HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.4 Approval of 2022 City of Dublin Legislative PlatformSTAFF REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
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Agenda Item 4.4
DATE:February 1, 2022
TO:Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM:Linda Smith, City Manager
SUBJECT:Approval of 2022 City of Dublin Legislative PlatformPrepared by:John Stefanski, Assistant to the City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:The City Council will consider approving the 2022 Legislative Platform, which guides the City’s response to potential and pending legislation, policies, programs, grant funding opportunities, ballot measures, mandates, and budgets at all levels of government.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:Adopt the Resolution Approving the 2022 City of Dublin Legislative Platform.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:None.
DESCRIPTION:Each year the City Council approves a Legislative Platform that includes the goals, strategies, and priorities for organizing the City’s legislative advocacy efforts. At the January 11, 2022, meeting, the City Council reviewed and provided comments on the draft 2022 Legislative Platform and had no proposed revisions or edits. The Legislative Platform has remained substantially unchanged over the past six years. However, the 2022 Legislative Platform includes several modifications, which are discussed below.The guiding principles for the City’s legislative advocacy efforts have been updated to include revised language around local control as well as a reference to the City’s existing Mission, Vision, Values, and policies. These principles now include:
Preserving and/or increasing local government discretion
Promoting or enhancing revenue sources
Advancing existing City Mission, Vision, Values, and policies
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The 2022 Legislative Platform identifies specific Public Policy Priorities for the following categories:1. General Administration2. Fiscal Sustainability3. Community and Economic Development4. Transportation and Public Works5. Public Safety6. Parks and Community Services7. Climate and Environment8. Technology and Cyber SecurityThese priorities will further guide the positions and advocacy efforts the City will take on all relevant legislation, policies, programs, grant funding opportunities, ballot measures, mandates, and budgets. The 2022 Legislative Platform includes the following updated or new Public Policy Priority categories:
An updated Parks and Community Services category, which include new priorities revolving around social services and mental health services.
The Technology and Cyber Security Category which articulate priorities around the deployment of next generation technological infrastructure as well as legislation and funding to support efforts to increase capacity to protect against cyber security attacks. Other new Public Policy Priorities to the Platform include supporting legislation that:
Addresses the functional impracticalities of AB361 while providing a permanent teleconference option available for Brown Act legislative bodies to hold public meetings.
Grants the City additional flexibility in the use of ARPA funding.
Provides for more stable and equitable long-term funding sources for transportation.
Leverages local funds to the maximum extent possible to implement transportation improvements through grants and partnerships with regional, state, and federal agencies.
Supports expanded opportunities for high occupancy vehicles (HOV), managed lane policies, improved enforcement, new technology deployment, and reducing congestion and delay along freeways.
Supports innovative rail connectivity projects which aim to address the jobs/housing/transit imbalance (i.e., Valley Link).
Supports alternative crisis response programs for mental health, substance abuse, or homelessness-related calls for emergency service.
Increases available financial assistance to local non-profit and community-based organizations who provide social services and mental health services to residents in need.Other changes to the platform include the removal of the following priority:
Oppose legislation that seeks to repeal revenue collection or divert funds from the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB1). This priority is no longer relevant as there are no current attempts to repeal SB1.
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Additionally, Staff consolidated several of the priorities listed in the Climate and Environment section to reduce redundancy. It should be noted that the list of Public Policy Priorities is not exhaustive. In those instances where potential legislation, policies, programs, grant funding opportunities, ballot measures, mandates, and budgets do not fit with the specific Public Policy Priorities, the General Legislative Principles will guide City action.The 2022 Legislative Platform also includes language around Regional Collaboration, specifically the Tri-Valley Cities, whose 2022 Legislative Framework is attached as an addendum to the Legislative Platform for reference.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:None.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:The City Council Agenda was posted.
