Attachment B
LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
CITY OF SANTA MARIA
2025
1 Table of Contents
Governance ..................................................................................................................... 3 Human Resources/Employment Relations ...................................................................... 3 Telecommunications ........................................................................................................ 4 Economic Development .................................................................................................. 5 Planning and Housing ..................................................................................................... 6 Homelessness ................................................................................................................. 7 Finance ........................................................................................................................... 7 Library ............................................................................................................................. 8 Transportation and Infrastructure .................................................................................... 9 Public Safety ................................................................................................................. 11 Recreation and Parks .................................................................................................... 12 Solid Waste ................................................................................................................... 13 Water/Wastewater/ Stormwater ..................................................................................... 15 Utilities ........................................................................................................................... 17 Airport ............................................................................................................................ 18 Defense ......................................................................................................................... 18
2 Introduction and Purpose
The City of Santa Maria 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 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, 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 prior City Council Actions.
City staff monitors State and County legislation for potential impacts to the City. State or Federal legislation may also be brought to the staff’s attention by the League of California Cities, Santa Barbara County Association 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 P latform or consistent with prior City Council Actions shall require a vote of the City Council. 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.
3 Governance
1. Support ensuring that funding is provided for any improvements, programs, and projects required of the City through State or Federal mandates.
2. Oppose unfunded State or Federal mandates.
3. Oppose legislation that fails to provide adequate funding or creates a negative cash position for the City, the State, and Federally mandated programs.
4. Oppose any measure that makes local agencies more dependent on the State for financial stability and policy direction.
5. Monitor proposed cuts to non- defense discretionary programs of importance to the City of Santa Maria.
6. Support legislation to allow cities the option of providing online access to public meetings.
7. Support mail ballot elections.
8. Oppose any restrictions on funding to the City of Santa Maria based on the perceived “sanctuary city” actions of other jurisdictions or the State of California. The City of Santa Maria is not a sanctuary city.
Human Resources/Employment Relations
1. Oppose efforts that reduce local control over public employee disputes.
2. *Oppose interference with management rights or the ability of cities and their employees to bargain on matters within the scope of representation.
3. Support legislation that would reform the Workers’ Compensation system to reduce employer cost through the reduction of system abuse.
4 Telecommunications
1. Support legislation protecting the authority of interested communities to establish internet services and support at the local level with a preference for broadband.
2. Oppose legislation that would require, in the event of a security data breach, the City to provide identity theft mitigation services at no cost to the impacted persons.
3. Support legislation that prohibits internet access service providers from blocking, throttling, or otherwise restricting or discriminating against lawful content.
4. Support legislation for grants to improve Wi -Fi availability in the City parks and facilities.
5. Oppose legislation that would preempt local government control and force local governments to lease publicly owned infrastructure for the installation of “small cell” wireless towers.
6. Support legislation that preserves and expands P ublic, Education, and Government (PEG) Access television and allows PEG Access funding to be used to support basic operational costs, including employee salaries, as well as , capital maintenance and replacement.
7. Support preserving 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. 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.
9. Support the Community Access Preservation Act or similar legislation that would effectively restore Congressionally intended funding for Public, Educational , and Governmental Access Centers and their activity.
5 Economic Development
1. Support legislation that would provide State or Federal aid and assistance in the development of local and regional economies.
2. Support legislation that would provide resources and mechanisms to local governments to finance economic development efforts.
3. Support legislation that would provide local officials with more discretion in the use of State and Federal funds.
4. Support legislation that will provide tools and incentives to support job creation and retention, such as Infrastructure Financing Districts, awarding of direct grants to fund the development of infrastructure that results in the creation and retention of jobs, the elimination of matching dollar requirements for economic development and infrastructure State grants; the provision of grant funding for infrastructure planning and design and the creation of economic development strategies; and allowing cities the maximum flexibility in the use of State funds toward local priorities that support job creation.
5. Support legislation that provides additional tools to the City to provide business development and retention and job creation to generate economic stimulus.
6. Support legislation that expands enterprise zones to assist the City’s economic development.
7. Oppose legislation that withholds or diminishes reasonable compensation for the use of local public rights of way.
8. Support continued funding of the Economic Development Administration.
9. Support legislation that streamlines the Surplus Land Act or facilitates the sale of publicly owned land for economic development purposes.
