SR 04-12-2016 3F 4 of 5 Sustainability Telecommunications Utilities Youth The policy positions are generally broad and address many issues likely to be of concern to the City. Staff and consultants will consistently monitor and analyze state legislation to determine possible local impacts and strategize about the type and timing of advocacy efforts. Action will be based on the positions the Council adopts , guidance from subject -matter experts and the League of California Cities, and local context. However, it is possible that an issue may arise that is not addressed in the platforms. The platforms can be amended by Council as emerging priorities or legi slation arise that warrant immediate consideration and action. The City’s actions on individual bills, usually in the form of a letter from the Mayor, are available on line at <smgov.net/council> and selecting Legislative Positions <http://www.smgov.net/D epartments/Council/nodate.aspx?id=51755>. Actions taken based on the federal and state legislative agenda would be archived on this page, as would the adopted legislative agendas. Next Steps The Ferguson Group and Shaw/Yoder/Antwih will continue to actively monitor legislation and engage on the City’s behalf to effect change in line with the Council’s adopted legislative platforms. Staff will continue to work with both firms to prepare letters to bill authors, co -sponsors, and members of relevant committees to communicate the City’s position on said legislation. Staff will return to Council in 2017 with that year’s proposed legislative agendas for Council’s consideration. Financial Impacts an d Budget Actions There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the
5 of 5 recommended action. Prepared By: Stephanie Venegas, Council Office Coordinator Approved Forwarded to Council Attachments: A. Santa Monica State Legislative Platform 2016 B. Santa Monica Compendium of Legislative Policies through 2015 Indexed C. SMON Federal Agenda 2016 D. Web Link to June 11, 2013 Item 3F Sta ff Report E. Web Link to June 11, 2013 Item 3D Staff Report F. Web Link to August 25, 2015 Staff Report
1 Proposed 2016 State of California Legislative Platform Santa Monica has long been vocal in State legislative issues. The Council has historically taken positions on proposed state legislation of interest to Santa Monica because of the City's location, economy, programs, policies, or other experiences. The City's historical support or opposition of legislative policy has, over time, created a record of policy authorization which has been compiled in a compendium on an annual basis. The 2015 compendium formed the basis of the following proposed legislative policy statements. The Council’s historic actions on specific bills or issues have been recast into the positions below; items from the 2015 compendium have been indexed to the 2016 proposed platform. In addition, staff has reviewed bills introduced into the 2016 -2017 legislative session for local impact and congruence wit h Council -adopted strategic goals and City programs, policies, and strategies and incorporated pending relevant legislation into the proposed positions. On August 23, 2015 the City Council convened a special Council meeting to establish three to five pri ority strategic goals that will make a difference in community safety, wellbeing, prosperity, quality of life, and sustainability. The Council unanimously chose the following five goals to be the City’s priority over the next three to five years. • Maint aining an inclusive and diverse community The focus of this goal is on maintaining an inclusive and diverse community, through efforts like increasing affordable housing, raising workers’ incomes, and helping S anta M onicans stay in their homes . • Establis hing a new model for mobility 2016 will be a year of new choices for mobility in S anta M onica —Expo light rail to downtown S anta M onica, Breeze bike share, direct bus routes with real -time information, car share, expanded shared -ride services, and safer wal king and biking. T his strategic goal pulls all these options together into a new model for mobility with attractive and convenient choices for people to get where they are going, while h elping to reduce vehicle congestion and climate change. • Securing l ocal control of the City land occupied by the Santa Monica Airport T he city has owned S anta M onica M unicipal Airport land since the 1920s. As its land owner, the C ity has the right to control the airport and we intend to assert that right. In 2014, S anta M onica voters overwhelmingly supported M easure L ocal C ontrol (M easure LC ) which, as the name indicates, gives greater local contro l over the airport land to the C ity .
2 • Taking a leadership role in regional efforts to address homelessness For the more than 700 homeless individuals in S anta M onica and over 44,000 living in L os Angeles C ounty, life is a year -round struggle. S anta M onica has long been a leader in providing resources and assistance to the most vulnerable members of society. • Continuing the partnership supporting education and from C radle to C areer and beyond L ifelong learning has been a priority in S anta M onica for many years, shaped through the city’s collaboration with schools, service providers, residents and community lea ders. L earn + thrive will build upon the work already accomplished by the S anta M onica C radle to C areer Initiative (smc2c), and through the wide range of cultural, art, educational and recreational classes, storytimes and workshops offered by the C ity’s C o mmunity and C ultural S ervices Department and five -star public library syste m. These strategic goals , along with historic policy positions and pending relevant legislative matters, are reflected in the policy positions below. A. Airport 1. Support ongoing efforts to review noise levels and the safety of flight operatio ns at the Santa Monica Airport, and noise reduction standards. 2. Support a balanced plan for the distribution of aviation traffic in the region so Santa Monica’s airport does not continue to be burdened with commercial aviation traffic by aircraft that are not compatible with the design limitations of the Airport. 3. Support federal runway safety standards which address the entire mix of aircraft that use the Santa Monica Airport. 4. Support efforts of the California legislature to assist with runway safety standards. B. Arts and Culture 1. Support continued State funding and efforts to enhance loc al arts and cultural activities , support arts education, and develop arts educators . C. Data 1. Sup port efforts to use population demographics and socioeconomic statistics to identify, track, and rectify disparities in education, outreach, and health , and for research purposes.
3 D. Civil Liberties 1. Support efforts to provide domestic partner benefits and protections; expand civic marriage laws. 2. Oppose the USA Patriot Act and related orders and directives and support unabrogated City protection of constitutional rights. 3. Support full physical and programmatic access to municipal services, facilities, and pro grams for people with disabilities. E. Civic Engagement 1. Oppose suspension or modification of the Brown Act or other curtailing of measures that promote public involvement in the democratic process. 2. Support legislation that urges the United States Congress t o overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and restores constitutional rights and fair elections to the people. 3. Support legislation that would require disclosure of information on advertisements supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot measure via radio, television, print, or mass mailing. 4. Oppose measures which place overly burdensome and vague restrictions preventing certain non -profits from participating in campaign activity. 5. Support legislation that makes it easier for active communit y members to serve as volunteers or appointed boards and commissions. 6. Support efforts to enhance, increase, and expand voting opportunities for eligible voters throughout the state. 7. Support legislation giving California voters the opportunity to replace th e death penalty with permanent imprisonment. F. Coastal Issues 1. Affirm local control of the development, conditions, and implementation of Local Coastal Plans created by cities and counties. 2. Oppose legislation that grants authority to the Coastal Commission that is inconsistent, duplicative, and overlapping with the authority of other regulatory agencies or that grants the Coast al Commission authority outside of the coastal zone. 3. Support efforts to curb frivolous appeals to local coastal decisions.
4 G. Consumer Protection 1. Support requiring all retailers in California to adhere to the industry standards of charging a customer the lowest marked price on an item. 2. Support legislation that would make it unlawful to intentionally make any false, deceptive or misleadin g statements or representations relating to the sale of agricultural products, require compliance with signage labeling and reporting requirements, and prohibit sales in close proximity to a certified farmers’ market which would compete with agricultural c ertified producers. H. Economic Development 1. Support legislation that will provide tangible and productive tools and incentives to support job creation and retention and address the infrastructure and jobs/housing needs of communities within the State. 2. Oppose changes to the redevelopment dissolution process that would cause fiscal harm to cities, and support measures that enable and assist successor agencies to operate with flexibility and continue to collect funds through the dissolution process. 3. Suppor t the creation and ongoing application of tax credits to support the production of motion pictures in California. 4. Support legislation that regulates the operation of transient rental housing and requires regular report on activities. 5. Support legislation a nd policies that promote inclusive and diverse communities, including but not limited to, increasing affordable housing, raising workers’ incomes, addressing inequalities and disparities, and maintaining residential stability. 6. Support measures that promot e vibrant and sustainable local economies through jobs, opportunities for growth, and long -term affordability. 7. Support efforts to develop a California Green Business Program that provides support and assistance to local government programs that provide fo r the voluntary certification of small businesses that adopt environmentally preferable business practices. I. Education 1. Support maintaining funding for California’s public schools, colleges and universities, updating academic content standards, strengtheni ng educational curriculum, developing and implementing performance standards, and creating seamless pathways from high school to community college and other secondary education. 2. Support programs and policies that encourage l ifelong learnin g, in and out of the classroom, and engagement in activities that help people thrive.
5 J. Employment and Wages 1. Oppose legislation which would extend the length of paid leave of absence for police officers, sheriffs, or firefighters disabled by injury or illness arising out of and in the course of employment 2. Support hiring practices and policies which give applicants a fair chance and allow employers the opportunity to judge individual job candidates on their merits. 3. Oppose legislation that seeks to limit the abilities of a charter city council to set desired compensation levels. 4. Oppose legislation that would extend the state of limitations to allow a safety officer’s dependents to receive worker’s compensation death benefits where the safety officer dies of cancer or other “presumed” job -related injuries. 5. Support exemption of certain transit workers from the requirements of the Public Employee’s Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) until January 1, 2016 or until a feder al district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor erred in determining the application of PEPRA precludes certification of federal transit funding, whichever is sooner. 6. Support a living wage for in -home support service workers. 7. Support ef forts to protect against wage discrimination for equal work regardless of the sex of the employee. 8. Support legislation that furthers or enhances the enforcement of local wage laws. K. Financial Sustainability 1. Support legislation that allocates cap and trad e auction revenues to local governments for grants and other financial assistance. 2. Support funding or bonding authority to protect or enhance local infrastructure or open spaces. 3. Support the protection of local revenues by restricting the ability of the State to “borrow” local governmen t’s share of taxes and revenues or borrow against local government’s share of taxes and require paying back of any borrowing, including the interest costs of such borrowing. 4. Oppose any limitations on public agency indemni fication, including limitations under which a design professional would be required to indemnify a public agency. 5. Support socially responsible investment guidelines and policies , including screens for socially harmful activities and the encouragement of in vestments that support equality of rights. 6. Oppose requiring agencies that collect franchise fees to use a portion of the fees to televise the open and public meetings of legislative bodies and store recordings of such meetings. 7. Support measures to ensure the integrity of existing city revenue sources, including city share and allocation of property tax, sales tax, vehicle license fees, etc.
