Adopt the 2024
Le g islative
Platform and
Financial Prioritie s
Aminah Mears
Assistant to the City Manager
Sharon Gonsalves, RPPG
November 15, 2023
1 City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
2 Council Ask
That the City Council adopt the:
2024 Legislative Platform
2024 Financial Priorities
Confirm and Approve City Sponsored
Legislation Initiatives
Appoint Two Council Delegates for
Legislative Advocacy Meetings
City of Corona
2024 Legislative Platform
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
3 City of Corona 4
Annual Legislative Process At -a-Glance
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
• Legislative Advocacy
Approved by Council
• State Legislature
reconvenes
• Governor presents
State Budget proposal • Position letters for
new State bills start
• Policy Committees
take place
• State Legislature
recess (for one
month through the
middle of August)
• Last day for bills to be
passed in the Assembly
and Senate
• City of Corona kicks-off
review of the draft
Legislative Platform with
Council
• Council reviews
draft Legislative
Platform
• Last day for State
Legislature to act on
pending legislation in the
second house
• Final day for new bills to be
introduced
• State Capitol
Legislative Days
• Placeholder Budget
Bill passed
• Full Budget Package
approved
• State Legislature
reconvenes
• Final push for vote
on pending bills
• Last Day for
Governor Newsom
to sign or veto bills
approved by the
Legislature
• City Staff submits
updates for the draft
Legislative Platform
• State Legislature
recess
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona 5
The Legislative Platform is divided into 11 sections
dealing with the following topics
Community Services
Economic Development
Home Rule
Housing Reform
Homelessness
Municipal Finance
Public Safety
Public Utilities
Tort Reform
Transportation
Unfunded Mandates
Legislative Platform
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona
6 Legislative Platform
Additions:
Section 1. Community Services
Library • Support efforts that provide funding for additional archival and digitization services, including costs for staff and equipment
Parks & Recreation • Support funding for trails projects that improve connectivity throughout the City and facilitate access to the Cleveland National Forest.
• Support efforts that provide funding or reimbursement for volunteers and volunteerism.
Section 2. Economic Development • Support legislation that promotes greater local jurisdiction flexibility with Surplus Land Act requirements relating to redevelopment, acquisition, or disposition of blighted
commercial areas such as downtowns and older
shopping centers.
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona 7
Legislative Platform
Additions:
Section 4. Housing Reform
• Support State-mandated rent stabilization (similar
to AB1035-Muratshuchi, 2023) for mobile home
parks.
• Support anti-displacement legislation that
promotes and protects the ability of our City’s most
vulnerable residents, including seniors, those who
are physically and/or developmentally disabled to
remain in the community, including tenant
protection and anti-price gouging policies.
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona 8
Legislative Platform
Additions:
Section 6. Municipal Finance
• Oppose legislation that eliminates or refines any
deployment tax, fee, condition, or other monetary
changes.
Section 8. Utilities
Water Conservation
• Support funding for turf removal projects on sports
fields and replacement with artificial turf and
eliminate watering of fields.
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona 9
Legislative Platform
Additions:
NEW Section 12: Human Resources and Risk Management
• Support maximum flexibility for local government in
contracting and contract negotiations.
• Oppose measures that reduce local control over employee relations issues or mandate new or enhanced local
government employee benefits.
• Oppose measures that impose compulsory and binding
arbitration with respect to employees.
• Support efforts to maintain fiscal solvency with respect to unfunded pension and retiree healthcare liability. Support efforts that decrease local costs.
• Support legislation and administrative efforts that provide clarity and flexibility in CalPERS workplace rules including working after retirement and the use of contract service providers.
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona
2024 Financial Priorities
10 City of Corona 11
Financial Priorities
The Financial Priorities are currently divided
into 6 sections:
Community Services
Economic Development
Homelessness
Public Safety
Public Utilities
Transportation
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona 12
2024 Financial Priorities: Ad d itions
Community Services (1 Item) d
Funding for the for Trails/Trailhead Construction
▷ In conjunction with what is mapped out in the Trails Master Plan, this ongoing project of trail head improvements will provide more pedestrian and bike opportunities, preserve, and improve trail access, close gaps in the City’s trail system, connect residents with nature, promote active transportation, and increase the physical activity and health of residents of all abilities through increased accessibility to open spaces.
