HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOARD STANDING COMMITTEES - 12182023 - Legislation Cte Agenda PktMonday, December 18, 2023
12:30 PM
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
1025 Escobar Street, Conference Center Rm 110, Martinez, CA
3361 Walnut Boulevard, Suite 140, Brentwood, CA 94513
AGENDA
Legislation Committee
Supervisor Ken Carlson, Chair
Supervisor Diane Burgis, Vice Chair
https://cccounty-us.zoom .us/j/87434558220
Call in: 1-888-278-0254 access code: 219464
1
Legislation Committee AGENDA December 18, 2023
The public may attend this meeting in person at 1025 Escobar Street, Conference Room 110,
Martinez, CA or at 3361 Walnut Boulevard, Suite 140, Brentwood, CA. The public may also
attend this meeting remotely via Zoom or call-in. Zoom:
https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/87434558220. Call-in: 1-888-278-0254 access code 219464.
Agenda Items: Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the
Committee.
1.Introductions
2.Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda (speakers
may be limited to two (2) minutes).
3.RECEIVE and APPROVE the Meeting Minutes for the November 13, 2023
meeting of the Legislation Committee, with any necessary corrections .
23-1242
Meeting Minutes Draft 11.13.23Attachments:
4.CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors a position of "Oppose"
on AB 702 (Jackson) Local government financing: Juvenile Justice, as
recommended by the County's Chief Probation Officer.
23-1243
Attachment A: AB 702 (Jackson) - JJCPA - Oppose templateAttachments:
5.CONSIDER the projects proposed by County staff for federal Community Project
Funding for FY 2025 and RECOMMEND projects to the Board of Supervisors
for support.
23-1244
Attachment A--Planning for Earmarks in FY 2025
Attachment B--Summary of Proposed Projects
Attachments:
Page 1 of 3
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Legislation Committee AGENDA December 18, 2023
6.RECEIVE a report on the status of the County's federal FEMA (Federal
Emergency Management Agency) COVID-19 claims for Public Assistance for its
Non-Congregate Shelter expenses.
23-1245
Attachment A--SIGNED 4482DR CA Non-Congregate
Sheltering_10132023
Attachment B-
-Obligation_Interim_Final_Rule_Quick_Reference_Guide_2023
Attachments:
7.CONSIDER the proposed 2023-24 Legislative Platform amendments and
RECOMMEND amendments to the Board of Supervisors, as needed.
23-1246
Attachment A--2023-24 Adopted State Platform, As amended 07.18.23
Attachment B--2023-24 Adopted Federal Platform, as amended
07.18.23
Attachments:
8.RECEIVE a report on the FY 24-25 State Budget and provide direction to staff
and the County's state advocates, as needed.
23-1247
Attachment A--LAO 2024-25-Fiscal-Outlook-120723Attachments:
9.The next meeting is currently unscheduled.
10.Adjourn
Page 2 of 3
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Legislation Committee AGENDA December 18, 2023
General Information
This meeting provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities planning to attend a the
meetings. Contact the staff person listed below at least 72 hours before the meeting. Any disclosable public
records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and distributed by the County to a majority
of members of the Committee less than 96 hours prior to that meeting are available for public inspection at 1025
Escobar St., 4th Floor, Martinez, during normal business hours. Staff reports related to items on the agenda are
also accessible on line at www.co.contra-costa.ca.us.
HOW TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT:
Persons who wish to address the Committee during public comment on matters within the jurisdiction of the
Committee that are not on the agenda, or who wish to comment with respect to an item on the agenda, may
comment in person, via Zoom, or via call-in. Those participating in person should offer comments when invited
by the Committee Chair. Those participating via Zoom should indicate they wish to speak by using the “raise
your hand” feature in the Zoom app. Those calling in should indicate they wish to speak by pushing *9 on their
phones.
Public comments generally will be limited to two (2) minutes per speaker. In the interest of facilitating the
business of the Board Committee, the total amount of time that a member of the public may use in addressing the
Board Committee on all agenda items is 10 minutes. Your patience is appreciated.
Public comments may also be submitted to Committee staff before the meeting by email or by voicemail.
Comments submitted by email or voicemail will be included in the record of the meeting but will not be read or
played aloud during the meeting.
Committee staff is:
Lara DeLaney
Senior Deputy County Administrator
(925) 655-2057
lara.delaney@cao.cccounty.us
Page 3 of 3
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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1242 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:3.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: December 18, 2023
Subject: Meeting Minutes for Legislation Committee Meeting of 11/13/23
Submitted For: Legislation Committee
Department: County Administration
Referral No: 2023-08
Referral Name: Meeting Minutes
Presenter: L. DeLaney
Contact: (925) 655-2057
Referral History:
County Ordinance requires that each County body keep a record of its meetings. Though the record need not be
verbatim, it must accurately reflect the agenda and the discussions made in the meetings.
Referral Update:
Attached for the Committee’s consideration is the draft Meeting Minutes for the Committee’s November 13,
2023 meeting.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
Staff recommends APPROVAL of the Meeting Minutes for the November 13, 2023 meeting of the Legislation
Committee.