ATTACHMENTS:1) Resolution Approving the 2022 City of Dublin Legislative Platform2) Exhibit A to the Resolution – 2022 City of Dublin Legislative Platform
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Attachment 1
Reso. No. XX-22, Item X.X, Adopted XX/XX/22 Page 1 of 1
RESOLUTION NO. XX – 22
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN
APPROVING THE 2022 CITY OF DUBLIN LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
WHEREAS,the 2022 City of Dublin Legislative Platform (“Platform”) outlines the City’s
legislative priorities and positions to inform residents, representatives, and policy makers; and
WHEREAS, these legislative priorities are guided by three General Legislative Principles
and Public Policy Positions which will determine the City’s position on various legislative
proposals; and
WHEREAS, the Platform provides Staff with direction and authorizes them, on the City
Council’s behalf, to quickly respond in support or opposition to bills, and other legislative or
gubernatorial actions in time sensitive situations, in accordance with the processes identified in
the Platform.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Dublin adopts
the 2022 City of Dublin Legislative Platform attached hereto as Exhibit A.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor or her designee is authorized to sign letters
of opposition or letters of support as drafted by City Staff for legislation as long as they are
consistent with the Platform.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 1st day of February 2022, by the following
vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
______________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
City Clerk
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2022 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
FEDERAL AND STATE POLICY PRIORITIES
FEBRUARY 2022
Attachment 2
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Introduction
Many public policies intersect with City priorities, programs, and services. This 2022 Legislative
Platform (Platform) outlines the City of Dublin’s legislative priorities and positions on these policies
to inform residents, representatives, and policymakers. These priorities are applicable to all relevant
legislation, policies, programs, grant funding opportunities, ballot measures, mandates, and budgets.
The Mission of the City of Dublin is to promote and support a high quality of life, ensure a safe and
secure environment, foster new opportunities, provide equity across all programs, and champion a
culture of diversity and inclusion. This Mission shall guide the City’s Legislative Platform.
This Platform provides Staff with direction and authorizes them, on the City Council’s behalf, to
quickly respond in support of or opposition to bills and other legislative or gubernatorial actions in
time-sensitive situations. Additionally, the Platform enables staff to communicate Dublin-specific
issues and impacts with state legislators. Staff may draft letters, direct our legislative advocates, or
speak on behalf of the City regarding the legislative priorities this document outlines.
Any correspondence signifying the City’s support or opposition of a given bill must be signed by the
Mayor and/or City Manager with notification to the City Council.
Any questions regarding this Legislative Platform can be directed to John Stefanski, Assistant to the
City Manager at John.Stefanski@dublin.ca.gov.
Platform Overview and Coordination
This Legislative Platform serves as the foundation for City legislative advocacy at all levels of
government. It informs the City’s legislative representatives of the key issues and legislation that
could have a potential impact on the City and the process in which the City will participate in the
legislative process. The City will employ several strategies to advocate or advance the City’s public
policy interests, which include:
• Position Development
o Reviewing analyses and positions by the CalCities, legislative advocates, and other
local government / professional associations in formulating the City’s position.
o Working with City departments, legislative advocate(s) to develop this platform and
identify positions on proposed legislative measures.
• Status Tracking
o Tracking key bills through the legislative process.
• Communication and Advocacy
o Communicating the City’s position, in accordance with this Platform, through
correspondence, testimony, and meetings.
o Working cooperatively with other cities (including the Tri-Valley Cities), associations,
and CalCities on advocating the City’s legislative position.
o Meeting with legislators and their representatives, as well as other federal, state and
county government officials on a regular basis, to discuss local government issues,
proposed legislation, requests for funding assistance, and City programs and services.
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The City Manager’s Office will exercise day-to-day oversight of legislative matters. In addition to
coordinating formal action through the City Council, the City Manager and her designee will manage
the City’s Legislative Platform.
Staff will follow the process below when responding to all proposed and relevant legislation,
policies, programs, grant funding opportunities, ballot measures, mandates, and budgets.
1. Review and determine whether a proposal will impact the City.
2. Prepare a letter outlining the City’s position for the Mayor’s or City Manager’s signature.
3. Distribute the letter to the legislation’s author(s), the City Council, and other relevant parties.
In scenarios where a proposal or regulation arises that may impact the City and is not covered by
this Legislative Platform, Staff will prepare a draft position letter for the City Council to review prior
to distribution.
General Legislative Principles
The guiding principles for the City’s legislative advocacy efforts include, but are not limited to:
Preserving and/or Increasing Local Government Discretion
Promoting or Enhancing Revenue Sources
Advancing Existing City Mission, Vision, Values, and Policies
Public Policy Priorities
This legislative platform identifies specific public policy priorities by topic area. Informed by the
General Legislative Principles, these priorities will guide the positions the City will take on all
relevant legislation, policies, programs, grant funding opportunities, ballot measures, mandates, and
budgets.
