2022 STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
PURPOSE
Santa Rosa’s Legislative Platform confirms the City Council’s position on current issues with the potential to impact the City directly or indirectly. The legislative platform is a guiding document that the City will continue to work with constituents, consultants, and elected representatives to promote and preserve the City’s interest at the State level. City staff will monitor state legislation, and administrative or regulatory proposals; taking appropriate action when required in alignment with the adopted Legislative Platform to efficiently and appropriately address proposed legislation, administrative, or regulatory actions to advance and protect City interests, as necessary.
LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM STATEMENTS
COVID-19 Response, Recovery & Economic Resiliency
Support legislation that provides direct and flexible funding to local governments for the costs incurred as a result of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Support legislation that provides assistance for rental relief and water/utility/wastewater payments to those residents impacted by loss of revenue due to COVID-19.
Support legislation that perpetuates temporary standards related to business operations, such as ABC regulations specific to outdoor dining and off-sale requirements.
Support legislation that would increase civic participation and engagement including the continued allowance of legislative subcommittees, advisory committees, and commissions to participate virtually (post COVID-19 state of emergency) without physical location posting requirements under the Ralph M. Brown Act.
Support legislation that would permit a minority amount of virtual council members to participate in a meeting without physical location posting, so long as a physical in-person quorum is present.
Support funding for vaccine distribution and testing.
Support legislation to protect employees and the community from COVID-19.
Support legislation providing statutory relief to public transit agencies in order to maximize funding flexibility for response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wildlife Recovery & Resiliency
Support legislation that supports policy and funding needs outlined in the City’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Oppose legislative attempts that shift wildfire costs associated with investor-owned utility-caused events to the city and its residents.
Support programs which provide funding to hazard mitigation projects, such as wildfire and flood protection measures, including those identified in a FEMA-approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Support funding of state efforts to update and prepare earthquake hazard mapping.
Administration, Human Resources and Risk Management
Support maximum flexibility for local government in contracting and contract negotiations.
Support legislation that promotes efforts to advance workplace diversity, equity and inclusion.
Support legislation that facilitates the ability of local government to share resources to increase efficiencies and decrease costs, including local efforts to address regional management of fire services.
Monitor and evaluate Proposition 13 and city and county tax apportionment proposals.
Monitor and evaluate all proposals that include an unfunded mandate to local governments.
Oppose any amendment to the redistribution of sales and use taxes which will affect the city and its ability to provide city services and thereby cause a negative fiscal impact.
Oppose measures that reduce local control over employee relations issues or mandate new or enhanced local government employee benefits.
Support efforts to maintain fiscal solvency with respect to unfunded pension and retiree healthcare liability. Support efforts that decrease local costs.
Governmental Transparency and Public Access
Support legislation that balances increased public trust, confidence and access to public meetings while realizing the fiscal and operational constraints of local government.
Support state funding efforts to assist with enhanced public access for members of the community.
Oppose legislation that would incentivize increased litigation by removing safe harbor provisions permitted in the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA).
Oppose legislation that drives up the cost of municipal elections through unnecessary new requirements.
Support legislation that would permit the City to provide electronic copies of documents to satisfy requirements in the California Public Records Act.
Monitor and evaluate proposals that create new mandates under the California Public Records Act without state reimbursement provisions.
Monitor and evaluate proposals that require a one-size fits all to local retention policies.
Economic Development
Support international, statewide, regional and local efforts to attract, retain and provide resources for current and future technology-based, commercial and industrial businesses.
Support efforts to provide funding mechanisms for economic development tools including infrastructure investment, housing, childcare, and other needs critical to a foundation of equitable economic resiliency.
Support policies and programs that encourage working with other cities, counties, and government agencies to jointly leverage resources and assets to create and strengthen economic clusters within the region.
Support policies, projects, programs, and regulations for diversifying Santa Rosa’s primary economic base and facilitating investment that will result in maintaining or growing local jobs and creating an environment that is attractive to current and emerging industries.