Fiscal Impact (if any): None.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Printed on 12/14/2023Page 1 of 1
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Meeting Minutes - Draft
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Legislation Committee
Supervisor Ken Carlson, Chair
Supervisor Diane Burgis, Vice Chair
https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/87434558220
Call in: 1-888-278-0254 access code: 219464
1:00 PM 1025 Escobar Street, Conference Center Rm
110, Martinez, CA | 3361 Walnut Boulevard,
Suite 140, Brentwood, CA |
https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/87434558220 |
Call in: 1-888-278-0254 access code: 219464
Monday, November 13, 2023
1 Introductions
Chair Carlson convened the meeting at 1:04 p.m. Vice Chair Burgis joined the meeting from her
office in Brentwood.
Also in attendance were:
Lara DeLaney, staff to Committee
Geoff Neill, state lobbyist
Peter Myers, Office of Supervisor Burgis
Paul Schlesinger, federal lobbyist
Simon OConnell, District Attorney's Office
Jennifer Quallick, Office of Supervisor Andersen
Timothy Ewell, Chief Assistant County Administrator
Alana Mathews, District Attorney's Office
Hailey Solares, Food Bank CCS
District IV Supervisor Ken Carlson and District III Supervisor
Diane Burgis
Present:
2 Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda (speakers
may be limited to two (2) minutes).
No public comment was received.
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6
Legislation Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft November 13, 2023
3 RECEIVE and APPROVE the Record of Action for the September 11, 2023
meeting of the Legislation Committee, with any necessary corrections .
23-850
Attachments:Draft Record of Action 09.11.23
The Record of Action was approved as presented.
This Consent Item was approved.
4 RECEIVE a report on federal matters of interest to the County and
PROVIDE direction to staff and the County's federal lobbyists, as needed .
23-851
Attachments:The TRP Tip Sheet 11.08.23
The County's federal lobbyist, Paul Schlesinger, provided an update to the staff report,
describing the Continuing Resolution that the Congress was considering . The Speaker of
the House had a "two step" continuing resolution proposal that would provide funding
for Agriculture, Military Construction-VA, and Energy-Water Development through
January 19, 2024 with the rest of the federal budget funded through February 2, 2024.
The deadline to pass a bill was November 17, 2024, so there was pressure from a
looming shutdown. Mr. Schlesinger also discussed the impacts on the County's federal
earmark projects, noting that the appropriations bills would be required to pass--not just
a continuing resolution.
Chief Assistant County Administrator Tim Ewell provided the Committee an update of
the FEMA claim issue related to the Non-Congregate Shelter costs incurred during the
COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that there were on-going and regular meetings being
held with CalOES regarding this issue, and that the County's claims assistance from
Ernst & Young would include an updated financial estimate of the impact of the
proposed policy change promulgated by FEMA Region 9. The Committee inquired
about the anticipated timing of the payment of the County claims and how those
payments may be affected by the ARPA deadlines for obligating and spending the
money. No public comment was offered.
This Consent Item was received.
5 ACCEPT the 2023 Legislative Year in Review and 2024 Preview from the
County's state lobbyists and provide direction and/or input to staff and the
lobbyists.
23-852
Attachments:Attachment A: 2023 Year-End Report and 2024 Preview
The County's state lobbyist, Geoff Neill, was present in-person at the meeting and
provided a recap of the written report. He covered the 2023 bills of interest to the County,
including the County's sponsored bills, and the kinds of bills the Legislature would likely
be engaged with in 2024, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), fire insurance, and
bonds. The County's legislative priorities, as articulated in the adopted State Legislative
Platform, would be reviewed in more detail at the Committee's December meeting . Vice
Chair Burgis indicated a particular interest in legislative or budgetary solutions to the
fire insurance problems facing many homeowners . No public comment was received.
This Consent Item was accepted.
Page 2 of 3
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Legislation Committee Meeting Minutes - Draft November 13, 2023
6 The next meeting date is currently scheduled for December 18, 2023 at 12:30 p.m. (Note new date and
time)
7 Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 1:59 p.m.
Page 3 of 3
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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1243 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:4.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: December 18, 2023
Subject: AB 702 (Jackson) Local government financing: Juvenile Justice
Submitted For: Legislation Committee
Department: County Administration
Referral No:
Referral Name: AB 702 (Jackson)
Presenter: Esa Ehmen-Krause
Contact:
Referral History:
The Legislation Committee received updates on AB 702 (Jackson) in 2023 but made no recommendation to the
Board of Supervisors regarding the bill. Chief Probation Officer Esa Ehmen-Krause has requested a position of
“Oppose” on AB 702 and will be in attendance at the meeting to discuss the bill.
Referral Update:
AB 702 <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB702> (Jackson) -
Bill to Redirect JJCPA Resources Held for Further Deliberation Until 2024. The bill is scheduled for hearing
on January 9, 2024.
AB 702, by Assembly Member Corey Jackson, proposes to redirect Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act
(JJCPA) funds, revise the composition of local Juvenile Justice Coordinating Councils (JJCC), and recast
various elements of required multiagency juvenile justice plans. This measure largely mirrors previous
legislative efforts - AB 1007 (Jones-Sawyer, 2020) and SB 943 (Bradford, 2021). AB 702 was scheduled for
hearing in the Assembly Public Safety Committee on April 25, 2023; the author decided to pull the measure
from the hearing and designate it as a two-year bill.
