CITY OF MOORPARK
CHRIS R. ENEGREN
Mayor
RENEE DELGADO
Councilmember
DANIEL GROFF
Councilmember
TOM MEANS
Councilmember
DR. ANTONIO CASTRO
Councilmember
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE | 799 Moorpark Avenue, Moorpark, California 93021 Main City Phone Number (805) 517-6200 | Fax (805) 532-2528 | [email protected]
NOTICE AND CALL OF A
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE & PUBLIC SAFETY STANDING COMMITTEE (Mayor Enegren and Mayor Pro Tem Means)
Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at 5:45 p.m.
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE AND PUBLIC SAFETY STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF MOORPARK:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Regular Meeting of the Administration, Finance and Public Safety Standing Committee is hereby called to be held on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, commencing at 5:45 p.m. Said meeting will be held in the Large Conference Room of the Moorpark Community Center, located at 799 Moorpark Avenue, Moorpark, California.
Said Regular Meeting shall be for the purpose of considering the following items:
1. CALL TO ORDER:
2. ROLL CALL:
3. PUBLIC COMMENT:
4. DISCUSSION ITEMS:
A. Consider the City of Moorpark’s Long-term Financial Plan. Staff Recommendation: Review the City of Moorpark’s Long-term Financial Plan and consider recommendation for approval to the City Council. (Staff: Troy Brown, City Manager)
B. Consider the City’s 2024 Legislative Platform Update. Staff Recommendation: Review the draft 2024 Legislative Platform, make amendments as appropriate, and recommend that the City Council adopt it to guide the City’s legislative and intergovernmental activities. (Staff: Brian Chong, Assistant to the City Manager)
5. ADJOURNMENT:
Posted: February 1, 2024
All writings and documents provided to the members of the Administration, Finance and Public Safety Standing Committee of the City of Moorpark regarding all agenda items are available for public inspection at the City Hall public counter located at 799 Moorpark Avenue during regular business hours. The agendas and agenda reports for City Council Standing Committee meetings are available on the City's website at www.moorparkca.gov.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to review an agenda or participate in this meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the City Clerk’s Division at (805) 517-6223. Upon request, the agenda can be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability. Any request for disability-related modification or accommodation should be made at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting to assist the City staff in assuring reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104; ADA Title II).
MOORPARK ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee (AFPS) (Mayor Enegren and Mayor Pro Tem Means)
FROM: Troy Brown, City Manager
DATE: 02/07/2024 Regular Meeting
SUBJECT: Consider the City of Moorpark’s Long-term Financial Plan
BACKGROUND
Having celebrated the City's 40 years of incorporation last year, a number of long-term planning efforts have been completed or are underway to chart the future course of the City. In addition to development of many long-term plans around facilities and infrastructure improvements to ensure sustainability of city services, we have faced a number of extraordinary circumstances in recent years. These circumstances have resulted in increased costs for service delivery, volatility in revenues, and in particular sales tax shift from brick-and-mortar to online sales continues to expand. The City is experiencing higher peaks and valleys of vital revenues sources while simultaneously seeing a higher demand of city services to meet the ongoing needs of residents.
At the direction of the City Council in 2023, staff has developed a Long-term Financial Plan (LTFP) to provide more focus and attention on the overall long-term fiscal sustainability of the City. The goal of the LTFP is to serve as a proactive tool to ensure long-term efficient and effective management of city services, finances, operations, and capital improvement projects. In addition, the LTFP will serve as a budget model for the General Fund in its forecasting of revenues and expenditures over a 10-year period.
The findings and conclusions of the LTFP will provide an opportunity for the City to reflect and shift its view of the future as different conditions arise. Although the LTFP is not an accounting tool, it is valuable for policy makers by providing a look into the financial future of the City and the myriad of demands placed on the City. The LTFP can qualify and quantify decisions and guide the decision-making process by placing a focus on maintaining the current quality of services, enhancing services and/or programs, forecasting economic recessions, and identifying projected long-term financial imbalances early. The LTFP takes a forward-looking view at the City’s General Fund operating revenues and expenditures. Its purpose is to identify financial trends, shortfalls, Item: 4.A.
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opportunities, and issues so the City can proactively address them. It does so by projecting the future fiscal results of continuing the City’s current service levels and policies. The LTFP lays the foundation for the budget, aiding both the City Manager and Council in establishing priorities and allocating resources appropriately. This year’s forecast continues the economic recovery from the downturn that impacted local, state, national, and global economies. The LTFP serves as a roadmap to aid the City in its financial decisions over the next few years to ensure expenditures and revenues stay in balance while sustaining vital services and programs to meet the needs of the community.
Components of the LTFP are focused on emerging issues and has been documented for public review to encourage input and feedback from various stakeholders. This plan includes a statement of current financial position and trend analysis forecast, which includes projections looking ahead 10 years through Fiscal Year (FY) 2033/34. The LTFP is not able to predict with certainty the City’s fiscal future, rather it serves as a tool to highlight significant issues or patterns that must be addressed if the City’s goals are to be achieved.
The City of Moorpark’s LTFP is critical to Council’s financial planning process. It underpins our long-term financial sustainability while meeting the needs and expectations of the community and delivering Council’s Strategic Directions highlighted in its City Council Goals and Objectives.
The LTFP is pivotal in setting the high-level financial parameters that guide the development and refinement of Council’s budgeted plans, strategies, and actions; and generates information that assists decisions about the mix, timing, and affordability of future outlays on operating activities, renewal, and replacement of existing assets and funding of additional assets. It is also instrumental in ensuring the City of Moorpark delivers enhanced services now and in the future by providing optimal value-for-money community outcomes.
In developing the LTFP, a number of key assumptions are applied. For this LTFP, the audited financial actual numbers from the 2021/22 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report form the basis for year one of the Plan. Years two through 10 present nine inclusive years of financial projections underpinned by the base data. The model assumes that overall, service levels will remain materially unchanged throughout the planning period. However, there is recognition of some exceptions to this, outlined below:
• Local, national, and global economies are facing uncertainty due to the prolonged economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the sustained efforts and long recovery, Moorpark – in addition to all levels of government – have a role to play in stimulating the economy and assisting those in financial hardship. • The City has implemented an updated new fee structure for services it provides.
The new fees will better align the City to recover more of its costs for services offered to the development community.
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• Varied or additional services will need be added over time in response to changes in community needs and preferences, specifically in the area of public safety. The LTFP assumes that any variations in the demand for services will not impact the financial bottom line, unless otherwise stated.
• Increases in the amount of general fund dollars for park maintenance will continue to rise resulting in a greater transfer to the parks maintenance fund to cover these expenses.
• Employee salaries are projected to increase by the consumer price index. The ability to pay employees remains of vital importance to the City; however, the everchanging desires of employee attraction and retention remain a core objective of the City to ensure consistent service delivery.
• Operating surplus’ must be achieved to restore reserve fund balances following the allocation of funds for major capital improvement projects such as:
o Acquisition and renovation of 323 Science Drive to serve as a new City Hall;
o Design and construction of a new 18,000 sq. ft. library; and, o Maintenance and repair of existing roadway assets equaling $14.1M in 2020/21 and totaling $97.6M across the 10-year period.
STRATEGIC CONTEXT
The LTFP is a strategic component of Council’s financial management framework and supports the delivery of the City Council Strategic Goals and Objectives. The Strategic Framework illustrated below outlines our organizational planning framework and highlights the importance of community feedback into this process.
The LTFP is integral to Council’s suite of Strategic Management Plans providing the critical link between the:
• City Council Goals and Objectives;
• Bi-Annual Community Survey;
• Pavement Management Program;
• Capital Improvement Plans;
• General Plan;
• Various master plans (Parks and Recreation, Arts, Arroyo Simi Trail, etc.); and, • Annual Budget.
Optimizing the integration between these strategic intentions ensures Council develops and implements a robust and transparent system of financial management aimed to uphold and maintain Council’s long term financial sustainability.
KEY INFLUENCES AND RISKS
This LTFP generates information which is used to guide decisions about Council operations into the future; however, as with any long-term plan, the accuracy of this LTFP 3 Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee
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is subject to many inherent influences. These variables and risks can be divided into three main groups:
External Influences – items outside of Council’s control:
• Unforeseen economic changes or circumstances such as:
o Financial and volatile economic impacts;
o Interest rates fluctuations; – localized economic growth – residential development & new business development;
o Consumer Price Index (a rolling five-year average determined by using the information provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, for all urban area consumers within the Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim metropolitan area during the prior year.);
o Cost of natural resources such as fuel and water;
o A change in the level of legislative compliance; and, o Cost shifting (i.e. increased levies, new development impact fees to ensure development fully “pays its own way,” etc.).
• Variable Climatic Conditions such as:
o Climate change – storm or force majeure events (i.e. Easy Fire of October 2019)
o Flooding;
o Wildfires;
o Drought and more.
Internal Influences – items that Council can control:
• Agreed service level review outcomes;
• Infrastructure asset management;
• Depreciation (valuations can be considered an external influence); • Fee/tax increases and other financial influences;
• Performance management;
• Efficiencies in service delivery and administrative support; and, • Salaries and benefits.
Outside Influences – items the Council cannot control but can shape and guide:
In addition to the influences previously mentioned, outside influences also exist and are realized by Moorpark residents and businesses. These drivers are manifested and realized through a variety of inputs such as:
• Community needs and expectations;
• Input from the bi-annual community survey;
• City Council Goals and Objectives; and,
• Other outside key strategies generated from other governmental agencies (state mandates, federal regulations, etc.).
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In order to minimize the inherent risks of long-term financial planning, the Council should review and update the LTFP at least annually to ensures that the most recent economic data and forecasts are being used.
BASIS OF PREPARATION
The LTFP is key to establishing funding requirements of Council’s Asset Management Plans and other strategic community planning and implementation, ensuring we continue to operate in a financially sustainable manner. The LTFP enables Council to effectively and equitably manage service levels, ensure asset funding, and make revenue raising decisions balanced with achieving its financial strategy and key performance indicators.
In developing the LTFP, key financial principles are established that underpin the Council’s forecast financial performance and position over a 10-year time frame. The LTFP incorporates a number of statutory and discretionary reports and assumptions. Due to the variable nature of the assumptions focusing on changes in the economy, an annual review of the LTFP provides the Council with the opportunity to review the financial principles to easily adapt to these external influences, and changes in proposed service levels or projects. This effort involves annual review and input from Council and the Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee.
The financial projections contained within the LTFP, provide an indication of Council’s direction and financial capacity into the future and is intended to be viewed as a guide to future actions or opportunities. This in turn encourages Council to analyze the future effects and impacts of current decisions made by Council.
FINANCE STRATEGY
The City of Moorpark continues to employ a strategic approach to financial planning that is influenced by the current and predicted economic environment, our financial position and the impacts on the organization both internally and externally. Employing this strategic approach is designed to ensure:
• Support of the achievement of the City Council’s Goals and Objectives; • Long-term financial sustainability;
• Intergenerational equity;
• Needs and expectations of the Moorpark community are met; • Delivery of appropriate, targeted, effective and efficient services; and, • Responsible rate increases.
This leads to achieving:
• Continued funding to ensure City infrastructure is replaced and maintained when required (includes roads, trails, City-owned properties, and open spaces); • Commitment to major projects which span more than one year; 5 Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee
02/07/2024 Regular Meeting
• Continually funding the full life-cycle costs of any new or enhanced services or construction of new assets through savings, rate increases or grant funding; • Implementation of strategies to ensure new development “pays its way” related to infrastructure and community amenities such as parks, pools, street/sidewalk maintenance, etc.; and,
• Maintaining existing services at current service levels.
Key Economic Assumptions
It is important that the LTFP reflects the most recent economic data and forecasts available. A review is conducted each year to ensure that the underlying parameters and assumptions are reasonable given the current economic conditions and expectations.
The key economic indicators and drivers used in this Plan are summarized in the Table 1 below:
Table 1 – LTFP Key Assumptions
Property Tax
Growth
Sales Tax
Growth
Changes to
General Fund
Transfer-Parks
Change to
Salaries &
Benefits
Investment
Growth for
Infrastructure
2.0% 2.0% TBD 2.5% 0%
Population Growth - The City’s population has grown slowly over the past 10 years to 36,284, and decreased slightly to 35,514 persons according to the latest population figures from the California Department of Finance. Comparing this growth over the prior 10-year period from 2005 to 2015, the City experienced 4% growth in 2005 from a population of 34,500 to 36,009 in 2015 as depicted on the chart below. This emphasizes that the City is approaching build-out.
