Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: FEBRUARY 21, 2023
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: ERIC LEVITT, CITY MANAGER
PREPARED BY: DAISY PEREZ, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT: 2023 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
SUMMARY
Consideration of 2023 Legislative Platform confirming City Council positions on legislative issues with the potential impact to the City of Fullerton.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt 2023 Legislative Platform as amended by the City Council.
Authorize Mayor, or Mayor Pro Tem in Mayor’s absence, to sign policy and position letters within platform guidelines.
Provide guidance on City Council legislative advocacy process.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City Manager seeks direction and approval of the legislative platform. Staff has provided example guidelines with this report for City Council consideration on taking positions and requesting funding.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability
Public Safety
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
DISCUSSION
The City’s Legislative Platform serves as the policy document to communicate support or opposition to legislation with the potential to impact the City. The platform provides a tool to protect and promote the City’s interests on priority programs and projects, legislative proposals and regulatory matters that may affect the City. The platform provides a framework consisting of guiding principles and legislative initiatives which summarize the City’s position on policy issues and priorities. The specific guiding principles and legislative priorities do not preclude consideration of additional legislative and budget issues that arise during the year.
City Council annually reviews the City’s Legislative Platform. The following three Guiding Principles form the basis of the Platform:
Preserve Local Control
Promote Fiscal Stability
Support Funding Opportunities.
The City routinely participates in the state and federal legislative process, advocating for local control, fiscal stability and regional funding opportunities. The City also participates in the rulemaking and policy-setting process at the county and regional levels. This participation protects and promotes the City’s interests in priority issues, legislation and regulatory matters.
The attached 2023 Legislative Platform contains updates to the 2022 Platform and memorializes the City’s priority issues which enable the City’s timely and direct response to legislative issues. It does not preclude City Council consideration of additional legislative matters or revising the City’s platform at any time throughout the year.
The proposed platform is primarily based on existing City priority policy statements. The following table summarizes the proposed updates to the Legislative Platform:
Policy Statement
Changed Language from 2022 to 2023
Administration,
Item #6
Allows flexibility for local legislative bodies to continue holding remote meetings while still complying with Brown Act.
Added policy
Administration,
Item #11
Support the reimbursement of local governments for pandemic-related expenses, including the need for essential public safety service overtime, personal protective equipment and small business relief.
Modified Language
Administration,
Item #13
Oppose policies that could increase voter thresholds for local revenue measures and the potential for litigation over taxes and fees.
Added policy
Economic Development,
Item #20
Support legislation that provides funding and resources to local businesses.
Modified Language
Land Use Planning and Housing, Item #44
Oppose efforts that would require local jurisdictions within Orange County to adhere to additional surplus land act requirements.
Added policy
Parks and Recreation, Item #47
Support the enactment of policies and encourage state funding opportunities to assist agencies in meeting sustainability objectives including energy and water efficiencies, active transportation enhancements, connectivity and mobility improvements and carbon sequestration through natural landscape management and protection.
Added policy
Parks and Recreation, Item #48
Support funding for maintenance, operations and programming for West Coyote Hills Open Space and acquire additional land in West Coyote Hills.
Added
language
Parks and Recreation, Item #50
Support access opportunities for physical activity, proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle options through the promotion of active transportation, complete street implementation, healthy food, youth programming and maximizing the use of green space in urban / suburban settings.
Added
policy
Human Resources and Risk Management,
Item #56
Support legislation or policies that protect the City from frivolous lawsuits or third-party litigation practices with no substantive objectives.
Added
policy
Human Resources and Risk Management,
Item #57
Support legislation or policies that limit financial penalties or payouts for local governments engaged in litigation.
Added
policy
Public Safety, Item #65
Advocate for pandemic local recovery efforts by providing cities with direct and flexible federal and state funding to support the public's health and the economy.
Modified language
Fire, Item #75
Oppose National Fire Prevention Association (NPFA) standard 1710 requiring four-person fire crew staffing on each apparatus but support effective firefighting force.
Deleted
policy
The City’s legislative consultant, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA), will provide regular updates on the progression of proposed bills and provide staff with recommended positions, based on the adopted Legislative Platform and as the legislative session continues. Staff will also continue to work with TPA on identifying future grant funding opportunities.
When a legislative issue requires action, the City Manager and/or designee will prepare a position letter, in accordance with the adopted legislative platform, for the Mayor’s signature on behalf of the City.
Pursing Future Funding Opportunities Utilizing Legislative Platform City staff will use the approved legislative agenda as one of the policy documents to guide future grant funding applications and legislative funding requests such as annual earmark requests submitted directly to state and federal legislative representatives. The City successfully received funding through this process with the support of local legislators, especially at the State level in previous years.
Cities typically submit a few specific projects for funding consideration through the legislative request process. These requests can be on a time sensitive basis. The City Manager’s office requests City Council approval to submit Federal legislative requests on the following project areas. The specific projects will depend on the guidelines received from the legislative staff.
Street Infrastructure Improvements
Water or Sewer Infrastructure Improvements
Replacement of Fire Apparatus
Building Improvements to Historic City-Owned Buildings.
Staff is finalizing the details regarding which specific projects the City will submit for each category. The final projects submitted will follow the policy direction outlined in the legislative platform and those considered the most competitive and likely to receive funding.
The City Manager’s Office also requests guidance from City Council on Legislative Advocacy guidance. Cities use a variety of legislative advocacy approaches. The following lists some that the City Manager has used previously:
The City Manager’s office can represent the City on advocacy and funding requests consistent with the legislative platform or other projects included in the City’s priorities or budget.
The Mayor or City Council designee can represent the City on advocacy and funding requests consistent with the legislative platform or other projects included in the City’s priorities or budget.
3. If the City receives funding through an agency that works directly with a department, the Department Director can advocate if consistent with City policy. Other guidance on this strategy as provided by City Council.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
Attachment 2 – 2023 Legislative Platform
Attachment 3 – 2023 Legislative Platform Redline Version cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
2023 Legislative Platform
February 21, 2023 - Page 2