guns with a jacket lock or another type oflocking device, and then place the gun in a locked location (such as a safe). The most secure require key, combination, or biometrics to gain access
-Store ammunition in a secure location separate from the gun.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concludes that the absence of guns from homes is the most reliable and effective measure to prevent suicide, homicide, and unintentional firearm-related injuries to children and adolescents. But if there are guns in the home, AAP notes that storing guns unloaded and locked, with ammunition kept in a separate place, can mitigate the risk of child firearm injury."
Jurisdictions in California with a Secure Storage Ordinance Last Updated 5/2/2023
Alameda County
• Alameda
• Berkeley
• Dublin
• Livermore
• Oakland
• Pleasanton
Contra Costa County
• Antioch
• Moraga
• Orinda
• Walnut Creek
Los Angeles County
• Calabasas
• Cudahy
• Culver City
• City of Los Angeles
• Hermosa Beach
• South Pasadena
• San Marino
• West Hollywood
Marin County
• Belvedere
• Tiburon
Napa County
• Napa
• St. Helena
• Yountville
Riverside County
• Palm Springs
San Diego County
• City of San Diego
• County of San Diego
• Encinitas
• Solana Beach
• Del Mar
San Francisco County
• San Francisco
San Luis Obispo
• Morro Bay
San Mateo County
• Belmont
• Burlingame
• Colma
• Daly City
• East Palo Alto
• Foster City
• Hillsborough
• Millbrae
• Portola Valley
• Redwood City
• San Bruno
• San Carlos
• San Mateo County
• San Mateo
• South SF
Santa Barbara County
• Goleta
Santa Clara County
• Los Altos
• Los Altos Hills
• Monte Sereno
• Morgan Hill
• Mountain View
• Palo Alto
• San Jose
• Sunnyvale
• San Jose
• Santa Clara County
• Saratoga
• Sunnyvale
Santa Cruz County
• Santa Cruz
Yolo County
• Davis
• Woodland
• Yolo County
PREVENTION
Approach
City leaders and their partners should encourage and educate gun owners and the general public about secure gun storage to make their homes and communities safer. They should also provide gun owners with the tools to securely store their guns. Such education, outreach, and tools are essential to protecting children and families in cities of all sizes. Access to a gun, irrespective of age, triples the risk of death by suicide, doubles the risk of death by homicide, and can lead to unintentional gun injuries or deaths.1 Unsecured guns can also be stolen and used in crimes.2 But these risks can be mitigated by following secure gun storage practicesstoring guns unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.
While millions of responsible gun owners do follow recommended storage practices, research shows that more than half of gun owners do not store all of their guns securely,3 and an estimated 4.6 million children in the US live in households with at least one unlocked and loaded gun.4 These numbers have likely increased because of the surge in g11n srilP.s rl1 iring the COVID-19 pandemic-including an estimated 22 million guns sold during 2020, a 64 percent increase compared to 2019.5 While gun owners may believe that their children do not know where they keep their gun(s) and that their child would never handle a gun without their knowledge, this is not always the case. A national survey found that more than half of teens reported they could access a loaded gun in their home in under an hour-with most of them saying they could access the gun in under five minutes.6 Easy and unsupervised access to guns by children increases the risk for gun violence. Every year in the US, nearly 350 children under the age of 18 access a gun and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else.7 Another 700 children die by gun suicide.s Seventy percent of unintentional shootings by childrens and over 85 percent of gun suicides involving a childio take place at a home. Unsecured guns also fuel gun violence outside the home. In incidents of gun violence on school grounds, up to 80 percent of shooters under the age of 18 obtained the gun(s) they used from their own home or the homes of relatives or friends.11 Cities, hospitals, libraries, schools, businesses, and community members can help educate gun owners about secure gun storage practices and encourage community members to have conversations about gun safety through educational campaigns, and by distributing free gun locks and spreading the word about the Be SMART program-a framework designed to help parents and adults act responsibly and normalize conversations about gun safety.
Impact
Research shows that secure gun storage can have a big impact on mitigating the risks of gun violence. One study found households that locked both guns and ammunition were associated with a 78 percent lower risk of self-inflicted gun injuries and an 85 percent lower risk of unintentional gun injuries among children, compared to those that locked neither.12 Another study estimated that if at least half of households with children and at least one unlocked gun began locking all their guns, one-third of gun suicides and unintentional deaths involving youth could be prevented. This change would save an estimated 251 lives in a single year.13 Secure gun storage not only protects children from accessing guns, but also ensures that guns do not end up in dangerous hands. It is estimated that 380,000 guns are stolen from private gun owners every year.14 While most of these are stolen from homes, nearly one-quarter are taken from cars and other vehicles.15 Many of these stolen guns are trafficked or used in violent crimes. An analysis of more than 23,000 stolen guns recovered by police between 2010 and 2016 found that the majority of recovered weapons were found in connection with crimes, including more than 1,500 violent acts such as murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery.16 Research suggests that gun owners are significantly less likely to have a gun stolen if they store all of their guns unloaded and locked.17
For secure gun storage outreach to be impactful, city leaders must focus efforts on adults-both , those who own guns and those who don't-because it is always the responsibility of an adult to prevent unsupervised access to guns, not a curious child's responsibility to avoid guns. One study found that young children who go through a week-long gun safety training are just as likely as children with no training to approach or play with a handgun when they find one.1 s Talking to children about guns is a precaution, not a guarantee of safety. Programs that focus solely on teaching children not to touch guns without permission and to alert an adult if they find a gun are not nearly sufficient to reduce unsupervised access to guns by children. However, research shows that secure gun storage can play a vital role in reducing unintentional gun injuries and deaths among children,. as well as gun self-injuries and gun suicides among young people.19
Strategy in Practice
City leaders should strive to communicate a clear and simple message to community members and gun owners on the importance of secure gun storage. Messaging focusing on these three steps to securely store guns has been effective in communities across the country.20 • Unload the ammunition, including any chambered rounds. • Lock unloaded guns with a jacket lock or another type of locking device, and then place the gun in a locked location such as a safe. The most secure types of locked locations require a key, combination, or biometric (such as fingerprint recognition) to gain access. • Store ammunition in a secure location that is separate from the gun.
The Be SMART campaign and the Gun Shop Project are two examples of programs that use some version of the above three steps in their community outreach messaging. This messaging has also been adopted by School Boards that have passed resolutions requiring schools to educate parents on secure gun storage around the country.21 Be SMART was launched by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America in May 2015, to raise awareness that secure gun storage can save children's lives. The initiative encourages parents and caretakers to "Be SMART" and take these five simple steps to help prevent shootings by children:
• Secure all guns in your homes and vehicles;
• Model responsible behavior around guns;
• Ask about unsecured guns in other homes;
• Recognize the role of guns in suicide;
• Tell your peers to Be SMART.
The campaign is neutral on the topic of gun ownership-it does not promote or discourage individuals from owning guns-and does not advocate for changes to gun laws. Be SMART emphasizes that it's an adult responsibility to keep kids from accessing guns, and that every adult can play a role in keeping kids and communities safe.
There are many ways city leaders can help spread the word about secure storage through Be SMART. Be SMART volunteers and other gun safety advocates have created partnerships with local officials and public and private entities to increase awareness of secure storage practices and their impact:
• In Bexar County, Texas, city leaders partnered with VIA Metropolitan Transit to receive a $40,000 in-kind donation to advertise the Be SMART message on buses and distribute Be SMART cards to bus riders.22
• Elected officials have shared Be SMART informational materials and PSAs on their social media pages.23
• In Woodland Park, New Jersey, the police department distributes Be SMART materials to individuals who apply for firearms permits.24
• Be SMART materials have been distributed at National Night Out Against Crime events across the country.25
• In Jonesboro, Arkansas, Be SMART materials were distributed with food pantry care packages.26
• In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, movie theaters play a 30-second Be SMART PSA before the start of every movie.27
• In Waterville, Maine, Be SMART volunteers partnered with Educare Central Maine learning center to host a book drive. Every book purchased came with information on Be SMART.28
• In Gainesville, Florida, masks and Be SMART materials were distributed to a senior living facility .29
• In St. Louis, Missouri, gun locks and Be SMART materials were distributed at a COVID19 testing site.30 • At the Medical University of South Carolina Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital, doctors counsel parents about secure gun storage and a Be SMART video is included on the hospital's video system in patient rooms.at
The Gun Shop Project, launched by the New Hampshire Firearm Coalition and Means Matter, seeks to increase awareness of secure gun storage practices and the risks of gun suicide at a unique intervention point: when the individual enters a gun shop or firing range. The campaign provides educational materials, including posters, brochures, and cards, to all the gun shops and firing ranges in the state. The project has now been adopted in 11 states.32
Common Barriers
City officials may experience reluctance from gun owners to implement these steps for secure gun storage. Gun owners may argue against securely storing guns, claiming that such storage methods impede their ability to readily access their guns when needed.