The public policy priorities are categorized as follows:
1. General Administration
2. Fiscal Sustainability
3. Community and Economic Development
4. Transportation and Public Works
5. Public Safety
6. Parks and Community Services
7. Climate and Environment
8. Technology and Cybersecurity
1. General Administration
Staff recommends that the City Council support legislation that:
1. Enhances or streamlines local control and allows cities to address the needs of local
constituents within a framework of regional cooperation.
2. Streamlines the process to apply for, to receive approval of, and to receive state or
federal funding.
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3. Assures every person the right to equal treatment in and access to all government-
sponsored benefits or funded programs.
4. Addresses the functional impracticalities of AB361 while providing a permanent
teleconference option available for Brown Act legislative bodies to hold public meetings.
5. Grants the City additional flexibility in the use of American Rescue Plan Act funding.
Staff recommends that the City Council oppose legislation that:
6. Attempts to restrict local authority or decision-making whether by state or federal
legislation or ballot propositions.
7. Diminishes or eliminates local governments’ ability to contract out for the provision of
services.
8. Requires cities to use district-based elections.
2. Fiscal Sustainability
Staff recommends that the City Council support legislation that:
1. Maintains or enhances ongoing revenues to the City.
2. Updates the tax structure to enhance local government revenues that have declined due
to the expansion of e-commerce, increased consumption of services rather than durable
goods, and innovations in technology.
3. Ensures timely distribution of mandated reimbursements owed to the City.
4. Removes unnecessary state-imposed mandates.
5. Provides for the use of incentives for local government action rather than mandates
(funded or unfunded).
6. Establishes new and innovative revenue options and resources to finance public
infrastructure construction and maintenance.
7. Streamlines the establishment and utilization of infrastructure financing districts or other
funding mechanisms for infrastructure improvements.
8. Changes the Communications Act of 1934 that removes the distinction between
“capital” and “operating” funds to provide more local control for community television
stations in the use of their public, educational, and government (PEG) channel fees.
9. Supports measures to increase transparency of all public employee salaries and benefits.
10. Supports measures to provide sustainable public pensions and other post-retirement
benefits.
Staff recommends that the City Council oppose legislation that:
11. Undermines and preempts local authority over local taxes and fees.
12. Shifts funds from local governments to the state or federal government.
13. Imposes unfunded or inadequately funded federal and state mandates on local
governments.
14. Eliminates development fees or limits the ability of cities to levy such fees to provide for
infrastructure or services.
15. Requires or expands state involvement in City financial audits, fiscal monitoring, general
oversight, or assistance by the State Treasurer, State Controller, or other state agencies.
16. Defers reimbursements for state mandated programs.
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3. Public Works and Transportation
Staff recommends that the City Council support legislation that:
1. Ensures the City receive its fair share of transportation funding and that keeps the
funding decisions at the local level.
2. Provides for more stable and equitable long-term funding sources for transportation.
3. Leverages local funds to the maximum extent possible to implement transportation
improvements through grants and partnerships with regional, state, and federal agencies.
4. Supports a constitutional amendment to lower the two-thirds approval threshold for
sales and use tax measures for transportation purposes.
5. Supports reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and supports developing and
implementing Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plans and strategies.
6. Supports expanded opportunities for high occupancy vehicles (HOV), managed lane
policies, improved enforcement, new technology deployment, and reducing congestion
and delay along freeways.
7. Supports multimodal freight movement between the San Francisco Bay Area and the
Central Valley and projects that reduce freight traffic on I-580.
8. Supports active transportation, enhances the safety of all modes of transportation,
particularly bicycles and pedestrians, and reduces vehicle speeds and traffic congestion.
9. Supports Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Connected, and Automated Vehicles.
10. Supports local control and local regulation of shared mobility, transportation network
companies (TNCs), and other emerging industries that use city infrastructure to offer
private services.
11. Enables the sale of traffic data to recover the cost of data collection.
12. Supports innovative rail connectivity projects which aim to address the
jobs/housing/transit imbalance (i.e., Valley Link).
Staff recommends that the City Council oppose legislation that:
13. Infringes upon the ability of local governments to effectively administer and modify state
and local construction provisions and standards.
