LEAGUE OF
CALIFORNIA
CITIES
January 9, 2025
MEMORANDUM
To: City Managers and City Clerks
From: League of California Cities Executive Director and CEO Carolyn Coleman Subject: 2025 League of California Cities Membership Dues Invoice Thank you for your city's membership in Cal Cities. We achieved so much together in 2024 by partnering to ensure the strength and resiliency of our diverse cities in the face of our state's difficult economic times. We know your city's financial resources are not unlimited, and we greatly value your city's contribution to ensuring California city leaders and cities are strong today and tomorrow.
Achieving Strong Results
Accompanying your city's 2025 membership dues invoice is the League of California Cities 2024 Annual Report. Together, we proactively advocated for resources and drove policies that were member-informed and grounded in the voices and experiences of cities.
The value and benefits your city gains from belonging to Cal Cities makes supporting Cal Cities a wise investment. A customized "Return on Investment" report for your city is also enclosed. This report summarizes the significant financial benefits your city receives as a direct result of Cal Cities' advocacy. As you can see, the value of your participation in Cal Cities is many multiples of the annual dues payment. Equally important, the value of membership provides elected and appointed city officials in your city the ability to engage in meaningful policy discussions, pertinent educational workshops and relevant networking opportunities.
Advancing the Mission
Today, as in 1898 when California cities first came together to protect their common interests, Cal Cities serves as the leading voice for cities across California. Working in concert with 477 member cities, partners, and coalition supporters, protecting and expanding local decision-making through advocacy and education remains the cornerstone of Cal Cities activities.
In 2024, Cal Cities thwarted bills that threatened local revenue streams and led a robust opposition campaign in blocking a dangerous ballot measure that presented an existential threat to local funding for local services. Cal Cities partnered successfully with the Legislature to get funding that helps cities prevent and reduce homelessness restored in the final state budget package. Cal Cities also played a leading role in advancing a $10 billion climate bond and new laws to keep our communities safe by holding repeat retail theft offenders accountable and helping prevent the deadly spread of fentanyl.
With timely, cutting-edge topics, Cal Cities also welcomed high levels of engagement from city officials at our events and flagship conferences that were hosted in communities around the state and virtually.
In 2025, Cal Cities will again be a vital resource for your community. We look forward to partnering with you to elevate the voice of city leadership through our advocacy in the Legislature and the courts on these priorities identified by our members:
• Protect local revenues and expand economic development tools. • Strengthen climate change resiliency and disaster preparedness. • Strengthen and modernize critical infrastructure.
• Secure investments to prevent and reduce homelessness and increase the supply of affordable housing.
Membership Remains Affordable
Under the Cal Cities bylaws, annual membership dues are based on city population as set forth by the California Department of Finance.
Balancing the fiscal impact on cities with the key role membership dues play in sustaining Cal Cities' strong operations, the Cal Cities Board authorized a 3% adjustment to the dues schedule for 2025. This decision reflects the Board's commitment to membership while ensuring adequate funding to support Cal Cities' advocacy and program activities.
In addition, consistent with Board policy, Cal Cities maintains a Litigation Contingency Reserve Account (LCRA) funded through an optional voluntary surcharge set as a percentage of dues. Reviewed annually by the Board, the LCRA is intended to (1) cover expenses incurred from board-approved litigation within a single budget year; and (2) maintain sufficient set-asides to cover expenses Cal Cities would incur if the organization becomes, or remains involved in, board-approved litigation during the following year. Fully funded for 2024, contributions to the optional voluntary litigation surcharge are not required and are shown as a zero on the enclosed invoice.
California Cities Are Stronger Together
Through Cal Cities, all cities and all city officials have the opportunity to help shape vital solutions to the issues of greatest importance to our cities and the state of California.
On behalf of Cal Cities Officers and Board, I encourage your enthusiastic support of and participation in the League of California Cities during 2025 and beyond. Together, we build even stronger cities and a more vibrant California.
If you have any questions about this matter, please contact Steve Maciel, Chief Financial Officer at [email protected] or 916-658-8277.