Therefore, city officials must be prepared with research regarding the impact of secure storage, public support for secure storage, as well as information to counter misconceptions about secure storage. Gun storage devices do not prevent owners from accessing guns in a timely manner. There are many affordable options for secure gun storage that provide owners with access to guns in a matter of seconds while still preventing access by children and people at increased risk of harming themselves or others. A 2019 survey found that nearly 80 percent of Americans-including those who own guns and those who don't-support requiring gun owners to store their guns locked.33
How Can We Prevent Gun
Violence in American Schools?
For the last 20 years, our students, educators, and parents have lived with rare yet devastating school shootings. This does not have to be. We can foster safe, supportive schools-free from gun violence-by addressing the factors that lead to violent incidents and implementing prevention strategies that contribute to a safe and healthy school climate.
For more information visit bit.ly/3GoZjsm.
What do we know about gun violence
in schools?
• From 2013 to 2021, Everytown identified at least 571 incidents of gunfire on K-12 school grounds in the US, resulting in 185 deaths and 390 injuries.1 Those discharging guns on school grounds often have a connection to the school-in 75 percent of active school shootings, the shooters were current or former students. 2 In 73 to 80 percent of incidents, underage school shooters obtained the guns from their home or the homes of relatives or friends.
3 In school violence incidents, 100 percent of the shooters showed warning signs and 77 percent of the time at least one person, most often a peer, knew about their plan. 4 Gun violence in American schools has a disproportionate impact on students of color. 5 How can we prevent school gun violence?
Gun violence prevention policies are essential for preventing gun violence in schools.
Extreme Risk Laws empower family members, law enforcement, and, in some states, educators, to get a civil court order to temporarily prevent a person from accessing guns.
These laws have proved to be an important tool for law enforcement in cases where a person who poses a risk to a school possesses, can purchase, or has access to firearms. 6 Child Access Prevention Laws seek to prevent unsupervised access of firearms by minors.
Since the vast majority of underage school shooters acquire guns from the home, securely stored firearms are essential to prevent this violence.7 Raising the Minimum Age to Purchase all Semi-Automatic Firearms to 21 can help block gun sales to teenagers. Data show that 18- to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at triple the rate of adults 21 and older.
8 Background Checks on all gun sales can prevent teenagers and prohibited people from taking advantage of the background checks loophole, which allows them to buy a firearm online or at a gun show with no background check.
9 School based interventions can keep schools safe.
Schools must create a safe and affirming school climate for all. Supportive schools foster an affirming and respectful academic climate while also maintaining secure physical settings.
Safe schools are built on trusting relationships among students, staff, and adrnlnistrators,'? 1 everytownresearch.org/how-can-we-prevent-gun-violence-in-schools February 2022 Threat assessment programs and crisis response teams can help schools identify and deescalate dangerous situations. These programs establish multidisciplinary teams of school staff that respond to information about a potential threat or that a student may be in crisis. These teams receive the information, assess the threat, and take action to intervene before a person commits an act of violence. Successful crisis response programs work to get the students the help they need and address student access to guns.
Mental health counselors help create a safe school climate. In order to promote successful student outcomes and violence reduction overall, schools need to ensure that students have sufficient access to professionals who can provide mental health services, including psychologists, social workers, nurses, and counselors.
Schools should provide secure storage information to parents. Public awareness programs like Be SMART, developed by Moms Demand Action, promote awareness of secure firearm storage and help parents and other adults normalize conversations about gun safety. 11 Schools should be provided funding to implement appropriate security enhancements and should establish clear emergency plans. School safety experts recommend that schools implement access control and interior door locks to create effective intervention points when a shooter is targeting a school.12 In addition, security experts recommend that school districts have an emergency plan in place, including clear guidance and trauma-informed training for staff, in the unlikely event a tragedy does occur,"
Which school safety measures have been
harmful to students?
Arming teachers is not an effective strategy for preventing gun violence in schools. It is opposed by school safety experts, law enforcement, teachers, and parents. 14 In states that have
laws aimed at arming school personnel, school staff receive significantly less training than law enforcement.
15 In some of these states no minimum training is required at all. When teachers carry guns into schools, children are more likely to access those guns and the risk of shootings increases.
Over policing of schools has had detrimental impacts on students. School districts and communities have an earnest desire to protect against school shootings, but the practice of policing in schools, including the traditional armed School Resource Officer (SRO) model, has not been shown to reduce school shooting deaths.
16 The presence of police in schools is associated with higher student arrest rates among all students,
17 but students of color, particularly Black students, bear disproportionate impacts.
18 Research suggests that exposure to policing decreases test scores, graduation rates, and college enrollment for Black students.
19 Policing in schools also disproportionately affects students with disabilities and LGBTQ and gender nonconforming students.'? Active Shooter drills may be harmful to students' mental health and well-being. Active shooter drills involving students can lead to alarming and sustainec;I increases in depression, stress and anxiety, and fear of death among students, parents, and educators. 21 Unannounced, extreme simulations are
particularly harmful. In light of the evidence, Everytown for Gun Safety, the American Federation of Teachers, and the National Education Association do not recommend including students in drills.
Conclusion
2 Our leaders must take responsible action to keep our schools safe. They can do so with datadriven strategies that have been proven to reduce violence in schools.
To see footnotes, go to everytown.org/documents/2O22/02/school-safety-handout,.p_gf everytownresearch.org/how-can-we-prevent-gun-violence-in-schools i. Beginning in 2013, EvP.rytnwn collected detailed information on all incidents of gunfire on school grounds. Everytown defines incidents of gunfire on school grounds as "Any time a gun discharges a live round inside (or into) a school building, or on (or onto) a school campus or
grounds," where "school" refers to elementary, middle,
and high schools-K-12-as well as colleges and
universities. More information is available at https:ljeverytownresearch.org/maps/guntfre-on-school•grounds/.
2. New York City Police Department, "Active Shooter:
Recommendations and Analysis for Risk Mitigation,"
2016, https:[fon.nyc.,gov/2nWHM40. Everytown limited
analysis to incidents that took place in K-12 schools and defined school-aged as under the age of 21.
3. National Threat Assessment Center, "Protecting America's Schools: A US Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence" (US Secret Service, Department of
Homeland Security, 2019), h!.ms:l/hit.ly/1U7vnwa; John
Woodrow Cox and Steven Rich, "'The Gun's Not in the
Closet,"' Washington Post, August 1, 2018, htlos;/iwapo. st/2TyDnTW; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention, "Source of Firearms
Used by Students in School-Associated Violent Deaths,
United States, 1992-1999," MMWR Weekly 52, no. 9
(March 7, 2003): 169-72, https:/[b1t,JyL2RGth!o.
4. National Threat Assessment Center et al., "Protecting America's Schools: A US Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence" (US Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, 2019), httgs:/Jbit.l\lL2U7vrtwa. The study analyzed 41 incidents of targeted school violence from 2008 through 2017.
5. Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, "Keeping Our
Schools Safe: A Plan for Preventing Mass Shootings and
Ending All Gun Violence in American Schools," May 19,
2020, https:/leverytownresearch,org/school-safoly-pla!J.. 6 Fverytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, "Extreme Rish
Laws Save Lives," December 21, 2021, htto,:/lbFUy/3Go.
7. Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, "Unload, Lock and Separate," November 2, 2021, Jillp~;l/l}it.!:,,l3olc!:LT.