UCC, RCRC, and CPOC (Chief Probation Officers of California) and CSAC had weighed in with joint
opposition to this measure, primarily because of provisions that would require redirection of 95 percent of
JJCPA funds to community-based organizations or non-law enforcement public entities. These changes would
have considerably destabilized core probation support of local juvenile justice programs and services at the
local level. JJCPA funding is in many jurisdictions dedicated to staffing and personnel costs that make up the
backbone of our juvenile probation departments. These expenditures have been and continue to be wholly
eligible and lawful under JJCPA.
The county coalition raised as part of its opposition advocacy that the proposed redirection in AB 702 appears
to ignore constitutional protections enacted under Proposition 30 (2012) that ensure resource certainty and
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File #:23-1243 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:4.
stability for all programs realigned in 2011, including JJCPA. The proposal also is especially troubling given
that counties are (1) working diligently toward full implementation of SB 823 (2020), which shifted
responsibility for the care and custody of all system-involved youth to county responsibility and (2) supporting
the transition of and subsequent care for several hundred young people who will remain in the jurisdiction of
the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) once all state facilities close on June 30, 2023.
The template for a letter of opposition is Attachment A.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors a position of “Oppose” on AB 702 (Jackson), as
recommended by the Chief Probation Officer. There is no specific policy in the Board’s adopted State
Legislative Platform relating to this bill.
Fiscal Impact (if any): Redirection of 95% of JJCPA funding away from law enforcement agencies.
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December 4, 2023
The Honorable Corey Jackson Member of the Assembly 1021 O Street, Suite 6120 Sacramento CA 95814
RE: AB 702 (Jackson) – Local government financing: juvenile justice - OPPOSE Dear Assembly Member Jackson: On behalf of the County of ________, I write to express our respectful opposition to AB 702, your measure that would make fundamental changes to the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA). These changes would be detrimental to probation departments’ ability to coordinate the delivery of services and supports to youth in our communities, resulting in system fragmentation and diminished outcome improvements for and advancement of young people with whom we engage on a daily basis. AB 702 proposes to enact three major changes to the funding and coordination of local juvenile justice system activities. It would redirect Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) funds, change the designated chair and overall composition of local Juvenile Justice Coordinating Councils (JJCC), and recast various elements of required multiagency juvenile justice plans. This measure largely mirrors previous legislative efforts – AB 1007 (Jones-Sawyer, 2020) and SB 493 (Bradford, 2021). JJCPA funding is vital to counties’ delivery of a continuum of robust, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive services that support youth at various points along the juvenile justice system – from the earliest stages of vulnerability to system involvement. In many instances, JJCPA funds are dedicated to staffing and personnel costs that serve as the foundation of our juvenile probation departments. These resources support the full array of local responsibilities for system-involved youth, up to and including counties’ diligent and ongoing implementation of SB 823 (2020) that shifted care, treatment, and custody of youth and young adults who previously were eligible for placement at one of the state’s Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities. Additionally, we would reiterate the constitutional concerns associated with the requirement to redirect JJCPA resources, given that this funding resides within the 2011 fiscal structure that is constitutionally protected under the provisions of Proposition 30 (2012). As for the changes to the JJCC, under current law, the chief probation officer in each county serves as chair, a model that recognizes the important role of probation as a connector of services and community organizations in service to the youth in need of treatment and support. The balance of committee members brings a diverse set of experiences and perspectives to the important work of JJCC who work together to coordinate and plan for the safety and rehabilitation of youth locally. By removing the probation chief as the chair
Attachment A
11
of the JJCC, as proposed in AB 702, counties generally and probation more specifically would hold the responsibility and liability for serving system-involved youth without the authority to provide leadership, guidance, and coordination of local activities. [Include here examples of where locally CBO partnerships or other multi-agency partnerships exist and the value of those partnerships.] [If appropriate >>>] In smaller counties, including ________, probation agencies operate where there are no or very limited community-based organizations, and probation staff are tasked with providing and facilitating treatment programs on behalf of the courts and for the benefit of youth. In addition, many counties experience challenges in seating a full JJCC, particularly in recruiting community members and formerly justice-involved individuals to serve, and this legislation would create considerable obstacles rather than opportunities due to its specificity regarding JJCC composition. For these reasons, ______ County believes that the approach in AB 702 would be detrimental to our collective efforts of building and sustaining a responsive and locally tailored set of services to address the needs of young people in our community. We therefore must respectfully oppose AB 702. Thank you for considering our position. Sincerely, NAME TITLE cc: Honorable Members and Counsel, Assembly Public Safety Committee
Attachment A
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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1244 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:5.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: December 18, 2023
Subject:Federal FY 2025 Community Project Funding Requests
Submitted For: Legislation Committee
Department: County Administration
Referral No:
Referral Name: Federal FY 2025 Earmarks
Presenter: L. DeLaney and Paul Schlesinger
Contact: (925) 655-2057
Referral History:
After many years of Congress’ discontinued practice of allowing “earmarks” in the federal budget, the process
of appropriating funding to specific “Community Project Funding’ requests made by Congressional members
returned in 2021 for federal FY 2022. Consequently, the County has been submitting projects authorized by the
Board of Supervisors to our federal delegation for the past three years for their consideration and nomination to
their respective Appropriations committees.
The Legislation Committee provides recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on federal “Community
Project Funding” projects for submittal to the County’s federal delegation.
Referral Update:
Although the fate of the County’s FY 2024 “Community Project Funding” requests is still unknown, and
dependent on the enactment of the federal budget which is presently operating under a Continuing Resolution,
the County’s federal lobbyists have advised us to commence preparations for the FY 2025 earmark process.