6 8. Oppose any changes that limit local financial flexibility, including the swap of local sa les tax for property tax; and limitation of local financial flexibility; and any limitation for “built out” cities to utilize revitalization strategies for economically lagging areas. 9. Support constitutional protection of revenue sources in order to provide insurance against diversion by the State of these revenues in the future for non -municipal purposes. 10. Advocate that the State must provide full and prompt reimbursement to all local agencies for all state -mandated programs and/or infractions and losses as sociated with local revenue shifts. Local agencies must be authorized to petition the Commission on State Mandates immediately after legislation is chaptered for determination of eligibility for reimbursement, and reserve the right to directly pursue court intervention without an administrative appeals process. 11. Oppose unfunded state service mandates on local government and advocate for full funding or elimination. 12. Support lowering the two -thirds vote r requirement for special taxes, general obligation bonds , and/or revenue -backed bonds as requiring approval by a two -thirds majority allows a relatively small minority to prevent action desired by more than a majority of the voters, which can have an adverse impact on a c ommunity’s social, economic, or physical environment , transportation, or other infrastructure projects or needs . 13. Support the addition of storm water and urban runoff management fees and charges to the list of fees that must receive a two -thirds vote to be increased. 14. Oppose legislation to allow prepayment judicial relief with respect to disputed transient occupancy taxes for a travel agent or intermediary. 15. Support legislation that continues the State -Local tax sharing program, which allows cities that have entered into agreements with the Franchi se Tax Board to exchange tax information. 16. Oppose legislation or policies that would direct local tax revenues to be collected at the State level, charge administrative fees, reduce rates below local tax rates, prohibit specific taxes, or otherwise diminish city revenue sources. 17. Support legislation that allows cities the opportunity to levy transaction and use taxes in order to raise additional revenues for city services, programs, and operations. 18. Support legislation that specifies that if more than a certain percentage of the direct or indirect ownership interests in a legal entity are sold or transferred in a single transaction, the real property owned by that legal entity has changed ownership wh ether or not any one legal entity or person that is a party to the transaction obtains control. 19. Support the ability of cities to maintain and manage the public right -of -way and receive compensation for its use. 20. Support closing loopholes that allow companies doing business in California to create out -of -state arms -length subsidiaries in order to avoid collection of sales and use taxes on web and internet sales.
7 21. Support legislation that establishes an effective an d ongoing way to collect user taxes (UUT) for pre -paid mobile telephones. 22. Support additional funding for local transportation and other critical unmet infrastructure needs. 23. Support a local sales tax to aid in the funding of specified transportation project s and other measures that result in receiving the maximum share of available funding for local transportation programs . 24. Support the creation of the California Transportation Infrastructure Funding Task Force and alternatives to taxing road users through p er -gallon fuel taxes. 25. Support legislation that removes voter approval needed for cities to create infrastructure financing districts. 26. Support additional fees on fuel and vehicles to be used for public transit and congestion management projects. 27. Support l egislation that extends the period in which the MTA can impose a transactions and use tax of 0.5% for transportation related purposes. 28. Support efforts to increase transit agency revenue through illuminated digital advertising on transit buses. 29. Support the extension, upon voter approval, of the Measure R transactions and use tax and increases to the County wide sales tax to provide revenue for the region’s unmet transportation needs. 30. Support legislation that allows urban water agencies to implement tiered water conservation pricing. L. Health 1. Support statewide smoking and tobacco control standards, including smoking regulations on state beaches, other regulations which do not restrict or preempt stricter local regulations , and taxes on the distribution of cig arettes and tobacco products . 2. Support initiatives that promote physical and emotional health, active living , a healthy citizenry, sense of community, and provide for aging with dignity. 3. Support study of the effects of toxic mold, public education of these effects, and appropriate state health standards. 4. Support legislation, programs, funding, and fees which promote the health of individuals, families, and communities and mitigate adverse health impacts. 5. Support a single payer universal health care delivery system. 6. Support the expansion of eligibility and extension of programs that assist individuals who are disabled and temporarily not working. 7. Support funding and programs to offer supplemental services to individuals who are frequent or high users of health care and other services in an effort to reduce costs.
8 8. Support funding and policy initiatives to expand or enhance the behavioral health care system and service delivery. 9. Support legislation that calls for state support from the Department of Pub lic Health for spreading healthy nail salon programs throughout California 10. Support taxation of cannabis and regulation of its production, cultivation, distribution, licensure, and use. M. Homelessness 1. Support a balanced approach to addressing homelessness that considers the need for assistance , services , and housing for homeless people while providing for the health, safety, and welfare of all peop le in Santa Monica and advocate for and participate in regional initiatives involving county, state, and feder al governments to reduce and prevent homelessness. 2. Support efforts of the Veteran’s Administration to fund and develop programs, services, and housing at the West Los Angeles VA Campus. 3. Support legislation addressing regional homeless issues including en hanced penalties for drug sales near treatment centers or shelters; prohibitions against dumping; fair share zoning requirements for siting facilities with credit/exemption for “good actor” cities/incentives; funding for prototype courts; and provisions of youth discharge planning with benefits they are entitled to. 4. Support programs that offer legal representation for unrepresented low -income parties in civil matters involving critical issues affecting basic human needs such as domestic violence, deprivatio n of child custody, housing and elder abuse, and provide an increased ability for low income residents to retain legal representation when needed. 5. Support cross -agency and community cooperation and collaboration in responding to homelessness and the implem entation of evidence -based approaches and plans. 6. Support efforts to collect, analyze, and publish data about homeless individuals, services for homeless individuals, and outcomes. N. Housing 1. Support legislation and programs that assist in providing financi ng for affordable housing, including development of fiscal tools and incentives to assist local governments in their efforts to encourage housing, finance the infrastructure to support housing, establish an ongoing state commitment to funding affordable ho using, and fund and support affordable housing programs, including supportive housing programs. 2. Advocate for a fair share of affordable housing tax credits and for the reward of cities that use local sources of funds.
9 3. Oppose legislation that requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to hear appeals of county or city decisions on applications for the construction of housing developments which meet specified affordability requirements. 4. Advocate that the acquisition, minor rehabilitation a nd deed restriction of existing housing units count toward the accomplishment of low and very low income production RHNA goals and oppose any attempt to mandate that a city achieve its RHNA target or face penalties or to impose additional obligations based on the RHNA target. 5. Advocate for recognition and use of inclusionary housing requirements as a condition of development and other tools in an effort to incorporate affordable housing into market rate development. 6. Oppose state mandated attempts to usurp local discretion over matters relating to local housing policy. 7. Support the ongoing funding needs of the Section 8 program through adequate contract rents, full funding of vouchers, and applying annual inflation fac tors. 8. Support tax credits, programs, or funding that encourage seismic retrofitting of qualified buildings. O. Land Use 1. Oppose any attempt to erode the City’s local autonomy and discretion in land -use processes, decisions, and fees, or weaken the City’s abi lity to ensure the future welfare of its residents through local control of the planning process. 2. Advocate for recognition for land use tools needed by built out cities firmly committed to affordable housing. 3. Oppose legislation that creates unnecessary d elays and restraints on completing affordable housing projects and leaves local governments susceptible to litigation over specified land use and planning decisions. 4. Support application of incentives for the production of lower -income housing units to pro perties with rent controlled units. P. Misc. 1. Support legislation that prohibits California public retirement systems from participating in predatory real estate investment practices. 2. Support legislation that pre -empts local jurisdictions from enacting local regulations and/or bans in the field of male circumcision. 3. Support changes to the eligibility requirements for driving to allow persons without legal status to apply and impose various security and verification requirements to comply with specified require ments of the Federal Real ID Act of 2005.
10 Q. Mobility 1. Support the development of a regional light rail system by a light rail transportation construction authority with local authority over project implementation. 2. Support California’s continued involvement in the federally funded Safe Routes to Schools program. 3. Support enhanced autonomy for local transportation decision -making and pursue policy changes that move more dollars and decisions to local policy leaders. 4. S upport legislation allowing a weight fee for vehicles with an unl aden weight of 10,000 pounds or less and a carbon dioxide emissions fee when registering passenger vehicles. 5. Support bicycle and pedestrian access with maximum local flexibility to prioritize this transportation need. 6. Support authorizing the California Transportation Commission to relinquish the portion of State Highway Route 1 (known as Lincoln Blvd.) that is in the City limits. 7. Commit to explore and support an appropriate solution to addres s Caltrans concerns related to the operati on of certain buses on bridges. 8. Support efforts that promote new models for mobility with attractive and convenient choices for people to get where they are going, while helping to reduce vehicle congestion and climate change. R. P arks and Open Space 1. Support legislation and bond measures to continue to invest in and protect existing park land, wetlands, community open space and coastal resources, recreational facilities and natu ral and historic resources, expand t he community park system and encourage spending time outdoors . 2. Support transfer of the Ballona We tlands Area C to the State Parks system. 3. Oppose plans to construct a toll road through San Onofre Sta te Beach and across the Trestle s Sate Surf Beach and refr ain from making any related financial investments. 4. Oppose cuts to the State Parks’ budget and the closure of State Parks. 5. Support legislation to extend the operation of the Baldwin Hills Conservancy Act, which helps provide and manage public lands for rec reational, open space, wildlife habitat restoration and protection, and land for educational uses. S. Public Libraries 1. Support full funding of the Public Library Fund and full funding of the State’s share of the program.