8. Everytown analysis using FBI Supplementary Homicide
Report (SHR) and US Census American Community
Survey data 2016-2020. Analysis includes all homicide
offenses (l.e., murders, non-negligent manslaughters,
negligent manslaughters, and justifiable homicides)
known to law enforcement and reported to SH R by participating agencies. Young people aged 18-20 committed homicides at a rate of 6.95 per 100,000 people of the
same age group in the US population, compared to a rate of 2.31 per 100,000 adults aged 21 and older.
9. Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, "Update
Background Check Laws," June 22, 2021, https:/lbil.
lY13Hn8HxV.
10. The Off-Ramp Project, "Safe and Supportive SchoolsSchool Climate (EDSCLS MODEL), accessed September 13, 2021, https:floff-ramp,org/2021/05{19/safe-and-supportive-·schools-sc:trool-c:Hmate-.edscls-model/;
11. Tyler Kingkade, "How Moms Are Quietly Passing Gun
Safety Policy through School Boards," NBC.News,
February 10, 2020. https:l/nbcnews . .to/3azPWH!; For
information on the Be SMART program visit: https:lj
besmartforl<ids.org
12. Snndy Hook Advisory Commission, "Final Re~u, l uf the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission: Presented to Governor Dannel P. Malloy, State of Connecticut," March 6, 2015, .htiPJ;;lllil.L!YL1Q?aeU3; Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, "Initial Report
Submitted to the Governor. Speaker of the House of
Representatives and Senate President," January 2, 2019, https;!JbitJy/37Gaooo.
13. US Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students and Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students, "Guide for Developing
~
High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans," 2013,
L2Gnz764.
14. National Association of School Resource Officers, "NASRO Opposes Arming Teachers," press release, February 22, 2018, !:l!!Rs:l/bit.lv/2RdO_q§g.
15. Law enforcement officers receive an average of 840
hours of basic training, including 168 hours of training on weapons, self-defense, and the use of force (Brian
A. Reaves, "State and Local Law Enforcement Training
Academies, 2013," Bulletin [Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, July 2016], https:/!bit.lv/2pg0wM).
16. Melvin D. Livingston, Matthew E. Rossheim, and Kelli Stidham Hall, "A Descriptive Analysis of School and
School Shooter Characteristics and the Severity of
School Shootings in the United States, 1999-2018,"
Journal of Adolescent Health 64, no. 6 (June 2019):
797-99,.htlps:ijdoi,oqW0,1016Ji,iadohealth,201B.12.006.
17. Emily M. Homer and Benjamin W. Fisher, "Police in
Schools and Student Arrest Rates across the United
States: Examining Differences by Race, Ethnicity, and
Gender," Journal of Schoot Violence 19, no. 2 (April 2, 2020): 192-204, http;:;:ljdoi.<,rg(10.1080/l6388220;2019.1 604377.
1S. I iorner and Fisher, "Police in Schools and Student Arrest Rates across the United States."
19. Ernily K. Weisburst, "Patrolling Public Schools: The Impact of Funding for School Police on Student Discipline and Long-Term Education Outcomes," Journal of Policy
Analysis and Management, February 7, 2019, https~/!doL
org/10.1002/pom,22116,
20. Emily K. Weisburst, "Patrolling Public Schools;" "Protected and Served?," Lambda Legal, 2015, httos:ljwww. lambdalegaLorg/protected-and-served/; Kathryn E, W.
'Himrnetstein and Hannah Bruckner, "Criminal-Justice
and School Sanctions against Non heterosexual Youth: A
National Longitudinal Study," Pediatrics 127. no. 1 (January 1, 2011): 49-57, https:/idoi.org/10:1542/peds.2009- 2306.
21. Mai EISherief ct al., "Impacts of School Shooter Drills on the Psychological Well-being of American K-12 School
Communities: A Social Media Study,". Humanities Socia/
Sciences Cornmun.ications 8, no. 315 (2021), https,/l(loi. org/f0.1057/s41599~021,00993-6.
3 everytownresearch.org/how-can-we-prevent-gun-violence-in-schools UNLOAD, LOCK, AN□ EPARA E: SECURE
STORAGE PRACTICES TO REDUCE GUN VIOlENCE
Three-year-old Brayden Heath found his mother's handgun in the living room of their home in Anchorage, Alaska. Brayden was playing with the gun when it discharged, shooting him in the head.
He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead later that day. 1 Introduction
There are an estimated 265 million civilian-owned firearms in the United States,2 and more than one-third of homes contain at least one gun.
3 Gun owners can make our homes ancl
communities safer by storing their firearms unloaded and locked, with amrnunition kept in a separate place, to prevent access by children and other people who are at risk of harming themselves or others. Research shows that these storage practices can play a vital role in reducing the rlsk of gun violence, particularly among children, due to unintentional shootings and gun suicldes.'
The bottom line is this: Storing firearms unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition prevents access and saves lives.
What is secure firearm storage?
Experts agree: In order to prevent access, firearm storage practices should include three methods employed in combination-unloading the ammunition, locking the firearm, and storing the flrearm and ammunition in separate locations.
5 UNLOAD LOCK SEPARATE
Unload: Gun owners should remove all ammunition from the firearm, including removing any chambered rounds.
lock: Unloaded firearms should be secured with a firearm locking device, such as a jacket lock, or in a locked location, like a safe or lock box. Lucking devices, safes, and lock boxes are equipped with keys, combinations, or biometric technology that limit access. Remember: Firearm locks do not prevent gun tne]:
Separate: Arnmurutlon should be stored separately from the firearm in a secure location. besrnartfo(<.ids,orgtresources January 2.02 ·i
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concludes that the absence of guns from homes is the most reliable and effective measure to prevent suicide, homicide, and unintentional firearm-related injuries to children and adolescents. But if there are guns in the home, AAP notes that storing guns unloaded and locked, with ammunition kept in a separate place, can mitigate the risk of child firearm injury.'
Key Findings
Access to unsecured firearms contributes to gun violence among children and teens. Brayden's tragic story is all too common. Every year, nearly 350 children under the age of 18 unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else.' That's roughly one unintentional shooting per day, and 70 percent of these incidents take place inside a home." Another 700 children die by gun suicide each yea,-,9 most often using guns belonging to a family member." Unsecured firearms also fuel gun violence outside the home. In incidents ofgun yiolence on school grounds; up to 80 percent of shooters under the age of 18 obtained their guns from their own home, a relative's home, or from friends. 11 We are all safer when guns are stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.
One study found that households that locked both firearms and ammunition were associated with a 78 percent lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries, and an 85 percent lower risk of unintentional firearm :njuries among children, compared to those that locked neither. 12 Another study estimated
that if half of households with children that cont ain ;,t lp;:ic;t nnP 1mlorkpci Eun switched to locking a!I their guns, one-third of youth gun suicides and unintentional deaths could be prevented, saving an estimated 251 lives in a single year.v
Despite the risks to safety, the majority of gun owners do not secure their firearms. While millions of responsible gun owners follow recommended storage practices, an estimated 54 percent do not lock at! of their guns, let alone store them unloaded, locked, and separate from arnrnunition." Gun owners with children in the home are slightly more likely to tock all of their guns, 15 but an esurnated
4.6 million American children live in households with at least one unlocked and loaded firearm." Contrary to popular belief, storage devices do not prevent owners from readily accessing their guns. There is a common myth that storage devices negate the self-defense purpose of owning a gun by putting time-consuming barriers between the gun owner and their means of defense.
17 The reality ls that there are many affordable options for firearm storage that provide owners with access to guns in a matter of seconds while still preventing access by children and people at increased risk of harming themselves or others." Further, it is possible that unsecured guns may actually increase the likelihood of crime and violence through an increased risk of gun theft.'? Each year, an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 guns are stolen," and many are funneled into the underground market, where once-legally-owned firearms can be transferred to people with dangerous histories.
2 '
Recommendations
Gun owners understand that with rights comes responsibility, and promoting secure firearm storage is integral to public safety. Community members should work together to encourage recommended firearm storage practices.