Support policies, projects and programs in support of workforce resiliency and addressing a more equitable economic growth.
Support economic development initiatives that preserve and enhance a positive business climate and maintain and grow the business tax base.
Maintain an equitable program for the continued disbursement of sales and use taxes which reflect local impacts on various communities.
Environment, Climate Change & Sustainability
Support legislation that provides funding opportunities focused on coordinating sustainable planning in transportation, housing, and economic development.
Support continued funding and incentives to local agencies to work together to improve air quality through the reduction of emissions and advancing economic and technical developments.
Support policies, guidelines, incentives, and funding for programs with combined benefits to air quality, water quality, housing, infrastructure (including multi-modal transportation systems) and public health.
Advocate for increased funding for electric vehicle charging stations with residential and commercial users.
Energy
Support legislation that promotes the development and long-term sustainability of locally run Community Choice Aggregators (CCA).
Support legislation that promotes ratepayer equity between CCA’s and other public and private electrical utilities.
Support legislation that provides local governments assistance in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and total energy use.
Solid Waste and Recycling
Support measures that maintain and enhance local authority and economic flexibility to regulate solid waste and recyclables.
Support measures that promote procurement and market development of recyclable and recycled materials.
Support legislation that facilitates development of local and regional recycling and composting facilities.
Water Quality and Water Supply
Support and monitor legislation that would increase the availability of, and funding for, water conservation, water reuse technologies, recycled water, local water storage, groundwater storage, recharge, and recovery, watershed protection and improvement, storm/flood risk mitigation, Integrated Regional Water Management Plans, and other water supply technologies.
Support the enhancement of a reliable and sustainable water supply for the City and surrounding communities.
Support measures to increase water supply and improve water quality in the region, including drought relief legislation.
Support funding opportunities that are provided to local jurisdictions through past and future bond opportunities.
Support legislation or regulatory efforts that reflect the realities of persistent drought conditions and impacts associated with reduced water supply, including meeting state mandated regional housing needs assessment (RHNA) targets.
Support legislation and regulatory efforts that remove barriers to future groundwater projects and support innovated ways that advance groundwater aquifer storage, as well as efforts approved by local Sustainable Groundwater Management agencies.
Support funding for statewide low-income water rate assistance programs.
Oppose new fees on water, such as public goods charges, that do not benefit all ratepayers.
Promote funding to encourage water efficient fixtures and programs to help customers reduce water use.
Monitor development of legislation that regulates contaminants such as, but not limited to, Perfluorooctanoic acid and Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid.
Work with coalition of water agencies to advocate for continued support and appropriations to Department of Water Resource’s Atmospheric Rivers program.
Oppose legislation that would discourage or inhibit the use of biosolids.
Land-Use Planning and Housing
Support efforts to strengthen the legal and fiscal capability of local agencies to prepare, adopt and implement plans for orderly growth, development, beautification and conservation of local planning areas.
Support housing measures that promote the preservation of existing affordable housing.
Support funding opportunities that are provided to local jurisdictions through statewide bond efforts.
Oppose measures to withhold funding dedicated to transportation funding unless proposed housing goals are being met.
Oppose measures which would undermine established general plan, zoning and housing documents.
Oppose measures which undermine the planning vision of local government and contradict the expectations of our community, which includes projects mitigation their impacts.
Support measures which support meeting the State’s planning goals while maintaining local control, ensuring communities evolve in a manner that reflects the will of the residents and protects the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
Support measures that increase inclusionary affordable housing and increase affordable housing investment and partnerships.
Oppose any policy or guidelines of the California Air Resources Board, or any other agency, that limits local discretion of mixed-use development projects near multi-modal transportation centers.
California Environmental Quality Act
Support all efforts to create efficiencies within CEQA and support local discretion and planning efforts to limit delays.
Support legislation that prevents CEQA lawsuits from being filed for any reason other than a bona fide environmental impact.