11 T. Public Safety 1. Oppose legislation th at would preempt local governments’ authority to exercise rightful police power to regulate practices within their jurisdiction. 2. Support legislation that requ ires all alcohol sales to be per formed b y a store clerk and not at self -c heck out machines. 3. Support strict local gun control ordinances and prohibitions, restrictions, or revisions to policies regarding weapons and ammunition that would close loopholes, create standards, reduce availability , create prohibitions on firearm ownership, require uniqu e serial numbers prior to manufacturing or assembling a firearm, or other measures that support gun control efforts. 4. Support double fines for traffic violations in school zones. 5. Support funding for first responders in homeland security protection. 6. Suppor t activities to develop better land use policies and wildland fuel management programs to decrease the impacts to public health and safety resulting from wildland urban interface fires. 7. Support alcohol -related emergency reimbursement acts that earmark rev enue generated from fees from wholesalers. 8. Support closing sentencing loopholes that permit relatives who are convicted of the sexual abuse of a child in their household to avoid serving time in state prisons. 9. Support mental health diversion programs, incl uding pre -court diversions and mental health courts which may operate as a pre -guilty plea and deferred entry of judgement program. 10. Support legislation that creates consequences for leaving the scene of an accident without exchanging required information. 11. Support bans on hand -held cellphone use while driving unless the phone is being used for emergency -related communication. U. Rent Control 1. Oppose any legislation restricting the ability of cities to enact rent control ordinances or legislation that diminish es tenant rights and property. 2. Support efforts to provide greater protection of displaced tenants, such as ensuring the continued enforcement of rent control when units are converted. 3. Support efforts to provide vulnerable tenants with additional rights and protections from landlord abuses. 4. Support legislation which extends the amount of time a tenant has to either vacate the premises or oppose a write of possession of property, in favor of the landlord, prior to eviction. 5. Support legislation which protects tenants from being subject to unlawful entry by landlords prior to being given proper notice.
12 6. Support providing tenants with additional resources for landlords who fail to repair or remove problematic conditions after being notified by housing code enforce ment authorities. 7. Support requiring landlords to provide their tenants documents explaining deductions from security deposits. 8. Support legislation that records any vacancies due all or in part to domestic violence or other criminal activities, and what ro l e, if any, authorities played in the relocation process. 9. Support increasing the limit on punitive damages that may be awarded to tenants that have been the subject of retaliatory evictions. 10. Support providing all residential units with a locking mail recep tacle. 11. Support legislation which protects tenants when affordable housing unit agreements expire. 12. Support legislation which prohibits a landlord that allows a tenant to have an animal on the premises, from advertising or establishing rental policies, in a manner that requires a tenant or a potential tenant with an animal to have that animal declawed or devocalized. 13. Support legislation that allows a tenant to redeem the tenancy after resolving a three -day notice by tendering rent due and other costs. 14. Support legislation that ensures tenants have access to courts when subjected to illegal eviction activity. 15. Supports legislation that allows a tenant to pay rent and deposit of security by at least one form of payment that is neither cash nor electronic fund tran sfer. 16. Supports legislation that would require that the notice in an unlawful detainer proceeding must contain, at the request of a lawyer referral entity, the contact information of that entity. 17. Opposes legislation that alters the landlord/tenant relationship in such a way that facilitates the potential for a greater number of evictions for tenants otherwise protected by rent control and other housing stability measures. 18. Supports legislation that makes it so the rent certification process does not apply to any tenancies where the landlord may freely set the level of rent whenever a unit is re -rented following a vacancy. 19. Support state moratoriums on the Ellis and Costa -Hawkins Acts as well as modifications that provide greater protections for reside nts facing displacement. 20. Support legislation that requires an unlawful detainer proceeding to be dismissed without prejudice if 60 days elapse after a complaint is filed and no proof of service of the summons has been filed and limits access to court reco rds.
13 V. Sustainability Air 1. Support continued study and reporting on the local air quality and its impacts and representation on regional or local air quality bodies. 2. Oppose efforts that would redirect funds used by local governments for locally -based air quality programs. Energy 1. Support setting and achieving greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals through the deployment of alternatively fueled vehicles, zero emissi on vehicles , and emerging emission -reduction technology . 2. Support the ability of local governments to implement community choice aggregation for the purchase of electricity and oppose legislation that would place new requirements on the establishment of, an d activities by, community choice aggregators. 3. Support legislation that supports, invests in, and expands energy -efficiency programs, standards, and definitions, promotes renewable resource research, technologies, and initiatives, and sets increasing goal s for renewable energy generation, sales, and savings. 4. Support financing mechanisms to assist property owners, non -profit/educational institutions and local governments with the upfront costs of energy efficiency improvements. 5. Support utility corporations ’ recovery of program costs that support increasing the energy efficiency of existing buildings. 6. Support legislation, programs and policies that provides greater access to building owners and local governments to building -level energy data. 7. Support progra ms and policies that require utility companies to enter into purchase agreements with owners or operators of small -s cale solar energy generation facilities. 8. Support legislation, programs and policies that require utility companies to disclose greenhouse g as emission factors in a timely and transparent manner. 9. Support utility rates and surcharges to fund public goods r esearch including development of energy efficiency activities and demonstration programs. 10. Support legislation, programs and policies that support, invest in, and expand electric vehicle charging programs, and promotes electric vehicle charging research, technologies, and initiatives, and sets increasing goals for renewable energy generation, sales, and savings.
14 11. Support legislation, programs and policies that require utility companies to provide greater access to energy efficiency, renewable energy and electric vehicle charging to multitenant properties. Goods 1. Support ongoing statewide efforts to recycle and reduce consumption of single -use f ood packaging and single -use plastic bags. 2. Support efforts to create a n extended producer responsibility framework to provide environmentally sound product stewardship protocols for household hazardous materials including but not limited to electronic waste, architectural paint, batteries, carpet, home generated sharps and pharmaceutical waste, and mercury -containing lamps , support associated fees, and oppose efforts to undermin e or shift the responsibility of such programs. 3. Support a ban on the sale and distribution of shark fins and elephant parts. 4. Support ongoing statewide Safer Consumer Products regulation efforts that require manufacturers or other responsible entities to se ek safer alternatives to harmful chemical ingredients in widely used products, offering California the opportunity to lead the way in producing safer versions of goods already in demand around the world. Ocean 1. Support State bonds, funding, and legislation aimed at improving ocean water quality and reducing ocean pollution, banning new offshore oil or gas drilling or extraction, restricting oil tanker traffic, and funding coastal clean -up and restoration. Standards 1. Support flexibility for state and local go vernments to enact environmental standards or mandates that are stronger than the federal standards. 2. Oppose preemption of local sustainability laws. Water 1. Support stronger state and federal efforts to protect drinking water wells through early identification of potential contaminants of aquifers and wells through aggressive cleanup of contaminated sites that threaten drinking water supplies. 2. Support water ef ficiency standards for plumbing fixtures to decrease reliance on imported water sources. 3. Support primary and secondary health standards for MtBE to protect local water self -sufficiency.
15 4. Support legislation that makes it easier for cities to take legal acti on against polluters who contaminate drinking water sources with chemicals such as MtBE and perchlorate. 5. Oppose oil company liability waivers for product design defects of MtBE. 6. Oppose dilution of state and local laws and regulations for protection of publ ic and environmental health, including NAFTA provisions relating to free trade protection for MtBE. 7. Support federal funding to address water infrastructure reliability to improve the City’s water and drainage systems and distribution lines. 8. Support the ability of cities to enact discharge and water quality requirements or standards that are stricter than state or federal standards and oppose efforts to restrict such authority. 9. Support stronger storm water pollution control standards and effo rts to secure related funding. 10. Support efforts to modify the State Water Code, State Health Code, State Plumbing Code and State Building Code and other policies to expand the uses of all non -potable water sources, including rainwater, stormwater runoff, gr eywater and blackwater. 11. Support legislation that requires the reuse of water at new commercial car washes. 12. Support efforts that help close the gap between the local demand for water and the total amount of water available locally. 13. Support efforts to inc entivize outdoor water -efficiency programs while preserving local control. 14. Support legislation that exempts water conservation rebates from federal taxes. 15. Support legislation that transfers prescriptive landscape and irrigation requirements from the State Model Efficient Landscape Ordinance and places it Cal Green. 16. Support legislation that requires Landscape Architects, Architects, Contractors and Landscape Contractors to receive training on landscaping and irrigation regulations listed in the State Model E fficient Landscape Ordinance and Cal Green; requires testing on these regulations to receive and hold a license; and requires continuing education on these regulations to retain a license. 17. Support legislation that bans the sale and installation of water -wa sting irrigation pr oducts, requires permits for water efficient irrigation systems, and otherwise supports water conservation in landscaping. 18. Support legislation that requires cooling towers be maintained in a way to operate at minimum three cycles of conc entration. 19. Support legislation that allows urban water agencies to classify rainwater and stormwater as utilities and subject to City pricing, not to be voted upon by constituents. 20. Support local efforts to maximize energy -efficient expansions of local water supplies and construct recy cled water distribution systems.