▷ Cost: 92M
Public Safety (1 Item) d
Funding for the Corona Wildfire Resilience Initiative: Safeguarding Our Community Through Mitigation, Prevention, and Education
▷ Corona is confronted with escalating threats of wildfires, a peril exacerbated by climate change and the expansion of the wildland-urban interface. Funding support would enable the implementation of vital projects that align with the strategic priorities identified in the 2020 Wildland-Urban Interface Hazard and Risk Assessment and the 2021 Community Wildland Protection Plan. Projects include the creation of defensible spaces around properties, the enhancement of early detection systems, the acquisition of state-of-the-art firefighting equipment, and the launch of community outreach programs.
▷ Cost: 500,000 2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona 13
2023 Financial Priorities: Fund e d
Homelessness (1 Item)
Funding for Santa Ana River Bottom Encampment Response Plan ▷ The Santa Ana River Bottom Encampment Response Plan is a multi-jurisdictional and multidisciplinary collaborative that involves the cities of Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Norco, and Riverside as well as multiple County Agencies, US Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Services, Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority and Orange County Water and Flood Control Districts. In collaboration with the County’s Housing Dept, the collaborative agencies listed in this priority secured an $11 m state grant for encampment response. Of that, the cities of Corona and Norco each received one million.
▷ Cost: 1M
Public Safety (1 of 2 Items)
Project Body-Worn and In-Car Camera Enhancement
▷ In 2012, the police department launched its in-car camera program, which was followed by a body- worn camera program in 2016. Due to age and technological advances, the devices for these programs are near their end of service life. Funding is needed to replace said equipment ▷ 3.4 Million funded by Measure X
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona 14
2023 Financial Priorities: Fund e d
Public Safety (2 of 2 Items)
Emergency Operations Center Infrastructure Enhancement
▷ Funding is needed for infrastructure enhancements to the City’s Emergency Operations Center.
Core functions conducted in an Emergency Operations Center include but are not limited to logistics management, resource support, public emergency warning coordination, external affairs/public information collection and dissemination, mass care, housing and human services coordination. All these functions are required to effectively and efficiently communicate both internally and externally. The City Emergency Operations Center does not currently have the infrastructure to adequately support some of these functions. ▷ $ 500,000 funded by Public, Educational, and Governmental Access Channels (PEG Channels) Transportation (1 Item)
Ontario Avenue Widening
▷ Funding needed to support efforts to provide State and Federal funding for local and regional transportation projects, especially those which increase the capacity and public safety of Interstate 15 in the Corona area.
▷ 20 Million from development impact fees, multiple agencies, and Measure A 2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona 15
New for 2024!
Ranking Financial Priorities
▷ The City Council’s adopted Financial Priorities
are used as a tool to guide advocacy and
grant decision making and strategies
▷ Adopting ranked financial priorities allows Staff
to make quicker decisions on a wide range of
major projects, initiatives and ongoing
activities
▷ Staff has provided proposed rankings for each
section for Council consideration based on
urgency, costs, timing, need, and other
considerations
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
01 City Park Revitalization Project $100M
02 Park Improvements $18M
03 Historic Civic Center Renovation $16.2M
16 Priority Ranking: Community Services (1 of 2)
▷ An aquatic facility with a fitness area and competition-style swim facilities. Site will also include a community center with recreation programming and lighted sports fields for recreational sports.
▷ Enhance parks to an equitable level throughout the City. ▷ To maintain the Historic Civic Center at a modern standard level of use, several significant infrastructure, safety, and technologic elements are required. 2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities City of Corona
$4M Corona Airport Improvements and Lease Extension 05
17 Priority Ranking: Community Services (2 of 2)
▷ Corona Municipal Airport is a 110-acre General Aviation Airport that needs aeronautical infrastructure improvements to comply with accepted standards and FAA regulations. Improvements include taxiway, safety area, and apron rehabilitation.