14. Takes away local control of managing and operating local streets.
15. Reduces the City’s condemnation authority regarding acquisition of properties required
for public projects.
4. Community and Economic Development
Staff recommends that the City Council support legislation that:
1. Maintains the City’s authority over land use decisions.
2. Strengthens local regulatory authority and control over the siting of medical or
recreational marijuana dispensaries.
3. Creates a more equitable Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process.
4. Creates more flexibility for local jurisdictions to work together to provide housing that
counts toward RHNA requirements.
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5. Eliminates redundant, costly, and cumbersome mandates and restrictions required by
CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act).
6. Provides incentives for affordable housing and transit-oriented development.
7. Increases financial assistance to provide affordable, transitional, special needs and
emergency housing to the homeless, seniors, veterans, and people with special needs.
8. Encourages the expansion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics) programs in K-12, higher education, and libraries.
9. Enhances the City’s efforts to retain existing businesses and attract new businesses.
10. Provides tangible and productive tools and incentives to support job creation, business
attraction, and business retention.
11. Advances or encourages innovation, entrepreneurship, start-ups, small business
opportunities, and/or workforce development.
Staff recommends that the City Council oppose legislation that:
12. Interferes with or reduces local land use control and decision making.
13. Diminishes or eliminates the authority of cities to zone and plan for the development of
telecommunications infrastructure, including the siting of cellular communications
towers or transmission sites.
14. Diminishes or eliminates cities’ authority to regulate condominium conversions.
15. Interferes with the ability to provide productive incentives to support job creation,
business attraction, and business retention.
5. Public Safety
Staff recommends that the City Council support legislation that:
1. Increase funding for local law enforcement, fire suppression and prevention, hazardous
materials mitigation, and emergency medical services.
2. Provides funding to local agencies for training, disaster preparedness, crime prevention,
public outreach, and emergency planning.
3. Ensures cities have control of regulating local medical marijuana facilities instead of the
state, protects public safety with standardized security requirements, protects public
health with uniform health and safety standards, and ensures patient safety with a quality
assurance protocol.
4. Improves data and information dissemination, preparedness funding, and first-responder
training for oil-by-rail shipments.
5. Maintains or increases grant funding for the Community Oriented Police Services
(COPS) program.
6. Provides a greater share of asset forfeiture funds for cities and increases latitude for
spending local funds.
7. Supports funding to prepare, mitigate, adapt, and respond to extreme weather or
emergency events.
8. Supports alternative crisis response programs for mental health, substance abuse, or
homelessness related calls for emergency service.
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6. Parks and Community Services
Staff recommends that the City Council support legislation that:
1. Creates new funding opportunities for parks and community facilities.
2. Provides funding for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) facility and park upgrades.
3. Increases available financial assistance to local non-profit and community-based
organizations who provide social services and mental health services to residents in need.
7. Climate and Environment
Staff recommends that the City Council support legislation that:
1. Assists local governments in meeting or exceeding local or state goals to reduce global
warming pollution levels, to develop alternate energy resources and fuel efficiency
programs, and to reduce fossil fuel dependence.
2. Supports current waste diversion goals, local compliance efforts, and associated
measurement and reporting requirements.
3. Assist the City in meeting or exceeding established goals of reducing water consumption
and increasing water supply without preempting local planning decisions.
4. Requires manufacturers be responsible for the end of useful life cost of collecting,
processing, recycling, and disposing of products they manufacture.
5. Protects the interest of California’s Community Choice clean electricity providers and
their customers.
6. Supports regional and local government efforts to develop and implement programs to
reduce air pollution.
7. Supports the funding, compliance, and full life cycle costs of current and new mandatory
storm water quality permit requirements.
8. Addresses litter control and abatement problems in California.
9. Reduces the financial impact of state and federal funded and unfunded mandates related
to compliance with environmental programs and regulations.
Staff recommends that the City Council oppose legislation that:
10. Preempts local planning decisions regarding solid waste facility sites.
11. Preempts local solid waste and AB 939 fee setting authority or imposes taxes or fees on
local solid waste programs to fund state programs not directly related to solid waste
management.