16 Waste 1. Support efforts to shift consumption, manage production and purchases, and maximize the reuse of materials to reduce waste. W. Telecommuni ca tions 1. Support the authority of cities to zone and plan for the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure. 2. Support the innovation and economic development potential of the “information superhighway” and the many possible benefits in the areas of te lecommuting and productivity it promises. 3. Collaborate with the California Public Utilities Commission and various companies and agencies to improve telephone area code planning and inventory management guidelines. 4. Support low power radio stations to provid e residents with an additional media alternative for neighborhood news and information. 5. Support competition in the delivery of cable/video services. 6. Oppose legislation to allow applications for wireless telecommunications facilities to be approved when local governments do not approve or deny the applications within a specified time period. X. Utilities 1. Oppose regulatory efforts to require above -ground installation of utilities without the involvement and consultation of local governments. Y. Youth 1. Support legislation encouraging the provision of accessible, high quality child care by increasing resources to meet the infant, toddler, preschool, and school -age need of City residents. 2. Support expanding subsidies to make high -quality early childhood and school age child care affordable to families and providers. 3. Support expanding funding for the development of safe, structured before -school and after -school programs. 4. Support legislation that provides adequate funding for the construction, renovation, and/or main tenance of child care facilities, the training and compensation of child care professionals, and the reimbursement rate for child development programs. 5. Support efforts to provide youth with a sense of belonging, equal access to opportunities, and keep the m safe and secure from violence.
City of Santa Monica Legislative Guidance Document 2015 Update
1 Santa Monica Legislative Guidance Updated October 2015 Indexed to 2016 Proposed Legislative Platform POLICY AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES Air Quality The City supports California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars and trucks. (2004) Sustainability: Air The City opposes legislation redirecting the funds authorized by Health and Safety Code Section 44223, which currently are used by local governments for locally based air quality programs. Sustainability: Air The City supports the expansion of representation on the South Coast Air Quality Management District by city officials, including the Western region of Los Angeles; and oppo ses efforts to diminish such city representation. (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) Sustainability: Air The City supports measures that expand incentives for procurement and greater use of cleaner alternative fuel vehicles. (Alternative fuels policy 1993; Sustai nable City Plan (1994, 1999, 2003)) Sustainability: Energy The City supports a required percentage of zero emission vehicles to be sold by auto manufacturers in California. Sustainability: Energy The City supports acceleration of the Exposition Light Rai l Project through Metro’s operation of minimum segments. (Expo Construction Authority clean -up legislation. (2006) Mobility The City supports continuation of the EPA funded AQMD study on air quality emissions at the Santa Monica Airport through aircraft operational data collection. $35,000 was provided from City funds to analyze the SCAQMD data and make recommendations for future actions by the City. (2006, 2007) Airport The City supports continued work of the Technical Advisory Committee and its furthe r evaluation of relevant studies and data regarding the air quality impacts by aircraft using the Santa Monica Airport. (2006, 2007) Airport The City supports efforts to work collaboratively with the Federal Aviation Administration, the federal Environme ntal Protection Agency, the federal Department of Transportation, and the members of the California congressional delegation to review noise levels and the safety of flight operations at Santa Monica Airport. [AJR 41 (Lieu), Chapter Number 115, Statutes of 2010] Airport
2 The City supports legislation that allocates cap and trade auction revenues to local governments for grants and other financial assistance [AB 416 (Gordon), 2013, AB 1970 (Gordon), 2014] Sustainability: Standards The City supports legislation that requires the State Air Resources Board to approve statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits for the next several decades, including 40% below the 1990 level to be achieved by 2030, and 80% below the 1990 level to be achieved by 2050. [SB 3 2 (Pavley), 2015] Sustainability: Air Arts, Cultural Resources, Historic Preservation & Activities The City supports continued state funding, and recognizes the important role of local arts activities and historic preservation in community life and how these cultural activities affect the social health and economic vitality of communities. (Cultural Arts Master Plan 1992, 1996; Stanton MacDonald -Wright Mural Project 2004) Arts and Culture The City supports legislation that establishes a framework for c ertifying state -designated cultural districts. [AB 189 (Bloom), 2015] Arts and Culture Child Care The City supports legislation encouraging the provision of accessible, high quality child care by increasing resources to meet the infant, toddler, preschool and school age need of City residents. Youth The City supports expanding subsidies to make high -quality early childhood and school age child care affordable for families and providers. Youth The City supports expanding funding sources for the development of safe, structured after school programs such as the ASAP Program (After -School Activities Program) which offers a variety of after -school activities for middle school students and the CREST Program (Child care, Recreation, Enrichment, Sports, Together), which provides before -and -after -school programs for elementary school children. Youth The City supports legislation allocating additional funding for the construction, renovation and/or maintenance of child care facilities. (2000) Youth The City supports funding to train and adequately compensate child care professionals. Youth Coastal Issues The City supports various State bonds and legislation aimed at improving ocean water quality and reducing ocean pollution including ban ning new offshor e oil drilling, restricting oil tanker traffic; and supporting State funding for coastal cleanup and restoration. Coastal
3 The City opposes legislation that would permit the State to impose conditions on Local Coastal Plans developed by cities and counties . Coastal The City supports efforts to curb frivolous appeals to local coastal decisions. Coastal The City supports legislation and shall pursue funding to protect its beaches. Coastal The City opposes legislation that grants authority to the Coastal Commission that is inconsistent, duplicative and overlapping with the authority of other regulatory agencies or that grants the Coastal Commission authority outside the coastal zone. Coastal The City affirms its commitment to local control by requesting t he Coastal Commission to defer to the elected officials of a city with respect to choices in the implementation of a Local Coastal Plan that complies with the requirements of state law and regulation. Coastal The City supports legislation to restrict the extraction of oil or gas from state -owned tide and submerged lands in the California Coastal Sanctuary. [SB 788 (McGuire), 2015] Coastal Economic Development The City supports legislation that will provide tangible and productive tools and incentives to support job creation and retention. Economic Development The City encourages the State to adopt policies and programs that establish a comprehensive solution t o the infrastructure and jobs/housing needs of communities within the State. Economic Development The City supports continuing flexibility in the use of redevelopment authority. Redevelopment authority has been one of the few tools that cities have been provided that encourages economic development. (2004) Economic Development The City opposes limiting authority or increasing the liability of redevelopment agencies, or efforts by the State to shift redevelopment monies to the State for non -redevelopment purposes. Economic Development The City opposes the elimination of redevelopment agencies. [AB 1275 (Torres), 2011, ABx1 26 (Blumenfield), 2011, ABx1 27 (Blumenfield), 2011]. Economic Development The City supports efforts to enable successor agencies th roughout California to utilize proceeds from bonds issued prior to June 28 th 2011. [AB 981 (Bloom), 2013, AB 2493 (Bloom) 2014, SB 1129 (Steinberg), 2014 , AB
4 974 (Bloom), 2015 ] Economic Development The City supports the creation of a tax credit for qualified expenditures for the production of motion pictures in California for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2016 and authorizes the California Film Commission to administer the program and allocate the tax credits [AB 1839 (Gatto), Ch apter 413, 2014]. Economic Development The City supports legislation to extend the authority of individual County Oversight Boards to allow the institutional knowledge within a local agency to continue assisting the companion successor agency through the dissolution proc ess. [AB 204 (O’Donnell), 2015] Economic Development The City opposes changes to the redevelopment dissolution process that would cause fiscal harm to cities by narrowing the definition of loans to be repaid and reduce interest rates. [AB 113 (Budget), 2015 ] Economic Development The City supports changes to the redevelopment dissolution process that would explicitly state that a “loan for property” is to be included in the definition of a “loan agreement.” [SB 107 (Budget), 2015 ] Economic Development Education The City supports legislation that would require the State Board of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction to update academic content standards to include environmental content and performance standards. (2003) Education The City supports State budgetary efforts to maintain funding for public schools and provide facility and maintenance bonding authority for California’s public schools, colleges and universities. Education The City supports continuation of California’s involvement in federally funded Safe Routes to Schools Program. (1999, 2004) Education The City supports bonding authority for library construction to allow expansion and renovation of libraries to meet community needs. Education The City supports stre ngthening educational curricula and raising the State reimbursement rate for state funded child development programs. Education The City supports efforts to develop seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer. [AB 288 (Holden), 2015] Education Energy The City supports increased funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. (Strategic Energy Plan 2000; 2003; Community Energy Partnership MOU 2004). Sustainability: Energy