6 Planning and Housing
1. Support local control of land use planning and zoning matters.
2. Support local discretion in the assessment, collection, and usage of development fees.
3. Support the State's provision of infrastructure funding to help local communities meet California’s growth demands and to increase housing affordability.
4. Support sustainable funding for affordable workforce housing.
5. Support State and Federal assistance to prevent the loss of housing for those impacted by local, State, or Federal disasters.
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.
7. Support adequate funding for the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships programs for future fiscal years because of their critical role in the City’s efforts to support those that are least fortunate.
8. Support responsible review and revision of CEQA to ensure sound environmental determinations.
9. Support legislation that enhances or expands community tools to address revitalization and redevelopment needs, including blight, economic development, and affordable housing.
10. Support State and Federal legislation and programs that provide funding directly to local municipalities for decision-making at the local level instead of application-based awards.
7 Homelessness
1. Support legislation that provides sustainable financial support and assistance to local governments, non- profit 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.
2. Support legislation and sustainable funding for the prevention of homelessness and support of families and individuals vulnerable to becoming homeless.
3. Oppose legislation that seeks to circumvent local control and consideration of local circumstances and safety of the general public when addressing homelessness.
Finance
1. Support legislation that maintains or provides funding mechanisms to provide better service (i.e., streets and roads infrastructure, economic development -related programs, water and sewer infrastructure).
2. Oppose legislation that would change the property tax collection method or formula that would result in less property tax to local governments.
3. Oppose legislation that would transfer a local government’s reserves, or designated reserves, to the State or other agency, or reduces a local government’s revenue due to the level of reserves it maintains.
4. Oppose legislation that would reduce or eliminate critical local programs and services as a result of State budget cuts (i.e., public safety, transportation, streets and roads).
5. Support legislation that would amend the State Constitution Article XIIID, Section 6.C, to include storm drain fees among the list of types of fees that are exempt from the voting requirements imposed by Proposition 218.
6. Oppose attempts to preempt or reduce voter-approved local revenue measures.
7. Support State and local authority for the City to collect their fair allocation of sales tax on Internet or other remote transactions.
8 8. Support legislation that returns motor vehicle license fees to local governments without any offsets to existing local revenues.
9. Support legislation to collect and retain for local agencies the full amount of local transient occupancy tax from online sales of lodging.
10. Oppose legislation that would threaten the tax exemption on State and local bonds, including a cap on tax-exempt municipal bonds.
11. Oppose legislation that shifts revenue from local government to the State, or another agency, for any purpose, or that reduces local discretion in the use of local government revenues.
12. Support legislation that further protects local government revenue from being taken, confiscated, shifted, diverted, or otherwise used to fund State government, or another agency’s, operations, and responsibilities.
Library
1. Support legislation providing State and Federal funding for improving early literacy, for supporting public library services assisting elementary and secondary school students with information, research, and curriculum -related materials, adult literacy and computer literacy instruction, and acquisition of learning materials.
2. Support legislation that ensures equitable access to information and protects freedom of individual choice in materials and resources for library users.
3. Support State and Federal funding to help libraries provide equipment, networks, and other resources to further digital and technological equity in our communities.
4. Support funding for outreach and expansion of resources to underserved communities.
5. Support funding that will provide capital improvements to facilities to address current use, safety and accessibility.
6. Support full funding of the State Public Library Fund, with the understanding that libraries play an integral role in building and sustaining our communities.
9 7. Oppose elimination or further reduction of the State Public Library Fund or other sources of library funding.
8. Oppose elimination of the California Library Literacy Services Program.
Transportation and Infrastructure
1. Support maintaining and enhancing existing Federal investment in infrastructure.
2. Support opportunities to secure funding for the City of Santa Maria’s infrastructure investment priorities.
3. Support legislation that furthers Vision Zero principles (no deaths or serious injuries from vehicle collisions).
4. Support legislation that empowers local agencies to improve safety and accessibility for all users. (Reduce engineering prohibition on improvements such as crosswalks, stop signs, etc. that can be limited by CAMUTCD.)
5. Support funding for improved technology in transportation (V2X technology, Signal communications, adaptive timing, traffic signal prioritization, etc.)