City of Moorpark Population Changes – 1990 to 2021
Property Tax Growth – 2.0% annual increase
In the FY 2023/24 Budget, property tax is projected to total $5.23M or 23% of total general fund revenues. Property tax growth has been strong over the past several fiscal years and revenues in this category are now consistently above pre-recession levels. On average, the City can expect to receive only $0.083 from every property tax dollar collected for real property in the City. Property tax revenues are mainly distributed to a number of other governmental agencies for a variety of services to support residents needs such as schools, County services, and fire protection to name a few. Property taxes are fairly predictable since Proposition 13 (1978) limits increases to property tax to 6 Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee
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2% per year. Improvements to land or change of ownership provide for a reassessment of land valuation, which can result in increases higher than 2%. On average, property taxes can be expected to increase by 2% per year as historically performed.
Several residential and commercial development projects in the City have either been recently entitled or re-entitled which will add to the City’s property tax base. Some of these projects include:
• High Street Depot – 79 residential units with approximately 14,000 sq. ft. of commercial space (construction underway);
• Hitch Ranch – 755 residential units (construction anticipated in 2025); • Beltramo Ranch – 47 detached residential units (construction timeline unknown); • North Ranch – 139 detached residential units (construction timeline unknown); • Green Island Villas – 69 multi-family units (construction timeline unknown); • Pacific Communities – 284 detached small-lot residential units (construction timeline unknown); and,
• Everett Street Terraces – 60 residential condominium units (construction timeline unknown).
Although each of these projects will add to the City’s property tax base, it is important to recognize that revenues derived from residential development in the form of property taxes are insufficient to meet the ongoing cost to service new development with the City receiving only 2% of assessed values. This was further confirmed in 2023 when graduate students of the Public Policy and Administration program at California Lutheran University completed an analysis of the “Housing Production Fiscal Impacts on the City of Moorpark” to examine the financial impacts of residential development on existing services to determine the extent of the financial impacts on City resources.
$ 0
$ 500,000
$ 1,000,000
$ 1,500,000
$ 2,000,000
$ 2,500,000
$ 3,000,000
$ 3,500,000
$ 4,000,000
$ 4,500,000
1999-002000-012001-022002-032003-042004-052005-062006-072007-082008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-24 Property Taxes
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The quantitative and qualitative analysis undertaken by the students revealed five recommendations to address the impacts of development on the City.
The recommendations were:
1. Create an initiative to be placed on the ballot to increase fees for the residents of Moorpark;
2. Implement specific programs and facilities to meet the needs of children and seniors;
3. Diversify the economy within the City of Moorpark;
4. Implement mixed-use development projects; and,
5. Implement community facility districts within established housing developments. *Copies of the full California Lutheran University analysis are available upon request.
The City receives a small portion of property tax revenues derived from secured properties in the City. As shown on the below graph, the Moorpark General Fund only receives approximately $0.08 of every dollar with remaining amounts allocated to various governmental agencies for service provision within their respective service areas.
Moorpark Unified School District receives the largest portion of property tax allocations receiving approximately $0.33 of every dollar, a 300% greater share than the City. The following illustration shows a breakdown of the distribution of Property Tax dollars derived from secure properties in the City.
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Source: HdL Coren & Cone
Sales Taxes – 2.0% annual increase
In the FY 2023/24 Budget, sales taxes are projected to total $5.30M or 23% of total general fund revenues. Property tax growth has been strong over the past several fiscal years and revenues in this category are now consistently above pre-recession levels.
The City’s sales tax rate is 7.25%, like that of other cities in the County with the exception of Oxnard, Ventura, Port Hueneme, and Santa Paula who have higher sales tax rates.
More importantly, the City’s sales tax portfolio relies heavily on business-to-business and general consumer goods.
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2013-
14 2014-
15 2015-
16 2016-
17 2017-
18 2018-
19 2019-
20 2020-
21 2021-
22 2022-
23 $3,747
,284
$3,679
,295
$3,992
,211
$3,967
,466
$4,088
,872
$4,336
,676
$4,040
,141
$4,575
,526
$5,219
,884
$4,948
,566
Revenues from sales taxes is one of the most volatile revenue resources for the City and follows economic indicators. During time of national economic prosperity, sales taxes tend to be higher due to additional disposable income being available in households.
Currently, only goods and consumables generate sales taxes in California, while services are not taxed.
The retail industry is a strong contributor to sales tax revenues for the City. Globally, this industry is experiencing transformation as the proliferation of online sales penetrating the consumer market are occurring at a rate higher than originally contemplated by experts.
Online sales transactions do not result in a point-of-sale transaction resulting in sales taxes flowing to countywide pools rather than direct allocations to the City. The City received a portion of sales taxes from the countywide pool based on a percentage commensurate to total sales generated by neighboring cities in the County, rather than direct allocations where the City receives its full one percent (1%) of every dollar. Growth in online shopping is also causing a strain on traditional brick-and-mortar stores resulting in less foot traffic and larger profit margins to cover rents and leases. This results in retailers such as Toys R Us, Sears, and others shuttering sites or retooling their business model to keep pace with online giants like Amazon who are gaining market share at high rates.
$0
$1,000,000
$2,000,000
$3,000,000
$4,000,000
$5,000,000
$6,000,000
2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 CITY OF MOORPARK - 10 YEARS SALES
TAX HISTORY
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According to HdL, the City’s sales tax consultant, over the period from 2012 to 2017 sales from brick-and-mortar sales experienced an increase of 10%, while growth from online sales have increased 88% over the same period.
Due to antiquated statewide sales tax policies, local municipalities often receive no sales taxes from online sales because there is no direct point-of-sale in the community. Yet cities still depend on revenues from point-of-sale to repair streets, roads and infrastructure used by delivery companies that transport goods over local roads to deliver to residents.
It is important to note that revenues derived from sales and property together make up approximately 46% of all general fund revenue sources for the City.
Property Tax In-Lieu (Motor Vehicle License Fee) (2% annual increase) – Property Tax In-Lieu of Motor Vehicle License Fee growth is linked to assessed valuation; therefore, the annual increase mirrors the increase in Property Tax revenue.
Franchise Fees (2% annual increase) – The City receives several revenues from Franchise Fees. The Refuse Franchise Fee with Waste Management (WM) is set at 6%, Charter Communication franchise rate is 5%, DirectTV franchise rate is 5%, Edison franchise rate is 2%, Southern California Gas pays a 2% franchise rate, Crimson Gas pays began at a base rate of $2,220 which has increased by CPI since inception, and AT&T pays a 5% franchise rate. Although the rates of these services can increase from year to year based on many external factors, there have not been large swings in these revenues and the historical trend shows a modest 1% increase.
In addition, the City has seen a steady decline in the Franchise Fee revenue from traditional cable providers as there is an increasing trend towards satellite and internet 11 Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee
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providers. Finally, the City negotiated a Most Favored Nation clause in the franchise agreement with WM. As a result of recent contract negotiations with neighboring cities, the residents can expect a reduction in residential rates by 1% and no increase commercial rates through 2025. Based on the above-mentioned factors, Franchise Fees are projected to increase at a modest rate of 1% mirroring population growth.
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) (2.5% annual increase) - The current TOT rate within City limits is 10% and can only be changed with majority voter approval. Similar to sales tax, TOT is tied to economic activity and consumer confidence. Although increases have been higher over the past three fiscal years no new hotels are currently anticipated during the next 10 years.
Gasoline Tax (0.5% annual increase) – This is a very volatile funding source subject to several global economic indices. Minimal increases are projected for gas taxes primarily due to declining gas tax revenues resulting from development of more fuel-efficient vehicles, including hybrid and electrical cars, off set by the rise in gasoline prices and growth in population.
General Fund transfer for Parks/Landscape Maintenance District (LMD) Maintenance - In July 1999, the City established the Parks and Recreation Maintenance and Improvement District (Improvement District) for the maintenance and improvement of City parks. It was initiated by the Council to provide funding in place of Parks Maintenance Assessment District No. AD 85-1 (AD 85-1), which was disbanded in July 1998 as a result of Proposition 218. The Improvement District is based on a “special” assessment. This means that the City assesses property owners for that portion of park maintenance and improvement activities that generate a “special” benefit. All activities that generate a “general” benefit must be funded from non-assessment revenue, typically the General Fund and Park Improvement Funds.
The budget for installation, maintenance, and servicing costs of the City’s parks for FY 2023/24 is $6,368,345, which is $691,061 higher than the initial budget used in FY 2022/23. In FY 2023/24, the assessment will generate approximately $978,307 in revenue, an increase of $41,182 over the amount generated in FY 2022/23. At its current rate, assessment revenue will cover approximately 15% of the total budget for operations and improvements or only 24% of the 75% cap for the “special” benefit the City is eligible to assess. The General Fund is estimated to subsidize $1,569,169 in current year FY 2022/23 and is budgeted to spend $1,592,086 in FY 2023/24. Even though these costs have increased over the years and is expected to continue to increase, actual funding levels in this area – resulting from the actual transfer versus budgeted transfer – has decreased.
A concerted effort has been underway since 2018 to contain costs in this area. Cost cutting measures have been implemented that have played a significant role in reducing costs here. In April of 2020, the City Council approved the redistribution of the City’s LMDs among three areas of contract responsibility for landscape maintenance services. 12 Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee
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This redistribution allows the underfunded LMDs to be serviced under one contractual service area, while the fully funded LMD areas are distributed across two separate, similarly-sized contractual service areas. This updated distribution also allowed staff to explore service level reductions in the underfunded LMD contractual service area to reduce landscape maintenance costs and lower the burden on the General Fund, while maintaining the existing levels of landscape maintenance service in the fully funded LMDs. At the same time, staff also investigated possible service level reductions to the parks landscape maintenance services that would similarly lower costs. Some of the activities taken to control costs here have included:
• Investment in capital improvements in the City’s parks to remove turf areas to address environmental circumstance and reduce water usage; • Changes to parks and underfunded landscape maintenance services; • Mowing: No change to sports fields. Mowing at passive parks changed from weekly to every other week. Mowing of turf areas in the underfunded LMDs would also change from weekly to every other week. Edging changed from weekly to every other week at all parks;
• Shrub Pruning: Changed from “as necessary” to monthly; • Fertilization: Removed from contractual services and will be completed by in-house staff. Activity will focus on sports fields to keep passive parks and LMD areas from growing too quickly between mowings;
• Custodial Services: Removed from park services contract. Services transferred to City janitorial services contractor;
• Weeding: Changed from weekly to monthly and modified to include mechanical weed control in combination with the use of herbicides approved by the Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner;
• Debris and Litter Removal: Changed from daily to weekly. Service for refuse bins remains unchanged;
• Sport Court and Picnic Area Cleaning: Changed from daily to weekly; • Ballfield Dugout/Bleacher Cleaning: Changed from daily to weekly; • Playground Site Inspection and Raking: Changed from daily to twice weekly; • Parking Lot/Hardscape Cleaning: Cleaning of hardscape surfaces, sidewalks, parking lots, access roads, decomposed granite trails and walkways changed from weekly to every other week;
• Drinking Fountain Maintenance: Changed from daily to weekly; • Swale, Catch Basin, and Drain Cleaning: Changed from weekly to “as needed”; and
• Irrigation Repairs: Inspections changed from weekly to monthly. Materials will be provided by the City on City’s account with a local vendor.
Transferring of General Fund dollars to other funds to support other services is a subsidy of the other service. Chart 3 below shows the amount of actual dollars transferred to the Parks and LMD funds to support maintenance in those funds. This results in less funds available to provide other vital services.
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Personnel Costs – The City’s business is people serving people to provide municipal services and personnel costs are currently the largest General Fund expenditure minus police services. In FY 2022/23, personnel expenses totaled $5.9 million or 26% of total General fund expenditures and transfers out for FY 2022/23. There are 76.48 full-time and designated part-time General Fund positions across all departments. This is an increase of 15.7 positions since 2015. Citywide staffing levels are constantly adjusted not only to create better workflows to serve the public, but to move important initiatives forward. The City should remain vigilant before adding ongoing personnel costs in the future to ensure employee morale and productivity remain high, while combatting fatigue, employee retention, and burnout.
