HomeMy WebLinkAbout96-1 - Legislative Advocacy AgendaRESOLUTION NO. 96-1
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
APPROVING A LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY AGENDA FOR 1996.
WHEREAS, the City Council historically has promoted various legislative
• actions important to the goals and functions of the City; and
WHEREAS, such support typically requires a separate City Council action to
approve individual items related to legislation; and
WHEREAS, such individual approvals may delay important actions
necessary to expedite the passage or defeat of legislative actions; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to efficiently and expeditiously pursue a
legislative agenda critical to the goals and functions of the City.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council that the Mayor,
individual Council Members and the City Manager are authorized to make
statements, write letters and approve expenditures necessary to support the
following legislative actions during calendar year 1996. All correspondence
prepared on the City's behalf will be forwarded as an informational item to Council
members.
I. FINANCE
1. Objective: Seek new funding sources, protect existing revenues and
pursue opportunities to mitigate the impact of the ever increasing cost
of government upon the taxpayers and business community of
Newport Beach.
(a) Oppose any measure that would make cities more dependent on
the State for financial stability and policy direction.
(b) Support measures leading to a greater financial independence
from the State and which would result in greater stability and
predictability in local government budgeting.
(c) Oppose measures which would impose state and federal
mandated costs for which there is no guarantee of local
reimbursement or offsetting benefits.
(d) Support measures which ensure the retention of existing local
legal revenue sources, including the city share of property tax,
sales tax, vehicle license feva, _«.
(e) Oppose measures which use population to distribute sales tax
revenues.
(a) Support measures to reform California's tort system to curtail
unreasonable liability exposure for public agencies and restore
the ability of public agencies to obtain affordable insurance.
H. REGIONAL GOVERNANCE AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT
1. Objective: Promote opportunities for regional cooperation that do
not infringe on local areas of authority without offsetting financial
benefit.
(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) Support proposals which provide funding for effective
implementation of agreed upon goals.
(c) Oppose measures that create or grant powers to sub - regional or
regional bodies which would result in an infringement on
clearly local concerns without offsetting fiscal benefit.
III. LABOR RELATIONS
1. Objective: Take appropriate action on requirements that affect working
conditions, benefits and rights of Newport Beach employees.
(a) Oppose any measure which would impose compulsory and
binding arbitration with respect to public employees.
(b) Oppose any measure which imposes upon local government
mandated employee benefits that are more properly decided at
the local bargaining table.
(c) Oppose efforts which reduce local control over public employee
disputes and impose regulations of an outside agency.
(d) Oppose any measure which would grant public employees the
right to strike.
(e) Oppose measures which make disciplinary proceedings for
police officers similar to criminal proceedings rendering it
impossible to prove an administrative violation.
(f) Support measures to reform current worker's compensation
formulas to rely on higher thresholds for compensability or a
proportionate exposure formula.
(g) 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.
(h) Oppose workers compensation reform which would exclude
police officers, firefighters, and others with life - threatening jobs
from the increased proof stress threshold.
• IV. TRANSPORTATION
1. Objective: Expand opportunities and remove obstacles for effective
implementation of transportation policies, programs and services.
(a) Support measures which would enhance the ability of local
agencies to finance local transportation facilities.
(b) Oppose measures which would impose additional requirements
for State and Federal review of projects that are predominantly
of regional or local significance.
(c) Support measures which would afford local agencies greater
discretionary authority to expend available transportation funds.
VI. LAND USE PLANNING
1. Objective: Promote opportunities to protect and strengthen local land
• use authority, including zoning, incorporation, annexation, and
community development.
(a) Support efforts to strengthen the legal and fiscal capability of
local agencies to prepare, adopt and implement plans for orderly
growth, development, beautification and conservation of local
planning areas, including but not limited to, regulatory
authority over zoning, subdivisions, and annexations.
(b) Support efforts which are consistent with the doctrine of "home
rule" and the local exercise of police powers over local land use.
(c) Oppose development agreements in cities' spheres of influence
in undeveloped areas that do not conform to city standards.
VII. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
1. Objective: Pursue effective and efficient measures to improve the
environmental concerns, including water quality, solid waste,
hazardous materials clean -up, and ocean, beaches and bay protection.
(a) Support measures which would increase water supply and
improve water quality in this region.
(b) Support measures which would increase funding for
desalination and water reuse technologies.
(c) Support measures which would promote and provide for the
use of reclaimed water.
(d) Support measures which permit the sale, lease, exchange or
transfer of surplus water within the State.
(e) Support measures that maintain and enhance local authority
and flexibility to regulate solid waste and recyclables.
f) Support legislation which limits local government liability as a
third party in Superfund cleanup litigation.
(g) Support measures providing funds or other capabilities to
maintain and protect the ocean, beaches, harbor and bay.
VIII. AIRPORT
1. Objective: Actively participate in the local and regional planning
and operation of commercial airports in Orange County.
• (a) Support measures promoting the ability of local airport
operators to impose aircraft noise controls.
(b) Support legislative and executive actions which preserve or
extend the JWA Settlement Agreement.
(c) Support legislative and executive actions which promote the use
of USMCAS, El Toro as an additional commercial airport.
(d) Support measures limiting the physical airport (runways, gates)
to those existent at 12/31/95.
ADOPTED this _ 8th day of January 1996.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
•
MAYOR