Community members and local leaders should encourage secure firearm storage through outreach to gun owners and general public awareness campaigns. Researchers, clinicians, and gun owners should work together to develop messaging and recommend storage options that are relevant to local values and context.22
Research suggests that clinlclans can positively influence secure storage practices, especially when they provide free storage devices."
judge seruences Morin [O 18
months in jai! for death of toocler
in 2()"15. «ruu February 2, 2Di ?,
htt.ps:i/b;Uy/?Xqf'i ir
2. 1\zraei D, Hepburn 1.., Herner.way
D. Miller rvi. The stock and flow of
US fireanrs resjt~, frorn rhe 2015
nauona: firearms survev. RSF: The
l?usse!I Sa;:}: toumfmionJournnl of
the Socia! Sciences. ~a-, 7;3{5):38-57.
3. Gun ownerslfp reported in :34
percent. of householos. Cenera!
Social Survey, 2018, Data Explorer.
https:/ib!t.1y!28ZtYky.
4. t-1lcnuteaux MC 1\zraei D, tviiller
fv1. Association of increased sate
housenolo frearn1 storage with
firearm suicide and unlntenuonal
death among US youths, JAMA
Pediatrics. 2019; 17_j(7):657-662.
5. United Siates Governrnenr
Accountability Offlce (G,\0). Report
to congresstona: requesters.
Personal firearms: programs that
promote safe ~,t.orage and rf:>searc:h
on th0ir eff;;:ctiveness. September
20·11. https:/lbit.!y/2Xk1yec;.
6. Council on Injury. Vioience, and
Poison Prevention Executive
Committee. F-irearrn--related !njuries
affecting the pediatric poouletion.
American Academ~v of Pediatrics.
20·12;130(:i)):e1416.e1423.
Ev!::rytown for Gun Safely.
#NotAnAccide1t. index, 2020~
Everytown tracks uninr.(~nricnal
shootings by chi!dren that result
in de.ar.h or injury. Everytown
researchers continually review
medra reooris to k.:ientlfy
shoottngs in which a person age
1 / or under urunrennonally nres
a gun ano harms themselves
or someone else. For each
identin~:(1 incident; th? resParch~~rs
review avai!ab!e public records
and, wtv~~n necessary, foHG'·N
up with local law entorcemsnt
to ascertoin detaiis aooui the
incident, lr,(luding location. type
of ft rearm. and method of storage.
Analysis incLK"ies inciclents trlac
occurred lJetw!::en 2015 and
2019. For more i0.fcrmctinn on
unlntcntional shootings by chilcJren.
see: everytownresearch.org/
nccanacc!dent.
8. Everyt.own for Gun Safety,
itNotAnAccdent 1nrjex. 2020.
Analysis includr:~s hqmes of the
shooter, the victirn, relatives' homes,
friends' homes. and "Olher; homes.
9. Centers for o,sease Concrol and
Prevention, National Center for
Heairh Srat.iSi.iCS, VVOl'-lf)EH Online
Database, Underlying Cause
of De act,. A yearly aver age \/'.•·as
devebped using five years of most
recent available data: 2015 to 20·19,
U1k1ren d~fined as aged Oto 17.
10. Jo~mson HV, Barber C Azr,:1e!
D, Clark DC. Hemenway D. Who
are rhr' ownes of firearrns userj
in adolescenr. suicides? SuichiP.
ond Life· rhremening Uehovlo!'.
2010;40(6):609-611. Study d,Jined
children as under tl,e age of 18.
Over 80 percent of childr·en who
died by gun su;cide used a gun
belonging to a family mernber.
I. ' ,. Everytown for Gun SJfety Support
Fund. Keeping Our •.;c,1ools Safe: A
Pian for Preventing Mass Shootings
and Ending AH C:un Violence
in Arnerirnn Scl;ools. rmps:/1
•?verytownr-esearch.,org/school-·
safety•-plan, February 2020.
12.:.. Cr0ss1T1r~n DC t,,,1ueiier Bi\, Hiedy C,
et. aL c;un storage pracr.ices and (sk
of youU-; su!cide and unintentional
firt:ar-m injurics,journoi of rhe
An1ericon ;t1edicof A:,sorioti.:>n
2.005;293(6)·7Q7 .. 7·1 <l,
1 ·~ Monuceaux t-1iC Azrael D. i'-..,·1i!k,r
fvl. Association of increased safe
househclr.i firearm storage wich
firea'"rn ~:=;uk.idt~ and uninr.t~nr.ional
dr~ath arn•::;ng US youd1s . .!,4MA
Pedfurri<:sv 20·19;173(7):657~662.
14. Crifasi CK. Doucet:e ML, McG,nty
Et:, \'Vebster DVV, Sar01 CL. Storage
practices of US gun 01.-vners in
2(r! 6~.Amer!con journo! of Puhlic
f!eo!th. 2018;108(4}:532~537.
'15. ll)i(J.
16. A2rael D. Cohen J. Salhi C, Miner
M. FinJarm storage in gun--owning
house~iolds Vii[h chi!drt~n: results
of o 20·15 national survey.Journot of
Urt;on /-ieolfh~ 2(Y 8;:35(3}:295-304,
Scudy deflncc-1 children as unci~~r the
age of ·18,
17. L.ottjR, \Nhit!ey JE. Sat"c•stc:·age gun
!aws: accidenta! deaths, suicides,
and crime.journci of LcW/ 8.
Fconomtcs, 2.001 ;44{52):65~l-689.
1 B. Hung F. 4 besr bedside pistol gun
safes for quick acc!::ss. Pew Few
Toct.icai, ;anlJary 23, 20·19. hltp5:i!
bit.ly/2Rb2DiL
19. Everytown for Gun Safety, Stok~n
Guns Pose a TremQn(ious Risk to
Public Safety. 2veryrowriresearch.
orglstoien~guns. Ma:-ch 2019,
20. For 1nore inforriajon on stolen
guns, set.~: evt:rytG\.Vnrese;3rch.org1
sto!en-gur1.s< Thf~ exact number
of firearms stoi,'n is difkult. w
deterrn!ne because rnany stolen
guns are not repo(red ro la1,,v
enforcernent Estmates included
in t~1is range are deriv!~d from
che following sources: Langton
L~ Fir2arrns .sto!e-n during
r1ousoho!d i;urglaries ami or.Iler
property crimes, 2005-2010. US
Department of justice, Bureau of
Justice Statistics. 2012. ilt,ps://b,t.
iy/2.D9~j0<j; US Department of
Justice, i3ureau oi .Alcohol. Tot.1acco.
Firearrrs anci E,plcsives. 2012
Summary: Fir'earms reporred iost
anci stolen. lmps://I/Uy!2D5qVnM;
Cook PJ, Ludwig)< Guns in America:
results of a comprehensive national
survey on firearms ownership and
use. Police Fourn:.iation. 1 ]9fi.
21. Everytown for (;un Safety, Stolen
Guns Pose a Trer:1endovs Hisk to
Public Sdfety~ everytov,mresearci1.
org!sto,en·guns. March 2019.
22. Barber c, ,\zrael D, Berrigan J.
MiHer M. Sobe!son M, Hemenway
0. Suicide and f,rearrn injury in
Utah: iinking data t.o save live~;.
Harvard T.H. Chan Scr,oo, of Public
Hoa Ith. Onot;er 20'1 8, hr.tps)ll)it.
lyt2 H P2 kG3.
RAND Corporauon Gun Policy in
America, Educac!on campaigns and
clinical interventions for promoting
safe storage. March 2018. rmps://
lJit 1y!2 KPC71 h.
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City of Carpinteria
COUNCIL AGENDA STAFF REPORT
July 10, 2023
ITEM FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
Request of the County of Santa Barbara for the City of Carpinteria to contribute $1,411 to County for a share of the cost of a survey to assess voter preferences related to a tax to support public libraries in Santa Barbara County.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Consistent with the recommendation of the Carpinteria Municipal Library Advisory Commission, contribute funding as requested by the County of Santa Barbara.
Sample Motion: I move to contribute $1,411 for public polling as requested by County of Santa Barbara and include Carpinteria Municipal Library Advisory Commission recommendations (Attachment D).