6. Support funding for the reduction in unnecessary pavement.
7. Support funding for public amenities in right-of-way and placemaking.
8. Support funding for public art.
9. Support grants, loans, tax credits, and other incentives to assist local governments, businesses, and the public to invest in energy-efficient equipment, greenhouse gas reduction measures, and renewable energy technology.
10. Support grants, loans, tax credits, and other incentives to assist the public and local governments in using alternative fuels and purchasing fuel-efficient and/or flex-fueled vehicles.
11. Support increased availability of grant funding to replace aging infrastructure of all types, e.g., streets, bridges, water, sewer, parks, and storm sewer systems, etc.
12. Support monetary incentives or grant funding for electric vehicles for the replacement of municipal fleet equipment.
10 13. Support funding and policies that support and enhance active transportation modes such as bicycles, pedestrian, and transit.
14. Support continued protection of SB -1 and other funding for transportation infrastructure maintenance.
15. Support policies and legislation that maintain local control of parking rules, regulations, rates, and citation fees.
16. Support permanently allowing local governments to use design-build processes and expand the types of projects on which cities can use design- build and progressive design-build.
17. Support enhanced autonomy for local transportation decision- making, and pursue transportation policy changes that move more dollars and decisions to local policy leaders.
18. Support legislation that provides funding, incentives, and rebates for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations.
19. Support appropriations of existing and new State and Federal funds directly to cities and counties for the preservation, maintenance, rehabilitation, and improvement of the local street and transportation system.
20. Support local transportation decision- making and pursue transportation policy changes that move funding and decision- making to the local level to fund urban infrastructure needs.
21. Support funding opportunities for bicycle and pedestrian projects.
22. Support legislation that maintains or increases local funding for transportation projects, including State gas tax, Highways Users’ Tax (HUTA) Proposition 42 and 1B funds.
23. Oppose temporary or permanent reduction in Gas Tax Revenue (i.e. Gas Tax Holiday).
24. Support legislation that prevents “borrowing” or taking of local transportation funds by the State of California.
25. Support retention of maximum City control of the local street and road system.
26. Support local discretion to set lower speed limits.
27. Support legislation to facilitate buses in turn-out pockets merging back into traffic and requiring motorists to yield to merging buses.
11 28. Support State or Federal funding for conversion of asphalt to pervious, or landscaped area.
Public Safety
1. Support representation of cities and counties on decisions affecting public safety.
2. Support grant opportunities to enhance public safety.
3. Support legislation to allow the sharing of automated license plate reader data with law enforcement agencies outside the State to further active criminal investigations.
4. Oppose legislation that would ban law enforcement's use of automated license plate reader devices.
5. Oppose legislation that would ban law enforcement's use of canines.
6. Support legislation to provide additional funding to local, county, and State law enforcement agencies.
7. Support legislation to provide funding to help communities prepare for response, recovery, and resiliency after natural disasters.
8. Support funding and training for emergency response to electrified vehicles and infrastructure.
9. Support legislation that would provide additional resources for emergency preparedness (including planning, mitigation, and education) and disaster recovery efforts.
10. Oppose legislation that would shift the costs or liability of wildfire emergency response to local governments.
11. Support local control of emergency medical services and authorize cities and fire districts to prescribe and monitor the manner and scope of pre- hospital emergency medical services, including ambulance transport services, provided within local boundaries to improve pre-hospital emergency medical service.
12 12. Oppose legislation, regulations , and standards that impose minimum staffing and response time standards for the City’s fire and emergency medical services since such determinations should reflect the conditions and priorities of individual cities.
13. Support additional funding for local agencies to recoup the costs associated with fire safety in the community and timely mutual aid reimbursement for disaster response services in other jurisdictions.
Recreation and Parks
1. Support legislation that promotes the acquisition, development, or redevelopment of parkland to meet community park and recreation needs.
2. Support regional multi-agency open space acquisition initiatives.
3. Support the continuation of funding for Coastal Access Projects.
4. Support legislation that retains or enhances public access to and the affordability of public parks and recreation programs.