City of Moorpark
Position History
For the Fiscal Years 2014/15 to 2023/24
Department FY 2014/15
Actuals
FY 2023/24
Actuals
Variance Ten-Year
Change
1. City Manager’s Office 12.48 7.72 -4.76 -38.1%
2. *Finance/Administrative Services 6.00 10.30 4.3 71.6%
3. Community Development 8.00 11.00 3.0 37.5%
4. Parks, Recreation and
Community Services
25.73 35.73 10.0 38.8%
5. Public Works 13.86 11.73 -2.13 -15.3%
Total 66.07 76.48 10.41 15.7%
*Three positions were moved from the City Manager’s Office to the Finance Department to create an Administrative Services Department in 2017. $999,787
$1,165,975
$1,202,407
$1,360,393
$1,469,077
$1,335,666 $1,685,621
$1,495,638
$1,340,430
$1,154,621
$1,196,027
$1,060,566
$-
$200,000
$400,000
$600,000
$800,000
$1,000,000
$1,200,000
$1,400,000
$1,600,000
$1,800,000
Axis Title
06/30/20
13 06/30/20
14 06/30/20
15 06/30/20
16 06/30/20
17 06/30/20
18 06/30/20
19 06/30/20
20 06/30/20
21 06/30/20
22 06/30/20
23 06/30/20
24 GF Transfer $999,78 $1,165, $1,202, $1,360, $1,469, $1,335, $1,685, $1,495, $1,340, $1,154, $1,196, $1,060, GF Transfer
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Salaries and Wages
The FY 2023/24 forecast for salaries and wages has fully costed for 76.48 Full Time Equivalents and is in line with the approved Bargaining Agreements and wage increases for staff. The salaries and wages staff costs for year 2 (FY 2023/24) has been assumed including a 3% salary increase. The current Bargaining Agreement is due to expire on June 30, 2025, and the increase in salaries and wages for FY 2024/25 and any years thereafter will be subject to negotiated amounts in future bargaining agreements.
Traditionally the City has negotiated wage increases commensurate with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Salary increases for future years have been assumed at 2.0 percent.
A point of consideration will be the appropriateness of this strategy in the overall desire to attract and retain employees, while at the same time ensuring the City maintains fiscal sustainability in providing adjustments above CPI.
Benefit costs (healthcare, vision, dental, and retirement) also comprise total compensation. Increases in the benefits area are calculated on a proportional scale vis a vis salaries. This LTFP currently includes increases to benefits totaling 1.5% of total wage costs.
Police Contract (4% annual increase) - The City contracts with Ventura County Sheriff Department (VCSD) for police services. VCSD has consistently suggested a 5% increase on a year-over-year basis to account for salary and overhead cost increases. Typical
HISTORICAL COLA ADJUSTMENTS- MOORPARK
3 0.00%
1.00%
2.00%
3.00%
4.00%
5.00%
6.00%
7.00%
8.00%
9.00%
10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 Cost of Living Adjustment vs.
Consumer Price Index (LA Area) by Fiscal Year
COLA CPI - LA Mar
10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 COLA 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 2.00% 2.00% 1.00% 0.00% 2.00% 2.00% 7.00 3.00 CPI - LA Mar 1.90% 3.00% 2.00% 1.30% 1.00% 0.50% 1.70% 2.70% 3.80% 2.70% 1.90% 2.20% 8.50% 3.70% TBD 15 Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee
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increases over the past 10 years has averaged increases of approximately 4.0%. In FY 2022/23, the costs for police services exceeded $8M for the first time in the City’s history.
Improvements/Infrastructure Investment
The City of Moorpark is responsible for the management, operation, and maintenance of a diverse asset portfolio that provides services and facilities for our community. Council has historically preferred to purchase capital expenditure items on cash basis, limiting the use of debt service.
Investments in infrastructure assets are normally captured through overhead allocation methodologies to cover expenses for replacement of building fixtures, information technology, and vehicle replacement. Underfunding of these activities leads to excessive single-year outlay to cover costs, rather than sinking these expenses overtime.
The largest capital asset owned by the City is its streets and roadway network. In October 2023 the City Council adopted a Pavement Management Program and Pavement Rehabilitation Plan, which valued these assets at $99.6M.
The report provided a budget-based model and pavement preservation scenario for the next five years based on pavement conditions determined from March 2022. The “Moorpark Budget” which was used as a funding model for the Pavement Management Program was based on a pavement preservation budget of $800,000 per year, which correlates with the funding received from the Local Streets and Roads Funding Program.
For FY 2022/23, the City received $785,353 from the Local Streets and Roads Funding Program.
Public Safety Costs Trend
5/23/2022 7
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The Budget Scenarios contained in the Plan detailed various funding scenarios:
• An investment of $800,000/year (“Moorpark Budget”): overall PCI drops from 68 to 67, backlog increases from 3% to 10%;
• An investment of $960,000/year: (“Steady state PCI”) of 68, backlog increases from 3% to 10%;
• An investment of $1,000,000/year: (“Recommended Budget”) PCI increases to 69, backlog increase from 3% to 10%;
• An investment of $1,560,000/year: (“Target PCI”) raises theoretical target PCI to 72, backlog increases from 3% to 9%; and,
• An investment of $5,600,000/year: (“Fix All Budget”) PCI increases to 81, maintains backlog condition at 3%.
Like many cities across the country, funding for maintenance of the City’s roadway network is insufficient to meet the needs of the City. The primary source of funding for the maintenance of streets and roads is from Gas Taxes. Due to limited funds available from the Local Streets and Roads program, should the Council desire to enhance its roadway/sidewalk network, additional general fund dollars are needed to augment Local Streets and Road program dollars. As indicated in the Pavement Management Report and the above graph, the City would need to provide $38.4M per year over the next 5 years to fully improve all deficiencies on local streets and roads. No additional general fund dollars are included in the LTFP for these improvements.
When all the assumptions are aggregated using actuals from FY 2021/22 as a base year and are extrapolated out 10 years, the model calculates anticipated revenues and expenditures based on historical levels of growth. The results of the straight-line projections of the LTFP are graphically depicted below. Presuming the assumptions 17 Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee
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manifest themselves over the next 10 years as projected in the LTFP, in FY 2025/26 the City’s expenditures will exceed resources resulting in an ongoing structural deficit for the City. As previously mentioned, the model presumes no service augmentations or investments in infrastructure or other capital assets of the City.
Results: Long Term Financial Plan - Unadjusted
The LTFP serves as a powerful planning tool and can project the financial impacts using many assumptions. Ultimately, the City Council has within its authority the ability to influence the LTFP through expenditure control and/or revenue enhancement opportunities. Assuming the aforementioned context previously described, expenditures will continue to increase due to a number of uncontrollable expenses related to personnel such as health care and retirement costs. The implementation of the Public Employee Pension Reform Act has played a significant role in containing ongoing retirement costs from rising at the levels seen previously in the state.
Scenario 1: Expenditure Reduction
As a contract City, many city services available to residents and businesses are offered by contractors. The City contracts for Building & Safety, police services, engineering, plan check/review, tree trimming, streetlight maintenance, landscaping and park maintenance, and many more. A core number of employees provide parks and $0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
$30,000,000
$35,000,000
2023 10-Year Financial Plan
GF Revenues
GF Expenses
Graph 1 – No adjustments
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recreation, animal/vector control, and administration. Finance, Human Resources, and Information Systems make up the core of support services for City staff. This “contract” model provides flexibility for the City to provide services as revenue trends change over time. During periods of prosperity when service demands are high for development and other contracted services, additional contractors are used to provide timely services.
Conversely, during periods of austerity contracted services can be reduced to align expenses with available resources.
This is important in the context of expenditure reductions that can be made by existing City staff. To reduce costs for City-related activities, expenditure reductions in programs and other challenging options exist. While these options are available, they are used in worst-case scenarios and result in staff impacts and services reductions for the community. Some options include: freezes on travel/training, wage increases, specialty programs intended to attract and retain employees, vacation cash outs, non-backfilling of vacant positions, furloughs and ultimately layoffs are some of the options available. While it is possible to meet short term financial needs through expenditure holds and reductions, long-term structural deficits require both expenditure reduction and revenue enhancements.
Ultimately, while cost-containment is a viable short-term approach toward fiscal sustainability, cost escalation usually outpaces revenue growth. Cutting expenditures will buoy the organization for unanticipated revenue declines resulting from cyclical economic factors; however, inflation, unemployment, interest rates, consumer confidence, and other economic factors will result in price escalation for the City.
Further, maintaining service levels are important values for the community. As noted in each of the last two biannual community surveys, residents note their affinity for local property values. By keeping our City safe, clean, and well-maintained, we can help protect our local property values. Further, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has diligently kept our City safe while keeping costs low. In fact, Moorpark has the lowest public safety costs per capita in the area; however, police and emergency response costs are beginning to rise. We need additional funds to maintain the same level of police service our residents expect and deserve.
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Graph 2 – 15% Salary Reduction in FY 2027/28
Revenue Enhancement Opportunities
In addition to fees for services, as noted the City receives revenues through sales and property taxes. These are two major funding sources for the City. The below charts illustrate and analyze the impact of various revenue enhancements from sales tax enhancements, growth in property taxes borne from increased total Assessed Valuation of the City through new development and attraction of high-sales tax businesses which generate more than $1M per year.
Scenario 2: ¼ Cent Sales Tax Enhancement
Base Year: $1.433M in FY 2027/28
The following model presumes the implementation of a ¼ cent sales tax enhancement on sales transactions in the City. The City’s current sales tax rate is 7.25% on all taxable transactions. Enhancing this amount by 0.25% yields an estimated $1.6M per year into the General Fund. The resulting financial impact is depicted below:
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Scenario 3: ½ Cent Sales Tax Enhancement
Base Year: $2.86M in FY 2027/28
The following model presumes the implementation of a ½ cent sales tax enhancement on sales transactions in the City. The City’s current sales tax rate is 7.25% on all taxable transactions. Enhancing this amount by 0.50% yields an estimated $2.86M per year into the General Fund. The resulting financial impact is depicted below:
Graph 3 – ¼ Cent Sales Tax Enhancement (FY 2026/27)
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Scenario 4: Increase in Assessed Valuation/Property Taxes Base Year: $100M Additional Valuation Added Per Year Beginning in FY 2027/28 When new development occurs land values are reassessed to capture higher values resulting from development of the property. Resident growth is underway in the City with many legacy projects now under construction. The actual amount of new revenues resulting from changes in assessed valuation (AV) is difficult to project due to the valuation process which is undertaken by the Ventura County Assessor’s Office. While some predictability is attainable by extrapolating the City’s portion of the property tax from land improvements, changes to land valuation without improvements is more challenging.
Given the level of development currently underway and projected development values which may be occurring later, some conservative assumptions can be presumed relative to property value. The following models project an infusion of an additional $100,000 in property tax revenue – in addition to annual assumed property tax increases of 2% per year – occurring each year beginning in FY 2027/28. Development of land is speculative and closed tied to broader economic indicators such as interest rates, construction costs, regulatory processes, local political will and more. The below illustration represents an ongoing increase in overall AV from an injection of $800M in improvements, beginning in FY 2027/28.
Graph 4 – ½ Cent Sales Tax
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Scenario 5: High Sales Tax Business ($1M per year)
Base Year: 2027/28
High sales tax providers can generate substantial revenues for a local jurisdiction. As sales become more centralized – meaning multiple goods or unique goods can be obtained from a sole source – cities benefit by having unique sales transactional type uses within their community. Some of the types of businesses that generate high sales taxes are auto dealers, fulfillment centers, cannabis dispensaries, high-end specialty stores, and hotels. Actual sales taxes from all retailers are dependent on inventory, retail square footage, and actual receipts from taxable transactions.
Graph 5 – Growth in
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CONCLUDING COMMENTS
The City is currently in good fiscal health with a balanced budget in FY 2023/24. Strong City Council leadership and staff management combined with sound financial and reserve policies have enabled the City to weather economic downturns with minimal impact on public services. The City’s investments in maintenance for the community will present unique challenges that the City has not faced during the past 40 years. Slow population growth, slow economic growth, and a shifting focus from new development to rehabilitation of existing development all combine to lead to a slower growth in revenue over the next 10 fiscal years than the City has experienced in the past. Although the General Fund is projected to maintain a positive fund balance throughout the duration of the Plan years, it is nonetheless projected to draw upon fund balance beginning in FY 2025/26 in order to meet operating and capital requirements of existing services and programs. However, no capacity exists for the General Fund to support new or additional services such as public safety augmentations and programs that have historically been supported with non-General Fund revenue such as streets and roads. The draw down upon fund balance also impacts the reserve available for capital projects. Although not projected in this Plan, further cuts, or takeaways by the federal, state, or county government would significantly strain the City’s ability to provide outstanding services to residents.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct impact associated with the approval of the proposed City of Moorpark Long-term Financial Plan.