Support legislation that streamlines state environmental review processes and limits court reviews of environmental documentation.
Cannabis
Oppose legislation seeking to undermine a locally adopted ordinance pertaining to the regulation, land use, and enforcement authority of medical and adult-use cannabis.
Support the efforts to lower the state excise tax. Advocate for continued local control and use of taxes of adult-use cannabis.
Homelessness
Support efforts to increase funding for the development and ongoing operations of permanent supportive housing, including resources to finance the development of new units and resources to provide long term sustainability for supportive services.
Support efforts to increase State funding to prevent and reduce homelessness in Sonoma County.
Support measures that provide resources to address the mental health and alcohol/substance use needs of persons experiencing homelessness.
Support legislative efforts that allow local flexibility and/ or state funding mechanisms for safe parking programs as a tool to transition the City’s most vulnerable residents to permanent housing.
Recreation & Parks
Support legislation and funding opportunities (e.g. state park grant funds, conservancy grant funds, project mitigation funds) that would help the City fund improvements for parks, open space, natural resources, historic preservation, the arts and cultural resources.
Support and encourage non-competitive per capita funding measures offered through the Natural Resources Agency, State Parks and Recreation for the benefit of City parks and recreation capital projects.
Support efforts to fund the Housing Related Parks Program offered through the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Promote local agency control over policies that recognize the benefits of parks and recreation facilities.
Oppose efforts that erode funding for vital regional and community services that negatively impact Californian's access to parks, open space, bike lanes, after school programming, youth services, senior services, food programs, facilities that promote physical activity, protect natural resources, and strengthen safety and security. Oppose legislation that eliminates or reduces park development impact fees necessary for providing parks for new housing developments.
Public Safety/Police
Support legislation that strengthens community-oriented public safety policies.
Support state legislation and funding that will help local governments with improving community policing and rebuilding community trust through officer training and mental health first response for crises involving mental illness, homelessness, and addiction; and support programs like the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.
Support legislation that would increase accountability and transparency of law enforcement agencies and personnel.
Recommend funding opportunities be created for public safety to include diversity in police and fire hiring, recruiting and education practices.
Support legislation that strengthens local law enforcement.
Support legislation and funding opportunities that promote situational awareness during emergency events and evacuations.
Monitor legislation on implementation of best practices regarding law enforcement procedures and policies.
Fire and Emergency Services
Support legislation that encourages regional collaboration and deployment of resources to maximize firefighting efforts.
Support local control of emergency medical services and ambulance services, including pre-hospital care and transport.
Support local determination of adequate staffing based on data and analytics.
Support legislation that coordinates public safety shut off (PSPS) events between customers, regulators, government officials, and public safety partners.
Transportation
Support legislation that would increase funding for local transportation projects including road resurfacing projects, local transit operating and capital projects, transit fare subsidy programs, zero emissions buses and charging infrastructure, adding bicycle lanes, sidewalks and trails throughout the city where appropriate, programs that facilitate development-oriented transit and transit-oriented development and enhancing bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Support increased State funding of transportation improvements with regional or sub- regional benefits for all modes of transportation.
Support protection of dedicated transportation-related tax revenues and enhance the ability of local agencies to finance local transportation programs and facilities.
Support joint planning efforts and projects with Santa Rosa’s border cities and the County of Sonoma on traffic congestion relief projects.
Support legislation and funding that supports Vision Zero programs and project implementation.
Maximize share of any General Fund surplus revenues invested in local/regional transportation projects and initiatives.
Support policies aimed at equitable access for transportation system users and equitable transportation funding for disadvantaged communities.
Support funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and the conversion of fleets from gas powered to electric vehicles.
Public Works and Utilities
Support legislation that preserves net neutrality.
Support funding for increasing the use of broadband, including middle and last mile expenditures.
Oppose measures that undermine local decision-making in installation of broadband services. 88 8
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