(See Attachment A)
As a reminder, the following are the County projects currently included in FY 2024 appropriations bills:
•Harmful Algal Blooms Demo Program - $5 million (Rep. DeSaulnier)
•Knightsen Wetland Restoration Project - $150K (Rep. DeSaulnier)
•Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta - $150,000 (Sen. Feinstein/Padilla)
•Concord Homeless Shelter Roofing Project - $1.05M (Rep. DeSaulnier)
•San Pablo Ave. Complete St./Bay Trail Gap Closure - $1M (Rep. Garamendi)
•Underserved Survivors Support and Safety Program- $963K (Rep. Garamendi)
The types of projects that can be submitted for consideration must fall within the guidelines promulgated by the
Appropriations Committee. Until we receive the FY 2025 guidance, the FY 2024 guidance and input from our
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Printed on 12/14/2023Page 1 of 2
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File #:23-1244 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:5.
lobbyists and congressional offices will help to inform the process. There are several factors that the
congressional members consider when selecting projects, which include, among others: the project
need/positive impact on the community, the number of applicants/projects received, the level of demonstrable
community support for the project, cost sharing requirements of projects, requested funding amount, project
readiness, and regional diversity.
The projects that have been proposed for County submittal for FY 2025 include the projects identified in
Attachment B.
In addition, the County has been requested to support a potential federal earmark project for the City of
Oakley’s proposed Library project.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
CONSIDER the projects proposed for federal “Community Project Funding” and RECOMMEND projects to
the Board of Supervisors for submittal to the County’s federal delegation.
Fiscal Impact (if any): If project requests are advanced by the County’s congressional representatives and
included in federal Appropriations bills that are enacted, the County will receive federal funding for the
projects.
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100 M Street SE, Suite 750 | Washington D.C. 20003 | (202) 688-0225 | inquiry@thornrun.com
PLANNING FOR FY 2025
COMMUNITY FUNDED PROJECTS (AKA EARMARKS)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Anticipating that many members of the House and Senate will once again solicit Community Funded
Project requests (also known as earmarks) for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 appropriations process
beginning early next year, now is a good time to begin planning for what project(s) you may want to
request. While we do not know exactly what the process will look like, how many projects Members
may be able to request on behalf of constituents, or when deadlines may occur, it is prudent to begin
brainstorming now.
Note that the President’s budget is expected to be released in February 2024, which is typically the
kick-off to the discussion of funding the government for the coming fiscal year. Also, FY 2024 funding
has yet to be resolved by Congress, including any earmarks that may be in those draft House or Senate
bills. Even with those caveats, requests to participating members of Congress and Senators may still
be due as early as February or as late as April.
Below is information the House Appropriations Committee provided this year to guide requests.
Until we have new information, this is the best guidance to help think of ideas for FY 2025. We can
also pull projects that were funded in the draft FY 2024 bills if you would like additional examples or
ideas.
INFORMATION NEEDED FOR REQUESTS
Like the last few years, all requests will require us to fill out forms with your assistance with
information. Beyond that, we will need letters of support at a minimum, but the Committee in the
past suggested these other types of community support identifiers may be helpful:
•Press articles highlighting the need for the requested Community Project Funding;
•Support from newspaper editorial boards;
•Letters from regional elected officials;
•Projects listed on State intended use plans, community development plans, or other publicly
available planning documents; or
•Resolutions passed by city councils or boards.
Memorandum October 20, 2023
Attachment A
15
Page 2
TYPES OF PROJECT/PROGRAM REQUESTS THAT CAN BE MADE VIA APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEES
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
• Community Facility Grants
o Purchase, construct, or improve essential community facilities, to purchase
equipment, and pay other related project expenses. Essential community facilities
include, but are not limited to, healthcare facilities, public facilities, public safety
measures, educational services, or other community support services. Examples of
eligible projects include medical or dental clinics, towns halls, courthouses, childcare
centers, police or fire departments, public works vehicles, or distance learning
equipment. Any project in this category must serve a rural area with strict
definitions of “rural.”
o Sample projects:
▪ WI Ambulance Services – $151,000
▪ ME Food Bank Expansion – $388,888
▪ MN Child Care Facility – $418,000
▪ MI Hospital Redevelopment – $750,000
▪ GA Volunteer Fire Department – $1.4 million
• Rural Utilities Service, ReConnect Grants
o Facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas
• Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Buildings and Facilities
o To improve ARS facilities in communities nationwide
➢ Additional information from FY 2024 related to requests made under this bill can be found
here.
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
• Byrne Justice Assistance Grants
o These grants typically assist law enforcement efforts to prevent crime, improve the
criminal justice system, provide victims’ services, and other related activities. The
Committee encourages community project funding designed to help improve police-
community relations.
o Sample projects:
▪ CO Crisis Intervention Response Initiative – $255,000
▪ OH Community Policing Initiative – $400,000
▪ MN Emergency Crisis Center Support – $300,000
▪ CA First Responder Enhanced Crisis Intervention Training – $350,000
▪ CA City Public Safety Training – $1.2 million
• COPS Technology and Equipment
o Sample projects:
▪ OR Public Safety Communications – $606,000
▪ MN Public Safety Equipment Upgrade – $305,000
▪ NV Public Safety Interoperability Upgrade – $376,000
Attachment A
16
Page 3
▪ OH Police Department Technology and Equipment Upgrades – $500,000
▪ NH Radio Communications Infrastructure Upgrades – $900,000
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration--Operations, Research, and Facilities
o For research, demonstration, or education projects performed by external partners
or for prioritizing NOAA internal funds for geographically specific projects.
o Sample projects:
▪ OR Fish Passage Restoration – $2.5 million
▪ CA Ocean Ecosystem Restoration Project – $2 million
▪ ME Climate Center Project – $650,000
▪ NY Integrated Modeling of Compound Flood Risks Initiative – $150,000
▪ OR Dam Channel Study – $585,000
➢ Additional information from 2024 related to requests made under this bill can be found here.
Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
• Corps of Engineers – authorized projects only
o Investigations
o Construction
o Operation and Maintenance
• Bureau of Reclamation (for 17 western states only)
o Water and Related Resources
o Sample projects:
▪ CA River Basin Floodplain Reactivation – $5 million
▪ WA Irrigation Project – $995,000
▪ CA Fish Screen Program – $3.9 million
▪ CA Creek Appraisal Study – $500,000
▪ WA Groundwater Recharge Project – $2 million
➢ Additional information from 2024 related to requests made under this bill can be found here.
Financial Services and General Government
• Small Business Administration, Small Business Initiatives
o This includes entrepreneur training, workforce development, counseling, research,
and construction or acquisition of facilities.
o Sample projects:
▪ PA Innovation Center – $350,000
▪ CA Enhanced Workforce Training for Economic Recovery – $250,000
▪ OR Economy Incubator – $1 million
▪ IL Workforce Training Initiative – $600,000
▪ OR Small Business Support for Black and Disadvantaged Business Owners –
$750,000
➢ Additional information from 2024 related to requests made under this bill can be found here.
Attachment A
17
Page 4
Homeland Security
• Pre-Disaster Mitigation
o Projects that meet the criteria for the BRIC program; project proposals must be
accompanied by a letter from the supporting state agency.
o Sample projects:
▪ OH Flood Mitigation Project – $1 million
▪ NC BRIC – $1.7 million
▪ MD Dam Decommissioning and Stream Restoration – $908,000
▪ VT Stream Restoration and Resilience – $2.6 million (statewide)
▪ NJ Hazard Mitigation Improvements – $300,000
• Emergency Operations Centers
o Project proposals must be accompanied by a letter from the supporting state agency.
o Sample projects:
▪ CA Emergency Operations Center – $1 million
▪ CA Emergency Operations Center Power Supply – $700,000
▪ OR Emergency Operations Center – $2 million
▪ WV Emergency Operations Center Facility Project – $955,000
▪ NY County Emergency Communications Radio System Replacement – $2
million
➢ Additional information from 2024 related to requests made under this bill can be found here.
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
• Land acquisition through the Land and Water Conservation Fund
o Must be for the purpose of land and habitat conservation and the encouragement of
outdoor recreation
o Sample projects:
▪ NM National Monument – $3 million
▪ GA National Forest – $2.7 million
▪ WV National Wildlife Refuge – $5 million
▪ VT National Wildlife Refuge acquisitions – $8.5 million
▪ MO National Fish & Wildlife Refuge – $1 million
• EPA: State and Tribal Assistance Grants
o Local wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects
o The Committee will look favorably upon requests for projects that are listed on a
state’s most recent Clean Water/Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use
Plan.
o Sample projects:
▪ CA Groundwater Treatment Project – $2.5 million
▪ FL Septic to Sewer Conversion Project – $3.2 million
▪ MI Sanitary Sewer Project – $1 million
▪ TX Ground Storage Tank Project – $3.5 million
➢ Additional information from 2024 related to requests made under this bill can be found here.
Attachment A
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Page 5
Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Related Agencies – REQUESTS ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE
SENATE
• Department of Labor—Employment and Training Administration—Training and
Employment Services
o Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act demonstration programs
o Sample projects:
▪ CA Workforce Development Services – $500,000
▪ CA Job Training Program – $1.5 million
▪ DE Offshore Wind Technician Training Program – $1.6 million
▪ IL Emergency Medical Technician Apprenticeship Program – $315,000
• Department of Health and Human Services—Health Resources and Services
Administration—Program Management
o Health Facilities Construction and Equipment
o Health Professions Education and Workforce Development
o Rural Health Outreach & Research
o Telehealth and Health IT
o Sample projects:
▪ CA County Facilities and Equipment – $1 million
▪ MN Health Care System for Facilities and Equipment – $4.6 million
▪ PA University Health System, for Facilities and Equipment – $400,000
▪ OK Hospital Equipment – $720,000
• Department of Health and Human Services—Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration—Health Surveillance and Program Support
o Mental health, substance abuse treatment, substance abuse prevention programs
o Sample projects:
▪ CA Mobile Crisis Response Program – $500,000
▪ MI Suicide Prevention – $811,000
▪ NV Higher Education Mental Health Services and Training – $2.6 million
▪ DE Nonprofit Workforce Development Program for Mental Health Counselors
– $3.5 million
• Department of Education—Innovation and Improvement
o Instructional services, afterschool centers, curricula development, teacher training,
acquisition of books and computers, arts education, social and emotional learning
activities, full-service community schools, and early childhood education
o Sample projects:
▪ CA Program Development, Including Equipment and Supplies – $340,000
▪ MI Education Pilot Program, Including Equipment – $1 million
▪ NM Artificial Intelligence Educational Pipeline Initiative from Elementary
And Secondary Education through Postsecondary Education – $750,000
▪ MI Professional Development Curricula for Educators – $2 million
• Department of Education—Higher Education
o Improving access to, or the quality of, postsecondary education, but not construction
Attachment A
19
Page 6
▪ Hire and train faculty, establish and improve degree programs, improve
teacher preparation programs, develop and improve curricula, upgrade
technology and telecommunications, acquire science laboratory equipment,
provide student support, implement university partnerships with school
districts, and establish research and training centers
o Sample projects:
▪ CA Equity Innovation Hub, Which May Include Professional Development – $1
Million
▪ MI Community College Health Care Apprenticeship Programs – $2.6 million
▪ CA Cybersecurity Programs – $500,000
▪ ME Community College Training Program, Including Technology and
Equipment – $988,000
➢ The House will not accept LHHS project requests; however, the Senate will.