Graph 6 – High Sales Tax Producer in FY
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STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Review the City of Moorpark’s Long-term Financial Plan and consider recommendation for approval to the City Council.
Attachment: General Fund Summary
25 Actual Actual BUDGET
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 2029-2030 2030-31 2031-32 2032-33 2033-34
REVENUES
Property Taxes ($ 9,759,621) ($ 10,363,706) ($ 9,635,000) ($ 10,245,000) ($ 10,450,000) ($ 10,659,000) ($ 10,872,000) ($ 11,089,000) ($ 11,310,000) ($ 11,536,000) ($ 11,766,000) ($ 12,001,000) ($ 12,241,000) Sales Taxes (5,219,884) (4,948,566) (5,296,000) (5,402,000) (5,510,000) (5,620,000) (6,732,000) (6,867,000) (7,004,000) (7,144,000) (7,287,000) (7,433,000) (7,582,000) Other Taxes (7,070,151) (4,840,193) (4,781,044) (4,877,000) (4,975,000) (5,075,000) (5,177,000) (5,283,000) (5,391,000) (5,501,000) (5,615,000) (5,732,000) (5,853,000) Licenses and Permits (251,803) (214,695) (308,000) (250,000) (253,000) (256,000) (260,000) (264,000) (268,000) (272,000) (276,000) (280,000) (284,000) Fines and Forfeitures (102,416) (161,209) (178,000) (178,000) (178,000) (178,000) (178,000) (178,000) (178,000) (178,000) (178,000) (178,000) (178,000) Use of Money and Property (236,127) (1,269,229) (580,848) (752,000) (765,000) (778,000) (792,000) (806,000) (820,000) (835,000) (850,000) (865,000) (880,000) Revenue from Other Agencies (101,556) (83,951) (515,000) (86,000) (87,000) (88,000) (89,000) (90,000) (91,000) (92,000) (93,000) (94,000) (95,000) Charges for Services (89,854) (1,122,423) (1,380,839) (1,404,000) (1,428,000) (1,452,000) (1,477,000) (1,502,000) (1,528,000) (1,554,000) (1,581,000) (1,608,000) (1,636,000) Miscellaneous Revenue - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Interfund Revenue - (130,967) - - - - - - - - - - -
Transfers In - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TOTAL REVENUE ($ 22,831,411) ($ 23,134,939) ($ 22,674,731) ($ 23,194,000) ($ 23,646,000) ($ 24,106,000) ($ 25,577,000) ($ 26,079,000) ($ 26,590,000) ($ 27,112,000) ($ 27,646,000) ($ 28,191,000) ($ 28,749,000)
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Benefits $ 4,880,945 $ 5,314,300 $ 5,996,519 $ 6,205,199 $ 6,421,138 $ 6,644,594 $ 6,875,822 $ 7,115,101 $ 7,362,707 $ 7,618,927 $ 7,884,066 $ 8,158,431 $ 8,442,345 Maintenance and Operations 10,464,385 11,140,392 12,345,275 12,622,702 13,073,948 13,541,896 14,027,182 14,530,460 15,052,421 15,593,776 16,155,259 16,737,636 17,341,705 Capital 127,361 566,898 1,235,321 432,873 443,695 454,787 466,157 477,810 489,756 502,000 514,550 527,414 540,599 Charges-Other Depts. Or Funds - - - - - - - - - - - - - Transfers To Other Funds 2,516,524 2,516,420 2,784,604 2,987,665 3,072,156 3,159,101 3,248,573 3,340,646 3,435,399 3,532,913 3,633,269 3,736,552 3,842,850 TOTAL EXPENDITURES $ 17,989,215 $ 19,538,010 $ 22,361,719 $ 22,248,439 $ 23,010,937 $ 23,800,378 $ 24,617,734 $ 25,464,017 $ 26,340,283 $ 27,247,616 $ 28,187,144 $ 29,160,033 $ 30,167,499 SURPLUS or (DEFICIT) $ 4,842,196 $ 3,596,929 $ 313,012 $ 945,561 $ 635,063 $ 305,622 $ 959,266 $ 614,983 $ 249,717 ($ 135,616) ($ 541,144) ($ 969,033) ($ 1,418,499) BEGINNING FUNDS AVAILABLE $ 0 $ 4,842,196 $ 8,439,125 $ 1,724,452 $ 2,670,013 $ 3,305,076 $ 3,610,698 $ 4,569,964 $ 5,184,947 $ 5,434,664 $ 5,299,048 $ 4,757,904 $ 3,788,871 ENDING FUNDS AVAILABLE $ 4,842,196 $ 8,439,125 $ 1,724,452 $ 2,670,013 $ 3,305,076 $ 3,610,698 $ 4,569,964 $ 5,184,947 $ 5,434,664 $ 5,299,048 $ 4,757,904 $ 3,788,871 $ 2,370,372 10-YEAR FINANCIAL PROJECTION
GENERAL FUND SUMMARY
ATTACHMENT
26 MOORPARK ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee (Mayor Enegren and Mayor Pro Tem Means)
FROM: Brian Chong, Assistant to the City Manager
DATE: 02/07/2024 Regular Meeting
SUBJECT: Consider the City’s 2024 Legislative Platform Update
SUMMARY
The City last updated its Legislative Platform in 2022. Staff recommends that the Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee review, make amendments as appropriate, and recommend to the City Council approval of the draft 2024 Legislative Platform to guide the City’s legislative and intergovernmental activities.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The City maintains a Legislative Platform to facilitate the City’s quick response to county, state, and federal legislation and proposals in a proactive manner, since legislation and proposals can often move quickly through legislative bodies, with insufficient time for the City Council to take a formal action on a particular project or piece of legislation. In such instances, the Mayor (or Mayor Pro Tem or City Manager, in the Mayor’s absence) is authorized by the Legislative Platform to sign correspondence expressing the City’s position on pending legislation or projects without formal City Council action. If a project or piece of legislation pertains to a topic not included in the Legislative Platform, then the City Council must authorize such correspondence. Even in these instances, however, the Legislative Platform can serve as a guide for the City Council when it considers such matters on an ad hoc basis.
City staff routinely monitors state and county legislation for potential impacts to the City and, to a lesser extent, monitors federal legislation. In 2023, the City took formal positions on nine state bills, as authorized under the current Legislative Platform.
Additionally, the City took positions and provided feedback on various administrativelevel decisions made by the federal, state, and county governments.
Item: 4.B.
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The City last updated its Legislative Platform in 2015, 2019, and 2022; the current 2022 Legislative Platform is provided as Attachment 1. While the City’s major overarching legislative goals and concerns have not changed significantly, some issues have either concluded or arisen. In developing the draft 2024 update to the Legislative Platform, staff has incorporated City Council votes on legislation on issues not included in the 2022 Legislative Platform. Staff also reviewed the current Legislative Platforms for Cal Cities, the County of Ventura, and other cities throughout the region.
Proposed Updates
All proposed changes for the 2024 Legislative Platform update are shown in Attachment 2 as follows:
• Deletions are shown in strikethrough
• Additions are shown in bold
• Notes regarding amended items are in (parentheses) at the end of the item Attachment 3 is a clean copy of the draft 2024 Legislative Platform.
While there are also minor clarifying and minor language changes, the most significant proposed changes are summarized below:
• Ventura County Animal Shelter Expansion Project [Section 1.12]: Ventura County Animal Services is seeking financial assistance toward expansion of its Ventura County Animal Shelter facility. Although the City operates its own Vector and Animal Control Division and maintains a temporary holding facility at the Moorpark Public Services Facility, City staff utilizes Ventura County Animal Services shelters when longer-term sheltering is necessitated. • Exit Fees for Newly Formed Municipal Facilities [Section 1.13]: Clean Power Alliance (CPA), a municipally-owned community choice aggregator of which the City is a member, had been lobbying to decrease or eliminate exit fees paid to investor-owned utilities who previously operated within CPA’s service area.
However, CPA is now fully established, and any additional legislative efforts will still be covered under Section 1.14.
• Food and Nutrition Program Funding [Section 1.18]: The City operates food and nutrition programs through the Active Adult Center, and additional funding would better safeguard and improve service levels.
• Mental Health [Section 1.19]: In 2022, the City Council voted to support numerous state bills that modernized and reformed California’s mental health 28 Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee
02/07/2024 Regular Meeting
systems. Addition of this section will incorporate that decision into the City’s Legislative Platform.
• Food Waste Recovery [Section 2.2]: As all local jurisdictions implement statemandated food waste collection service for both residential and non-residential trash customers, the City is seeking funding to help provide education, outreach, infrastructure, and reporting activities.
• Arroyo Simi Trail [Sections 2.3 and 8.4]: As the City completes its Arroyo Simi Trail Master Plan, the City will need to seek funding to construct the trail and related improvements.
• Homelessness [Section 5.19]: Although the City does not directly provide homelessness services, additional funding and resources will aide government and non-profit organizations address the homelessness crisis locally. • Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis [Section 6.15]: The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office and various social service providers seek resources and changes to sentencing guidelines to help officials reduce the usage of fentanyl and other opioids.
• Broadband Subsidies [Section 8.9]: Federal funds that began subsidizing broadband service for low-income households during pandemic-related school closures (the federal Affordable Connectivity Program) are set to expire in February 2024, and efforts to lobby Congress to continue the program remain ongoing.
Review by the Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee The Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee may recommend additions, deletions, or amendments to any portion of the draft 2024 Legislative Platform during its review. However, the following issues are generally not included in the Platform:
• Matters outside of the City’s jurisdiction, such as international relations, immigration, reproductive rights, etc.
• Overly specific matters that may be written too strictly to have the desired effect; matters should be just specific enough so that staff will understand the intent.
An issue’s exclusion from the Legislative Platform does not construe that the City will not have a position on a particular issue. In recent years, the City Council has considered matters not addressed in the Legislative Platform, such as statewide mental health reform.
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STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Review the draft 2024 Legislative Platform, make amendments as appropriate, and recommend that the City Council adopt it to guide the City’s legislative and intergovernmental activities.
Attachment 1: 2022 Legislative Platform
Attachment 2: Draft 2024 Legislative Platform (Showing Edits) Attachment 3: Draft 2024 Legislative Platform
30 City of Moorpark
Legislative Platform
February 16, 2022
ATTACHMENT 1
31 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
Table of Contents
Introduction and Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 3 Section 1. Community Services..................................................................................................................... 4 Section 2. Environmental Quality ................................................................................................................. 5 Section 3. Water ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Section 4. Governance, Transparency, and Labor Relations ........................................................................ 6 Section 5. Housing, Community, and Economic Development .................................................................... 8 Section 6. Public Safety................................................................................................................................. 9 Section 7. Revenue and Taxation................................................................................................................ 10 Section 8. Transportation, Communication, and Public Works.................................................................. 11
32 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
i. Introduction and Purpose
The City of Moorpark developed and maintains a Legislative Platform to facilitate the City’s quick response to county, state, and federal legislation in a proactive manner, since legislation can often move quickly through legislative bodies, with insufficient time for the City Council to take a formal action on a particular piece of legislation. The Legislative Platform further serves as a guide for the City Council to consider legislative affairs on an ad hoc basis.
Whenever possible, the Mayor (or Mayor Pro Tem or City Manager, in the Mayor’s absence) is authorized to sign correspondence expressing the City’s position on pending legislation, consistent with the City’s Legislative Platform and/or other positions on pending legislation consistent with the Legislative Program or prior City Council actions. The Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS) Committee may also periodically review legislation for recommendation to the City Council.
City staff monitors state and county legislation for potential impacts to the City. State or federal legislation may also be brought to staff’s attention by the League of California Cities, Ventura Council of Governments, or other professional organizations for engineering, legislative, finance, community development, public safety, and other professions.
City positions on pending legislation on topics not included in the Legislative Program shall require a vote of the City Council. If warranted due to complexity, the City Manager may also present pending legislation to the Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS) Committee, or other standing committee as appropriate for the topic, for a recommendation prior to City Council consideration.
Nothing in the Legislative Platform is intended to preclude consideration of any legislation by the City Council, regardless of whether it is included in the Legislative Platform.
