r-10564ATTACHMENT A
City Council Meeting 2-22-11
Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 10564 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA OPPOSING THE STATE
ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA
WHEREAS, as part of its 2011-12 budget proposal, the Governor has proposed
permanently abolishing California's more than 400 local redevelopment agencies; and
WHEREAS, this proposal represents additional State takings of local government
funds that voters have repeatedly sought to end, most recently in November 2010 when
an overwhelming 61 percent of voters elected to stop State raids of local government
funds, including redevelopment funds; and
WHEREAS, this proposal is anticipated to yield less financial benefit to the State
than the Governor's Administration estimated. According to the State Controller's
Office, redevelopment agencies have more than $87 billion in bond and other
contractual obligations that legally must be repaid before revenues are available for any
other purpose. In fact, according to the State Department of Finance's own budget
documents, there will be no State savings in future years from abolishing
redevelopment; and
WHEREAS, this, proposal will destroy local economic development, including
hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in local economic activity
throughout California. In fact, in the City of Santa Monica, the following projects and the
associated redevelopment investment would not happen in Santa Monica if
redevelopment were abolished:
• Over 300 affordable residences would not be built or rehabilitated, robbing
families and individuals of the opportunity to live in decent, affordable housing
near employment centers, services and family and social networks.
• Improvements to Santa Monica High School's recreational facilities, including
facilities and pedestrian areas that could be jointly used by the public, would not
be completed.
^ Development of Palisades Garden Walk, asix-acre public park planned to be
built across from the Santa Monica Pier, would be impossible.
• Construction of the Pico Neighborhood Library, being developed in Virginia
Avenue Park to serve Santa Monica's most ethnically and economically diverse
neighborhood, would be halted.
• Creation of the Civic Center Early Childhood Development Center, a partnership
with Santa Monica College designed to serve infants and toddlers in an
innovative learning environment, would be jeopardized.
• Improvements related to the Exposition Light Rail line that is coming to Santa
Monica, including station area improvements, pathway improvements, and
pedestrian and bicycle connections, would be compromised.
• Renovation and seismic retrofitting of the landmark Santa Monica Civic
Auditorium for performing arts and concerts would not be possible.
z
A six-acre public park and cultural facility adjacent to the Civic Auditorium could
not be built; and
WHEREAS, throughout California, redevelopment activities support 304,000 jobs
annually, including 170,600 construction .jobs, contribute over $40 billion annually to
California's economy in the generation of goods and services, and generate more than
$2 billion ih state and local taxes in a typical year; and
WHEREAS, eliminating redevelopment will take away one of the few tools local
governments have to comply with State requirements to plan for more compact urban
development supported by transit-oriented development, housing, jobs and
infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, eliminating redevelopment will severely limit the development of
affordable housing in California. Redevelopment agencies are the second largest funder
of affordable housing, behind only the federal government, responsible for over 98,000
affordable residences since 1993. In fact, in Santa Monica, Redevelopment has helped
fund the creations of over 1,690 affordable residences; and
WHEREAS, abolishing redevelopment agencies is a violation of multiple State
and Federal constitutional provisions.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City of Santa Monica formally opposes the Administration's
proposal to abolish redevelopment in California.
3
SECTION 2. The City of Santa Monica authorizes its council and staff to
communicate its opposition to this proposal to the Governor, the Legislature, community
groups, business groups, and the general public.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
l~J/f , W/ f ~ i 7"~-
MN S MOUT It=
City Attorney(
4
Adopted and approved this 22"d day of February, 2011.
\~
Ric and Bloom, Mayor
I, Maria M. Stewart, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby certify that
the foregoing Resolution No. 10564 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of the Santa
Monica City Council held on the 22"d day of February, 2011, by the following vote:
Ayes: Councilmembers: Holbrook, McKeown, O'Day, Shriver
Mayor Pro Tem Davis, Mayor Bloom
Noes: Councilmembers: None
Abstain: Councilmembers: None
Absent: Councilmembers: O'Connor
ATTEST:
Maria M. Stewart, Cit Clerk