Proposed Changes for 2025 Legislative Platform
6. Support legislation that facilitates the ability of local government to share resources to increase efficiencies and decrease costs, including local efforts to address regional management of public safety personnel.
Reasoning: It is no longer the direction of the Council following the dissolution of the Brea/Fullerton Joint Fire Department.
14. Oppose and monitor efforts that increase the City’s contribution costs to CalPERS.
Reasoning: Rising CalPERS contribution rates place significant financial pressure on local governments, potentially diverting funds from essential services. State and federal law (e.g., California Government Code § 20500 et seq.) require cities to participate in CalPERS, but unfunded mandates or benefit expansions should not be imposed without corresponding funding support, in accordance with Article XIII B, Section 6 of the California Constitution.
21. Advocate for state and regional economic development incentive programs, such as tax credits, grants, and financing programs that support business retention, expansion, and attraction.
Reasoning: Economic development incentives, such as those authorized under California Government Code § 53083.5 and federal programs like the Economic Development Administration (EDA), provide cities with critical tools to attract and retain businesses, create jobs, and strengthen the local tax base. These programs help Fullerton remain competitive and support a vibrant local economy.
22. Support legislation that provides funding and resources for downtown or commercial corridor revitalization, including incentives for adaptive reuse of historic or underutilized properties to support mixed use or commercial development.
Reasoning: Cities lack ways to incentivize landlords of older buildings or attract businesses to specific areas. State incentives (like tax breaks) could convince owners to upgrade properties and create jobs.
23. Support alternative financing mechanisms for economic development, such as Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs), Community Revitalization and Investment Authorities (CRIAs), and Opportunity Zones. Advocate for restoring or creating a modern form of Redevelopment Agencies (RDAs) that allow cities to reinvest tax increment financing into economic development, infrastructure and job creation while maintaining fiscal accountability.
Reasoning: EIFDs and CRIAs, established under California Government Code, and federal Opportunity Zones (IRC § 1400Z), provide cities with flexible and accountable financing tools for infrastructure and economic revitalization.
Restoring a modern form of RDAs would allow Fullerton to use tax increment financing for local projects, supporting sustainable growth while ensuring transparency and fiscal responsibility.
24. Support efforts to modernize online sales tax structures to ensure that local jurisdictions receive appropriate revenues from e-commerce transactions.
Reasoning: The Supreme Court’s South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. (2018) decision enables states to collect sales tax from online retailers. Updating California’s tax structure ensures Fullerton receives its fair share of sales tax revenue from e- commerce, which is increasingly important as consumer spending shifts online.
26. Support policies and guidelines to facilitate alternative building methods, materials, and technologies in accordance with the California Building Code Section 104.11.
Reasoning: Section 104.11 of the California Building Code allows for the use of innovative building materials and methods when they meet or exceed safety standards. Supporting these policies encourages sustainable, cost-effective construction and can help address housing shortages while maintaining public safety.
27. Support proposals that provide funding or tools to preserve historic neighborhoods and structures.
Reasoning: While Planning is able to utilize Mills Act for preservation, aside from those tool there are limited alternatives that support funding to incentivize owners to preserve landmarks/sites.
35. Oppose efforts to remove City representation on regional boards that oversee water supply, drainage and/or sewage.
Reasoning: This is in response to conversations about the Metropolitan Water District and how the Board is structured. This will help protect the City’s position on the MET Board.
41. Oppose unless amended SB 1255 requiring public water systems provide water rate assistance program; where non-eligible customers would automatically opt-in to subsidize eligible customers.
Reasoning: SB 1255 specifically mention in the platform mandates that qualified water systems offer water rate assistance to low-income residents by July 1, 2027, with an option for ratepayers to make voluntary contributions to support the program. The minutia of the bill puts undue burden and potential distrust in local agencies/water systems by dictating parameters of the program. We support water rate assistance, however, prefer to set our own criteria/parameters.
47. Support funding and policy modifications that require additional staffing resources be deployed by HCD to ensure uniformity within the housing element compliance and review process.
Reasoning: The HCD element audit underway will likely produce findings that point to a lack of review uniformity among HCD consultants.
49. Support policies and regulations that require additional transparency and local stakeholder input within the Regional Housing Needs Determination (RHND) process.