City positions in support of legislation on a specified topic shall be construed as opposition to something that shall do the opposite, and the reverse is also true. For example, if the Legislative Platform supports increased funding for libraries, it also inherently opposes decreased funding for libraries. ii. Participation in League of California Cities City Leaders Summit The City will participate in the City
Leaders Summit event, hosted by the
League of California Cities in Sacramento
annually in the spring.
The event includes in‐person updates from the League of California Cities and its lobbyists representing cities’ interests, panel discussions of critical contemporaneous issues, meetings with the City’s representatives in the State Assembly and State Senate, and other networking opportunities.
Participation will further bolster the City’s abilities to successfully lobby state officials in the City’s interest.
33 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
Solid Waste Services
1.1 Oppose legislation that would restrict or limit local government’s ability to franchise refuse and recycling collection services, to direct municipal solid waste flow (flow control), or to contractually require haulers to guarantee achievement of AB 939/AB 341/SB 1383 goals.
1.2 Support legislation that shifts AB 939 metrics from mathematical accounting toward program implementation.
1.3 Support legislation that provides cities with financial assistance for programs designed to provide for the safe disposal of solid, hazardous, and special wastes.
1.4 Support legislation that promotes source reduction measures without creating an unfunded mandate.
1.5 Support legislation and efforts to expand the market for recycled materials, including advance disposal fees, minimum content laws, manufacturer responsibility programs, and recycling market development zones.
1.6 Support new resource recovery and conversion technologies, such as bio‐diesel from organic waste.
Library Services
1.7 Oppose legislation that reduces funds for libraries, including Public Library Funds, and support legislation that provides financial assistance for local public libraries without the imposition of new taxes.
1.8 Support legislation that ensures cities receive a proportionate share of property taxes upon withdrawal from a county library services district, or any other county service or district for which property taxes are received.
1.9 Support legislation with the intent to allow City operated Libraries (as opposed to districts) to have an “Advisory” commission, not a Board, as per current law.
Animal Services
1.10 Support legislation that promotes low‐cost or no‐cost spay and neuter programs.
1.11 Support legislation that holds animal owners accountable for injuries or property damage caused by animals under their care or control.
34 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
Other Services
1.12 Support funding for local arts activities.
1.13 Support legislation promoting fair exit fees for newly formed municipal utilities receiving customers that were previously served by investor‐owned utilities, and no exit fees for newly annexed municipal utilities that were never previously served by an investor‐owned utility.
1.14 Support Community Choice Aggregation and measures that further the goals of choice, clean energy, and affordable rates.
1.15 Support a statewide, dedicated funding source for 211 dispatch services, designed to provide 24/7 support to meet public health and human services needs.
1.16 Support legislation limiting a city’s liability associated with hazardous recreational activities, such as skateboarding and in‐line skating.
1.17 Support legislation that preserves existing resources, and that provides additional resources, for child care and early childhood education programs such as First 5 and the City’s programs operated at the Arroyo Vista Recreation Center.
2.1 Support legislation that streamlines the state’s environmental review process and maintains public participation without compromising environmental quality standards.
2.2 Support legislation and/or programs that provide money and resources to local governments for energy efficiency and conservation programs.
2.3 Support legislation that makes funds available to refurbish and improve parks, and to acquire and maintain open space.
2.4 Support funding and legislation for the designation and preservation of open space and preservation, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources.
2.5 Support legislation that exempts from property taxes any City‐owned property outside city limits (but within the same County) that is used for open space preservation purposes.
2.6 Support legislation that reimburses cities for revenue losses stemming from environmental decisions made without city participation.
2.7 Support funding and other incentives for local government and private industry projects and planning strategies to promote sustainability in infrastructure and operations, greater energy efficiency, lower energy usage, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. 35 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
2.8 Support legislation to ban all anticoagulant rodenticides statewide, with exceptions for emergencies.
2.9 Support legislation that reduces or eliminates local government’s owner/operator Superfund liability.
2.10 Support legislation to either consolidate or streamline the federal and state Clean Air Acts without reducing air quality standards.
2.11 Support air quality efforts that emphasize use of advanced technologies and market incentives, including use of alternative fuels and development of an infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles.
2.12 Support legislation and science‐based regulation of herbicides, rodenticides, and similarly used chemically‐based compounds.
3.1 Support development of reasonably achievable, environmentally sound, and cost‐effective Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) based on monitoring and sound science.
3.2 Support legislation and programs to promote water recycling to better safeguard water supplies.
3.3 Support legislation that protects ground water quality.
3.4 Support legislation that provides incentives for water conservation and drought reduction, such as education, marketing, and rebate programs.
4.1 Oppose any measure that makes local agencies more dependent on the state for financial stability and policy direction.
4.2 Support legislation that provides maximum local flexibility in contracting for services, and oppose legislation that requires the use of city employees rather than contractors.
4.3 Oppose legislation that limits and/or decreases the existing amount of retention proceeds withheld from any payment by a public entity to the contractor on a public project.
4.4 Oppose legislation that would restrict a city’s ability to use its own employees on public works projects when such projects have been previously advertised for bid. 36 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
4.5 Oppose legislation that increases local government’s exposure to litigation.
4.6 Oppose legislation that expands or extends any presumptions of occupational injury or illness.
4.7 Oppose legislation that would grant employee benefits that should be decided at the local bargaining table.
4.8 Oppose legislation that removes or reduces management rights, such as deciding staffing or service levels, either by direct action or increased liability.
4.9 Oppose efforts that reduce local control over public employee disputes or impose regulation of an outside agency on such disputes.
4.10 Support legislation that provides reasonable reform of local government pension systems and that preserves local control.
4.11 Oppose a mandatory Social Security tax for public employers and public employees.
4.12 Support legislation that would reform the Workers’ Compensation system to reduce employer cost through the reduction of system abuse.
4.13 Support legislation that limits the ability of employees to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits for occupational injuries/illnesses that result from stress, disciplinary action, or performance evaluation consultations.
4.14 Support alternative methods of meeting public notice requirements and enhancing them through the use of cost effective and innovative, technology friendly methods of communication.
4.15 Support modifying the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) to provide cities more flexibility to remedy a potential CVRA lawsuit by converting to a rank‐choice voting (RCV) method.
4.16 Support U.S. Congressional, California State Senate, California State Assembly, Ventura County Supervisorial, and other regional governmental districting/redistricting maps that keep Moorpark within one district and keep Moorpark in districts with neighboring communities in southeastern Ventura County.
37 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
Land Use/Planning
5.1 Support efforts that are consistent with the doctrine of “local control” and the local exercise of police powers, through planning and zoning processes, over local land use.
5.2 Support legislation that strengthens local control to prepare, adopt, and implement fiscal plans for orderly growth, development, beautification, and conservation of local planning areas, including, but not limited to, regulatory authority over zoning, subdivisions, and annexations.
5.3 Support local discretion in the assessment, collection, and usage of development fees.
5.4 Oppose legislation that restricts or weakens a City’s ability to regulate smoking areas, sale of tobacco products and electronic smoking devices and products, alcoholic beverage licenses, marijuana dispensaries, or adult‐oriented business establishments.
5.5 Oppose legislation that limits cities’ use of eminent domain as a resource for extraordinary circumstances.
5.6 Support legislation that reforms annexation law by strengthening cities’ authority over spheres of influence and ensures that fair property tax agreements can be obtained.
5.7 Oppose county development projects for undeveloped areas in the City’s area of interest that do not conform to City standards.
5.8 Support legislation that provides for shared land use determinations between counties and cities when the General Plan of the city establishes a planning area consistent with Government Code provisions.
Housing
5.9 Oppose legislation that expands the state Department of Housing and Community Development’s review role for local Housing Elements.
5.10 Support legislation that addresses occupancy levels and strengthens cities’ ability to reduce overcrowding in residential housing.
5.11 Support efforts to develop federal, state, and county participation, financial support, and incentives for programs that provide adequate, affordable housing for the elderly, handicapped, and low‐income persons throughout the community.
5.12 Support Housing Element reform legislation that provides greater local control and flexibility, simplifies the process, and improves its effectiveness. 38 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
5.13 Support legislation that fairly implements the Regional Housing Need Allocation process and defines an equitable process to determine a “fair share” of new housing need to respond to growth trends in the region.
5.14 Support legislation to ensure that property tax valuations for deed restricted dwelling units with reinforcing Deeds of Trust are based on the Affordable Sales Price, actually paid by the buyers, rather than based on market value.
5.15 Support legislation to protect homebuyers from predatory lending by ensuring that mortgage brokers are effectively regulated and that mortgage loans are suited to the financial means of the homebuyer.
Economic Development/Redevelopment
5.16 Support legislation that gives cities resources to finance economic development efforts, such as business attraction, retention, and growth, as well as marketing and tourism.
5.17 Support the enactment and expansion of tax increment financing authority for economic development, infrastructure, and community revitalization.
5.18 Support efforts to protect local military bases from closure and the work of the Regional Defense Partnership 21st Century (RDP‐21).
6.1 Oppose legislation that weakens enforcement of, and penalties for, commercial truck violations.
6.2 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for commercial truck safety inspections and the enforcement of commercial truck vehicle codes.
6.3 Support legislation that promotes the efforts of the Moorpark Police Department and the Ventura County Fire District to maintain the level of services consistent in sustaining the City’s rank as one of the nation’s “Safest Cities.”
6.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for emergency preparedness (including planning, mitigation, and education) and disaster recovery efforts.
6.5 Support legislation and additional state and federal legislation crafted to ensure that first responders can perform their duties during emergency response operations without interference from unmanned aerial systems/drones.
6.6 Support efforts to construct an additional fire station serving the northeastern portion of Moorpark.
39 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
6.7 Support development of wildland fuel management programs to decrease impacts to public health and safety resulting from wildland‐urban interface fires.
6.8 Oppose legislation that would shift the costs or liability of wildfire emergency response to local governments.
6.9 Support legislation that increases local law enforcement resources without increasing taxes.
6.10 Protect funding for state Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) and federal Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) funding.
6.11 Support legislation that allows use of state and federal public safety grants for maintenance efforts in addition to service increases.
6.12 Support legislation that would provide cities with contract law enforcement a proportionate share of Proposition 172 sales tax revenues for public safety.
6.13 Support legislation that would provide cities with a greater share of fines and forfeitures.
6.14 Support legislation that would provide a greater share of seized assets to cities.
7.1 Support measures that provide greater fiscal independence to cities and result in greater stability and predictability in local government budgeting.
7.2 Oppose any change in revenue allocations that would negatively affect the City of Moorpark, including but not limited to the redistribution of sales tax, property tax, transient occupancy tax, and vehicle in‐lieu fees.
7.3 Oppose legislation that: (A) Eliminates or restricts the taxing authority of cities over development; (B) Weakens existing Government Code Section 66000 fee authority; or (C) Redefines any development tax, condition, or other monetary charge as development fees.
7.4 Support legislation requiring the state and federal governments to provide full cost reimbursement to cities for all mandated programs and for all programs resulting in revenue losses.
7.5 Support legislation that protects the ability of local government to recover the costs of mandated programs through fees that are not subject to Proposition 218.
7.6 Support legislation that safeguards existing City revenue sources from preemption or seizure by the state or county.
40 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
7.7 Oppose legislation that restricts or limits a city’s ability to use tax‐exempt debt for the purchase or construction of public purpose improvements.
7.8 Support legislation that eliminates cities’ contributions to the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) and directs the repayment of past contributions.
7.9 Support the establishment of a constitutionally‐protected funding structure for local government.
7.10 Support efforts that provide greater accountability on the part of counties for the distribution of funds back to municipalities, including, but not limited to, fines and forfeitures.
7.11 Advocate and join with other Ventura County cities to encourage the Ventura County Treasurer‐ Tax Collector to shorten the time to collect property tax readjustments.
7.12 Support efforts by state government to distribute revenue to local government in a manner that does not create incentives for commercial “sprawl” retail development and/or disincentives for residential, industrial, open space, or agricultural land uses.
7.13 Support legislation to authorize a simple majority of the voters in a city or county to establish local priorities, including the right to increase taxes or issue general obligation bonds.
7.14 Support legislation to ensure tax proceeds collected from Internet sales be allocated to the location where the product is received by the purchaser.
7.15 Oppose efforts to cut funding for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs and other community services and workforce assistance programs to serve low‐income and/or other disadvantaged residents.
7.16 Support legislation to give non‐entitlement cities the same rights as entitlement cities in CDBG program administration.