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities City of Corona
04 Trails / Trailhead Construction $92M
▷ In conjunction with what is mapped out in the Trails Master Plan, this ongoing project of trail head improvements will provide more pedestrian and bike opportunities, preserve, and improve trail access, close gaps in the City’s trail system, connect residents with nature, promote active transportation, and increase the physical activity and health of residents of all abilities through increased accessibility to open spaces.
Priority Ranking: Public Safety
$1.5M Funding of Artificial Intelligence Resources to assist in Criminal 01 Investigations 02 Funding for Training Facility – Phase I $225,000
$500,000 Funding for Wildfire Resilience Initiative: Safeguarding Our 03 Community Through Mitigation, Prevention, and Education 18 ▷ Due to age and technological advances, the devices for these programs are near their end of service life and will need to be replaced. ▷ A training facility that will facilitate advanced officer training for local and regional police officers.
▷ Funding support would enable the implementation of vital projects that align with the strategic priorities identified in the 2020 Wildland-Urban Interface Hazard and Risk Assessment and the 2021 Community Wildland Protection Plan. Such projects include the creation of defensible spaces around properties, the enhancement of early detection systems, the acquisition of state-of-the-art firefighting equipment, and the launch of community outreach programs
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona
Priority Ranking: Public Utility (1 of 2)
01 Reclaimed Water Reservoirs $19.5M
02 Desalter Facility $30M
03 Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Treatment Facility $30M 04 Water Reclamation Facility #2, Lift Station Improvements $4M 19 ▷ Construct two reservoirs within the City’s service area to store reclaimed water. ▷ Construct a desalter facility which uses membrane treatment technology to remove dissolved solids (salts) from groundwater.
▷ Construct a GAC Treatment facility that uses granular activated carbon (GAC) to remove contaminants of concern such as PFAS and 1,2,3-TCP from groundwater. ▷ Replace the electrical and control systems, piping, and structure. Improve mechanical systems.
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities City of Corona
Priority Ranking: Public Utility (2 of 2)
06 Lift Station Replacement Project $12M
07 Sewer Main Replacement $4.2M
08 West End Well Field Development $15M
20 05 Water Reclamation Facility #1, Improvements and Expansion $35M ▷ Install one gravity belt thickener, one centrifuge, and four additional digesters to maximize capacity.
▷ Replace existing lift station pumps at the following lift stations: Griffin, Sierra Del Oro, Prado, McKinley, Stagecoach and Airport.
▷ Replace approximately 1,047 linear feet of 15” pipe and 1,500 linear feet of 18” pipe on Green River Road with the opportunity to run fiber along with the sewer main. ▷ Develop a new well field in the west end area of the City of Corona. The ability to extract additional groundwater from our basin will reduce our dependency on imported water.
2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities City of Corona
Priority Ranking: Transportation
01 Magnolia Avenue Widening at Temescal Wash $10M
02 $175M
21 ▷ Funding for local and regional transportation projects, especially those which increase the capacity and public safety within the City of Corona. ▷ Increase the capacity or public safety of Interstate 15 and the various interchanges and on/off ramps associated with the project in the Corona area.
Interstate 15 Corridor Improvement Project in Corona
State Route EB91 Improvements between SR-71 and SR-241
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona
City Sponsored Legislation
22 City Sponsored Legislation
Identify the problem
All legislation begins with an idea or a concept
Is there a legislative solution?
Sponsors are required to take stakeholder meetings, develop fact sheets, testify in committee and is always listed in the committee analysis’ as the bill sponsor What is the political climate?
Statement bill vs. seeking policy changes
What is a sponsor?
An individual/group who brings a legislative idea to a lawmaker to be considered by the legislature
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform 23
and Financial Priorities
24 Truth in Tolls
At the 2022 & 2023 Fall Council Policy Workshops, City Council directed staff to pursue six City sponsored legislation items
Potential City Sponsored Legislation
Public
Records
Act (PRA)
Serial
Lawsuits
Proposition 47
Abandoned
Vehicles
Truth in Tolls
Surplus Land
Act
Abandoned
Cars
Proposition
47 Proposition Auxiliary Lanes
47 Truth in Tolls
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
25 Surplus
Lands
Truth in Tolls
Rent
Stabilization
Potential City Sp onsore d Le g islation
Auxiliary
Lanes
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
Potential City Sponsored Legislation
Public Records Act (PRA) Serial Lawsuits
▷ The City and other CA agencies have been the target of serial PRA litigators (similar to serial ADA lawsuits). One attorney has filed more than 100 such cases in recent years alone. ▷ They find “plaintiffs” who request documents that are perhaps obscure, not typically readily disclosed or that may involve a close call as to whether the public interest in disclosure is outweighed by the public interest in protection. When the agency doesn’t respond the way they wish, they quickly sue and then make an offer to withdraw the canned lawsuit and “settle” in exchange for the payment of attorney fees (often several thousand dollars).