BACKGROUND
The Santa Barbara County Library Ad hoc Committee
Local governments have been the primary funders of California libraries since state funding for library operations was phased out in the early 201 Os. Local libraries within Santa Barbara County have faced chronic budget shortfalls for over a decade.
In October 2018, the Board of Supervisors created the Santa Barbara County Library Ad hoc Committee (Ad hoc Committee) to address persistent budget challenges and funding requests needed to keep libraries open and maintain minimum service levels. The Ad Hoc Committee's primary task was to outline a path to a sustainable and equitable finance and governance system for all County libraries.
The Ad Hoc Committee was comprised of two members of the Board of Supervisors, County staff, Library Administrators from Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4, a representative of the Library Advisory Committee, and a representative for Friends of the Library groups. When the Ad hoc Committee was initially established, Zone 5 did not exist. Subsequently, the City of Carpinteria established a Municipal Library and took over administration of the Carpinteria Library from the City of Santa Barbara. The City acts as the Zone 5 Library City Council Staff Report
July 1 o-;-202-sPage 2
Administrator in the County library system, which includes an appointed representative (made in May of this year) to the Ad hoc Committee.
Between 2018 and 2021, the Ad hoc Committee succeeded in accomplishing a number of important outcomes:
• Established a shared purpose and guiding principles
• Built a shared understanding of facts and challenges
• Addressed immediate budget deficits
• Benchmarked Santa Barbara County libraries against libraries elsewhere in the state and country to compare funding and services for libraries serving similar populations • Recommended minimum service levels for different categories of branch libraries and quantified the funding gap to reach those minimum service levels • Assessed public funding options
• Revised the library agreement between the County and Managing Cities to accurately reflect current conditions and processes, better align timelines for budgeting, clarify expectations for shared resources, update population allocation, and cap administrative fees
• Assessed alternative governance models
In 2021, the Ad hoc Committee concluded that in order to pursue public funding options and explore alternative governance models, the Cities must be engaged.
Recent progress
In 2022, the Ad hoc Committee invited City representatives to join its meetings and engage in joint problem solving and make progress toward the following outcomes:
• Shared understanding of the current status of the library system, challenges, and opportunities
• Shared commitment to working together to strengthen the countywide library system and ensure equitable access to quality library services • Dedicated funding for libraries sufficient to sustain minimum or approved target service levels across all branches
• A long-term solution for effective governance of the countywide library system Through three Ad hoc Committee sessions and the efforts of a small working group, governance alternatives and funding options were explored. The Ad hoc Committee focused most of its attention on the possibility of establishing a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) as a governance model for Santa Barbara County libraries that could enable joint decision making and the ability to levy a tax to supplement library funding.
Many Ad hoc Committee members and city representatives were supportive of the concept of forming a JPA, but also recognized its formation would be challenging. Participants G:\CC Staff Reports\2023 0710\SB County Library Poll LAC recommendation.docx City Council Staff Report
July 10, 2023
agreed that a JPA and dedicated tax could improve overall library services available and establish financial stability. At the same time, municipal library cities expressed a strong desire to retain local control of municipal libraries, staff, and budgets. The Committee's process focused on how best to maintain that local control while still tapping the benefits of coordination and revenue generation made possible through a JPA. The Committee considered four main options:
Option Recommendation
Full fledged library JPA with enhanced Rejected - Fails to maintain local control funding via a new tax and centralized
administration and operation of all
participating libraries
Library JPA with opt-in operations, Rejected - Too complex providing funding via a new tax and library
administration for county branches and those
cities that wish to opt in
Library finance JPA providing enhanced Recommended - Provides forum for funding via a new tax; libraries continue to be joint decision making between Cities and administered via existing zone structure County and a source of supplemental funding
No JPA + county levied tax in which Rejected - Does not provide forum for libraries continue to be administered via joint decision making between Cities and existing zone structure but County levies new County
tax and controls distribution of revenue
The Santa Barbara County Library Advisory Ad hoc Committee Recommendation The Santa Barbara County Library Advisory Ad hoc Committee recommends that the County and Cities pursue the establishment of a library finance JPA with a dedicated tax revenue source to be determined via research and voter polling and to potentially be placed on the 2024 or 2025 ballot. The polling is an essential step to understanding the appetite for a new tax given the fact that seven out of eight cities in Santa Barbara County have recently implemented tax measures (Attachment C).
Additionally, the Ad hoc Committee requests the County prepare a letter to the cities that lays out the foundational background, articulates the proposed direction, and requests ongoing city participation (Attachment A). The letter would be followed by a presentation to answer questions (Attachment B).
The Ad hoc Committee feels that pursuing these steps will help to:
• Address chronic budget shortfalls.
• Rebuild library staffing and services, which have been eroded over time.
G:\CC Staff Reports\2023 071 O\SB County Library Poll LAC recommendation.docx City Council Staff Report
Ju ly-rn,2-G2-JPage 4
• Improve equity and address the needs of small and unincorporated branches. • Reduce dependence on private sources, such as Friends' groups, to cover core operating expenses.
• Provide a forum for communication and joint decision-making among County and City jurisdictions.
• Enhance coordination and planning to strengthen the countywide library system.
Potential Next steps
• Further investigate potential options for levying a tax. • Conduct polling to assess voter preferences around such a new tax. Public polling will be used to help inform the choice of the specific tax, for example sales, parcel, or other types of tax.
• Conduct outreach to cities to determine their interest in forming a JPA. • Answer key questions about the design of the JPA, including its functions, governing board membership, and voting structure. Staff can look to examples Sonoma, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, Santa Clara, and San Mateo Counties which currently operate library JPAs.
• Consider hiring a .5 FTE Library Contracts Administrator who could support the recommendations of the Ad hoc Committee and be responsible for fiscal oversight, strategic planning, and fundraising for the countywide library system overall.
DISCUSSION
In January 11, 2021, the Council considered the potential for serving as the management entity for the County's Montecito branch via contract. The Council directed that this possibility be revisited in two years, after the City had operating experience with its own library and the funding situation with the Montecito branch library was more clear. Voter interest in a potential tax for libraries that could include unincorporated areas surrounding Carpinteria and the service area of the Montecito Library, could be important information to assist the LBOT and Council in understanding if taking on management of the Montecito branch via contract with the County is appropriate.
POLICY CONSISTENCY
As expressed previously by the City Council, the City wishes to explore the potential for serving as the management entity for the Montecito branch library. Providing financial support for the County to explore voter support for a tax that could, at least in part, provide revenue for the Montecito branch operations, can be found consistent with the City's interest.
G:\CC Staff Reports\2023 071 O\SB County Library Poll LAC recommendation.docx City Council Staff Report
July 10, 2023
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
$1,450 Increase to FY 2023-24 Budget (Measure X Fund). Funds would be remitted to the County of Santa Barbara for the City's share of the cost of performing a survey to assess voters' preferences related to a tax to support public libraries.
LEGAL AND RISK MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
As determined necessary and appropriate, staff consults with the City Attorney's Office and risk managers of its insurance entity, the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, in order to ensure compliance with legal requirements and best practices.
OPTIONS
1. Contribute to Santa Barbara County survey costs (Staff Recommendation);
2. Decline to contribute to Santa Barbara County survey costs.
PRINCIPAL PARTIES EXPECTED AT MEETING
Ashley Watkins, Santa Barbara County Division Chief, Sustainability and Libraries Carrie Kappel, Legacy Works
Glynn Birdwell, Library Advisory Commission Chair
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Santa Barbara County Community Services letter to City Manager Attachment B -Ad hoc Committee Updated PowerPoint
Attachment C - List of Recent City Tax Measures
Attachment D - Recommendation letter from the Library Advisory Commission Staff contact: Jody Thomas, City Librarian
(805) 684-4314, [email protected]
Staff contact: Matt Roberts,
Director of Parks, Recreation, and Public Facilities
(805) 755-4449, [email protected]
Reviewed by: Dave Durflinger, City Manager
(805) 755-4400, [email protected]
J(J~ h ;x,,~ jh;mw,) Siqnetut;
~,.Ji. Signat L
e
P
G:\CC Staff Reports\2023 071 O\SB County Library Poll LAC recommendation.docx
ATTACHMENT A
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4F234EE2-4AEE-4A4B-975D-C171853EC137 (}fl(!