5 The City supports the ability of local governments to implement community choice aggregation for purchase of electricity . (2002) and opposes legislation that would place new requirements on the establishment of, and activities by, community choice aggreg ators [AB 2145 (Bradford), 2014]. Sustainability: Energy The City supports stricter state energy efficiency standards for new construction. (Green Building Requirements 2000 -2001, 2007). Sustainability: Energy The City supports a specific statewide requ irement for renewable electricity generation. (1999 Council Action on Renewable Electricity Portfolio). Sustainability: Energy The City supports legislation to ensure that Californians continue to receive reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustain able electric service through investment in energy efficiency programs, energy -related research and development and development of renewable resources technologies. (Strategic Energy Plan 2000). Sustainability: Energy The City supports the Million Solar Roofs initiative to expand solar energy systems on residential and commercial properties. (2005, 2007). Sustainability: Energy The City supports a local jurisdiction’s ability to offer a financing mechanism to assist residents in the upfront costs of sola r power and other energy efficiency improvements. [AB 811 (Levine), 2008]. Sustainability: Energy The City supports a solar feed -in tariff pilot program to require agreements with utilities to purchase all electricity generated by the owner or operator of small -scale solar energy generation facility within the utilities’ territory. [SB 523 (Pavley), 2009 -10, 2 year bill]. Sustainability: Energy The City supports legislation that extends the “public goods charge” until 2020. [AB 723 (Bradford), 2011, A B 724 (Bradford), 2011, SBx1 28 (Padilla), 2011, SBx1 29 (Steinberg), 2011] Sustainability: Energy The City supports legislation that expands current program definitions of solar water heating system to encourage the installation of solar hot water system s. [AB 2249 (Buchanan), 2012] Sustainability: Energy The City supports legislation that requires the PUC, by July 1, 2016, to authorize electrical corporations and gas corporations to recover in rates the reasonable costs of programs providing, incentives, rebates, technical assistance, and support to their customers to increase the energy efficiency of existing buildings. [AB 802 (Williams), 2015] Sustainability: Energy
6 The City supports legislation that would require the amount of electricity generated per year from eligible renewable energy resources to be increased to at least 50% by the end of 2030, and to ensure that the procurement of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources achieves 50% of retail sales by the end of 2 030. [AB 645 (Williams), 2015; SB 350 (de León ), 2015] Sustainability: Energy The City supports efforts to establish a carbon -based renewable gas standard that requires all gas sellers to provide specified percentages of renewable gas meeting certain deli verability requirements that increases over specified compliance periods. [SB 687 (Allen) 2015] Sustainability: Energy The City supports legislation that requires electrical and gas corporations to meet annual goals of energy savings, and requires the CPU C, in consultation with the CEC, to supervise the implementation, thus making more funding and incentive programs available for energy efficiency pro jects. [AB 1330 (Bloom), 2015] Sustainability: Energy Environment The City supports efforts to reduce elec tronic waste. (AB 546, 2007) Sustainability: Goods The City supports continued efforts to recycle and reduce consumption of single -use food packaging. [AB 904, 2007, SB 568 (Lowenthal), 2011] Sustainability: Goods The City supports continued efforts to recycle and reduce the consumption of single use plastic bags. [AB 68 (Brownley ), 2009, AB 1998 (Brownley), 2010, AB 298 (Brownley), 2011, AB 158 (Levine) 2013, SB 405 (Padilla), 2013, SB 270 (Padilla) Chapter 850, 2014]. Sustainability: Goods The City op poses efforts to repeal statewide provisions that allow local governments to reduce the consumption of single -use carryout bags. [AB 190 (Harper), 2015; AB 191 (Harper), 2015] Sustainability: Goods The City supports efforts to create an architectural pain t recovery program. [AB 1343 (Huffman), Chapter Number 420, Statutes of 2010] Sustainability: Goods The City supports efforts to create a producer responsibility framework to provide environmentally sound product stewardship protocols. [AB 283 (Chesbro), 2009, AB 2139 (Chesb ro), 2010, AB 521 (Stone), 2013; AB 1159 (Gordon), 2015] Sustainability: Goods The City supports efforts to create a producer responsibility program specifically for carpet. [AB 2398 (Perez), Chapter Number 681, Statutes of 2010] Sustainability: Goods
7 The City supports efforts to create a producer responsibility program specifically for batteries. [SB 1100 (Corbett), 2010, SB 515 (Corbett), 2011, AB 488 (Williams), 2013] Sustainability: Goods The City supports efforts to create a producer responsibility program specifically for home generated sharps. [AB 403 (Stone), 2013] Sustainability: Goods The City supports efforts to create a producer responsibility program specifically for home generated pharmaceutical waste. [SB 1014 (Ja ckson), 2014] Sustainability: Goods The City supports legislation to establish a producer responsibility program for mercury -containing lamps and a fee program for inefficient lamps. [AB 2176 (Blumenfield), 2010] Sustainability: Goods The City supports a ban on the possession, sale, trade, and distribution of shark fins in California. [AB 376 (Fong), 2011] Sustainability: Goods The City supports a ban on the importation, sale, or intent to sell of any part or product of an elephant, regardless of when t he parts or dead body were imported. [AB 96 (Atkins), 2015 ] Sustainability: Goods The City supports efforts to incentivize outdoor water -efficiency programs, including drought -friendly landscaping, while preserving local control. [AB 585 (Melendez), 2015 ; AB 603 (Salas), 2015 ] Sustainability: Goods The City opposes efforts to undermine Extended Producer Responsibility related to household hazardous waste and shift the responsibility of collection and disposal solely to local governments as an unfunded mandate. [AB 45 (Mullin), 2015] Sustainability: Goods Financial Restructuring of the State and Local Relationship The City supports protection of local revenues by restricting the ability of the State legislature to “borrow” local government funding, including local government share of existing sales taxes, property taxes and VLF revenues. (2003; 2004) Financial S ustainability Health The City supports statewide smoking and tobacco control standards which do not restrict or preempt stricter local regulations. Health The City supports smoking regulations on state beaches. (2004) Health The City supports initiatives that provide for aging with dignity. Health
8 The City supports study of the effects of toxic mold, public education of these effects, and setting appropriate state health standards. (2001) Health The City supports activities that promote an active, healthy citizenry including its active living community priority. (2005, 2006) Health The City supports a per crude oil fee for transport ation fuels refined in California to fund programs that help mitigate the adverse health impacts of motor vehicle emissions. Health The City supports legislative efforts and funding to encourage the purchase of California fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetable s by nutrition benefit clients. [AB 132 1 (Ting), 2015] Health Health Insurance The City supports legislation that would implement a single payer universal health care delivery system in California requiring businesses to provide health benefits directly to its employees, and making all California residents eligible for specific health care benefits under the California Healthcare System, which would, on a single -payer basis, negotiate for or set fees for health care services provided through the system an d pay claims for those services. (2004, 2006) [SB 810 (Leno), 2009, SB 810 (Leno), 2011] Health The City supports legislation that extends, and increases eligibility for, the Medi -Cal 250% California Working Disabled Program (CWD program), which assists t hose who are disabled and temporarily not working (2007). Health The City supports legislation that creates a pilot program to provide supplemental services to frequent users of the Medi -Cal health care services in emergency rooms, in an effort to reduce costs. [SB 1738 (Steinberg), 2008] Health Homeless /Social Services The City supports a balanced approach that considers the need for assistance and services for homeless people while providing for the health, safety and welfare of all people in Santa Mon ica, and advocates for regional initiatives involving county, state and federal governments to reduce chronic homelessness. Homelessness The City supports full physical and programmatic access to municipal services, facilities and programs for people with disabilities. Homelessness The City supports work with the Veterans Administration to fund programs, services and West Los Angeles building identification as sites for such services. (1994, 2005 ongoing) Homelessness The City supports legislation addre ssing regional homeless issues including enhanced penalties for drug sales near treatment centers or shelters; prohibitions
9 against dumping; fair share zoning requirements for siting facilities with credit/exemption for “good actor” cities/incentives; fund ing for prototype courts; and provisions of youth discharge planning with benefits they are entitled to. (2006) Homelessness The City supports the Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel Act – a pilot project to allow the Judicial Council to appoint legal representation for unrepresented low -income parties in civil matters involving critical issues affecting basic human needs – such as domestic violence, deprivation of child custody, housing and elder abuse and would provide an increased ability for low inc ome residents to retain legal representation when needed. [AB 590 (Feuer), 2009] Homelessness The City supports creation of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, composed of specified members of state government, to construct cross -agency a nd community cooperation in responding to homelessness, use a more efficient and supportive method in implementing evidence -based approaches to address homeless ness, and, to the extent possible, plan to end homelessness in the state. [AB 1177 (Fong), 200 9, AB 1167 (Fong), 2011, AB 998 (Fong), 2013] Homelessness Housing The City supports legislation and state and federal programs that assist in providing financing for affordable housing, including the development of fiscal tools and incentives to assist l ocal governments in their efforts to encourage housing and finance the infrastructure to support housing, as well as establishing an ongoing state commitment for funding affordable housing. (1999, 2002, 2004, 2006 , 2007) [AB 90 (Chau), 2015] Housing The City advocates for its fair share of affordable housing tax credits and for the reward of cities that use local sources of funds. (2004) Housing The City opposes legislation that requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to hear appeals of city, county or city, and county decisions on applications for the construction of housing developments which meet specified affordability requirements. (2002, 2004) Housing The City opposes any attempt to mandate that a city achieve its RHNA target or face financial or other penalties or to impose additional obligations based on the RHNA target. (2000, 2002 -2004, 2007, Monitored AB 2069 (Jones), 2008) Housing The City advocates that the acquisition, minor rehabilitation and deed restriction of existing housing units count toward the accomplishment of low and very low income production RHNA goals. (2000) Housing The City advocates for recognition of policy tools for “built out cities” such as inclusionary zoning as a means to incorporate af fordable housing into market rate developments. [(2003 ), AB 1690 (Gordon), Chapter 883 of 2014] Housing
10 The City opposes state mandated attempts to usurp local discretion over matters relating to local housing policy such as condominium conversions. (2004) Housing The City supports full funding for the Section 8 program including adequate contract rents in high cost areas like Santa Monica, full funding to support all authorized vouchers in use and annual inflation factors sufficient to meet on -going funding needs. Housing The City supports efforts to provide greater protection of displaced tenants, such as ensuring the continued enforcement of rent control, when mobile home parks are converted into condominiums (2007). Housing The City supports leg islation that overturns the Palmer decision and expressly authorizes a county or city to establish inclusionary housing requirements as a condition of development. [SB 184 (Leno), 2011, AB 1229 (Atkins) 2013]. Housing The City supports legislation that funds and supports affordable housing, and administers affordable housing programs. [SB 1220 (DeSaulnier), 2012; SB 391 (DeSaulnier, 2013), SB 1260 (De Saulnier), 2014 ; AB 35 (Chiu), 2015 ; AB 1335 (Atkins), 2015 ; AB 1056 (Atkins), 2015 ] Housing The City s upports legislation to administer a competitive grant program that focuses on community -based solutions for reducing recidivism, including supportive housing assistance. [AB 1056 (Atkins), 2015] Housing Landlord/Tenant The City supports efforts to provide vulnerable tenants with additional rights and protections from landlord abuses. Rent Control The City supports legislation which extends the amount of time a tenant has to either vacate the premises or oppose a writ of possession of property, in favor of the landlord, prior to eviction. (2003) Rent Control The City supports legislation which protects tenants from being subject to unlawful entry by landlords prior to being given proper notice. (2002) Rent Control The City supports providing tenants with additional recourses for landlords who fail to repair or remove problematic conditions after being notified by housing code enforcement authorities. (2003) Rent Control The City supports requiring landlords to provid e their tenants documents explaining deductions from security deposits. (2002) Rent Control
