DATE: 01/07/2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: City Manager’s Office
2026-17
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
ADOPTION OF THE 2026 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM AND FINANCIAL PRIORITIES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council adopt the 2026 Legislative Platform and Financial Priorities which were previously presented at the December 3, 2025, City Council meeting.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council adopt the 2026 Legislative Platform and Financial Priorities, as previously presented at the December 3, 2025, City Council meeting.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Legislative Platform (Platform) has long served as a guiding document for responding to urgent requests to support, oppose, or take a neutral position on various legislative proposals throughout the year. Resolutions, major or unique issues, and significant items not directly addressed in the Platform will continue to be brought before the City Council for formal review and approval.
The 2026 Legislative Platform and Financial Priorities were presented to the City Council at the December 3, 2025, meeting for review and discussion. Feedback received at that meeting has been incorporated into the final version presented for adoption through this staff report.
Staff may prepare letters of support or opposition consistent with the adopted Legislative Platform for the Mayor’s signature on behalf of the City. If the Mayor declines to sign, the Vice Mayor may sign in their place. If both decline, the matter will be brought before the full City Council. Legislative proposals not addressed within the Platform will likewise be presented to the Council for review and direction.
ANALYSIS:
The attached documents include the 2026 Legislative Platform and Financial Priorities, which outline the legislative priorities that guide staff and consultants as they actively support or oppose various legislative proposals throughout the year. These priorities inform efforts such as providing testimony, engaging in advocacy, or pursuing legislative action on key issues organized in 13 sections:
1. Community Services
2. Economic Development
3. Home Rule
4. Housing Reform
5. Homelessness
6. Municipal Finance
7. Public Safety
8. Public Utilities
9. Tort Reform
10.Transportation
11.Unfunded Mandates
12.Human Resources and Risk
Management
13.Municipal Communications
The Legislative Platform is intended to be strategic in nature and reflects the standing policy position of the City Council until a future update is adopted. The priorities are intentionally broad to provide flexibility when responding to diverse legislative proposals.
EDITS TO THE 2026 PLATFORM AND FINANCIAL PRIORITIES:
The following edits to the Legislative Platform and Financial Priorities incorporate City Council feedback received at the December 3, 2025, meeting, as well as staff recommendations.
Platform Edits:
Add to Section 4. Housing Reform – Oppose legislation that adds new procedural requirements to the CEQA process that impose additional burdens and risks to public agencies.
Add to Section 6. Municipal Finance – Oppose legislation that promotes divestment and violates a fiduciary duty to manage risk effectively. Document formatting updates.
Edits to the 2026 Financial Priorities:
The financial priorities’ focus areas for 2026 remain the same as 2025: community services, public safety, and public utilities. The changes made are reflected in the amounts listed below for each priority project.
COMMUNITY SERVICES PROJECTS
City Park Revitalization Project $19m
Park Improvements $5.75m
Historic Civic Center Renovation $3.0m
Trails Construction $5.5m
PUBLIC SAFETY
Corona Wildfire Resilience Initiative $1.5m
PUBLIC UTILITIES
PFAS Treatment Facilities (3 Sites) $14m
Water Reclamation Facility #1, Improvements and Expansion $35m Sewer Main Replacement $4m
TRANSPORTATION
Magnolia Avenue Widening at Temescal Wash $15m
With the incorporation of Council feedback, the 2026 Legislative Platform and Financial Priorities are now presented for adoption. Additionally, the City Council also appointed Mayor Jacque Casillas and Vice Mayor Wes Speake as the City’s representatives for the 2026 Council - legislative delegation meetings.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with the approval of the recommended action.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. This action requests City Council adoption of the 2026 Legislative Platform and Financial Priorities.
It can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment and therefore requires no further environmental analysis.
PREPARED BY: AMINAH MEARS, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER REVIEWED BY: BRETT CHANNING, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – 2026 Legislative Platform Clean
2. Exhibit 2 – 2026 Financial Priorities Clean