December 21, 2012
The House adjourned for Christmas on Thursday evening after it became clear that Speaker John Boehner (R – Ohio) did not have the support of his caucus for the deal to avoid the fiscal cliff. The Senate is expected to do the same today.
December 7, 2012
On Nov. 13, via webinar, and on Nov. 14, in Riverside, the League held its Annual Legislative Briefings. The presentations focused on the state budget and key developments from the 2011-12 legislative year.
October 12, 2012
On Wednesday, the League hosted a free webinar to discuss the recent developments in the federal sequestration, or across-the-board budget cuts planned to take effect in January 2013, and how cities can take action to mitigate potentially significant losses to vital federally funded local programs.
October 5, 2012
Beginning this fall, the State Air Resources Board (ARB) is running a Cap and Trade Auction that is projected in future years to provide a multi-billion annual revenue stream.
October 2, 2012
The League will host a free webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 10 for members and League Partners to learn about federal sequestration.
October 1, 2012
On Sept. 30 Gov. Jerry Brown completed action on bills for the 2011-12 legislative session. The Governor in the end was consistent with 72.4 percent of the League’s 29 signature and veto requests.
September 28, 2012
This Sunday, Sept. 30 is the deadline for Gov. Jerry Brown to take action on the bills passed by the Legislature and sent to his desk at the end of August.
September 24, 2012
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a report earlier this month detailing potential federal cuts of approximately $109 billion that would be triggered if Congress fails to act on a plan to reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion in accordance with the Budget Control Act of 2011. Also referred to as “sequestration,” the act would impose a 9.4 percent reduction in non-exempt discretionary funding and an 8.2 percent reduction in non-exempt, nondefense discretionary funding.
September 21, 2012
Gov. Jerry Brown has until Sept. 30 to take action on hundreds of bills passed by the Legislature and sent to his desk. On Sept. 4, the League published a comprehensive list of bills of interest to cities and on Sept. 14 published subsequent actions taken by the Governor.
September 21, 2012
Voters in the Nov. 6 California presidential election will also decide on more than 350 local measures.
September 21, 2012
Mark your calendars and register now for the League’s Municipal Finance Institute. This annual event is designed for finance officers, city treasurers, city managers and city staff who manage public finances for their cities.
September 20, 2012
Late Wednesday, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed AB 1098 (Carter), a bill that would have restored approximately $18 million in vehicle license fees (VLF) to four recently incorporated cities in Riverside County, as well as various cities that had annexed inhabited areas after 2004.
September 20, 2012
As of Saturday, Sept. 15, Amazon and other online retailers began collecting use tax, including the local transactions and use tax rates (add-on sales tax rates), in compliance with last year’s AB155 (Calderon; 2011).
September 14, 2012
On Monday, Sept. 4, following the final night of the 2011-12 legislative session on Friday, Aug. 30, the League published a comprehensive list of bills of interest to cities which were passed by the Legislature and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown for action. City officials are still encouraged to immediately send request for signature or veto letters as indicated below, as the Governor could take action at any time before his Sept. 30 deadline.
August 27, 2012
The last week of session is typically filled with last minute gut and amends. This year is no different. The following bills are still being analyzed by League staff for potential impacts to cities.
August 24, 2012
Don't miss this article in Western City magazine.
August 22, 2012
Amendments taken to AB 2451 (Pérez) on Monday do not adequately address concerns over the new costs this bill would impose on public employers at a time when public agencies can least afford them. Consequently, the League remains opposed. AB 2451 is on third Senate reading and may be heard this week.
August 22, 2012
Cities wondering about the status of the frontline city police department grants totaling $20 million in Gov. Jerry Brown’s final FY 2012-13 Budget will not have an answer until later in the year when the fate of the Governor’s temporary tax increase ballot measure is determined by California’s voters. The grants are included in the list of trigger cuts that will go into effect should the Governor’s tax measure fail passage.
August 16, 2012
Today, both the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees met and took up a number of regular order business items, as well as their suspense files.
August 14, 2012
Despite discussions with the author’s staff and sponsors over the last several months, the League remains opposed to AB 2451 (Pérez) because it would dramatically increase workers’ compensation costs for local governments by removing the four-and-a-half year statute of limitations for presumptive death benefit claims for firefighters and peace officers.