5. Support legislation regarding funding to serve underserved neighborhoods and vulnerable populations.
6. Support legislation that fosters the protection and restoration of natural resources, including streams, stream and riparian habitat, wetlands, estuaries, rural and urban open space, etc.
7. Support the creation of permanent State or Federal funding sources for youth programs.
8. Support increased State and Federal funding for affordable after -school programs and programs that promote and enhance the physical fitness and well -being of children and youth.
9. Support legislation that would provide State and Federal funding for increased access for children with disabilities to after -school and other recreation programs, including required staff support related to medications, mobility, and activity integration.
10. Support legislation that would provide State and Federal funding for the acquisition, development and/or operation of park and recreation facilities that serve underprivileged children, families, and older adults and which promote and enhance physical health and well-being of children, youth, adults, and seniors. 13 11. Support efforts to develop and improve intergenerational recreation programs and activities that include seniors.
12. Support funding for wellness, physical activity, recreational programs, and daycare for seniors on low or fixed incomes.
13. Support legislation that makes funds available to refurbish and improve parks, and trails, and to acquire and maintain open space.
14. Support funding and legislation for the designation and preservation of open space and the preservation, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources.
15. Support alternative funding for the mitigation of carbon dioxide by planting more public trees.
16. Support Federal transportation funds to be used to provide recreational travel experiences for underserved youth and seniors.
17. Support the funding for the removal of fossil fuel infrastructure to be left in place after the shutdown of production operations.
Solid Waste
1. Support legislation that provides the City with funding for programs to provide for the safe disposal of solid, hazardous, and special wastes.
2. Support recycling, waste diversion, and zero waste programs and enhancing the City’s ability to comply with solid waste reduction requirements (including the building of recycling infrastructure and organics / biosolids composting facilities).
3. Oppose legislation that would restrict or limit the City’s ability to franchise refuse and recycling collection services, to direct municipal solid waste flow (flow control), or to contractually require haulers to guarantee the achievement of diversion goals, such as, but not limited to AB 939/AB 341/SB 1383.
4. Support legislation that promotes source reduction measures.
5. Support legislation to develop a permit process for solid waste anaerobic digestion and/or conversion technologies that reduce the amount of solid waste landfilled, and do not impede or impair existing and planned recycling and waste reduction programs.
14 6. Support legislation to encourage the development of transformation technologies by providing full diversion credit for the waste that jurisdictions send to transformation facilities.
7. Oppose legislation that would preempt local land use authority over solid waste facilities, restrict the ability of a city to issue a land use permit for a solid waste facility, or restrict the ability of a city to apply conditions to such facilities through the conditional use permit process.
8. Support legislation that prohibits dumping waste matter on public property or on private property without the consent of the owner and makes this offense punishable by fines.
9. Support the right of cities to be designated as Local Enforcement Agencies for solid waste facility permitting, inspection, and enforcement.
10. Support legislation that establishes mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility for all materials.
11. Support clear labeling standards that distinguish between what is recyclable or compostable with consumer direction on proper disposal.
12. Support legislation efforts to discourage or reduce the use of single- use material to increase diversion from landfills and encourage reusable materials.
13. Support legislation that allocates funding for jurisdictions to provide waste services for the unhoused.
14. Support funding for new infrastructure related to mandatory diversion programs, such as but not limited to AB 1826 – Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling and SB 1383 – Short-Lived Climate Pollutants: Methane Emissions.
15. Support legislation that incentivizes recycling in the United States.
16. Support legislation that incentivizes manufacturers to produce recyclable products.
17. Support legislation that requires manufacturers to be responsible for the end-of-life of non- recyclable products (including batteries, lithium -ion batteries, and solar panels).
18. Support legislation that addresses the issue of plastic waste, including microplastics, such as, but not limited to, encouraging the reduction of plastic production, promoting alternatives, or requiring producers to use recycled materials. 15 19. Support legislation that expands waste -to-energy technologies including advanced waste-to-energy solutions to help address waste disposal needs while generating renewable energy.
Water/Wastewater/ Stormwater
1. Support clean water and drinking water funding programs.
2. Support legislation to enhance and protect the City’s control of its water supply resources.
3. Oppose legislation that encroach, diminish, or restrict the City’s water rights.
4. Oppose legislation that would restrict the way the City’s water supplies are managed.
5. Support local control for planning management and use of water supplies to address local needs and contribute to long-term sustainability.
