Issue highlights:
Read below for more news and events.
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Cities are urged to submit letters of opposition on SB 210 (Wiener), which would require local Automated License Plate Reader data that does not match a “hot list” be destroyed within 24 hours. This measure does not respect the significant administrative work that goes into reviewing license plate data manually as law enforcement agencies work around the clock to solve crimes occurring in our communities. This bill is currently held in the Senate Appropriations Suspense File. Contact your Senator with a letter opposing the measure no later than May 14. Take action! OPPOSE SB 210 (Wiener) (Sample letter.docx)
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Nearly 600 city officials joined a League of California Cities-hosted listening session with top officials from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and National League of Cities to learn more about the American Rescue Plan implementation and provide feedback to the Treasury Department on the needs of California’s communities. Read more
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During the pandemic, deliveries have skyrocketed and an increase in large diesel delivery trucks on the road have raised concerns about pollution and traffic congestion. Even before the stay-at-home orders were put into place, the city of Santa Monica had been working to reduce its carbon footprint and implement its EV Action Plan to increase access to electric vehicles. Read more
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Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed into law SB 85 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), a $536 million wildfire and forest resiliency budget package in hopes of helping California prepare for another dry wildfire season. This budget package was put on a fast track through the Legislature, as wildfire prevention and mitigation continue to be a priority for state lawmakers this year. Read more
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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published this week a Notice of Funding Opportunity to apply for $1 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 discretionary grant funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants. Projects for RAISE funding will be evaluated based on merit criteria that include safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, innovation, and partnership. Within these criteria, the Department will prioritize projects that can demonstrate improvements to racial equity, reduce impacts of climate change, and create good-paying jobs. The program is one of the few DOT discretionary programs for which regional and local governments can directly compete for multimodal transportation funding. To provide technical assistance to prospective applicants, DOT is hosting a series of webinars during the FY 2021 RAISE grant application process. The deadline to submit an application is July 12, 2021 at 5 p.m. EST.
On April 12, the White House released state-by-state fact sheets that highlight the urgent need in every state across the country for the investments outlined in the new federal infrastructure proposal. The fact sheets highlight the number of bridges and miles of road in each state in poor condition, the percentage of households without access to broadband, the billions of dollars required for water infrastructure, among other infrastructure needs. The fact sheet for California can be found on the White House website. Learn more
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Is it time to renew your state-mandated AB 1661 training? The League of California Cities, in conjunction with the Institute for Local Government, is offering this training for Cal Cities members at $50 each. Read more
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Cal Cities members are invited to take part in a unique opportunity to provide input on the session topics and speakers proposed for the 2021 Annual Conference & Expo. Guidance from a wide range of members helps ensure that Cal Cities educational programming is member-informed and based on feedback from local leaders. Read more
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The Fire Chiefs Leadership Seminar will bring together California fire service leaders on Dec. 8 and 9 for a two-day educational and networking event. Cal Cities is soliciting session proposals on timely topics of importance to fire service professionals including but not limited to fire chiefs, chief officers, and union leadership. Proposals for the December educational event are due July 16. Read more
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Upgrading local streets and roads is critical to communities, and many projects were well underway when the pandemic hit in early 2020. Thanks to the innovation, dedication, and creativity of local officials, the projects were not only completed, but received statewide recognition through the 2021 Outstanding Local Streets and Roads Project Awards. Read more
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The California Department of Housing and Community Development has created a new set of tools for cities on its website dedicated to accelerating housing production. The technical assistance webpage now includes the Housing Planning Hub, which is a repository of statewide and regional toolkits, fact sheets, and guidance on a variety of housing policy areas with a specific focus on priority policy areas. Read more
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An affordable housing property has been acquired for middle-income residents in the city of Monrovia from the issuance of nearly $118 million in tax-exempt bonds through the California Statewide Communities Development Authority’s new Workforce Housing Program. Read more
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Serving on the League of California Cities Board of Directors is an opportunity for you to be a statewide leader shaping state policy and the actions of the organization. Cal Cities is currently accepting applications from city officials interested in serving on the board in one of six at-large positions or as second vice president. Apply by close of business, April 27. Read more
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The deadline for the Legislature’s policy committees to send fiscal bills to the appropriations committees is at the end of April. To meet that deadline, dozens of hearings are scheduled in the Senate and Assembly over the next couple of weeks, and many key bills that would impact cities will be heard. Read more
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Friday, April 23, 11 a.m. — Join this Institute for Local Government (ILG) webinar to hear how elected officials and nonprofit leaders are navigating complicated issues like race-based violence and hate crimes. Learn timely tips about how to #stopAAPIhate, discuss discrimination, and do more than just issue a public statement. This webinar is part of ILG’s new leadership series, LEADING LOCAL, which will serve as a thought leadership forum on challenging topics and issues local government leaders face. Read more
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Thursday, May 6, 2 p.m. — The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted economic opportunity and the ability for California residents (many of whom were already burdened) to afford housing costs. While the pandemic has created a number of challenges, local governments have formed partnerships and explored unique strategies to help their residents stay housed. Participants will hear about programs and tactics local governments have put in place, including rental assistance, tenant protection, and anti-displacement practices. This webinar is part of ILG’s new leadership series, Tackling California’s Housing Crisis, to help local governments better address housing issues in our communities. Read more
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The 2021 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program applications have been submitted and now it is time to determine who the winning cities are for each of the 12 categories. Each year, Cal Cities invites fellow city officials to volunteer as a judge to review and select the winning programs. If you would like to volunteer to participate, submit an application by May 7. Read more
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This round of federal aid “is going to go a long way in helping cities who have had a parallel track of issues happen,” said Melanie Perron, the League of California Cities’ deputy executive director of advocacy and public affairs. “By providing relief to cities, this is going to help our economy recover faster.”
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April 22
April 27
Sept. 22-24 SAVE THE DATE
Municipal Finance Institute
Sept. 22-24 SAVE THE DATE
Annual Conference & Expo
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