Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05 - 2007 and 2008 Legislative PlatformCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item No. 5 February 27, 2007 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: City Manager's Office Dave Kiff, Assistant City Manager 949/644 -3002 or dkiff @city.newport- beach.ca.us SUBJECT: Resolution 2007-_ Relating to the City's 2007 and 2008 Legislative Platform ISSUE: Should the City of Newport Beach adopt a general platform that describes what legislation it will support or oppose in both Washington DC and Sacramento? Adopt Resolution 2007-_ adopting a Legislative Platform for the 2007 -08 Legislative Session and authorizing the Mayor to issue statements and letters consistent with the Platform. DISCUSSION: Background. The City of Newport Beach has traditionally played a significant role in legislative advocacy in both Sacramento and Washington. We do not play as active a lobbying role as many cities, but we do attempt to protect the programs, services, and philosophy directed by the City Council. The City's legislative efforts include: • Legislative Platform • Contract Lobbyists • Memberships in Local Government Organizations that Lobby • City employees' Professional Associations, and the • Annual Council Resolution directing our advocacy efforts The Legislative Platform. Typically once each year, the City Council adopts broad policy guidelines via a Platform that directs City staffs and contractors' activities relating to the City's legislative agenda. The Platform covers the following issues: 2007 -08 Legislative Platform February 27, 2007 Page 2 1 —Aviation 2 — Land Use Regulation 3 — Fiscal Stability 4 — Labor Relations 5 — Surface Transportation 6 — Water Quality and Environmental Quality The Platform generally advocates for positions advantageous to cities as the most direct provider of government services to local residents. We continue to request limitations on state mandated programs without commensurate revenue, freedoms on local revenue sources, repeal of the 1992 -93 property tax shifts, local control over planning and zoning, funds for protection of Newport Bay, and the ability to effectively address the region's aviation needs. Please see Attachment B for the full text of the proposed 2007 -08 Session's Platform. Underlined text shows text that is significantly changed from the last time the City's platform was updated (the 2003 -04 Legislative session). Council Resolution. Whenever the League of California Cities or our own lobbyists suggest that we contact a legislator or the Legislature on a particular bill, the City often must act quickly to issue an advocacy letter under the Mayor's signature. Each year, the Council adopts a formal resolution that authorizes the Mayor (or the Mayor pro Tempore or City Manager in the Mayor's absence) to issue these letters reflecting positions that conform to the adopted Platform. The Resolution also directs City staff to provide all City Council members with copies of the City's legislative correspondence. Committee Review. The Ad Hoc Legislative Committee reviewed the Platform and recommends the full Council's adoption of the Platform. Environmental Review: The City Council's approval of this Agenda Item does not require environmental review. Public Notice: This agenda item may be noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the public meeting at which the City Council considers the item). Submitted by: DavekA Assistant City Manager Attachments: Resolution 2007 - Relating to the Legislative Platform 2007 -08 Session Legislative Platform 2007 -08 Legislative Platform February 27, 2007 Page 3 RESOLUTION NO. 2007- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH APPROVING A LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM FOR THE 2007 AND 2008 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHEREAS, the City Council historically promotes legislative actions consistent with the goals and functions of the City of Newport Beach; and WHEREAS, such legislative actions are typically included within the City's adopted Legislative Platform for the coming 2 -year Legislative Session; and WHEREAS, such promotion once required separate City Council actions to approve individual letters of support or opposition related to specific pieces of legislation; and WHEREAS, this piece -by -piece approval can delay important actions necessary to assist in the passage or defeat of legislation; and WHEREAS, the City Council seeks to efficiently pursue legislation that reflects the Legislative Platform and the goals of the City, now, therefore be it: RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Newport Beach that the City Council hereby adopts the attached Legislative Platform for 2007 -08 and be it also: RESOLVED that the Mayor is hereby authorized to make statements and write letters necessary to support legislative actions consistent with the City's adopted 2007- 08 Legislative Platform during calendar years 2007 and 2008. If the Mayor is unavailable to sign a City advocacy letter, the Mayor may designate the Mayor pro Tempore or the City Manager to sign and issue the letter in the Mayor's absence. All correspondence prepared on the City's behalf will be copied to each Council member. ADOPTED this 27th day of February, 2007. STEVE ROSANSKY MAYOR OF NEWPORT BEACH ATTEST: LAVONNE HARKLESS NEWPORT BEACH CITY CLERK 2007 -08 Legislative Platform February 27, 2007 Page 4 City of Newport Beach 2007 -08 Legislative Session Legislative Platform AREAS OF FOCUS FOR 2007 -2008. These issues are deemed by the Citv to be the most critical issues for which the City will seek legislative support: 1. Group Homes & Residential Recovery Facilities. The City will seek greater legislative authority to control the adverse impacts of these facilities when they are poorly run or overconcentrated in our residential neighborhoods. 2. Aviation. The City will seek to protect the community from expansion of JWA, consistent with the Citv Council's Airport Policv (Policy A -17) in part by supporting increased use of airports with excess capacity provided the increased usage does not adversely impact the duality of life of those who live around the airport. 