6. Support local control of groundwater uses and groundwater rights.
7. Oppose further restrictions and changes in State law on local water conservation.
8. Oppose efforts to impose State water taxes on local water utilities.
9. Support funding for planning and construction of regional water supply projects, such as, but not limited to, desalination, surface water storage, and groundwater recharge.
10. Support funding for cyber security protections in water and wastewater systems to help protect against risks to public health and safety.
11. Support appropriate funding sources for providing adequate water supply including, but not limited to user fees, State, and Federal funding.
12. Support measures that require the State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards establish a process to evaluate, in advance of adoption, the costs of compliance for pending and future regulatory actions and identify funding sources.
16 13. Support legislation allowing the City to establish fees for the costs of operating mandated water quality programs such as, but not limited to, municipal stormwater and total maximum daily loading.
14. Support legislation for funding stormwater infrastructure improvements, including building facilities to capture stormwater runoff and integrate with local, regional , and Statewide water resources.
15. Support legislation that protects groundwater quality as it affects the City water supply.
16. Support legislation that provides incentives for water conservation and drought reduction, such as education, marketing, and rebate programs.
17. Support efforts for direct contracting of supplies from State and Federal agencies.
18. Support funding for the development of plans for short -term water emergencies and long-term cooperative water management plans and policies.
19. Support legislation to provide additional water infrastructure grants and financing authorities to address advanced wastewater treatment, drought, or other water needs.
20. Support adequate funding of the Bureau of Reclamation Title XVI grant program and EPA’s WIFIA loan program.
21. Support legislation to codify the Environmental Protection Agency’s integrated planning framework.
22. Support legislation to protect public agencies that provide wastewater treatment services from liability for pollution or contamination to groundwater resulting from chemicals that are unlawfully discharged into the collection system.
23. Support the rights of cities to enact ordinances that restrict the use of water softeners to minimize impacts to wastewater treatment operations.
24. Support legislation that encourages the cost -effective treatment of municipal wastewater, authorizes the funding for projects improving, enhancing, or expanding the use of recycled water.
25. Oppose legislation that requires recycled water to be included in water conservation regulations.
17 26. Support regulations and legislation that promote watershed management as a tool to improve water quality.
27. Support stormwater requirements that are related to specific issues and include reasonable implementation timeframes and funding.
28. Support liability protections for local governments who may transmit or manage Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These protections should acknowledge that local governments are not the originators of PFAS contamination, and their efforts to transmit, treat, and manage water and waste involving PFAS are performed in good faith and in compliance with State and Federal regulations.
29. Support cost-effective water conservation programs and incentives that are funded by the State or Federal government.
30. Oppose legislation for one- size-fits-all water conservation policies that do not consider local water availability, need, or circumstances.
31. Monitor activity related to the re- drafting of the Army Corps of Engineers and EPA’s rule on Waters of the U.S. Oppose any aspects of the rule that could lead to unrealistic and over -burdensome regulations that would negatively affect local governments.
32. Monitor Congressional activities related to the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program. Oppose attempts to force residual risk or other premiums onto homeowners behind certified flood control structures.
Utilities
1. Oppose any legislation that interferes with local utility rate-setting authority or reduces funding for essential services.
2. Support legislation that enhances and simplifies local government access to local utility usage data.
3. Support funding for sustainable and resilient energy programs.
4. Oppose legislation that inhibits the City's ability to collect water and sewer bills either through terminating service for non-payment or other reasonable means absent public health or safety emergencies.
18 5. Oppose legislation that restricts water and sewer rates for certain customers to below the cost to provide service based on legitimate public interests such as affordable housing, senior housing, nonprofit public beneficial uses, and/or educational uses.
Airport
1. Support authorized annual appropriations for the Airport Improvement Program.
2. Support any Santa Maria Public Airport grant applications as appropriate.
3. Support legislative efforts to improve air service at small community airports.
Defense
1. Monitor activities related to the Department of Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission for potential impacts to Vandenberg Space Force Base.
2. Support investment into energy infrastructure and fire personnel, as well as a review of regulatory agency approvals to support the development of the commercial space industry at VSFB.