Reasoning: To bring RHNA process into the light so community members can see why their jurisdiction received the numbers it did. Eventually could lead to more transparency and therefore more accuracy in the process.
54. Support and advocate for the continued and uninterrupted funding of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Reasoning: CDBG and HOME programs, authorized under 42 U.S.C. §§5301 et seq. and 12701 et seq., provide critical federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and infrastructure projects. Continued funding ensures Fullerton can address housing needs and improve community facilities, consistent with federal mandates for community revitalization.
55. Support scalable solutions for federal funding of homeless and housing services programs through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.
Reasoning: Flexible allocation of CDBG funds allows localities to tailor homeless services and housing programs to community needs, aligning with HUD’s Continuum of Care requirements and federal priorities to reduce homelessness through targeted interventions and supportive housing.
63. Oppose legislative attempts at early release of incarcerated prisoners and measures that would further de-criminalize non-violent offenses.
Reasoning: Addressed in Prop 36 that was passed in 2024.
66. Monitor legislation or regulations that mandate vaccines, including but not limited to the COVID-19 vaccine, for public employees.
Reasoning: Amended from COVID-19 line to be more broad in nature.
67. Oppose measures that reduce local control over employee relations issues or mandate new or enhanced local government employee benefits.
Reasoning: Influx of employee related legislation lately, as well as rumors/bills to possibly expand the benefits for public safety personnel.
70. Support measures that encourage community safety and well-being including those which support state and federal reimbursement of homeland security related public safety expenses.
Reasoning: We would like reimbursement when possible on any public safety program, not just those related to Homeland Security.
73. Support the repeal of Proposition 47 and Proposition 57 as well as funding for local mitigation related to Proposition 47 and Proposition 57, while they are in effect. Support continued and ongoing funding to implement the provisions of Proposition 36 (2024).
Reasoning: Prop 36 repealed prop 47 and the need for the previous language. Now we support legislation that will provide funding and on-going support to the provisions found in Prop 36.
77. Support initiatives to reimburse local law enforcement agencies for unsupported state mandated training and legislation that places a financial burden on local law enforcement without reimbursement for costs.
Reasoning: The state legislature continues to add reporting requirements, training requirements, and other unfunded mandates to Police Departments without additional resource allocation. We encourage any initiative to reimburse police departments for staff time, technology and training equipment to remain in compliance with state laws.
81. Support local efforts to establish a 24-hour detoxification center in Orange County for use by police agencies.
Reasoning: Police Department has not heard of a 24 hour detoxification facility being discussed at the county level so this was removed.
90. Oppose any further funding for the California High Speed Rail project and to see if that support reallocating that funding funding can be reallocated to fix our for local roads and infrastructure.
Reasoning: Revised verbiage for improved readability.
95. Oppose aggressive compliance schedule for the CARB Advanced Clean Fleet (ACF) regulation.
Reasoning: The ACF Regulation (California Code of Regulations, Title 13, Sections 2013, 2013.1, 2013.2, 2013.3, 2013.4, 2014,2014.1, 2014.2, 2014.3, 2015, 2015.1, 2015.2, 2015.3, 2015.4, 2015.5, 2015.6, and 2016) is the latest development in CARB’s decades long history of setting increasingly stringent emission standards for mobile sources that are needed to protect the public health and welfare of Californians by improving air quality and by mitigating the harms posed by greenhouse gases. The ACF regulation complements CARB’s recently adopted Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, and will help advance the introduction of zero- emission technologies into California’s truck and bus fleets requiring fleets that are well suited for electrification to reduce emissions through requirements to both phase-in the use of Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) for targeted fleets and requirements that manufacturers only manufacture ZEV trucks starting in the 2036 model year. Achieving these and other milestones will contribute to meeting the goals in the Governor’s Executive Order N-79-20 and result in cleaner, more healthful air for all Californians, especially those communities most heavily impacted by air pollution. The ACF regulation is expected to introduce 1,690,000 ZEVs into the California fleet by 2050. Additionally, the ACF regulation is expected to result in $26.5 billion in statewide health benefits from improved air quality and save fleet owners an estimated $48.0 billion through 2050.
96. Support continued State and Federal funding programs for safety improvement planning and implementation projects.
Reasoning: There are several Sate and Federal programs dedicated to funding safety improvement project on our roadways. These programs include Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A), Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), and much more.
This is a general position for supporting these programs.