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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05 - City's 2003-04 Legislative PlatformCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item No. s May 27, 2003 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.neNport- beach.ca.us SUBJECT: Resolution 2003- _ Relating to the City's 2003 -04 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? RECOMMENDATION: Adopt Resolution 2003 -_ adopting a Legislative Platform for 2003 -04 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: 1 — Fiscal Stability 2 — Regional Coordination 2003 -04 Legislative Platform May 27, 2003 Page 2 3 — Labor Relations 4 — Surface Transportation 5 — Planning, Zoning, and LAFCO Law 6 — Water Quality and Environmental Quality 7 — Aviation 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 (see Attachment B for the full text of the proposed 2003 -04 Platform). 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. 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 Ralph M. Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the public meeting at which the City Council considers the item). Submitted by: l Dave <i Assists City Manager Attachments: Resolution 2003 - Relating to the Legislative Platform 2003 -04 Legislative Platform 2003 -04 Legislative Platform May 27, 2003 Page 3 RESOLUTION NO. 2003- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH APPROVING THE 2003 -2004 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM 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 2003 -04 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 2003- 04 Legislative Platform during calendar years 2003 and 2004. 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 May, 2003. STEVE BROMBERG MAYOR OF NEWPORT BEACH ATTEST: LAVONNE HARKLESS NEWPORT BEACH CITY CLERK 2003 -04 Legislative Platform May 27, 2003 Page 4 City of Newport Beach 2003 -04 Legislative Platform I — 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 mandated costs for which there is no local reimbursement or offsetting benefits. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. (f) Oppose any changes in State law that would limit the ability of charter cities to preserve the local revenue base. (g) Support legislation that exempts affordable housing projects from prevailing wage requirements. -- REGIONAL COORDINATION. The City supports regional cooperation that does not infringe on local areas of authority without offsetting financial benefit. Therefore, the City shall: (a) Support reform of existing state, regional, and local planning processes only if directly linked to reforms in the current revenue and tax structure of state and local governments. (b) Oppose legislation that creates or grants powers to sub - regional or regional bodies that would infringe on local concerns. 2003 -04 Legislative Platform May 27, 2003 Page 5 III — 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 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. IV — SURFACE TRANSPORTATION. The City supports expanded transportation systems, programs and services. Therefore, the City shall: (a) Support legislation that helps 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. V — PLANNING, ZONING, and LAFCO LAW. The City seeks to protect and strengthen the City's land use authority, including zoning, incorporation, annexation, and community development. Therefore, the City shall: (a) 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. (b) Support efforts that are consistent with the doctrine of "home rule" and the local exercise of police powers over local land use, including expanding cities' ability to regulate the placement of neighborhood -based residential treatment centers and group homes. (c) Oppose development agreements in cities' spheres of influence in undeveloped areas that do not conform to city standards. 2003 -04 Legislative Platform May 27, 2003 Page 6 (d) Support the existing right of the City of Newport Beach to annex areas within its Sphere of Influence. (e) Oppose efforts to change the Cortese -Knox Act (LAFCO Law) in any manner that would adversely impact the ability of recognized regional entities to plan for regional facilities, including aviation facilities. (f) Support revisions of housing element requirements that allow rehabilitation of existing but deteriorated units to count towards housing goals and that minimize onerous data gathering and analysis. 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 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. (e) Support measures providing funds or other capabilities to maintain and protect the ocean, beaches, harbor and bay. (f) Pursue legislative and executive action that provides long -term sources of funds and /or services to enhance and protect Newport Bay. (g) Pursue legislative and executive action to continue the annual Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore petroleum drilling moratorium and pursue the establishment of a permanent wildlife preserve off the Orange County Coast. (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. VII—AVIATION. Asa neighbor to John Wayne Airport, the City is an active participant in the planning and operation of commercial airports in Orange County. The City shall advocate for legislative and executive actions that: (a) Promote the ability of local airport operators to impose aircraft noise controls. (b) Actions that preserve, extend, or recreate the John Wayne Airport (JWA) 1985 Settlement Agreement and the 2002 Agreement Extension. E