Transportation
8.1 Support legislation that will help reduce non‐local commercial vehicle traffic on SR‐118 through the City.
8.2 Oppose efforts to increase truck size or weight.
8.3 Support enhanced autonomy for local transportation decision‐making, and pursue transportation policy changes that move more dollars and decisions to local policy leaders. 41 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
8.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources to cities to finance local transportation systems, facilities, and improvements, including the Safe Routes to Schools programs.
8.5 Encourage the timely appropriations for the safety and enhancement of surface transportation in the region, including local transit, commuter rail, highway projects such as the widening of the SR 118 Freeway, and local road improvements such as the proposed North Hills Parkway, and intermodal transportation center development, and to encourage transit‐oriented projects in the downtown area.
8.6 Support efforts to construct and operate a full‐service Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility (a.k.a. weigh station) along SR 118.
8.7 Support legislation that provides funding, incentives, and rebates for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations.
Telecommunications
8.8 Support efforts to provide for the improvement of broadband availability, accessibility, competition, and performance in the city and in Ventura County.
8.9 Oppose any legislation that reduces or restricts local authority to regulate public right‐of‐way and receive compensation for its use.
8.10 Oppose regulations and legislation that erodes or eliminates local government authority regarding siting of cellular communications towers or transmission sites.
8.11 Support legislation that reinstates effective local regulation of the cable television industry and other deregulated utilities, including financial reimbursement for use of public right‐of‐way.
8.12 Support preserving public, education, and government (PEG) television channels, funding, and programming support by video service providers, such as payments to local government of franchise fees, PEG fees, and facility/equipment grants, and furnishing public access production facilities.
8.13 Oppose efforts to make PEG channels hard to find or navigate to, such as on an obscure channel or accessible only via several Internet web page menus, of any lesser signal quality than basic channels, or requiring an additional fee or device for viewers to access.
Public Works
8.14 Support efforts to develop funding policies and incentives at the state and federal level to ensure funding for the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of public infrastructure.
8.15 Oppose efforts to shift legal costs and liability away from design professionals and contractors to local governments.
42 City of Moorpark • 2022 Legislative Platform
8.16 Support legislation that gives cities the authority to meet their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements on a more collective and regional basis.
8.17 Support legislation that holds electric utilities accountable for the prevention of Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events and mitigation of their impacts. 43 City of Moorpark
Legislative Platform
DRAFT: February 7, 2024
ATTACHMENT 2
44 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
Table of Contents
Introduction and Purpose............................................................................................................................. 3 Section 1. Community Services..................................................................................................................... 4 Section 2. Environmental Quality ................................................................................................................. 5 Section 3. Water ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Section 4. Governance, Transparency, and Labor Relations ........................................................................ 6 Section 5. Housing, Community, and Economic Development .................................................................... 8 Section 6. Public Safety................................................................................................................................. 9 Section 7. Revenue and Taxation................................................................................................................ 10 Section 8. Transportation, Communication, and Public Works.............................................................. 1112 45 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
i. Introduction and Purpose
The City of Moorpark developed and maintains a Legislative Platform to facilitate the City’s quick response to county, state, and federal legislation in a proactive manner, since legislation can often move quickly through legislative bodies, with insufficient time for the City Council to take a formal action on a particular piece of legislation. The Legislative Platform further serves as a guide for the City Council to consider legislative affairs on an ad hoc basis.
Whenever possible, the Mayor (or Mayor Pro Tem or City Manager, in the Mayor’s absence) is authorized to sign correspondence expressing the City’s position on pending legislation, consistent with the City’s Legislative Platform and/or other positions on pending legislation consistent with the Legislative Program or prior City Council actions. The Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS) Committee may also periodically review legislation for recommendation to the City Council.
City staff monitors state and county legislation for potential impacts to the City. State or federal legislation may also be brought to staff’s attention by the League of California Cities, Ventura Council of Governments, or other professional organizations for engineering, legislative, finance, community development, public safety, and other professions.
City positions on pending legislation on topics not included in the Legislative Program shall require a vote of the City Council. If warranted due to complexity, the City Manager may also present pending legislation to the Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS) Committee, or other standing committee as appropriate for the topic, for a recommendation prior to City Council consideration.
Nothing in the Legislative Platform is intended to preclude consideration of any legislation by the City Council, regardless of whether it is included in the Legislative Platform.
City positions in support of legislation on a specified topic shall be construed as opposition to something that shall do the opposite, and the reverse is also true. For example, if the Legislative Platform supports increased funding for libraries, it also inherently opposes decreased funding for libraries. ii. Participation in League of California Cities City Leaders Summit The City will participate in the City
Leaders Summit event, hosted by the
League of California Cities in Sacramento
annually in the spring.
The event includes in-person updates from the League of California Cities and its lobbyists representing cities’ interests, panel discussions of critical contemporaneous issues, meetings with the City’s representatives in the State Assembly and State Senate, and other networking opportunities.
Participation will further bolster the City’s abilities to successfully lobby state officials in the City’s interest.
46 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
Solid Waste Services
1.1 Oppose legislation that would restrict or limit local government’s ability to franchise refuse and recycling collection services, to direct municipal solid waste flow (flow control), or to contractually require haulers to guarantee achievement of AB 939/AB 341/SB 1383 goals.
1.2 Support legislation that shifts AB 939 metrics from mathematical accounting toward program implementation.
1.3 Support legislation that provides cities with financial assistance for programs designed to provide for the safe disposal of solid, hazardous, and special wastes.
1.4 Support legislation that promotes source reduction measures without creating an unfunded mandate.
1.5 Support legislation and efforts to expand the market for recycled materials, including advance disposal fees, minimum content laws, manufacturer responsibility programs, and recycling market development zones.
1.6 Support new resource recovery and conversion technologies, such as bio-diesel from organic waste.
Library Services
1.7 Oppose legislation that reduces funds for libraries, including Public Library Funds, and support legislation that provides financial assistance for local public libraries without the imposition of new taxes.
1.8 Support legislation that ensures cities receive a proportionate share of property taxes upon withdrawal from a county library services district, or any other county service or district for which property taxes are received.
1.9 Support legislation with the intent to allow City operated Libraries (as opposed to districts) to have an “Advisory” commission, not a Board, as per current law.
Animal Services
1.10 Support legislation that promotes low-cost or no-cost spay and neuter programs.
1.11 Support legislation that holds animal owners accountable for injuries or property damage caused by animals under their care or control.
47 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
1.12 Support legislation providing resources toward the Ventura County Animal Shelter expansion project.
Other Services
1.123 Support funding for local arts activities.
1.13 Support legislation promoting fair exit fees for newly formed municipal utilities receiving customers that were previously served by investor-owned utilities, and no exit fees for newly annexed municipal utilities that were never previously served by an investor-owned utility.
1.14 Support Community Choice Aggregation and measures that further the goals of choice, clean energy, and affordable rates.
1.15 Support a statewide, dedicated funding source for 211 dispatch services, designed to provide 24/7 support to meet public health and human services needs.
1.16 Support legislation limiting a city’s liability associated with hazardous recreational activities, such as skateboarding and in-line skating.
1.17 Support legislation that preserves existing resources, and that provides additional resources, for child care and early childhood education programs such as First 5 and the City’s programs operated at the Arroyo Vista Recreation Center.
1.18 Support legislation that provides funding for food and nutrition programs for low-income households.
1.19 Support legislation that provides support, funding, improved access, and/or improved outcomes for mental health and substance use disorder service providers.
2.1 Support legislation that streamlines the state’s environmental review process and maintains public participation without compromising environmental quality standards.
2.2 Support legislation and/or programs that provide money and resources to local governments for energy efficiency programs, and energy conservation programs, and food waste recovery programs.
2.3 Support legislation that makes funds available to refurbish and improve parks, and trails, and to acquire and maintain open space.
2.4 Support funding and legislation for the designation and preservation of open space and preservation, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources. 48 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
2.5 Support legislation that exempts from property taxes any City-owned property outside city limits (but within the same County) that is used for open space preservation purposes.
2.6 Support legislation that reimburses cities for revenue losses stemming from environmental decisions made without city participation.
2.7 Support funding and other incentives for local government and private industry projects and planning strategies to promote sustainability in infrastructure and operations, greater energy efficiency, lower energy usage, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
2.8 Support legislation to ban all anticoagulant rodenticides statewide, with exceptions for emergencies.
2.9 Support legislation that reduces or eliminates local government’s owner/operator Superfund liability.
2.10 Support legislation to either consolidate or streamline the federal and state Clean Air Acts without reducing air quality standards.
2.11 Support air quality efforts that emphasize use of advanced technologies and market incentives, including use of alternative fuels and development of an infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles.
2.12 Support legislation and science-based regulation of herbicides, rodenticides, and similarly used chemically-based compounds.
3.1 Support development of reasonably achievable, environmentally sound, and cost-effective Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) based on monitoring and sound science.
3.2 Support legislation and programs to promote water recycling to better safeguard water supplies.
3.3 Support legislation that protects ground water quality.
3.4 Support legislation that provides incentives for water conservation and drought reduction, such as education, marketing, and rebate programs.
49 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
4.1 Oppose any measure that makes local agencies more dependent on the state for financial stability and policy direction.
4.2 Support legislation that provides maximum local flexibility in contracting for services, and oppose legislation that requires the use of city employees rather than contractors.
4.3 Oppose legislation that limits and/or decreases the existing amount of retention proceeds withheld from any payment by a public entity to the contractor on a public project.
4.4 Oppose legislation that would restrict a city’s ability to use its own employees on public works projects when such projects have been previously advertised for bid.
4.5 Oppose legislation that increases local government’s exposure to litigation.
4.6 Oppose legislation that expands or extends any presumptions of occupational injury or illness.
4.7 Oppose legislation that would grant employee benefits that should be decided at the local bargaining table.
4.8 Oppose legislation that removes or reduces management rights, such as deciding staffing or service levels, either by direct action or increased liability.
4.9 Oppose efforts that reduce local control over public employee disputes or impose regulation of an outside agency on such disputes.
4.10 Support legislation that provides reasonable reform of local government pension systems and that preserves local control.
4.11 Oppose a mandatory Social Security tax for public employers and public employees.
4.12 Support legislation that would reform the Workers’ Compensation system to reduce employer cost through the reduction of system abuse.
4.13 Support legislation that limits the ability of employees to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits for occupational injuries/illnesses that result from stress, disciplinary action, or performance evaluation consultations.
4.14 Support alternative methods of meeting public notice requirements and enhancing them through the use of cost effective and innovative, technology friendly methods of communication.
4.15 Support modifying the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) to provide cities more flexibility to remedy a potential CVRA lawsuit by converting to a rank-choice voting (RCV) method.
4.16 Support U.S. Congressional, California State Senate, California State Assembly, Ventura County Supervisorial, and other regional governmental districting/redistricting maps that keep Moorpark within one district and keep Moorpark in districts with neighboring communities in southeastern Ventura County.
50 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
4.17 Support legislation facilitating remote attendance and participation at public meetings subject to the Brown Act, if there is a declared emergency.
Land Use/Planning
5.1 Support efforts that are consistent with the doctrine of “local control” and the local exercise of police powers, through planning and zoning processes, over local land use.
5.2 Support legislation that strengthens local control to prepare, adopt, and implement fiscal plans for orderly growth, development, beautification, and conservation of local planning areas, including, but not limited to, regulatory authority over zoning, subdivisions, and annexations.
5.3 Support local discretion in the assessment, collection, and usage of development fees.
5.4 Oppose legislation that restricts or weakens a City’s ability to regulate smoking areas, sale of tobacco products and electronic smoking devices and products, alcoholic beverage licenses, marijuana dispensaries, or adult-oriented business establishments.
5.5 Oppose legislation that limits cities’ use of eminent domain as a resource for extraordinary circumstances.
5.6 Support legislation that reforms annexation law by strengthening cities’ authority over spheres of influence and ensures that fair property tax agreements can be obtained.
5.7 Oppose county development projects for undeveloped areas in the City’s area of interest that do not conform to City standards.
5.8 Support legislation that provides for shared land use determinations between counties and cities when the General Plan of the city establishes a planning area consistent with Government Code provisions.
Housing
5.9 Oppose legislation that expands the state Department of Housing and Community Development’s review role for local Housing Elements.
5.10 Support legislation that addresses occupancy levels and strengthens cities’ ability to reduce overcrowding in residential housing.
5.11 Support efforts to develop federal, state, and county participation, financial support, and incentives for programs that provide adequate, affordable housing for the elderly, handicapped, and low-income persons throughout the community.