8. Technology and Cybersecurity
Staff recommends that the City Council support legislation that:
1. Promotes the use of data and technologies to create efficiencies, promote economic
development, enhance public safety, improve transportation and mobility, improve
sustainability, increase transparency to public information, enhance municipal quality of
life factors and help solve other civic challenges.
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2. Maintains local control over municipal assets in the deployment of next generation
technological infrastructure.
3. Increases the City’s capacity to protect against cyber security attacks.
4. Provides funding for programs that seek to expand digital access for residents and
businesses.
Staff recommends that the City Council oppose legislation that:
5. Limits or removes local review and permitting of emerging telecommunications
technologies, such as Small Cell technology.
Regional Collaboration
The City of Dublin is a member of the Tri-Valley Cities (TVC), a coalition of the five Tri-Valley
municipalities who work together to advocate for issues and funding at the regional, state, and
federal levels. The TVC is governed by the five Mayors of each municipality who develop and adopt
a TVC Legislative Framework which guides the advocacy efforts of the TVC. A copy of the 2022
Framework, once adopted, will be attached to as Addendum A to this Legislative Platform.
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Addendum A: 2022 Tri-Valley Cities Legislative Framework
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TRI-VALLEY CITIES
Legislative Framework
2022
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TRI-VALLEY CITIES VALUES STATEMENT
The Tri-Valley Cities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and the Town of
Danville value regional leadership, innovation, collaboration, and problem solving to
maintain and improve the quality of life for Tri-Valley residents and provide a vibrant climate
for businesses, and enable continued opportunities for public and private investment within
the region.
Each City and Town provides a unique perspective on how to meet the needs of their
residents and businesses. The Cities and Town agree to respect the individuality of each
community and are committed to open and honest communication with a goal of building
consensus and a united approach to advocacy for solutions that will serve the residents and
businesses of the Tri-Valley.
TRI-VALLEY CITIES LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
The Tri-Valley Cities Legislative Framework seeks to inform all levels of governmental
interaction (e.g., federal, state, regional, local) regarding legislation, policies, and programs
that have a direct impact on the region. The TVC has defined Legislative Focus Areas
which have an overarching objective to retain and promote local control and decision -
making as it relates to the implementation of laws and regulations and to have the ability to
integrate them in a manner that meets the unique needs of each community. The TVC will
advocate together to achieve outcomes benefiting the region in each of these Focus Areas.
Transportation
Residents of the Tri-Valley region are subject to some of the heaviest commutes in the Bay
Area and are impacted by the heavy flow of traffic along the region’s freeways, which often
spills over onto the local surface streets as commuters pursue alternatives to their commute
through the Tri-Valley. A key objective of the region is to reduce congestion on the regions
freeways and to increase mobility of goods and people through the Tri -Valley with
continued financial investment in transportation infrastructure: developing alternative modes
of transportation, modernization of transportation corridors, and creation, modernization,
and expansion of rail systems.
Climate and the Environment
The TVC seeks to work collaboratively with federal, state and regional partners to address
the new landscape of year-round wildfires, public safety power shut offs, water quality
(including PFAS/PFOS contaminants) and supply issues as well as waste and recycling
mandates. The TVC will advocate for increasing financial and technical support in these
areas as well as an investment in key infrastructure at all levels of government.
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Economic Development
The Tri-Valley region is an innovation hub that spurs job growth, sustains a healthy
economy and provides a great quality of life for our residents and business. Key objectives
are developing a healthy workforce, supporting innovation, capacity building, e conomic
stimulus and growth in the region.
Affordable Housing
The TVC supports balanced solutions which consider housing, jobs, and transportation
together and seeks to support, promote and protect affordability in the region’s housing
stock. Key objectives are to work with federal, state, and regional partners to provide
funding for affordable housing through a variety of programs and options and to work to
address barriers to building affordable housing.
Mental Health
The TVC recognizes that social services are vital to supporting residents and providing
crucial safety net services in our region. While the TVC cities do not provide direct delivery
of social services we seek to work together to support our local non-profits and
organizations that do provide these services and advocate together for these vital
resources and services from all levels of government. Mental health is an emerging need in
our region and the TVC seeks to advocate for the needed resources to meet the needs of
all of our residents.
Fiscal Sustainability
Fiscal Sustainability is an important role for all levels of government. The TVC seeks to
advocate against the imposition of unfunded mandates and the removal of funding streams
from local governments.
2022
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