11 The City supports legislation that records any vacancies due all or in part to domestic violence or other criminal activities, and what role, if any, authorities played in the relocation process. (2003) Rent Control The City supports increasing the limit on punitive damages that may be awarded to tenants that have been the subject of retaliatory evictions. (2003) Rent Control The City supports providing all res idential units with a locking mail receptacle. (AB 607, 2007) Rent Control The City supports legislation which protects tenants when affordable housing unit agreements expire. [AB 2019 (Fuentes), 2008, AB 1171 (Ammiano), 2009, AB 1216 (Fuentes), 2011] Ren t Control The City supports legislation which prohibits a landlord that allows a tenant to have an animal on the premises, from advertising or establishing rental policies in a manner that requires a tenant or a potential tenant with an animal to have tha t animal declawed or devocalized. [AB 2743 (Nava), 2010, SB 1229 (Pavley), 2012] Rent Control The City supports legislation that allows a tenant to redeem the tenancy after receiving a three -day notice by tendering rent due and other fees and costs. [AB 2 65 (Ammiano), 2011] Rent Control The City supports legislation that ensures tenants have access to courts when subjected to illegal eviction activity. [AB 934 (Feuer), 2011] Rent Control The City supports legislation that allows a tenant to pay rent and deposit of security by at least one form of payment that is neither cash nor electronic fund transfer. [SB 1055 (Lieu), 2012] Rent Control The City supports legislation that would require that the notice in an unlawful detainer proceeding must contain, at the request of a lawyer referral entity, the contact information of that entity. [AB 1865 (Alejo), 2012] Rent Control The City opposes legislation that alters the landlord/tenant relationship in such a way that facilitates the potential for a greater num ber of evictions for tenants otherwise protected by rent control and other housing stability measures. [AB 746 (Levine), 2013] Rent Control The City supports legislation that make it so that the rent certification process does not apply to any tenancies w here the landlord may freely set the level of rent whenever a unit is re -rented following a vacancy. [SB 775 (Allen), 2015] Rent Control
12 Land Use The City opposes any attempt to erode the City’s local autonomy over land -use decisions, or weaken the City’s ability to ensure the future welfare of its residents through local control of the planning process. (2003, 2004, 2007) Land Use The City advocates recognition for land use tools needed by built out cities firmly committed to affordable housing. (2004) Land Use The City supports local discretion in the assessment, and usage of development fees. Land Use The City opposes legislation that creates unnecessary delays and restraints on completing affordable housing projects and leaves local governments su sceptible to litigation over specified land use and planning d ecisions [AB 325 (Alejo), 2013] Land Use The City supports legislation that makes it clear that inclusionary rental housing programs are permissible [AB 1229 (Atkins), 2013]. Land Use The Cit y supports legislation that authorizes a city and/or county to require a transient residential hosting platform to report specified information quarterly. [SB 593 (McGuire), 2015] Land Use The City supports legislation that allows a tax credit in an amount equal to 30% of the qualified costs paid or incurred by a taxpayer for any seismic retrofit construction on a qualified build ing. [AB 428 (Nazarian), 2015] Land Use Miscellaneous The City supports flexibility for state and local governments to enact environmental and other standards or mandates that are stronger than the federal standards. (Green Building Requirements 2000; Underground Storage Tank Ordinance; Water Efficiency Standards 1990) Sustainability: Standards The City opposes legislat ion that would preempt local governments’ authority to exercise rightful police power to regulate practices within their jurisdiction. [AB 2427 (Eng), 2008] Public Safety The City opposes legislation which would extend the current 1 year paid leave of ab sence while disabled by injury or illness arising out of and in the course of employment, for period of disability for police officers, sheriffs, or firefighters. (2003 -2004) Employment and Wages The City supports requiring all retailers in California to adhere to the industry standards of charging a customer the lowest marked price on an item. (2004) Consumer Protection
13 The City supports efforts to use valuable race, ethnicity and national origin data to identify, track and rectify disparities in educa tion, outreach, health and research purposes. (Prop. 54 – 2003) Data The City supports efforts to provide domestic partner benefits and protections; expand civil marriage laws. Civil Liberties The City opposes any suspension of the Brown Act as it could have detrimental consequences to the goal of public involvement. (2003) Civic Engagement The City opposes limitations on public agency indemnification, including limitations under which a design professional would be required to indemnify a public agency . (2002) Financial Sustainability The City opposes preemption of local leaf blower ordinances. (Ordinance 1991, Pre -emption Leg. 1999) Sustainability: Standards The City supports inclusion of socially responsible investment guidelines into the State’s investment policies to include screens for socially harmful activities and the encouragement of investments that support equality of rights. Financial Sustainability The City opposes USA Patriot Act and related orders and directives and supports unabrogat ed City protection of constitutional rights. Civil Liberties The City supports legislation that prohibits California public retirement systems from participating in predatory real estate investment practices. [AB 2337 (Ammiano), 2010] Misc. The City supports legislation that requires all alcohol sales must be performed by a store clerk and not at self check -out machines. [AB 1060 (De La Torre), 2010, AB 183 (Ma), 2011] Public Safety The City opposes legislation that seeks to limit the abili ties of a charter city council to set desired compensation levels. [AB 1955 (De La Torre), 2010] Employment and Wages The City supports legislation that pre -empts local jurisdictions from enacting local regulations and/or bans in the field of male circumcision. [AB 768 (Gatto), 2011] Misc. The City supports legislation that urges the United States Congress to overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and restores constitutional rights and fair elections to the people. [AJR 22 (Wieckow ski), 2012] Civic Engagement The City supports legislation that would require disclosure of information on advertisements supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot measure via radio,
14 television, video, print, or mass mailing. [AB 1648 (Brownley), 2012] Civic Engagement The City opposes legislation that would extend the statute of limitations to allow a safety officer's dependents to receive workers' compensation death benefits where the safety officer dies of cancer or other "presumed" job -related inju ries. [AB 2451 (Pérez), 2012] Employment and Wages The City supports legislation that would make it unlawful to intentionally make any false, deceptive or misleading statements or representations relating to the sale of agricultural products and additiona lly require vendors of agricultural products selling within a certified farmers market to comply with specified signage and labeling requirements. [AB 996 (Dickinson), 2013, AB 1871 (Dickinson) Chapter 579, 2014] Consumer Protection The City supports exte nding a prohibition on sales of agricultural products in close proximity to a certified farmers’ market to mushrooms and herbs so that local growers will not be undermined by direct competition with agricultural importers. [AB 862 (Committee on Agriculture ), 2015] Consumer Protection The City opposes legislation that would require local agencies that collect franchise fees to use a portion of those fees to both televise the open and public meeting of its legislative body and provide that an audio or video recording the meeting be stored for at least two years [AB 185 (Hernandez), 2013] Financial Sustainability The City opposes measures which place overly burdensome and vague restrictions which prevent non -profits that derive funding from local agencies from participating in campaign activity [AB 594 (Hill), 2013] Civic Engagement The City supports legislation that makes it easier for active community members to serve as volunteers on appointed boards and commis sions. [SB 704 (Gaines), 2015] Civic Engage ment The City supports efforts to enhance, increase, and expand voting opportunities for eligible voters throughout the state. [AB 1461 (Gonzalez), SB 439 (Allen), SB 450 (Allen), 2015] Civic Engagement Parks and Open Space The City supports legislation and bond measures to protect existing park land, wetlands, community open space and coastal resources and expand the community park system. (2006, 2007) Parks and Open Space The City supports legislation that provides continued investment in parks, recrea tional facilities and in the protection of natural and historic resources. [SB 317 (de León ), 2015] Parks and Open Space
15 The City supports transfer of Ballona Wetlands Area C to the State Parks system. Parks and Open Space The C ity requests that the Foot hill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency immediately and permanently withdraw its plans to construct a tool road through San Onofre State Beach and across the Trestles State Surf Beach and urges that Santa Monica refrain from acquiring any bonds for, or making any financial investments in the Toll Road project. (2006) Parks and Open Space The City opposes cuts to the State Parks’ Budget and the closure of State Parks. (2008) Parks and Open Space The City supports legislation to extend the operation of the Baldwin Hills Conservancy Act indefinitely, which helps provide and manage public lands for recreational, open space, wildlife habitat restoration and protection, and lands for educational uses within the Baldwin Hills area. [AB 446 (Ridley -Thomas), 20 15] Parks and Open Space Public Safety The City supports strict local gun control ordinances, including the prohibition of “Saturday Night Specials”. (Ordinance; 1999) Public Safety The City supports double fines for traffic violations in school zones. Public Safety The City supports funding for first responders in homeland security protection. Public Safety The City supports activities to cooperate, coordinate and communicate in the development of better land use policies and wildland fuel management programs to decrease the impacts to public health and safety resulting from wildland urban interface fires. (2004) Public Safety The City supports alcohol -related emergency reimbursement acts that earmark revenue generated from fees from wholesalers. (2 004) Public Safety The City supports closing sentencing loopholes that permit relatives who are convicted of the sexual abuse of a child in their household to avoid serving time in state prisons. (2005) Public Safety The City supports legislation which a uthorizes superior courts to develop and implement mental health courts, as specified, which may operate as a pre -guilty plea program and deferred entry of judgment program and allows parolee participation in mental health court. (SB 851, 2007) Public Safe ty
