Close to one hundred city officials from around the state gathered outside the Capitol this morning to urge lawmakers to draw on the state’s estimated $68 billion budget surplus to allocate $1.6 billion for programs that achieve shared local and state housing supply and greenhouse gas reduction goals, as well as reimburse cities for unfunded mandates.

“The state’s historic surplus of close to $70 billion provides lawmakers with an incredible opportunity to be a true partner to cities in advancing our shared goals towards housing and climate resiliency,” said League of California Cities Executive Director and CEO Carolyn Coleman. “And the surplus leaves the Governor and Legislature no excuse to delay paying the nearly $1 billion it owes local governments for costs related to state mandates.”

More than 200 city leaders are in Sacramento this week for the Cal Cities City Leaders Summit. Read more
“A strong state-local partnership would propel significant investments in housing production and public infrastructure,” said Cal Cities President and Walnut Creek Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Silva. “Those investments would in turn drive economic development, job creation, and go a long way in helping to prevent low-income earners from falling into homelessness.”
“A strong city budget creates strong, resilient communities,” said Long Beach Council Member Roberto Uranga. “We hope the Governor and Legislature will use some of this extraordinary surplus to reimburse cities the money they are due so we can continue to pay for and provide our communities with the services they count on.”
“This critical funding will not only help local governments comply with the state law as it pertains to organic waste recycling,” said El Cerrito Mayor Gabriel Quinto, “but it will also minimize the financial burden that the cost of implementing these regulations could have on residents.”