COUNTY
COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Mona Miyasato, County Executive Officer
Nancy Anderson, Assistant County Executive Officer
Jeff Frapwell, Assistant County Executive Officer
Tanja Heitman, Assistant County Executive Officer
Wade Horton, Assistant County Executive Officer
May 31, 2023
Dave Durflinger
City Manager
City of Carpinteria
5775 Carpinteria Avenue
Carpinteria, CA 93013
E-mail: [email protected]
Re: Voter polling for potential library tax
Dear Mr. Durflinger,
I'm writing to gauge your interest in conducting voter polling to determine whether there is support for levying a countywide tax to supplement library funding.
On May 9
th
, 2023 County staff provided an update on the work of the Library Ad Hoc Committee (Ad Hoc Committee) to the Board of Supervisors. The Ad Hoc Committee was established by the Board in 2018 to outline a path to a sustainable and equitable finance and governance system for all county libraries.
The Board approved the Ad Hoc Committee's recommendation to consider the establishment of a library finance Joint Powers Authority (JPA} amongst the County and Cities with a dedicated tax revenue source to be determined by voter polling.
We are asking if there is interest from your jurisdiction in partnering with the County to conduct voter polling and if so, your ability to contribute funding. We estimate costs to be approximately $60,000. The County is able to cover $30,000 of the cost and has apportioned the remaining costs to cities based on assigned library populations. We estimate your contribution to be $1,411 based on assigned library population.
105 E. Anapamu Street, Room 406, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 • (805) 568-3400 · Fax (805) 568-3414 [email protected] • www.countyofsb.org/ceo
DocuSign Envelope ID: 4F234EE2-4AEE-4A4B-975D-C171853EC137 Allocation of Polling Costs by Jurisdication
Carpinteria $ 1,411
Santa Barbara $ 8,053
Lompoc $ 3,914
Santa Maria $ 8,818
Guadalupe $ 627
Goleta $ 5,472
Buellton $ 852
Solvang $ 852
County $ 30,000
Total: $ 60,000
Please let us know by June 15, 2030 if you believe your jurisdiction would have interest. If you have any questions feel free to contact me or Community Services Director, George Chapjian at [email protected] or (805) 568-2467.
Sincerely,
l
DocuSigned by:
~-*
41846$';L25B460 ...
Mona Miyasato
County Executive Officer
cc: George Chapjian, Community Services Director
2 ATTACHMENT B
Library Ad Hoc Committee Update
Carpinteria City Council, July 10, 2023
Presented by·
Ashley Watkins, County of Santa Barbara, CSD
Carrie Kappel, LegacyWorks Group
Options for
Consideration A. Receive and file an update on the work of the Santa Barbara County Library Ad Hoc Committee
B. Provide direction regarding partnering with the County of Santa Barbara to conduct voter polling related to a library tax C. Provide direction regarding contributing $1,411 towards cost to conduct polling
2 Santa Maria
0--_9-~,~.,~-~~~~-~
Guadalupe •
Orcutt
Santa Barbara County Llf>rary System
Los Alamos
Village
•
There are five City operated municipal libraries in the County.
The County contracts annually with four cities and their municipal libraries (outlined in white) to administer eight branch libraries.
Three of the branches are in smaller cities and receive city and county funding (filled in white). The remaining five branches are in unincorporated areas and have no other public funding source.
Lompoc
'
Montecito
Goleta ~ •
Santa Barbara/Eastside
Carpinteria 3
Purpose of the Library Ad Hoc Committee
Outline a path to achieving a sustainable
and equitable finance and governance
system for county libraries
I 4
Library
Ad Hoc
Committee
Established by the Board of Supervisors in October 2018 Purpose: To outline a path to achieving a sustainable and equitable finance and governance system for county libraries Members
• 2 County Supervisors
• 4 Library Directors
• Friends Member
• Library Advisory Committee Member
• Community Services Department Director
Committee requested facilitation, which has been provided by LegacyWorks Group
5 Problems we are trying to solve
- Address chronic budget shortfalls
- Rebuild library staffing and services, which have been eroded over time - Improve equity and address the needs of small and unincorporated branches
- Reduce dependence on private sources to cover core operating expenses - Provide a forum for communication and joint decision making among jurisdictions
- Enhance coordination and planning to strengthen the countywide system 6 Total library funding by library (2022-23)
Santa Barbara/Eastside l■■■■l:=======I ==============================:J Santa Maria
Goleta
Isla Vista
·-jj,
Buellton
Guadalupe
Orcutt
Montecito
Village
Los Alamos
Cuyama
■ County $4,423,471
■ City $9,152,836
Tax $1,906,426 ■ Friends $266,403
Other $793,419
Total $16,542,555
$0 $2,000,000 $4,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000
7 Library funding total per capita by library (2022-23) Santa Barbara/Eastside
Montecito
Lompoc
Village
Santa Maria
Cuyama
Guadalupe
Los Alamos
Orcutt
Goleta
Isla Vista
Buellton
Solvang
Carpinteria
$0
GA AVERAGE $46 (2020)
$20 $40 $60 $80
8 Library Ad Hoc Committee
Outline a pathway to a sustainable and equitable finance and governance system for county libraries Jan 2019 - May 2019
Establish purpose
and principles;
identify facts and
challenges; address
immediate budget
deficits
Jul 2019 - May 2020
Recommend
minimum service
levels; assess public
funding options
Oct 2020 - Sep 2021
Revise library
agreement; assess
governance models
Jan 2022 - Jun 2022
Engage
City elected leaders;
assess interest in
library JPA
9 Joint Powers Authority Findings
The Ad Hoc Committee's governance working group found:
• A Joint Powers Authority could provide a forum for multi-jurisdiction decision making and a mechanism for raising dedicated funds for libraries via a new tax • Centralization has generally improved performance and equity and reduced conflicts and costs for library systems administered as JPAs (five CA counties) • Dedicated and sufficient revenue is a key ingredient in other systems' success • A JPA is not a one size fits all solution. It may face barriers but it is highly customizable I 10
Ad Hoc and City Representatives Considered Several Options OPTION RECOMMENDATION?
Full fledged library JPA with enhanced funding via a new tax and centralized administration and operation of all participating libraries
- -- - -
Library JPA with opt-in operations, providing funding via a new tax and library administration for county branches and those cities that wish to opt in
- - - - --- - - . - --· - - -
Library finance JPA providing enhanced funding via a new tax; libraries continue to be administered via existing zone structure No JPA + county levied tax in which libraries continue to be administered via existing zone structure but county levies new tax and controls distribution of revenue
11 Library Revenue Models - JPAs v. Santa Barbara County Dedicated revenue makes up 55-100% of the JPAs~ budgets but just 11% in Santa Barbara County Dedicated
Countywide
Property Tax
Dedicated
Countywide
Sales Tax
Other
Dedicated Taxes
(e.g. CSD)
City Tax
Parcel or Sales
City
General Funds
Coun~
General Fund Other
Sacramento
$51M
San Mateo
$58M
Santa Clara
$67M
Santa Cruz
$14M
Sonoma
$33M
SB County
$16.SM
FY 2022-23
Goleta Measure L
0% Santa Maria Measure U +
Carpinteria Measure X
25% ~ ~ 11% 12
* Chart contains data from a mix of fiscal years from 207 9-2022. Total budgets range from $74-$67M.