51 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
5.12 Support Housing Element reform legislation that provides greater local control and flexibility, simplifies the process, and improves its effectiveness.
5.13 Support legislation that fairly implements the Regional Housing Need Allocation process and defines an equitable process to determine a “fair share” of new housing need to respond to growth trends in the region.
5.14 Support legislation to ensure that property tax valuations for deed restricted dwelling units with reinforcing Deeds of Trust are based on the Affordable Sales Price, actually paid by the buyers, rather than based on market value.
5.15 Support legislation to protect homebuyers from predatory lending by ensuring that mortgage brokers are effectively regulated and that mortgage loans are suited to the financial means of the homebuyer.
Economic Development/Redevelopment
5.16 Support legislation that gives cities resources to finance economic development efforts, such as business attraction, retention, and growth, as well as marketing and tourism.
5.17 Support the enactment and expansion of tax increment financing authority for economic development, infrastructure, and community revitalization.
5.18 Support efforts to protect local military bases from closure and the work of the Regional Defense Partnership 21st Century (RDP-21).
Homelessness
5.19 Support legislation that provides financial support and assistance to local governments, nonprofit organizations, and other groups that provide services to unsheltered people, including for related social services, temporary housing, transitional housing, permanent housing, and mental health services, particularly those initiatives that lead to self-sufficiency.
6.1 Oppose legislation that weakens enforcement of, and penalties for, commercial truck violations.
6.2 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for commercial truck safety inspections and the enforcement of commercial truck vehicle codes.
6.3 Support legislation that promotes the efforts of the Moorpark Police Department and the Ventura County Fire District to maintain the level of services consistent in sustaining the City’s rank as one of the nation’s “Safest Cities.”
52 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
6.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for emergency preparedness (including planning, mitigation, and education) and disaster recovery efforts.
6.5 Support legislation and additional state and federal legislation crafted to ensure that first responders can perform their duties during emergency response operations without interference from unmanned aerial systems/drones.
6.6 Support efforts to construct an additional fire station serving the northeastern portion of Moorpark.
6.7 Support development of wildland fuel management programs to mitigate or decrease impacts to public health and safety resulting from wildland-urban interface fires and the presence of Very High Wildfire Severity Zones in the community.
6.8 Oppose legislation that would shift the costs or liability of wildfire emergency response to local governments.
6.9 Support legislation that increases local law enforcement resources without increasing taxes.
6.10 Protect funding for state Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) and federal Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) funding.
6.11 Support legislation that allows use of state and federal public safety grants for maintenance efforts in addition to service increases.
6.12 Support legislation that would provide cities with contract law enforcement a proportionate share of Proposition 172 sales tax revenues for public safety.
6.13 Support legislation that would provide cities with a greater share of fines and forfeitures.
6.14 Support legislation that would provide a greater share of seized assets to cities.
6.15 Support legislation that provides resources for education, intervention, treatment, and criminal justice programs related to the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.
7.1 Support measures that provide greater fiscal independence to cities and result in greater stability and predictability in local government budgeting.
7.2 Oppose any change in revenue allocations that would negatively affect the City of Moorpark, including but not limited to the redistribution of sales tax, property tax, transient occupancy tax, and vehicle in-lieu fees.
53 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
7.3 Oppose legislation that: (A) Eliminates or restricts the taxing authority of cities over development; (B) Weakens existing Government Code Section 66000 fee authority; or (C) Redefines any development tax, condition, or other monetary charge as development fees.
7.4 Support legislation requiring the state and federal governments to provide full cost reimbursement to cities for all mandated programs and for all programs resulting in revenue losses.
7.5 Support legislation that protects the ability of local government to recover the costs of mandated programs through fees that are not subject to Proposition 218.
7.6 Support legislation that safeguards existing City revenue sources from preemption or seizure by the state or county.
7.7 Oppose legislation that restricts or limits a city’s ability to use tax-exempt debt for the purchase or construction of public purpose improvements.
7.8 Support legislation that eliminates cities’ contributions to the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) and directs the repayment of past contributions.
7.9 Support the establishment of a constitutionally-protected funding structure for local government.
7.10 Support efforts that provide greater accountability on the part of counties for the distribution of funds back to municipalities, including, but not limited to, fines and forfeitures.
7.11 Advocate and join with other Ventura County cities to encourage the Ventura County TreasurerTax Collector to shorten the time to collect property tax readjustments.
7.12 Support efforts by state government to distribute revenue to local government in a manner that does not create incentives for commercial “sprawl” retail development and/or disincentives for residential, industrial, open space, or agricultural land uses.
7.13 Support legislation to authorize a simple majority of the voters in a city or county to establish local priorities, including the right to increase taxes or issue general obligation bonds.
7.14 Support legislation to ensure sales and use tax proceeds collected from Internet sales be allocated to the location local jurisdiction where the product is received by the purchaser.
7.15 Oppose efforts to cut funding for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs and other community services and workforce assistance programs to serve low-income and/or other disadvantaged residents.
7.16 Support legislation to give non-entitlement cities the same rights as entitlement cities in CDBG program administration.
54 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
Transportation
8.1 Support legislation that will help reduce non-local commercial vehicle traffic on SR-118 through the City.
8.2 Oppose efforts to increase truck size or weight.
8.3 Support enhanced autonomy for local transportation decision-making, and pursue transportation policy changes that move more dollars and decisions to local policy leaders.
8.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources to cities to finance local transportation systems, facilities, and improvements, including funding for the Safe Routes to Schools programs, ADA-related improvements, and the City’s Arroyo Simi Trail project.
8.5 Encourage the timely appropriations for the safety and enhancement of surface transportation in the region, including local transit, commuter rail, highway projects such as the widening of the SR 118 Freeway, and local road improvements such as the proposed North Hills Parkway, and intermodal transportation center development, and to encourage transit-oriented projects in the downtown area.
8.6 Support efforts to construct and operate a full-service Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility (a.k.a. weigh station) along SR 118.
8.7 Support legislation that provides funding, incentives, and rebates for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations.
Telecommunications
8.8 Support efforts to provide for the improvement of broadband availability, accessibility, competition, and performance in the city and in Ventura County.
8.9 Support efforts to provide financial support for broadband access, especially for seniors, students, and low-income residents.
8.910 Oppose any legislation that reduces or restricts local authority to regulate public right-of-way and receive compensation for its use, including use by electric bicycle and scooter vehicle sharing companies.
8.101 Oppose regulations and legislation that erodes or eliminates local government authority regarding siting of cellular communications towers or transmission sites.
8.112 Support legislation that reinstates effective local regulation of the cable television industry and other deregulated utilities, including financial reimbursement for use of public right-of-way. 55 City of Moorpark • 20222024 Legislative Platform
8.123 Support preserving public, education, and government (PEG) television channels, funding, and programming support by video service providers, such as payments to local government of franchise fees, PEG fees, and facility/equipment grants, and furnishing public access production facilities.
8.134 Oppose efforts to make PEG channels hard to find or navigate to, such as on an obscure channel or accessible only via several Internet web page menus, of any lesser signal quality than basic channels, or requiring an additional fee or device for viewers to access.
Public Works
8.145 Support efforts to develop funding policies and incentives at the state and federal level to ensure funding for the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of public infrastructure.
8.156 Oppose efforts to shift legal costs and liability away from design professionals and contractors to local governments.
8.167 Support legislation that gives cities the authority to meet their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements on a more collective and regional basis.
8.178 Support legislation that holds electric utilities accountable for the prevention of Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events and mitigation of their impacts. 56 City of Moorpark
Legislative Platform
DRAFT: February 7, 2024
ATTACHMENT 3
57 City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
Table of Contents
Introduction and Purpose............................................................................................................................. 3 Section 1. Community Services..................................................................................................................... 4 Section 2. Environmental Quality ................................................................................................................. 5 Section 3. Water ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Section 4. Governance, Transparency, and Labor Relations ........................................................................ 6 Section 5. Housing, Community, and Economic Development .................................................................... 8 Section 6. Public Safety................................................................................................................................. 9 Section 7. Revenue and Taxation................................................................................................................ 10 Section 8. Transportation, Communication, and Public Works.................................................................. 12 58 City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
i. Introduction and Purpose
The City of Moorpark developed and maintains a Legislative Platform to facilitate the City’s quick response to county, state, and federal legislation in a proactive manner, since legislation can often move quickly through legislative bodies, with insufficient time for the City Council to take a formal action on a particular piece of legislation. The Legislative Platform further serves as a guide for the City Council to consider legislative affairs on an ad hoc basis.
Whenever possible, the Mayor (or Mayor Pro Tem or City Manager, in the Mayor’s absence) is authorized to sign correspondence expressing the City’s position on pending legislation, consistent with the City’s Legislative Platform and/or other positions on pending legislation consistent with the Legislative Program or prior City Council actions. The Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS) Committee may also periodically review legislation for recommendation to the City Council.
City staff monitors state and county legislation for potential impacts to the City. State or federal legislation may also be brought to staff’s attention by the League of California Cities, Ventura Council of Governments, or other professional organizations for engineering, legislative, finance, community development, public safety, and other professions.
City positions on pending legislation on topics not included in the Legislative Program shall require a vote of the City Council. If warranted due to complexity, the City Manager may also present pending legislation to the Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS) Committee, or other standing committee as appropriate for the topic, for a recommendation prior to City Council consideration.
Nothing in the Legislative Platform is intended to preclude consideration of any legislation by the City Council, regardless of whether it is included in the Legislative Platform.
City positions in support of legislation on a specified topic shall be construed as opposition to something that shall do the opposite, and the reverse is also true. For example, if the Legislative Platform supports increased funding for libraries, it also inherently opposes decreased funding for libraries. ii. Participation in League of California Cities City Leaders Summit The City will participate in the City
Leaders Summit event, hosted by the
League of California Cities in Sacramento
annually in the spring.
The event includes in-person updates from the League of California Cities and its lobbyists representing cities’ interests, panel discussions of critical contemporaneous issues, meetings with the City’s representatives in the State Assembly and State Senate, and other networking opportunities.
Participation will further bolster the City’s abilities to successfully lobby state officials in the City’s interest.
59 City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
Solid Waste Services
1.1 Oppose legislation that would restrict or limit local government’s ability to franchise refuse and recycling collection services, to direct municipal solid waste flow (flow control), or to contractually require haulers to guarantee achievement of AB 939/AB 341/SB 1383 goals.
1.2 Support legislation that shifts AB 939 metrics from mathematical accounting toward program implementation.
1.3 Support legislation that provides cities with financial assistance for programs designed to provide for the safe disposal of solid, hazardous, and special wastes.
1.4 Support legislation that promotes source reduction measures without creating an unfunded mandate.
1.5 Support legislation and efforts to expand the market for recycled materials, including advance disposal fees, minimum content laws, manufacturer responsibility programs, and recycling market development zones.
1.6 Support new resource recovery and conversion technologies, such as bio-diesel from organic waste.
Library Services
1.7 Oppose legislation that reduces funds for libraries, including Public Library Funds, and support legislation that provides financial assistance for local public libraries without the imposition of new taxes.
1.8 Support legislation that ensures cities receive a proportionate share of property taxes upon withdrawal from a county library services district, or any other county service or district for which property taxes are received.
1.9 Support legislation with the intent to allow City operated Libraries (as opposed to districts) to have an “Advisory” commission, not a Board, as per current law.
Animal Services
1.10 Support legislation that promotes low-cost or no-cost spay and neuter programs.
1.11 Support legislation that holds animal owners accountable for injuries or property damage caused by animals under their care or control.
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1.12 Support legislation providing resources toward the Ventura County Animal Shelter expansion project.
Other Services
1.13 Support funding for local arts activities.
1.14 Support Community Choice Aggregation and measures that further the goals of choice, clean energy, and affordable rates.
1.15 Support a statewide, dedicated funding source for 211 dispatch services, designed to provide 24/7 support to meet public health and human services needs.
1.16 Support legislation limiting a city’s liability associated with hazardous recreational activities, such as skateboarding and in-line skating.
1.17 Support legislation that preserves existing resources, and that provides additional resources, for child care and early childhood education programs such as First 5 and the City’s programs operated at the Arroyo Vista Recreation Center.
1.18 Support legislation that provides funding for food and nutrition programs for low-income households.
1.19 Support legislation that provides support, funding, improved access, and/or improved outcomes for mental health and substance use disorder service providers.