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Requests can be made for construction projects on military bases.
➢ Additional information from 2024 related to requests made under this bill can be found here.
Transportation Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
• DOT - Local Transportation Priorities
o Highway and transit capital projects eligible under title 23 and title 49 of the United
States Code. Eligible projects are described under Section133(b) of title 23, United
States Code.
o Sample projects:
▪ CA State Route Improvement Project – $3 million
▪ FL Highway Corridor Improvements – $600,000
▪ MI Reconstruction Project – $1.4 million
▪ TX Road Expansion – $3 million
• DOT - Airport Improvement Program (AIP)
o Projects for enhancing airport safety, capacity, and security, and mitigating
environmental concerns.
o Sample projects:
▪ CA Terminal Expansion and Safety Enhancement Project – $2 million
▪ OR Automated Weather Observing System Replacement – $500,000
▪ CO Pavement Upgrades – $450,000
▪ MD Regional Airport Runway Extension – $500,000
• HUD - Economic Development Initiative (EDI)
o Site acquisition, demolition or rehabilitation of housing or facilities, construction and
capital improvements of public facilities (including water and sewer facilities), and
public services are eligible.
o Sample projects:
▪ CA Transitional Housing Project – $500,000
Attachment A
20
Page 7
▪ LA Sewerage and Water Board Wastewater and Stormwater Improvement –
$6 million
▪ MA Climate Resilient Community Park – $2 million
▪ ME Fish Pier Redevelopment – $1.5 million
Additional information from 2024 related to requests made under this bill can be found here.
Attachment A
21
Project Congressional District Total Project Cost Requested
Amount Brief Summary of Project
1 Treat Boulevard Corridor Improvements (Prior Submission )CD-10 (DeSaulnier)4,200,000$ 1,500,000$
The project will improve safety and first mile/last mile connectivity for pedestrians and bicyclists
along Treat Boulevard in the vicinity of the Contra Costa Centre Transit Village. Multi-modal
barriers will be removed within the 0.4-mile segment by constructing buffered bike lanes,
protected bike lanes, and a Class I multi-use path.
2 Marsh Drive - Class I Separated Path Accommodation CD-10 (DeSaulnier)4,879,000$ 3,000,000$
This project will close a 1.3-mile gap in the County bicycle network by constructing a Class I
separated path along Marsh Drive between Center Avenue and the Walnut Creek bridge in
unincorporate Pacheco.
3 San Pablo Avenue Complete Street/Bay Trail Gap Closure (Prior Submission )CD-8 (Garamendi)11,717,000$ 2,000,000$
The project will construct a Class I shared-used path closing a 3.2-mile gap in the planned 500-
mile San Francisco Bay Trail, providing multimodal access for residents in Rodeo and Crockett,
and improving safety. Completion of the trail will connect users between forty-seven cities with
regional and local destinations.
4 North Bailey Road Active Transportation Corridor CD-8 (Garamendi)10,506,000$ 2,000,000$
The project will construct 0.5 miles of a two-way cycle track, ADA-compliant curb ramps, ADA-
accessible sidewalks, traffic signal, and reconfigure travel lanes on Bailey Road between Willow
Pass and Canal Road in unincorporated Bay Point.
5 Pacifica Avenue Safe Routes to School CD-8 (Garamendi)4,342,000$ 2,000,000$
The project will improve multi-modal access for students at Riverview Middle School and
Gateway High School by reconfiguring of 0.5 miles of Pacifica Avenue from Port Chicago Highway
to Driftwood Drive to install a two-way cycle track, new sidewalk, widened sidewalk, narrower
travel lanes, bulb-outs, and new raised crosswalks in unincorporated Bay Point.
6 Carquinez Middle School Trail Connection CD-8 (Garamendi)4,868,000$ 2,000,000$ This project will construct a multi-modal path adjacent and separated from Crockett Boulevard to
access two schools and close a gap in the Carquinez Scenic Loop Trail.