Funding needed to meet branch minimum service levels
• In 2020, the Ad Hoc Committee recommended minimum service/eve/standards for the branch libraries based on state and national benchmarks • We did not set standards for the municipal libraries
• None of the branches met all the standards in FY 21-22 • We estimated it would cost roughly $71 OK to bring the branches up to the minimum service levels in FY 21-22
• Enhanced funding to meet the minimum service levels remains a need 13 Potential tax revenue countywide vs. unincorporated areas only
COUNTYWIDE UNINCOIRPORATED ONLY
.;... - - -·- ·- ·---+ --
Parcel tax
• 132,484 parcels in the county (2022)
· $60/parcel would generate ~$8M
50% of total 2022-23 county + city funding
Sales tax
• $8.4 billion taxable sales
(estimated from 2022 Q4 CA sales tax)
· 0.125% sales tax ($0.00125 per dollar)
would generate ~$10.5M
66% of total 2022-23 county+ city funding
Parcel tax
• 49,847 parcels in the county (38% of total)
· $60/parcel would generate ~$3M
19% of total 2022-23 county + city funding
~ t- --
Sales tax
• $960 million taxable sales (11 % of total)
· 0.125% sales tax ( $0.00125 per dollar)
woulld generate ~$1.2M
7.5% of total 2022-23 county+ city funding
I 14
Sales Tax Rates and Measures
*Unincorporated sales tax rate 7 75%
**Goleta CSD also has Measure L 1990 dedicated parcel tax for libraries New Sales Recent Sales Tax Measures
City Tax Rates* (effective date)
Goleta** i 8.75% 2024 Measure B 1.0%
I passed by 64.39%
- ---
I
- - --
Solvang 8.75% 2023 Measure U 1.0%
passed by 62. 93%
- - -
Guadalupe 8.75% 2021 Measure N 1.0%
passed by 70.88%
Lompoc 8.75% 2020 Measure I 1.0%
passed by 69.37%
I---· --- - - - -
Santa Maria 8.75% 2019 Measure U 0.75%
passed by 74. 78%
--
Carpinteria 9.00% 2019 Measure X 1.25%
passed by 56.37 %
------4-- -- - ----··- - -··-· ·- -
Santa Barbara 8.75% I 2018 Measure C 1.0%
I
passed by 56.20%
-
I
Buellton 7.75% N/A
Purpose (all sales tax measures are general, not dedicated, funds) to maintain and expand city services and programs ... could be used to repair and upgrade aging local infrastructure, support and expand after school programs to protect and maintain funding for City services, including recreation programs and other vital city services
--- - -- - -- -------- - ·--------
to maintain/enhance essential services, including ... opportunities for youth ... library, and other vital services
--- -------
to maintain and improve public services ... including community and recreational services
to support city essential services ... increased spending on library services, recreation, homelessness and programs for at-risk youth for public safety and vital services, including ... prevent cuts to local library, senior, youth programs
to maintain essential services and repair critical infrastructure. Council establish priorities include protecting parks, youth, and senior services 15 Recommended JPA Model
OPTION RECOMMENDATION
Full fledged library JPA with enhanced funding via a new tax and centralized administration and operation of all participating libraries
Rejected - Fails to maintain local control
Library JPA with opt-in operations, providing funding via a · Rejected - Too complex new tax and library administration for county branches and those cities that wish to opt in
Library finance JPA providing enhanced funding via a new tax; Recommended - Provides forum for joint decision making libraries continue to be administered via existing zone structure between Cities and County and a source of supplemental funding
-- -- ---- - --,
No JPA + county levied tax in which libraries continue to be Rejected - Does not provide forum for joint decision making administered via existing zone structure but county levies new between Citiies and County tax and controls distribution of revenue
-·1
16 A
pril 2023
Recommendations of
the Library Ad Hoc
Committee
and Invited City
Participants
7. Ad Hoc recommends the finance
JPA model with a dedicated
revenue source to be determined
via research and voter polling and
to be placed on the 2024 or 2025
ballot. 2. Ad Hoc
requests the County
prepare a letter to the cities that
lays out the foundational
background, articulates the
proposed direction, and requests
ongoing city participation. The
letter should be followed by a
presentation to answer questions. 17
Next Steps
Conduct voter polling to assess voter preferences around such a new tax.
Conduct outreach to cities to determine their interest in forming a JPA.
Answer key questions about the design of the JPA, including its functions, governing board membership, and voting structure.
Consider hiring a .5 FTE Library Contracts Administrator who could lead the county's efforts to implement the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee and support the countywide library system through fiscal oversight, strategic planning, and collaborative fundraising.
19 Comparison of options with and without JPA
OPTION
-·~---
PROS CONS
- ------ ...
Library finance JPA providing enhanced Forum for joint decision making between funding via a new tax; libraries continue to Cities and County be administered via existing zone structure Significant source of system-wide, dedicated supplemental funding
No JPA + county levied tax in which
libraries continue to be administered via
existing zone structure but county levies
new tax, hires a Library Contract
Administrator, and controls distribution of
revenue. Library Contract Administrator
provides system-wide coordination and
advocacy.
Source of supplemental funding
Enhanced library expertise within County
Tepid appetite for new taxes in cities
Difficult, complicated process to get all
jurisdictions to work together and
negotiate details of the JPA
Does not provide forum for joint decision
making between Cities and County
Uncertain allocation pathway
Funding may not be dedicated
22 Library JPA - Governing Board Structures
Library JPA II Representation Voting Board Composition
Sacramento 15 Weighted by Tiered voting City electeds + 5 County supervisors population
San Mateo 12 Equal Majority rules County and City electeds on Governing Board County and City administrators on Operations Committee
Santa Clara 11 Equal* Majority rules City electeds + * 2 County supervisors Santa Cruz Library 4 Equal Unanimous County and City administrators Financing Authority vote
Santa Cruz Joint
Powers Board
Sonoma
9 13
Weighted
Equal*
½ vote required 2 County, 2 Santa Cruz City, 1 Capitola, 1 Scotts Valley, 3 atfor approval large citizens Majority rules,· Citizens appointed by the County and Cities ½ for new *County and Santa Rosa share 1 additional rep taxes/bonds
23 Critical questions
Process JPA Agreement Tax Proposal
Are all jurisdictions willing to Governing board structure & Target revenue? explore the option of forming composition Parcel or sales? a library finance JPA? Voting structure (equal or Timeline? How will the effort be weighted)
funded? (staffing, legal Allocation formula?
Staffing
support, polling, tax How will a new library tax
Allocation formula?
campaign, etc.) affect or be affected by
Who will champion and keep
Maintenance of effort? existing Measures L, U and X?
the momentum through Equity? What other tax proposals are difficult negotiations? Minimum Standards? being considered? 24 Draft timeline for JPA establishment and new tax
- Secure funding to hire public opinion research firm; conduct voter polling - 2023 Q3 - Identify leadership and funding for ballot campaign - 2023 Q3 - Retain legal counsel with JPA experience and negotiate terms of JPA - 2023 Q4 - Determine staffing for JPA administration (new or leveraging existing) - 2023 Q4 - Draft and ratify joint powers agreement (each party passes a resolution) - 2024 Q1 - File a notice of Joint Powers Agreement with Secretary of State - 2024 Q1 - Appoint members to the governing board - 2024 Q1
- Put tax measure on the ballot; campaign - 2024
- Allocate new funding for FY 25-26
25 Process for JPA establishment
- Negotiate powers to be shared and size, structure, and membership of governing board - Draft a joint powers agreement among the participating parties - Each party passes a resolution to ratify the agreement and establish the new agency - File a notice of Joint Powers Agreement with Secretary of State - Parties appoint members to the governing board
- Fund the initial start up (optionally, if prior to tax passage) - Levy a new tax for libraries (either County or JPA, depending on sequencing) - Hire a JPA library director to oversee the library district I 26
JPA Survey Takeaways
• Not all jurisdictions participated and the overall response rate was lower than hoped (11 / 28) • The majority of respondents were enthusiastic or hopeful about the concept of forming a JPA • There was good consensus on the benefits a JPA could deliver • There is agreement that it would be difficult to form a JPA but only two respondents identified insurmountable hurdles
• There is much work to do to designate roles and respective functions if a JPA were established • The point of strongest agreement is that a JPA could bring more financial stability to the system • The question that needs the most attention is how power will be distributed between the JPA and municipal cities who wish to retain authority over municipal libraries, staff and budgets • If the JPA solely serves a financing function, is it still better than a tax levied and administered by the County?
