City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: January 13, 2025
Report #:2411-3774
TITLE
Discussion regarding State and Federal Legislative Advocacy and Adoption of the Policy and Services Committee Recommendations on the 2025 State and Federal Legislative Guidelines.
RECOMMENDATION
The Policy and Services Committee recommends that the City Council adopt the 2025 State and Federal Legislative Guidelines (Attachment A) and receive a legislative update.
BACKGROUND
As part of the City’s state and federal legislative advocacy program, staff and Townsend Public Affairs, the City’s federal and state legislative advocates, work to identify and analyze potentially impactful legislation and communicate the City’s public advocacy positions to legislators. The program is guided by the Advocacy Process Manual 1 and a City Council-approved set of Legislative Guidelines. The guidelines provide direction to staff and the City’s legislative advocates on issues that are important to the City Council and likely to become a legislative issue.
In consultation with the Mayor, staff use the guidelines to respond to issues throughout the year.
These guidelines allow for flexible and quick responses to emerging issues in the fast-paced legislative environment without returning to the City Council each time an issue arises.
ANALYSIS
Legislative Guidelines
The Policy and Services Committee discussed the 2025 State and Federal Legislative Guidelines at its November 6, 2024 meeting 2 and voted to advance the updated guidelines to the City Council for adoption. Updates reflect Committee direction, topics the City Council has expressed interest in and issues expected to be prominent in the upcoming legislative year. 1 Advocacy Process Manual: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/intergovernmental- affairs/advocacy-manual-updated-jan-2020.pdf
2 Policy and Services Committee, November 6, 2024; Agenda Item 1; Staff Report #2407-3241 https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=15686
Legislative Update
As mentioned above, Townsend Public Affairs are the City’s legislative advocates in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Townsend’s Update Memo (Attachment B) previews the upcoming legislative year for the state and federal governments, including anticipated issues, budget outlooks, and legislation that may be of interest to the City.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. The City Council budgets annually for the legislative advocacy services and these efforts are led by staff in the City Clerk’s Office in close collaboration with the City Manager’s Office with stakeholder support across other City departments on key issues.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Staff from multiple departments meet regularly with Townsend to discuss legislative actions and advocacy that could impact the City.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The City’s legislative advocacy activities are not a project under section 15378(b)(25) of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (administrative activities that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Draft 2025 State and Federal Legislative Guidelines Attachment B - Townsend Public Affairs Update Memo
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk