City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: FEBRUARY 15, 2022 FROM: CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM UPDATE
ISSUE:
Review and approval of the City’s Legislative Platform.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Review and approve the City’s Legislative Platform; and Direct staff to coordinate with the City’s legislative advocacy team to advance the City’s legislative priorities and actively pursue grant funding for priority projects.
BACKGROUND:
Every two years, the City Council considers an update to the City’s Legislative Platform (Platform) to coincide with a new legislative session. The Platform provides focus and guides the City’s advocacy efforts, ensuring the most effective use of available resources. Equally important, it provides for a streamlined process that enables City staff, as well as the City’s legislative advocacy team, to act in a timely manner in response to legislative proposals. Due to unforeseen circumstances related to the Covid-19 pandemic and with the loss of key City personnel, this platform was not taken to City Council for adoption in 2021. Although this platform has been used as a guide for decisions related to key legislation during the current legislative session, it is important to adopt the Platform.
In December 2021, City staff met with the Mayor and City Council to review the Platform and receive feedback. The proposed Platform has been developed with input received from the Mayor, City Council, Department Directors and the City Manager’s Office. The Platform is also informed by the legislative priorities of local and regional partner agencies and organizations.
DISCUSSION:
The Legislative Platform for the City of Riverside was developed in uniformity with the Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan. Legislative priorities are categorized under the umbrella of the City Council’s six strategic priority areas. The cross-cutting threads of Community Trust, Equity, Fiscal Responsibility, Innovation, and Sustainability & Resiliency are recurring themes throughout the Legislative Platform that help shape our advocacy efforts.
Priority areas highlighted in the Platform include:
Arts, Culture & Recreation: Riverside seeks resources and supports opportunities to provide diverse community experiences and personal enrichment opportunities for people of all ages.
Community Well-Being: Riverside seeks resources and tools to promote the safety of City residents, elevate the community’s preparedness and resiliency to address and recover from natural and human-caused disasters, and to provide diverse and affordable housing opportunities to protect and enhance the City’s quality of life.
Economic Opportunity: Riverside supports activities and opportunities that will help develop a skilled workforce and grow the local economy.
Environmental Stewardship: Riverside seeks funding and supports opportunities to maximize sustainability initiatives including local resource recovery and renewable energy production.
High Performing Government: Riverside supports opportunities that will help ensure the financial health of the City and leverage public tax dollars for maximum local benefit.
Infrastructure, Mobility and Connectivity: Riverside seeks funding and opportunities to mitigate the disproportionate share of negative impacts on the City related to national goods movement as well as to implement Complete Streets design principles to safely accommodate all users, including cars, buses, bicyclists and pedestrians.
Key legislative issues and funding priorities are described further in the document. The principle of Local Control is woven throughout each of the overarching priority areas and will serve as a guiding assumption to direct City staff on issues that require attention.
The City may support legislation that is consistent with the Platform and may oppose legislation that is inconsistent with the Platform. Legislative matters will be reviewed and considered by the City Manager’s Office and will be coordinated with the Mayor’s Office for signature as appropriate. Due to the dynamic nature of the policy making process, additional issues are likely to arise during the legislative session, including some that could create significant impacts on the City. These issues will be addressed accordingly and may necessitate additional consideration from the City Council.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The City’s Legislative Platform supports all six Strategic Priorities outlined in the Envision Riverside 2025 Strategic Plan and aligns with each of the five Cross Cutting Threads.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated this action.
Prepared by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer Approved by: Al Zelinka, FAICP, City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments: Legislative Platform
Presentation
Legislative Platform Update ● Page 2