16 The City supports legislation placing a measure on a statewide election ballot giving California voters the opportunity to replace the death penalty with permanent imprisonment. [SB 490 (Hancock), 2011]. Public Safety The City supports legislation that restricts the manufacture, importation and sale of any device capable of converting an ammunition feeding device into a high capacity magazine [AB 48 (Skinner), 2013; SB 396 (Hancock), 2013]. Public Safety The City supp orts legislation that revises the definition of California’s assault weapons ban to: include guns with magazines that can be rapidly interchanged with the use of a “bullet button, prohibits the future sale of “long guns with ammunition magazines that enable rapid reload and closes a loop hole with respect to design feature of shotguns that has been used to circumvent the law [SB 47 (Yee), 2013; SB 374 (Steinberg), 2013, SB 567 (Jackson), 2013] Public Safety The City supports legislation that would cre ate a statewide standard for ammunition purchase permits. [SB 53 (de León ), 2013, 2014] Public Safety The City supports legislation that creates a requirement for a firearm safety certificate for long -gun ownership [SB 683 (Block), 2013]. Public Safety The City supports legislation that adds specified offenses relative to substance abuse to the list of misdemeanors that, upon two or more convictions in a ten year period, would result in a 10 year prohibition on firearm ownership. [SB 755 (Wolk), 2013]. Public Safety The City supports legislation that a driver of a vehicle involved in an accident where the person is struck, and the driver of the vehicle leaves the scene of the accident without exchanging required information, is guilty of an alternate m isdemeanor/infraction, and requires that the person’s driving privilege to operate a motor vehicle to be suspended for a period of six months. [AB 1532 (Gatto), 2014] Public Safety The City supports legislation that will require a person to apply to and o btain from the Department of Justice a unique serial number or other mark of identification prior to manufacturing or assembling a firearm. [SB 808 (de León ), 2014] Public Safety Public Libraries The City supports full funding of the Public Library Fund so that the State of California can fully fund its share of the program, understanding how libraries play an integral role in building and sustaining our communities. (1999 – 2004) Public Libraries Rent Control
17 The City opposes any legislation restrictin g the ability of cities to enact rent control ordinances; or that diminishes tenant rights and property. (Ongoing) Rent Control The City supports legislation that make it so that the rent certification process does not apply to any tenancies where the landlord may freely set the level of rent whenever a unit is re -rented following a vacancy. [SB 775 (Allen), 2015] Rent Control State - Local Fiscal Relationship The City supports measures to ensure the integrity of existing city revenue sources, includin g the city share and allocation of property tax, sales tax, vehicle license fees, etc. (2000, 2003, 2004) Financial Sustainability The City opposes any changes that limit local financial flexibility, including the swap of local sales tax for property tax ; any limitation of local financial flexibility; and any limitation for “built out cities” to utilize revitalization strategies for economically lagging areas. (2003, 2004) Financial Sustainability The City supports constitutional protection of revenue s ources in order to provide insurance against diversion by the State of these revenues in the future for non -municipal purposes. (2004, Proposition 22, 2010) Financial Sustainability The State must provide full and prompt reimbursement to all local agenci es for all state -mandated programs and/or infractions and losses associated with local revenue shifts. Local agencies must be authorized to petition the Commission on State Mandates immediately after legislation is chaptered for determination of eligibili ty for reimbursement, and reserve the right to directly pursue court intervention without an administrative appeals process. Financial Sustainability The City opposes Unfunded State Service Mandates on Local Government and believes that they should be eit her fully funded or eliminated. While the State Constitution requires that the State government finance service mandates imposed on local governments, the reality is that local governments experience numerous and lengthy administrative obstacles to secure reimbursements which in many cases are not fully funded in annual state budgets. The result is that local governments must finance state mandated services with local revenues. Financial Sustainability The Two -Thirds Voter Requirement for Special Taxes a nd/or the Issuance of General Obligation Bonds Should be Eliminated. Special taxes are taxes the proceeds of which voters want spent for a specific purpose. The annual debt service payments of principal and interest on General Obligation Bonds are financ ed from additional Property Taxes that voters impose on themselves. By requiring that these taxes be approved by a two -thirds majority, a relatively small minority can prevent action desired by more than a majority of the voters. The result can be an adv erse impact on a community’s social, economic or physical environment. Financial Sustainability
18 The City supports responsible investment policies. Financial Sustainability The City supports the addition of stormwater and urban runoff management fees and charges to the list of fees that must receive a 2/3 vote to be increased. [SCA 12 (Torlakson), 2007] Financial Sustainability The City supports legislation requiring the state to pay back local governments borrowing a gainst the property tax shares they owe the state, under suspension of Proposition 1A, including the interest costs of such borrowing. [SB 67 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), 2009] Financial Sustainability The City opposes legislation to allow pre payment judicial relief with respect to disputed transient occupancy taxes for a travel agent or intermediary, [SB 848 (Hollingsworth), 2010, SBX6 2 (Calderon), 2010] Financial Sustainability The City supports legislation that continues the State -Local tax sharing program, which allows cities that have entered into agreements with the Franchise Tax Board to exchange tax information. [SB 211 (Hernandez), 2013] Financial Sustainability Taxation The City supports legislation that would allow all cities, and specifically the City of Santa Monica, the opportunity to levy transaction and use taxes in order to raise additional revenues for essential services and funding for city programs and operatio ns. (2003) Financial Sustainability The City supports legislation that specifies that if more than a certain percentage of the direct or indirect ownership interests in a legal entity are sold or transferred in a single transaction, the real property own ed by that legal entity has changed ownership whether or not any one legal entity or person that is a party to the transaction obtains control. [AB 1040 (Ting), 2015] Financial Sustainability Telecommunications The City supports the authority of cities to zone and plan for the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure. (Telecommunications Master Plan) Telecommunications The City supports the ability of cities to maintain and manage the public right -of -way and receive compensation for its use. (Rig ht of Way Management Plan 2004, 2006) Telecommunications The City supports the innovation and economic development potential of the “information superhighway” and the many possible benefits in the areas of telecommuting and productivity it promises. Telec ommunications The City will work with the California Public Utilities Commission, the various telephone companies and regulatory agencies to improve telephone area code
19 planning in California; requests a telephone numbering inventory management guideline. (1999, 2005) Telecommunications The City supports closing loopholes that allows companies doing business in California to create out -of -state arms -length subsidiaries in order to avoid collection of sales and use taxes on web and internet sales. Telecom munications The City supports efforts to develop the California electronics recycling infrastructure through requiring manufacturers to take responsibility through an advance disposal fee. (2003) Telecommunications The City supports low power radio stations to provide residents with an additional media alternative for neighborhood news and information. Telecommunications The City supports competition in the delivery of cable/video services. Over the years, the City of Santa Monica has taken its fran chise obligations seriously and has a history of careful management of the public right -of -way as well as consumer protections. AB 2987 charts an unknown course that wipes out effective oversight of video services and infrastructure and allows something le ss to take its place. (2006) Telecommunications The City supports legislation that establishes an effective way to collect user taxes (UUT) for pre -paid mobile telephones. [AB 300 (Perea), 2013, AB 1717 (Perea), Chapter 885, 2014] Telecommunications The City opposes legislation to allow applications for wireless telecommunications facilit ies to be approved when local governments do not approve or deny the applications within a specified time period . [AB 57 (Quirk), 2015] Telecommunications Transporta tion The City supports legislation that establishes a ban on hand -held cell phone use while driving unless the phone is being used for emergency -related communication. Fines would be imposed unless the telephone is designed to allow hands -free operation, and is used in that manner while driving. This infraction would not apply under emergency circumstances. (2003 -2004) Public Safety The City supports additional funding for local transportation and other critical unmet infrastructure needs. (2000 , 2015 ) Financial Sustainability The City supports an imposition of a local sales tax in order to aid in the funding of specified transportation related projects, including Exposition light rail. (2003) Financial Sustainability
20 The City supports enhanced autono my for local transportation decision -making and pursues transportation policy changes that move more dollars and decisions to local policy leaders. Mobility The City supports legislation and funding for Exposition Light Rail which creates a light rail tra nsportation construction authority with local city authority over project implementation. (2003, 2006) Mobility The City supports the creation of the California Transportation Infrastructure Funding Task Force, which would meet and report alternatives to taxing road users through per -gallon fuel taxes. [AB 1815 (Feuer), 2008] Financial Sustainability The City supports legislation that removes voter approval needed for cities to create IFDs. [AB 1836 (Feuer), 2008] Financial Sustainability The City suppo rts legislation allowing a weight fee, for vehicles with an unladen weight of 10,000 pounds or less and a carbon dioxide emissions fee when registering passenger vehicles [AB 2388 (Feuer), 2008] Mobility The City supports legislation that imposes addition al fees on fuel and vehicles to be used for public transit and congestion management projects. [AB 2558 (Feuer), 2008] Financial Sustainability The City supports legislation that lowers the threshold for voter approval of revenue backed bonds dedicated to transportation needs. [ACA 10 (Feuer), 2008) Financial Sustainability The City supports legislation that lowers the threshold for voter approval of a special tax by a local government for funding local transportation projects. [ACA 4 (Frazier), 2015] Fin ancial Sustainability The City supports legislation that extends the period in which the MTA can impose a transactions and use tax of 0.5% for transportation related purposes. [AB 2321 (Feuer), 2008] Financial Sustainability The City supports seeking th e maximum share of available funding for local transportation programs. Financial Sustainability The City supports bicycle and pedestrian access with maximum local flexibility to prioritize this transportation need. (2000) Financial Sustainability The City supports a more balanced transportation plan for the distribution of aviation traffic in the region so that Santa Monica’s airport does not continue to be burdened with commercial aviation traffic by aircraft that are not compatible with the design li mitations of the Airport. (2002, ongoing) Airport