27 Alternative governance models (4-5 of 7)
• Option 4: County contracts with a private vendor to provide library services to unincorporated areas Political non-starter because of unpopularity of privatization of public services • Option 5: County provides library service to unincorporated areas directly, administering all non-municipal branch libraries
r- Source: Management Partners Report
Would require in house library expertise
c Probable political non-starter because it implies taking County$ away from City libraries (and Main Library services away from smaller City libraries)
28 ATTACHMENT C
Attachment 2
*Unincorporated sales tax rate 7. 75%
**Goleta CSD also has Measure L 1990 dedicated parcel tax for libraries Sales Tax Rates and Measures
-
New Sales Recent Sales Tax
City Tax Rates* Measures (effective date)
Goleta** 8.75% 2024 Measure B 1.0%
passed by 64.39%
--
Solvang 8.75% 2023 Measure U 1.0%
passed by 62.93%
Guadalupe 8.75% 2021 Measure N 1.0%
passed by 70.88%
---- -----
Lompoc 8.75% 2020 Measure I 1.0%
passed by 69.37%
-- -
Santa Maria 8.75% 2019 Measure U 0.75%
passed by 74.18%
- ~--
Carpinteria 9.00% 2019 Measure X 1.25%
passed by 56.31%
------· - -- -- ---- ---
Santa 8.75% 2018 Measure C 1.0%
Barbara passed by 56.20%
--· - ----- --- - -- - - ---· ----- -· - -
Buellton 7.75% N/A
------- ---- -
Purpose (all sales tax measures are general, not
dedicated, funds)
to maintain and expand city services and programs ... could be used to repair and upgrade aging local infrastructure, support and expand after school programs
to protect and maintain funding for City services, including recreation programs and other vital city services
to maintain/enhance essential services, including ...
opportunities for youth ... library, and other vital services to maintain and improve public services ... including
community and recreational services
- - - --------------------1
to support city essential services ... increased spending on library services, recreation, homelessness and programs for at-risk youth
for public safety and vital services, including ... prevent cuts to local library, senior, youth programs
------ -- ------------
to maintain essential services and repair critical
infrastructure. Council establish priorities include protecting parks, youth, and senior services
- - -- -- - - ----------- -------
------- - ------------- -----
13 ATTACHMENT D
CITY of CARPINTERJA, cALIFORNIA
June 30, 2023
Carpinteria City Council
5775 Carpinteria Ave.
Carpinteria, CA 93013
Dear Carpinteria City Council,
We, the Library Advisory Commission, unanimously recommend Carpinteria City Council allocate $1411 as requested by the County to conduct voter polling to determine whether there is support for levying a countywide tax to supplement library funding. Our recommendation is based on our belief in the value of libraries to be vibrant, thriving communities and our desire that Carpinteria participate in strengthening libraries countywide.
We think Carpinteria will benefit from hearing from county residents regarding their thoughts on the support of libraries.
To encourage full participation of Carpinteria residents we recommend:
1. Carpinteria see the language of the poll prior to release.
2. The county uses the widest possible language for the poll to truly understand what resident appetite will support.
3. Early messaging to Carpinteria residents before the poll is released to provide context. For example, the monthly newsletter from the City Manager could include a heads up that the County will be conducting a poll with the support of the City to evaluate the appetite of Carpinterians for additional funding to support libraries countywide.
Respectfully,
~()~~
Glynn Birdwell, Chair
llA/.- /~-
.Viviana M6rales, Vice-Chair
~n!~~
A
9 m
~
ber Kaplan, PhD
~~-~
Danielle Manriquez-Osborn
CC Carpinteria Community Library Board of Trustees
5775 CARPINTERIA A VENUE• CARPINTERIA, CA 93013-2603
(805) 684-5405 •FAX (805) 684-5304
www .carpinteriaca.gov
Cal Cities' advocacy efforts are strongest when joined by the voices of city leaders. Below is a list of current legislative proposals that local officials should act on to support cities' top legislative priorities, along with sample support or opposition letters.
OPPOSE AB 504 (Reyes) State and Local Public Employees:
Labor Relations: Disputes
AB 504 would create a system where nearly any city employee can sympathy strike regardless of their job duties. This bill would override the essential employee designation process and could result in a citywide halt of critical services.
On June 28, AB 504 passed out of the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee. The bill is slated to be heard next in the Senate Judiciary Committee, as early as July 6.
If your Senator serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, voice your opposition BEFORE JULY 5 BY CALLING YOUR SENATOR.
Additionally, take action TODAY by sending a letter to your Senator expressing your city’s opposition as soon as possible.
OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED SB 584 (Limón) Laborforce
Housing: Short-Term Rental Tax Law
SB 584 would impose a statewide 15% tax on the occupancy of shortterm rentals. Proceeds of the tax would be used to provide grants for the creation of “laborforce housing.” Imposing a 15% statewide tax on top of existing local rates would harm critical local revenues and create a fiscal burden for tourists who would like to visit the community and invest in the local economy.
SB 584 has been double referred to the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee and the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee. The bill has not yet been set for a hearing but may be heard in the next two weeks.
Take action TODAY by submitting a letter of opposition. Additionally, if your Assembly Member serves on either committee, please call them to urge their “no” vote.
AB 1657 (Wicks) The Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2024 AB 1657 (Wicks) would place a $10 billion bond measure on the March 2024 ballot to spur the production of affordable and supportive housing. The bill authorizes $10 billion in general obligation bonds to fund affordable and supportive housing programs, including the Multifamily Housing Program, the CalHOME program, the My Home down payment assistance program, and the Joe Serna, Jr.
Farmworker Housing Program.
Voice your SUPPORT for AB 1657 by calling your Assembly Member and Senator and submitting a letter.
OPPOSE SB 423 (Wiener)
In 2017, the Legislature passed, and the Governor signed SB 35. This law makes the approval of certain multifamily developments, “ministerial” actions. As a result, the approval of these developments pre-empts local discretionary land use authority, bypasses the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and ignores public input.
SB 423 would greatly expand SB 35 (Chapter 366, Statutes of 2017) provisions and extend the Jan. 1, 2026 sunset date to Jan. 1, 2036, requiring cities to ministerially approve certain multifamily housing projects without public input or environmental review. SB 423 may be voted on the Senate Floor at any time between May 24 and June 2.
Voice your opposition TODAY by CALLING YOUR SENATOR and expressing your opposition. Click here to find your Senator. If your city would like to join the growing coalition of cities opposing SB 423, contact your Regional Public Affairs Manager to be added to the Senate Floor Alert.
2023-24 May Revision Budget Proposal
The Governor’s 2023-24 May Revision upholds funding for homelessness programs committed in last year’s budget. However, it does not include any new, ongoing funding for cities to increase the supply of affordable housing and reduce homelessness. Cal Cities is calling on lawmakers to find a permanent home in the budget for $3 billion in ongoing funding to prevent and reduce homelessness and boost affordable housing.
Call your Assembly Member and Senator TODAY urging them to support $3 billion in ongoing funding to cities for homelessness and housing AND ask your Assembly Member and Senator to sign on to Assembly Member Quirk-Silva’s letter endorsing Cal Cities’ homelessness and affordable housing budget priorities.
AB 1708 (Muratsuchi) Proposition 47 Reform
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If passed, the bill would send the issue to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election. Voice your SUPPORT by submitting a letter to the Assembly Public Safety Committee. If your assembly member is on the committee, it is important to submit a letter and call them to express your support!
2023-24 State Budget Priorities for Cities
Cal Cities is calling on the state and Legislature to invest $3 billion in ongoing funding for cities to increase the supply of affordable housing and reduce homelessness, invest $1 billion to reimburse cities for unfunded mandates, and lay off any action that would reduce or eliminate funding for cities or divert essential local revenue sources.
Take action today by sending a letter to Budget Committee chairs and vice chairs requesting investments in the 2023-24 state budget that bolster local government efforts to support our most vulnerable residents and ensure cities can thrive!
State Ballot Measure Restricting Voters’ Input and Local Taxing Authority
The anti-local control California Business Roundtable measure has qualified for the November 2024 ballot. This anti-local control measure will decimate vital local and state services to the benefit of the largest and wealthiest corporations in California. Cal Cities, along with a broad coalition of local governments, labor, public safety, education, and infrastructure advocates, strongly oppose this initiative.
Make sure your city’s voice is heard by adopting a resolution opposing the harmful measure. Adopted city resolutions can be sent to [email protected]. For information about how the measure could impact your community, contact your local public affairs manager.