2.1 Support legislation that streamlines the state’s environmental review process and maintains public participation without compromising environmental quality standards.
2.2 Support legislation and/or programs that provide money and resources to local governments for energy efficiency programs, energy conservation programs, and food waste recovery programs.
2.3 Support legislation that makes funds available to refurbish and improve parks and trails, and to acquire and maintain open space.
2.4 Support funding and legislation for the designation and preservation of open space and preservation, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources.
2.5 Support legislation that exempts from property taxes any City-owned property outside city limits (but within the same County) that is used for open space preservation purposes.
2.6 Support legislation that reimburses cities for revenue losses stemming from environmental decisions made without city participation.
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2.7 Support funding and other incentives for local government and private industry projects and planning strategies to promote sustainability in infrastructure and operations, greater energy efficiency, lower energy usage, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
2.8 Support legislation to ban all anticoagulant rodenticides statewide, with exceptions for emergencies.
2.9 Support legislation that reduces or eliminates local government’s owner/operator Superfund liability.
2.10 Support legislation to either consolidate or streamline the federal and state Clean Air Acts without reducing air quality standards.
2.11 Support air quality efforts that emphasize use of advanced technologies and market incentives, including use of alternative fuels and development of an infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles.
2.12 Support legislation and science-based regulation of herbicides, rodenticides, and similarly used chemically-based compounds.
3.1 Support development of reasonably achievable, environmentally sound, and cost-effective Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) based on monitoring and sound science.
3.2 Support legislation and programs to promote water recycling to better safeguard water supplies.
3.3 Support legislation that protects ground water quality.
3.4 Support legislation that provides incentives for water conservation and drought reduction, such as education, marketing, and rebate programs.
4.1 Oppose any measure that makes local agencies more dependent on the state for financial stability and policy direction.
4.2 Support legislation that provides maximum local flexibility in contracting for services, and oppose legislation that requires the use of city employees rather than contractors. 62 City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
4.3 Oppose legislation that limits and/or decreases the existing amount of retention proceeds withheld from any payment by a public entity to the contractor on a public project.
4.4 Oppose legislation that would restrict a city’s ability to use its own employees on public works projects when such projects have been previously advertised for bid.
4.5 Oppose legislation that increases local government’s exposure to litigation.
4.6 Oppose legislation that expands or extends any presumptions of occupational injury or illness.
4.7 Oppose legislation that would grant employee benefits that should be decided at the local bargaining table.
4.8 Oppose legislation that removes or reduces management rights, such as deciding staffing or service levels, either by direct action or increased liability.
4.9 Oppose efforts that reduce local control over public employee disputes or impose regulation of an outside agency on such disputes.
4.10 Support legislation that provides reasonable reform of local government pension systems and that preserves local control.
4.11 Oppose a mandatory Social Security tax for public employers and public employees.
4.12 Support legislation that would reform the Workers’ Compensation system to reduce employer cost through the reduction of system abuse.
4.13 Support legislation that limits the ability of employees to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits for occupational injuries/illnesses that result from stress, disciplinary action, or performance evaluation consultations.
4.14 Support alternative methods of meeting public notice requirements and enhancing them through the use of cost effective and innovative, technology friendly methods of communication.
4.15 Support modifying the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) to provide cities more flexibility to remedy a potential CVRA lawsuit by converting to a rank-choice voting (RCV) method.
4.16 Support U.S. Congressional, California State Senate, California State Assembly, Ventura County Supervisorial, and other regional governmental districting/redistricting maps that keep Moorpark within one district and keep Moorpark in districts with neighboring communities in southeastern Ventura County.
4.17 Support legislation facilitating remote attendance and participation at public meetings subject to the Brown Act, if there is a declared emergency.
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Land Use/Planning
5.1 Support efforts that are consistent with the doctrine of “local control” and the local exercise of police powers, through planning and zoning processes, over local land use.
5.2 Support legislation that strengthens local control to prepare, adopt, and implement fiscal plans for orderly growth, development, beautification, and conservation of local planning areas, including, but not limited to, regulatory authority over zoning, subdivisions, and annexations.
5.3 Support local discretion in the assessment, collection, and usage of development fees.
5.4 Oppose legislation that restricts or weakens a City’s ability to regulate smoking areas, sale of tobacco products and electronic smoking devices and products, alcoholic beverage licenses, marijuana dispensaries, or adult-oriented business establishments.
5.5 Oppose legislation that limits cities’ use of eminent domain as a resource for extraordinary circumstances.
5.6 Support legislation that reforms annexation law by strengthening cities’ authority over spheres of influence and ensures that fair property tax agreements can be obtained.
5.7 Oppose county development projects for undeveloped areas in the City’s area of interest that do not conform to City standards.
5.8 Support legislation that provides for shared land use determinations between counties and cities when the General Plan of the city establishes a planning area consistent with Government Code provisions.
Housing
5.9 Oppose legislation that expands the state Department of Housing and Community Development’s review role for local Housing Elements.
5.10 Support legislation that addresses occupancy levels and strengthens cities’ ability to reduce overcrowding in residential housing.
5.11 Support efforts to develop federal, state, and county participation, financial support, and incentives for programs that provide adequate, affordable housing for the elderly, handicapped, and low-income persons throughout the community.
5.12 Support Housing Element reform legislation that provides greater local control and flexibility, simplifies the process, and improves its effectiveness. 64 City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
5.13 Support legislation that fairly implements the Regional Housing Need Allocation process and defines an equitable process to determine a “fair share” of new housing need to respond to growth trends in the region.
5.14 Support legislation to ensure that property tax valuations for deed restricted dwelling units with reinforcing Deeds of Trust are based on the Affordable Sales Price, actually paid by the buyers, rather than based on market value.
5.15 Support legislation to protect homebuyers from predatory lending by ensuring that mortgage brokers are effectively regulated and that mortgage loans are suited to the financial means of the homebuyer.
Economic Development/Redevelopment
5.16 Support legislation that gives cities resources to finance economic development efforts, such as business attraction, retention, and growth, as well as marketing and tourism.
5.17 Support the enactment and expansion of tax increment financing authority for economic development, infrastructure, and community revitalization.
5.18 Support efforts to protect local military bases from closure and the work of the Regional Defense Partnership 21st Century (RDP-21).
Homelessness
5.19 Support legislation that provides financial support and assistance to local governments, nonprofit organizations, and other groups that provide services to unsheltered people, including for related social services, temporary housing, transitional housing, permanent housing, and mental health services, particularly those initiatives that lead to self-sufficiency.
6.1 Oppose legislation that weakens enforcement of, and penalties for, commercial truck violations.
6.2 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for commercial truck safety inspections and the enforcement of commercial truck vehicle codes.
6.3 Support legislation that promotes the efforts of the Moorpark Police Department and the Ventura County Fire District to maintain the level of services consistent in sustaining the City’s rank as one of the nation’s “Safest Cities.”
6.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for emergency preparedness (including planning, mitigation, and education) and disaster recovery efforts. 65 City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
6.5 Support legislation and additional state and federal legislation crafted to ensure that first responders can perform their duties during emergency response operations without interference from unmanned aerial systems/drones.
6.6 Support efforts to construct an additional fire station serving the northeastern portion of Moorpark.
6.7 Support development of wildland fuel management programs to mitigate or decrease impacts to public health and safety resulting from wildland-urban interface fires and the presence of Very High Wildfire Severity Zones in the community.
6.8 Oppose legislation that would shift the costs or liability of wildfire emergency response to local governments.
6.9 Support legislation that increases local law enforcement resources without increasing taxes.
6.10 Protect funding for state Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) and federal Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) funding.
6.11 Support legislation that allows use of state and federal public safety grants for maintenance efforts in addition to service increases.
6.12 Support legislation that would provide cities with contract law enforcement a proportionate share of Proposition 172 sales tax revenues for public safety.
6.13 Support legislation that would provide cities with a greater share of fines and forfeitures.
6.14 Support legislation that would provide a greater share of seized assets to cities.
6.15 Support legislation that provides resources for education, intervention, treatment, and criminal justice programs related to the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.
7.1 Support measures that provide greater fiscal independence to cities and result in greater stability and predictability in local government budgeting.
7.2 Oppose any change in revenue allocations that would negatively affect the City of Moorpark, including but not limited to the redistribution of sales tax, property tax, transient occupancy tax, and vehicle in-lieu fees.
7.3 Oppose legislation that: (A) Eliminates or restricts the taxing authority of cities over development; (B) Weakens existing Government Code Section 66000 fee authority; or (C) Redefines any development tax, condition, or other monetary charge as development fees. 66 City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
7.4 Support legislation requiring the state and federal governments to provide full cost reimbursement to cities for all mandated programs and for all programs resulting in revenue losses.
7.5 Support legislation that protects the ability of local government to recover the costs of mandated programs through fees that are not subject to Proposition 218.
7.6 Support legislation that safeguards existing City revenue sources from preemption or seizure by the state or county.
7.7 Oppose legislation that restricts or limits a city’s ability to use tax-exempt debt for the purchase or construction of public purpose improvements.
7.8 Support legislation that eliminates cities’ contributions to the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) and directs the repayment of past contributions.
7.9 Support the establishment of a constitutionally-protected funding structure for local government.
7.10 Support efforts that provide greater accountability on the part of counties for the distribution of funds back to municipalities, including, but not limited to, fines and forfeitures.
7.11 Advocate and join with other Ventura County cities to encourage the Ventura County TreasurerTax Collector to shorten the time to collect property tax readjustments.
7.12 Support efforts by state government to distribute revenue to local government in a manner that does not create incentives for commercial “sprawl” retail development and/or disincentives for residential, industrial, open space, or agricultural land uses.
7.13 Support legislation to authorize a simple majority of the voters in a city or county to establish local priorities, including the right to increase taxes or issue general obligation bonds.
7.14 Support legislation to ensure sales and use tax proceeds collected from Internet sales be allocated to the local jurisdiction where the product is received by the purchaser.
7.15 Oppose efforts to cut funding for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs and other community services and workforce assistance programs to serve low-income and/or other disadvantaged residents.
7.16 Support legislation to give non-entitlement cities the same rights as entitlement cities in CDBG program administration.
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Transportation
8.1 Support legislation that will help reduce non-local commercial vehicle traffic on SR-118 through the City.
8.2 Oppose efforts to increase truck size or weight.
8.3 Support enhanced autonomy for local transportation decision-making, and pursue transportation policy changes that move more dollars and decisions to local policy leaders.
8.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources to cities to finance local transportation systems, facilities, and improvements, including funding for the Safe Routes to Schools programs, ADA-related improvements, and the City’s Arroyo Simi Trail project.
8.5 Encourage the timely appropriations for the safety and enhancement of surface transportation in the region, including local transit, commuter rail, highway projects such as the widening of the SR 118 Freeway, local road improvements, and intermodal transportation center development, and to encourage transit-oriented projects in the downtown area.
8.6 Support efforts to construct and operate a full-service Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility (a.k.a. weigh station) along SR 118.
8.7 Support legislation that provides funding, incentives, and rebates for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations.
Telecommunications
8.8 Support efforts to provide for the improvement of broadband availability, accessibility, competition, and performance in the city and in Ventura County.
8.9 Support efforts to provide financial support for broadband access, especially for seniors, students, and low-income residents.
8.10 Oppose any legislation that reduces or restricts local authority to regulate public right-of-way and receive compensation for its use, including use by electric bicycle and scooter vehicle sharing companies.
8.11 Oppose regulations and legislation that erodes or eliminates local government authority regarding siting of cellular communications towers or transmission sites.
8.12 Support legislation that reinstates effective local regulation of the cable television industry and other deregulated utilities, including financial reimbursement for use of public right-of-way. 68 City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
8.13 Support preserving public, education, and government (PEG) television channels, funding, and programming support by video service providers, such as payments to local government of franchise fees, PEG fees, and facility/equipment grants, and furnishing public access production facilities.
8.14 Oppose efforts to make PEG channels hard to find or navigate to, such as on an obscure channel or accessible only via several Internet web page menus, of any lesser signal quality than basic channels, or requiring an additional fee or device for viewers to access.
Public Works
8.15 Support efforts to develop funding policies and incentives at the state and federal level to ensure funding for the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of public infrastructure.
8.16 Oppose efforts to shift legal costs and liability away from design professionals and contractors to local governments.
8.17 Support legislation that gives cities the authority to meet their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements on a more collective and regional basis.
8.18 Support legislation that holds electric utilities accountable for the prevention of Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events and mitigation of their impacts. 69