21 The City supports noise reduction standards for all aircraft (ongoing). Airport The City seeks to implement federal runway safety standards which address the entire mix of aircraft that use the Santa M onica Airport. (2002 – 2007) Airport The City supports efforts from the California Legislature to assist with runway safety standards at the Santa Monica Municipal Airport. [AJR 37 (Lieu), 2008] Airport The City supports authorizing the California Transportation Commission to relinquish to the City of Santa Monica a portion of State Highway Route 1 that is located within the City limits, also known as Lincoln Boulevard. [SB 532 (Cogdill), 2009] Financial Sustainability The City supports efforts to increase transit agency revenue through illuminated digital advertising on transit buses. [AB 607 (Brownley), 2011] Financial Sustainability The City supports legislation that authorizes the extension, upon vo ter approval, of Measure R transactions and use tax. [AB 1446 (Feuer), 2012] Financial Sustainability The City supports legislation that allows LA Metro to seek countywide voter approval for a ½ cent increase to the countywide sales tax to provide revenue for the region’s unmet trans portation needs. [SB 767 (de Leó n), 2015] Financial Sustainability The City supports legislation that allows transit operators to purchase new overweight transit buses to replace existing buses of equal or lesser weight, or to incorporate a new fleet class until 2015. [AB 1706 (Eng), 2012, AB 1720 (Bloom), Chapter 263, 2014 , AB 1250 (Bloom), 2015 ] Financial Sustainability The City supports continuing to exempt certain transit workers from the requirements of the Public Employee’s Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) until January 1, 2016 or until a federal district court rules that the United States Secretary of Labor erred in determining the application of PEPRA precludes certification of federal transit funding, whicheve r is sooner. [AB 1783 (Jones -Sawyer), Chapter 724, 2014] Employment and Wages Utilities The City opposes regulatory efforts to require above -ground installation of utilities without the involvement and consultation of local governments. (CPUC, 2010) Utili ties
22 Vehicles The City supports several changes to the eligibility requirements for driving, as follows: allow persons without legal status to apply; and, impose various security and verification requirements, including requiring the DMV, in the issuance of driver’s licenses and identification cards, to issue licenses and cards that are in compliance with specified requirements of the Federal Real ID Act of 2005 (Public Law 109 -13). (2004) [SB 60 (Cedillo), 2009, 2 year bill] Misc. Wages The City supports a living wage for in -home support service workers. Employment and Wages The City supports efforts to protect against wage discrimination for equal work regardless of the sex of the employee. (AB 435 (Brownley), 2007) Employment and Wages Wa ter: Drinking Water Resources The City supports stronger state and federal efforts to protect drinking water wells through early identification of potential contaminants of aquifers and aggressive cleanup of contaminated sites that threaten drinking water supplies. (1997 -2004) Sustainability: Water The City supports water efficiency standards for plumbing fixtures to decrease reliance on imported water sources. (Low Flow Toilet Ordinance 1990; Green Building Requirements 2000) Sustainability: Water The City supports primary and secondary health standards for MtBE to protect local water self sufficiency. (1997) Sustainability: Water The City supports legislation that makes it easier for cities to take legal action against polluters who contaminate drin king water sources, for example with chemicals such as MtBE and perchlorate. (1997 -2004) Sustainability: Water The City opposes oil company liability waivers for product design defects of MtBE. (2002 -2004) Sustainability: Water The City opposes dilutio n of state and local laws and regulations for protection of public and environmental health, including NAFTA provisions relating to free trade protection for MtBE. Sustainability: Water The City supports federal funding to address water infrastructure reliability to improve the City’s water and drainage systems and distribution lines. (Earthquake Recovery 1996 -2004) Sustainability: Water Water Quality The City supports the ability of cities to enact discharge and water quality requirements or standards that are stricter than state or federal standards and
23 opposes efforts to restrict such authority. (Urban Runoff Ordinance 1996; 2001) Sustainability: Wa ter The City supports stronger storm water pollution control standards and efforts to secure related funding. Sustainability: Water The City supports efforts to modify the State Water Code to expand the uses of rainwater and stormwater runoff. [AB 1834 (Solorio), 2010, AB 275 (Solorio), 2011, AB 1750 (Solorio), 2012] Sustainability: Water The City supports legislation that requires the reuse of water at new commercial car washes. [AB 2230, (Gatto), 2012] Sustainability: Water
1 | Page CITY OF SANTA MONICA, CA 2016 FEDERAL AGENDA (As of March 1, 2016 - Pending City Council approval) ISSUE AREA ACTION Education Support funding and policy initiatives t hat support cr adle -to -career programming, p articularly those with a public library component. Energy/Environment Support funding to assist local governments in developing and implementing energy efficiency and conservation strategies that maximize available resources, reduce costs, expand community ac cess and protect public health. Support federal incentives that assist local governments in developing and implementing transportation, land use and building policies that encourage maximum use of resources and l ower energy consumption . Ensure that local governments can continue, and not be preempted in, their efforts to achieve economic improvements through increased energy efficiency and conservation plans that seek to decrease carbon emissions. Homelessness Support funding for Homeless Assistance Grants and Homelessness among Veterans /Chronically Homeless Veterans . Continued federal investments are needed for homeless services, homelessness prevention and rapid re -housing/supportive housing to meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness and the chronically homeless veterans in the City. Support funding and policy initiatives that support mental health care (e.g., access to psychiatric facilities, behavioral health care treatment , and street -based services). Support legislation that aligns with a Housing First model providing resources for transitional and permanent /supportive housing for long -term chronically homeless veterans at the VA’s West LA campus. Housing/ Economic Development Support funding for HUD -funded affordable housing programs and economic development activities . D eclining levels of funding for the Section 8 Tenant -based rental assistance voucher program and the HOME program are compromising Santa Monica’s ability to adequately serve families and individuals who need affordable housing. Compounded with the State of California’s elimination of redevelopment funding for affordable housing, th ese changes leave Santa Monica’s most
2 | Page vulnerable populations with fewer options. Secure increase to city -wide Housing Choice Voucher Program area E xce ption Payment Standard to support the City’s efforts to provide affordable housing in the community. Su pport full funding for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which is critical in assisting cities like Santa Monica create jobs, provide affordable housing, and leverage new economic investment. Parks and Recreation Support legislation that would establish dedicated federal funding streams for local parks and recreation. Police and Fire Support federal investment in resources critical to local law enforcement, including full funding for the Local Law Enforcement Bl ock Grant; additional funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program; the Byrne/Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) program as well as integrated publi c safety communications systems. Support interoperable communication solutions that mee t the radio spectrum needs of first responders . Secure resources to support the Police Department ’s technological needs (i.e., tablets, in -car camera system). Support funding and policy initiatives that provide mental health training for public safety officers and to hire mental health professionals to support local law enforcement activities in the community. Support funding for disaster preparedness, prevention, recovery, and response for all -hazard threats. Support full funding for the Urban Area Se curity Initiative; and maximize first responder funding to California cities, as well as flexibility in the use of funds to assist areas of need (i.e. personnel, training, and target hardening). Support legislation that supports p aramedics and other emerg ency medical service practitioners in their ability to be responsive to community needs. Taxes Support legislation that would allow local brick -and -mortar retailers to compete more effectively against out -of -state internet sellers. Oppose legislation that would impose a moratorium on state and local ta xes on telecommunication services thus removing a
3 | Page revenue source for localities. Oppose legislation that would exempt online tourism companies from paying appropriate sales taxes to state and local governments. Support legislation that requires federal banking agencies to treat m uni cipal obligations as High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA). Telecommunications Support funding and policy initiatives that support development of municipal broadband networks, dig once legislation and digital inclusion. Transportation Support a permanent Alternative Fuel Tax Credit during consideration of any tax code revisions. The City’s bus system receives approximately $1.37 million annually from the application of the CNG Fuel Tax credit to its fuel purchases. Support continued formula funding for the Bus and Bus Facilities Program. Secure resources to replace aging radio communication system used by Big Blue Bus. (C onvert analog system to digital). Secure resources for demand response/last mile system connector from Exposition LRT. Secure resources for water taxi/ aqua bus to support commuter market from Malibu to Long Beach. Secure resources for projects defined as transportation alternatives, including on - and off -road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non -driver access to public transp ortation and enhanced mobility, and safe routes to school projects. Support continued funding of the Federal Highways Program especially the Highway Bridge Rehabilitation Program. Assist City officials and staff with Santa Monica Airport issues related to regaining local control and reducing the impacts of airport operations on the community. Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Support flexible funding options that will help local communities upgrade and replace water and wastewater infrastructure. Support integrated and flexible approaches to meet EPA Clean Water Act requirements. EPA is set to propose new
4 | Page compliance requirements for wastewater and stormwater infrast ructure that may impact the City’s planning and permitting, and propose new stormwater runoff performance standards for residential and other developments after they have been constructed. Secure resources to build facility to store stormwater for non -pot able uses and to recharge aquifers . Secure resources for sewer lining. Workforce Investment Act / Jobs Support legislation that would provide units of general local government with funding to save and create local jobs through the retention, restoration, or expansion of services. Contacts: Danielle Noble City of Santa Monica 310 -458 -8301 danielle.noble@smgov.net Charmayne Anderson The Ferguson Group 202 -261 -6016 canderson@tfgnet.com