Potential Concept:
▷ Working with Cal Cities on proposals to target serial lawsuits.
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform 26
and Financial Priorities
Potential City Sponsored Legislation
Surplus Lands Act
▷ In 2019, the legislature extensively revised the Act through the adoption of AB 1486.
▷ Although the amendments to the Act are intended to encourage the development of affordable housing, the broad sweep of the amendments to the Act has also resulted in public agencies having limited flexibility to address their myriad of needs and goals with the use of public land.
Potential Concept:
▷ Seek legislation to exempt designated Downtown Core areas from the Surplus Lands Act.
▷ Support efforts that allows for general exemptions that provide local agencies flexability.
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform 27
and Financial Priorities
Potential City Sponsored Legislation
Proposition 47
▷ The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act (Proposition 47) was passed in 2014 which reclassified the penalties associated with possessory drug offenses and property offenses of less than $950 from felonies or wobblers to misdemeanors. ▷ An increase in organized, blatant retail thefts have led to a number of bills to amend Proposition 47.
▷ New Assembly Committee on Retail Theft is expected to act with urgency upon session reconvening.
Potential Concept:
▷ Legislation will require a State Association and regional approach. At the request of the City, a fix should be pushed by PORAC, Cal Chief’s, State Sheriff's, CPOA and Cal Cities.
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform 28
and Financial Priorities
Potential City Sponsored Legislation
Abandoned Vehicles
▷ AB 2876 (2018) by Assemblymember Jones Sawyer
▷ “Community caretaking doctrine” limits law enforcement’s ability to remove and seize vehicles. A peace officer may only tow a vehicle where he/she a feels the driver is unable to lawfully operate the vehicle or if the vehicle is stationed in an exposed location
Potential Concept:
▷ Seek an amendment to AB 2876 (2018) to allow for abandoned vehicle towing under certain circumstances.
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform 29
and Financial Priorities
Potential City Sponsored Legislation
Auxiliary Lanes
▷ The limit of one mile was to prevent the advancement of a project that went beyond the normal funding of an auxiliary land without considering the potential for induced travel.
Potential Concept:
▷ A limited exemption to allow for an auxiliary lane longer than one mile. ▷ Using shoulder as an option for auxiliary lanes.
▷ Would need support from CalTrans and Council of Governments.
Truth in Tolls
▷ Travelers do not know in advance if the cost of the toll is worth the potential time saved.
Potential Concept:
▷ Display the estimated time saved next to the cost of the toll.
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform 30
and Financial Priorities
Would the Council like to
pursue any other
sp onsore d le g islation?
31 Looking Ahead
2024 Legislative Opportunities
33 Legislative Action Days
▷ Efforts coincide with Cal Cities, CalED, CMUA, and
Cal Chiefs.
▷ Advocacy meetings with lawmakers, staff, policy
and fiscal committees and state agencies to
discuss Corona’s city specific priorities.
Regional Collaborations
▷ Work with regional partners to advance priorities in
transportation, land use and economic
development.
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform
and Financial Priorities
2024 Legislative Outlook
▷ Adopt the 2024 Legislative Platform and Financial
Priorities in January
▷ 2024 is an Election Year
▷ New legislative leadership in the Assembly and the
Senate
▷ New committee assignments
▷ Declining State revenues
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform 34
and Financial Priorities
City of Corona 2024 Legislative Platform and
Financial Priorities
35 Council Ask
That the City Council adopt the:
2024 Legislative Platform
2024 Financial Priorities
Confirm City Sponsored Legislation
Initiatives
Appoint Two Council Delegates for
Legislative Advocacy Meetings
36 Questions?