7 Auto-Focused Crime Elimination (ACE) Task Force Pilot Program (Previously submitted as a Measure X
Proposal )Countywide 500,000$ 500,000$ Three-year Pilot requesting funding for a leased commercial space and necessary equipment for
task force members to reduce motor vehicle theft in the county
8 Underserved Survivors Support Program (Previously submitted as a Measure X Proposal )Countywide 1,300,194$ 435,340$
Three-year Pilot requesting $435,340/yr to provide crucial safety net
services to victims of unsolved shootings in the county. Funds 3 FTE victim witness advocates to
provide 1) Crisis Intervention and Safety Planning; 2) Counseling; 3) Increased Community
Outreach; plus 4) Emergency Financial Assistance for victims’/survivors’ immediate safety needs
9 Organized Retail Theft Prevention and Prosecution Pilot (Previously submitted to compete for state grant,
pending decision )Countywide 2,000,000$
10 Healing and Justice for Survivors of Labor Trafficking (Previously submitted as a Measure X Proposal )Countywide 500,000$
Adds 2 FTE to the County and 1 contracted FTE to enhance investigations and provide specialized
advocacy; plus targeted outreach, staff training, and contracted civil legal services for victims of
labor trafficking
11 Knightsen Wetland Restoration Project (Previously submitted for FY 24 federal earmark )CD-10 (DeSaulnier)2,000,000$
An extensive project to restore habitat types historically present that can support special status
species. When constructed, the project will provide habitat for state and federally threatened
and endangered species as well as providing a host of ancillary benefits locally including flood
water attenuation, Delta water quality improvements, and protected open space.
12 Contra Costa County Sea Level Rise Resilience and Adaptation Plan development (Previously submitted for
FY 24 federal earmark )Countywide 1,600,000$ 800,000$
NOT ELIGIBLE. Contra Costa County presently lacks a comprehensive, parcel-scale, set of
strategies to combat sea level rise that spans all 90 miles of our unique shoreline, stretching from
the city of Richmond in the San Francisco Bay to the community of Byron in the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta. The purpose of the Plan would be to inform local cities, special districts, and
property owners of the future risks of sea level rise and assist the applicable land use authority in
accounting for these risks to ensure we protect, improve, and enhance the quality of life for all
residents in Contra Costa County.
13 Countywide Tree Plan Countywide 800,000$
NOT ELIGIBLE. Contra Costa County will develop a Countywide Tree Plan to ensure that all
residents, particularly those in the many Impacted Communities in our county, have trees to help
mitigate increasing extreme heat, provide green infrastructure, and address equity issues. The
Tree Plan will build on the work of the 2023 Healthy Lands, Healthy People study, which
identifies best practices for storing greenhouse gas emissions in the different land use types in
Contra Costa County. As the temperature warms, it will be important to identify tree species
appropriate for a different climate than we experience now, species that are drought tolerant
natives and fire resistant. A growing body of research shows a link between neighborhoods with
more tree cover and higher property values – robust tree cover is an equity issue as well as a
public health priority.
Attachment B
22
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1245 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:6.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: December 18, 2023
Subject:County’s FEMA Claims for Public Assistance for COVID-19 related Non-Congregate Shelter
Submitted For: Legislation Committee
Department: County Administration
Referral No:
Referral Name: FEMA Claims
Presenter: Timothy Ewell, Chief Assistant County Administrator
Contact: (925) 655-2043
Referral History:
The Legislation Committee received a report on this subject in November 2023.
Referral Update:
Chief Assistant County Administrator Timothy Ewell will be present at the meeting to provide the Legislation
Committee with an update on the status of this matter and to discuss the related attachments.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
RECEIVE the report and provide direction and/or input to staff and the County’s lobbyists, as needed.
Fiscal Impact (if any): There could be a significant fiscal impact on the County depending on the final
disposition of the County’s FEMA claims.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Printed on 12/14/2023Page 1 of 1
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U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Region 9
1111 Broadway, Suite 1200
Oakland, CA 94607-4052
October 16, 2023
Ms. Nancy Ward
Director
Governor’s Authorized Representative
California Office of Emergency Services
3650 Schriever Avenue
Mather, California 95655
RE: Emergency Non-Congregate Sheltering – FEMA-4482-DR-CA (COVID-19)
Dear Director Ward:
This letter provides clarification to questions received from the California Governor’s Office of
Emergency Services (Cal OES) regarding the eligibility of emergency Non-Congregate Sheltering
(NCS) during the COVID-19 Pandemic, specifically the eligibility of “high-risk” individuals
requiring social distancing and FEMA’s methodology for evaluating the length of stay for eligible
populations in emergency NCS.
Under the COVID-19 major declaration, FEMA will consider emergency NCS for health and
medical-related needs, such as isolation and quarantine resulting from the public health
emergency. FEMA will reimburse emergency NCS costs incurred for:
1.Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 that do not require hospitalization, but need
isolation (including those exiting from hospitals);
2.Individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 (as documented by a state or local public
health official, or medical health professional), that do not require hospitalization; and
3.Individuals who are “high-risk,” such as people over 65 or who have certain underlying
health conditions (respiratory, compromised immunities, chronic disease), and who require
emergency NCS as a social distancing measure.
For the third category of eligible individuals, FEMA interprets the term high-risk based on the list of
medical conditions identified in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s)
guidance.1 An individual confirmed to be at high-risk based on the CDC list of medical conditions
may be eligible for emergency NCS if needed as a social distancing measure. Providing
confirmation of a positive COVID test is not a requirement for the third category; however, eligible
applicants will need to demonstrate that the individuals sheltered are high-risk.
