2022 State
Legislative Platform
City Council Meeting
January 11, 2022
Scott Alonso
Intergovernmental Relations &
Legislative Affairs Officer,
Communications & Intergovernmental
Relations
Dane Hutchings
Renee Public Policy Group
1 Introduction
About Renee Public Policy Group (RPPG)
• Specializing in the most important legislative and regulatory issues facing local government—representing cities, special districts and local government trade associations across the State.
• Decades of advocacy experience, including prior work with Cal Cities and Capitol Staff in Housing, Transportation, and Natural Resources.
• Technical expertise in Land Use, Transportation, Public Safety, Governmental Operations, Revenue and Taxation.
• Proven track record in securing funding opportunities and negotiating multiple water, park, housing and transportation bonds.
Analysis
Purpose for Establishing a State Legislative
Platform
• Communicates the City’s state policy and project
priorities to the public, CA State Legislative
Delegation, regional and state agencies.
• Allows staff and legislative consultant to quickly
triage and assess legislative matters upon
introduction.
• Provides guidance/direction to City staff and state
representatives regarding City’s state and regional
funding priorities.
3 Analysis continued
Deep Dive Meeting Process:
• City Staff and RPPG conducted “Deep Dive”
meetings with each department to assess the
following:
• State polices that have an impact on
departmental operations.
• Ongoing local projects, programs or
initiatives that may have a state policy
nexus.
• Past and/or present funding requests (both
state and federal).
4 Proposed State Priorities
COVID-19 Response & Economic Resiliency Priorities
• 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/sewer payments to those
residents impacted by loss of revenue due to COVID-
19. • Support legislation to protect employees and the
community from COVID-19.
5 Proposed State Priorities
Wildfire Resiliency and Recovery
• 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.
6 Proposed State Priorities
Administration, Human Resources and Risk
Management
• Support maximum flexibility for local governments 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.
7 Proposed State Priorities
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.
• Support legislation that would permit the City to provide electronic copies of documents to satisfy requirements
in the California Public Records Act.
8 Proposed State Priorities
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, projects and programs in support of workforce resiliency and addressing a more equitable
economic growth.
9 Proposed State Priorities
Environment, Climate Change & Sustainability
• Support legislation that provides funding opportunities focused on coordinating sustainable planning in
transportation, housing, and economic development.
• Support legislation that provides local governments
assistance in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
total energy use.
• 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.
10 Proposed State Priorities
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. 11 Proposed State Priorities
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 measures that increase inclusionary affordable housing and increase affordable housing investment
and partnerships.
12 Proposed State Priorities
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.
13 Proposed State Priorities
Recreation and 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. • Promote local agency control over policies that
recognize the benefits of parks and recreation facilities. • Support efforts to fund the Housing Related Parks
Program offered through the Department of Housing
and Community Development.
14 Proposed State Priorities
Public Safety, Emergency Services and Law Enforcement
• Support 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.
• Recommend funding opportunities be created for public safety to include diversity in police and fire hiring, recruiting and education practices.
• Support legislation that coordinates public safety shut off (PSPS) events between customers, regulators, government officials, and public safety partners.
15 Proposed State Priorities
Transportation, Public Works & Utilities
• Support legislation that would increase funding for local transportation projects including road resurfacing
projects, local transit projects, 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 policies aimed at equitable access for
transportation system users and equitable
transportation funding for disadvantaged communities.
• Support funding for increasing the use of broadband,
including middle and last mile expenditures.
16 Recommendation
It is recommended by the Communications &
Intergovernmental Relations Office that the
Council, by resolution, adopt the City’s 2022
State Legislative Platform.
17 QUESTIONS?
18