3. Bond Funding. The City will seek state bond funding and /or Federal support for critical proiects in the community, including park development, Upper Newport Bay's GENERAL PLATFORM ISSUES. The following six categories are supplemental to the above Areas of Focus and generally reflect priorities of the City on a regular and long- term basis: I — AVIATION. As a neighbor to John Wayne Airport (JWA), the City is actively involved in efforts to protect its residents from the impacts of the airport. The City shall advocate for legislative and executive actions consistent with the Council's Airport Policy (A -17) and /or that: (a) Preserve and, assuming the terms and conditions are consistent with Council Policy A- 17, amend the JWA Settlement Agreement. (b) Preserve and, if appropriate, expand upon, the 2006 Cooperative Agreement between (c) (d) Beach. II — LAND USE REGULATIONS. The City seeks to protect and strengthen the City's land use authority, including regulation of residential recovery facilities and aroup 2007 -08 Legislafive Platform February 27, 2007 Page 5 homes, zoning, incorporation, annexation, and community development. Therefore, the City shall: (a) Support efforts that would allow cities and counties greater control over the placement and management of residential recovery facilities parolee homes, sober living homes, and other group accommodations in residential areas. (b) Support efforts to strengthen the legal and fiscal capability of the City to prepare, adopt and implement plans for orderly growth, development, beautification and conservation of local planning areas, including but not limited to, regulatory authority over zoning, subdivisions, and annexations. (c) Oppose development agreements in cities' spheres of influence in undeveloped areas that do not conform to city standards. (d) Support legislation that simplifies requirements for General Plan Housing Elements. III — FISCAL STABILITY. The City's objective is to protect existing city revenue sources and to limit the cost of government upon the taxpayers of Newport Beach. The City also seeks to protect Newport Beach residents and businesses from onerous fiscal actions by other levels of government which may impair our ability to protect our quality of life. Therefore, the City shall: (a) Support legislation leading to greater financial independence from State government and which would result in greater predictability in local government budgeting. (b) Oppose legislation that would impose state and federal mandates for which there is no or inadequate local reimbursement or offsetting benefits. (c) Encourage the State and the Federal government to comprehensively improve the uninsured. (d) In the absence of statewide fiscal reform, the City shall oppose legislation that reduces or eliminates existing local revenue sources, including the city or redevelopment agency share of property tax, sales and use tax, local governments' share of vehicle license fees, transient occupancy taxes, business license taxes, and State subventions to local governments. (e) As a part of a comprehensive reform package, the City will support changes in the State -Local fiscal relationship if the changes maintain or improve revenues to local governments, promote local discretion on land use decisions, and result in the long- term stability of local government revenue sources. (f) Support legislation that reforms California's tort system to curtail unreasonable liability exposure for public agencies and restore the ability of public agencies to obtain affordable insurance. (g) Oppose any changes in State law that would limit the ability of charter cities to preserve the local revenue base. (h) Support legislation that exempts prevailing wage requirements for projects that create or renovate affordable housing. (i) Assist the City in securing control over redevelopment agency activities where such agencies operate within the city limits of Newport Beach. 2007 -08 Legislative Platform February 27, 2007 Page 6 IV— LABOR RELATIONS. The City respects the working conditions, benefits, and rights of Newport Beach employees and the conservative fiscal management principles of the community. Therefore, the City shall: (a) Oppose legislation that would impose compulsory and binding arbitration with respect to public employees; (b) Oppose legislation that imposes mandated (State or Federal) employee benefits that are more properly decided at the local bargaining table. (c) Oppose efforts that reduce local control over public employee disputes. (d) Oppose legislation that would grant public employees the right to strike. (e) Support legislation to reform worker's compensation formulas to rely on higher thresholds for compensability or a proportionate exposure formula. (f) Support workers compensation reform which curtails stress claims by stipulating that benefits can only be paid when it can be shown that a sudden and extraordinary job event was the predominant cause of the stress injury and would repeal the minimum rate law. (g) Oppose workers compensation reform that would exclude police officers, firefighters, and others with life- threatening jobs from the increased proof stress threshold. (h) Oppose the authorization of new retirement formulas that increase benefits, especially when a side effect of the formula(s) is to encourage early retirement. V — SURFACE TRANSPORTATION. The City supports expanded transportation systems, programs and services. Therefore, the City shall: (a) Support legislation and voter - approved bond measures that help local agencies finance local transportation facilities. (b) Oppose legislation that requires additional State and Federal review of projects that are predominantly of regional or local significance. (c) Support legislation that gives local agencies greater access to and discretion over transportation funds. (d) Support the completion of the Foothill- Eastern Transportation Corridor in South Orange County. (e) Support efforts that increase access to and from the Inland Empire, including the 91 VI — WATER QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. The City supports effective measures to improve the environment, including water quality, solid waste, hazardous materials clean -up, and ocean, beaches and bay protection. Therefore, the City shall- (a) Support legislation and funding measures (including statewide bond measures) that would increase water supply and improve water quality in this region. (b) Support measures that permit the sale, lease, exchange or transfer of surplus water within the State. (c) Support measures that maintain and enhance local authority and flexibility to regulate solid waste and recyclable materials. (d) Support legislation that limits local government liability as a third party in Superfund cleanup litigation. 2007 -08 Legislative Platform February 27, 2007 Page 7 (e) Support efforts that provide a dedicated stream of funds to projects benefiting area beaches and waterways, including adequate and independent funding for the California Department of Boating and Waterways. (f) Pursue legislative and executive action that provides one -time and /or long -term sources of funds and/or services to enhance and protect Newport Bay, including Lower Newport Bay and Upper Newport Bay dredging activities. (g) Pursue legislative and executive action to continue the annual Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore petroleum drilling moratorium. (h) Support measures that improve funding resources and the science associated with water quality testing and beach closure standards. (i) Advocate for Regional Board control over fines and fees collected from water quality violations so that such fines and fees remain in the region to be used directly for water quality improvements. (j) Support communitv -based efforts to maximize Public spaces in the Banning Ranch through state bond resources. (k) Support funding for remediation of closed oil operations where the land will transition to habitat and open space. (1) Support efforts to complete and fund the Oranqe Coast River Park.