Message sent on behalf of: Bob Torrez, Director of Financial Management
CITY OF LONG BEACH
ALERT!
ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!
There are two extremely important issues for cities pending in
Sacramento that need your legislator's attention right away. It's not
over yet!
City of Long Beach councilmembers are in Sacramento right now advocating
for the return of local government moneys AND to push for an ERAF cap.
We are soliciting the support of our local State legislators on these
issues. We are asking them to voice our cause to Speaker Hertzberg and
Senator Pro Tempore Burton .
If you have not already done so recently, please request your Mayor,
City Councilmember(s) and/or City Manager to fax letters on these issues
to YOUR State legislators and the Governor. Three sample letters are
ATTACHED in one document.
As the recent League's Priority Focus stated:
(1) Cities should be mounting an all-out effort to support passage of SB
1637, which will freeze the property tax shifted from local government
to the state in the early 90's at its current level of contribution. SB
1637 would also allow cities and counties to retain any future property
tax growth produced in their communities. SB 1637 represents an
opportunity for local governments to obtain permanent and ongoing
discretionary fiscal relief, the top priority for cities this year.
Please write, call, and fax your legislators and the Governor to urge
passage and signature of SB 1637. Secure commitments from your
Assembly Members and Senators that they will lobby their colleagues and
the Governor to enact SB 1637. Please contact your legislator NOW!
(2) City officials should also remind their legislators that the $200
million set-aside in the state budget for local fiscal relief is still
pending. This is the one-time $200 million "shot in the arm" for local
agencies that was included in the state budget. The message needs to be
delivered especially to Speaker Hertzberg and Senator Pro Tempore
Burton, that local governments want the promise of the budget fulfilled
before the end of the session August 31. Now is the time to focus your
legislator's attention on this critical issue!
sample letters.doc