Enclosures: Dues invoice
Dues schedule
Return on Investment Report
Membership Benefits
2024 Annual Report
LEAGUE OF
CALIFORNIA
CITIES
INVOICE
To: City Manager Invoice: INV-26861-V4S4X7
City of Ripon
259 N Wilma Ave
Ripon, CA 95366-3028 Terms: Feb. 28, 2025
Date Description Amount
01/2025 Membership dues for calendar year 2025 $7,997.00 Optional litigation surcharge $0.00
Total Amount $7,997.00
City of Ripon
Official Population: 15,741
2025 Advocacy Priorities
Protect local revenues and expand economic development tools.
Our mission is to expand and prolet cal fort or tile through education and Cal Cities Membership - Your Best Investment
www.calcities.org
Please make checks payable to
LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES
1400 K Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, California 95814-3916
1400 K Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814 916.658.8200 calcities.org League of California Cities
2025 Dues Schedule
2025
For cities having a population of: 2024 Dues Increase 2025 Dues to 500 89 $3 $92
501 to 600 234 7 241
601 to 700 --- 467 14 481
701 to 800 - - - 511 15 526
801 to 900 --- 612 18 630
901 to 1,000 ... 718 22
1,001 to 1,250 --- 896 27
1,251 to 1,500 --- 1,076 32
1,501 to 1,750 --- 1,255 38
2,000 1,435 43
1,751 to ---
2,001 to 2,250 --- 1,614 48
2,251 to 2,500 - - - 1,795 54
2,501 to 2,750 - - - 1,972 59
2,751 to 3,000 2,153 65
3,00l to 4,000 - - - 2,870 86
4,001 to 5,000 --- 3,585 108
5,001 to 7,500 4,840 145
7,501 to 10,000 5,585 168
10,001 to 15,000 6,742 202
15,001 to 20,000 -.- 7,764 233
20,001 to 25,000 9,720 292
25,001 to 30,000 --- 11,672 350 12,022
30,001 to 40,000 - - - 14,367 431 14,798
40,001 to 50,000 --- 17,480 524 18,004
50,001 to 60,000 20,135 604 20,739
60,001 to 70,000 - - - 22,130 664 22,794
70,001 80,000 -- 23,246 697 23,943
80,001 to 90,000 24,779 743 25,522
90,001 to 100,000 27,145 814 27,959
100,001 to 125,000 30,959 929 31,888
125,001 to 150,000 34,076 1,022 35,098
150,001 to 200,000 38,731 1,162 39,893
200,001 to 500,000 40,670 1,220 41,890
PlUS 1941 58 1,999
per each full 10,000 of population over 200,001
500,001 to 640,000 98,720 2,962 101,682
Plus 1,793 54 1,847
per each full 10,000 of population over 500,001
Over 640,000 123,009 3,690 126,699
A bylaws provision states that no city's dues may increase by more than $5,000.
LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES
LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP -- A GREAT INVESTMENT
Customized Return on Investment Report
December 2024
RIPON FY2020-21 FY2021-22FY2022-23FY2023-24 FY2024-25 Total RIPON's Dues 6,170 6,170 7,538 7,764 7,997 35,639
VLE/Property Tax Swap ( 633,755 688,147 718,984 839,457 924,109 3,804,451 Local Revenues protected by Prop, 22(2) 360,520 359,992 398,195 449,914 458,711 2,027,333 SB89 VLF Shift - 107,241 - 108,365 -114,419 -115,406 -117,714 -563,146 SB1 Transportation Funds - Local Streets and Roads (3) 295,319 328,090 340,591 387,556 413,797 1,765,353 CARES Act 196,690 196,690
ARP Act 3,919,879 3,919,879
Total Return 1,379,043 5,187,744 1,343,351 1,561,520 1,678,903 11,150,561 Rate of Return 224:1 841:1 178:1 201:1 210:1 313:1
Our mission is to expand and protect local control
for cities through education and advocacy
to enhance the quality of life for all Californians.