Regarding the length of stay for eligible populations in emergency NCS, FEMA recognizes the
unprecedented scale and scope of the COVID-19 response. Widespread community transmission
overwhelmed healthcare systems across the nation, and in the absence of available testing supplies,
sheltering was a key strategy for limiting the loss of life and protecting public safety. Vaccines were
not readily available to all members of the public until the Governor rescinded the Statewide Stay at
1 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-
conditions.html#MedicalConditionsAdults
Attachment A
24
Ms. Nancy Ward, Governor’s Authorized Representative
FEMA-4482-DR-CA
Page 2 of 4
Home Order on June 11, 2021.2 Recognizing the scarcity of testing and vaccine availability prior to
recission of the Governor’s State at Home Order, FEMA will not limit the eligibility of length of
stays in emergency NCS prior to June 11, 2021.
FEMA also recognizes new COVID-19 variants resulted in spikes of COVID-19 community
transmission following the Governor’s rescission of the Statewide Stay at Home Order. Some local
public health orders required sheltering for a longer period following June 11, 2021, to protect
individuals from exposure to COVID-19.
Between March 2020 and June 2021, California took effective action to reduce the spread and
mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, successfully curbing the spread of the virus and dramatically
lowering disease prevalence and death. As of June 11, 2021, over 70 percent of Californians 18 and
older received at least one vaccine dose, raising the overall level of immunity in the state.3 Because
of the significant efforts made by the State of California to reduce transmission of COVID-19, after
June 11, 2021, FEMA Region 9 has aligned its implementation of emergency NCS with federal
public health authorities and their official recommendations regarding isolation and quarantine
periods.
Consequently, between June 11, 2021 – May 11, 2023, eligible costs for emergency NCS may be
incurred for a period up to 20 days in accordance with the CDC’s recommended isolation and
quarantine period, which is the lengthiest period the CDC recommended for isolation and
quarantine.4 Based on Cal OES’ extension requests in 2020, the average length of emergency NCS
was 11 days for first responders and 37 days for high-risk individuals. Additionally, Cal OES
submitted monthly emergency NCS data reports between December 2020 – May 2023 that showed
an average of 14 days for emergency NCS stays.
Except where specifically stated otherwise in this letter, the reimbursement of costs for eligible
emergency NCS remains subject to the same requirements set forth in the California NCS Approval
Letters5 and the NCS Transition Plan to other Federal Funding letter, dated October 18, 2021.
Sheltering specific populations in emergency NCS should be determined by a public health official’s
direction or in accordance with the direction or guidance of health officials by the appropriate state
or local entities. As mentioned in the October 18, 2021 letter, reimbursement of costs for emergency
NCS does not include assistance for individuals experiencing homelessness unless they qualify
under one of the three eligible population categories. Finally, contracts for emergency NCS must
comply with federal procurement requirements at 2 CFR Part 200, including reasonable costs and
incorporation of a termination for convenience clause. I have attached an emergency NCS project
eligibility review list that my staff will use to review emergency NCS project submissions from
applicants.
2 Governor’s Executive Order, No. N-07-021, rescinding Executive Order, No. N-60-20 (Statewide Stay-at-Home
Order).
3 https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/06/11/governor-newsom-announces-new-rewards-for-vaccinated-californians-as-second-
round-of-vax-for-the-win-50k-winners-is-drawn/
4 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/duration-isolation.html
5 Initial letter approving PA funding for eligible NCS costs incurred by the State of California dated March 27, 2020,
initial letter approving PA funding for eligible costs incurred by local NCS providers dated April 2, 2020, and most
recent letters approving NCS extensions dated July 1, 2020, July 30, 2020, August 29, 2020, October 1, 2020, October
30, 2020, and November 30, 2020
Attachment A
25
Ms. Nancy Ward, Governor’s Authorized Representative
FEMA-4482-DR-CA
Page 3 of 4
Thank you for emphasizing to local providers the importance of maintaining effective tracking
mechanisms to provide sufficient data and documentation to establish the eligibility of emergency
NCS costs (including wrap-around services directly necessary for the safe and secure operations of
emergency NCS facilities) for which they intend to request Public Assistance funding. As with any
activity, lack of sufficient supporting documentation may result in FEMA determining that some or
all of the costs claimed are ineligible.
Thank you for your continued partnership as we address questions related to COVID-19 eligible
activities during an unprecedented time. If you have additional questions regarding this matter,
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Fenton
Regional Administrator
FEMA Region 9
Attachment 1: Emergency NCS Project Eligibility Review List
Attachment A
26
Ms. Nancy Ward, Governor’s Authorized Representative
FEMA-4482-DR-CA
Page 4 of 4
Attachment 1: Emergency NCS Project Review List:
Legal responsibility To be eligible, work must be the legal responsibility of an
eligible applicant. Measures to protect life, public health,
and safety are generally the responsibility of state, local,
tribal, and territorial governments.
Directed and Documented by
Public Health Official
NCS must be at the direction of and documented through an
official order signed by a state, local, tribal, or territorial
public health official.
Intake process at each NCS
site (data collection of
questionnaires and/or
surveys)
Individuals should be pre-screened or referred to by an
authorized local public health representative. Applicants
should follow the detailed protocols issued by the
Department of Public Health and site administrators to
ensure that only individuals who meet FEMA eligible
criteria are sheltered. Data collected should include:
- Documentation showing a recent positive test,
- Self-certification form or,
- Medical referrals
Duration of the Sheltering
Activities
Number of individuals sheltered
Operational period
Wraparound services Costs associated with the provision of support services, such
as case management, mental health counseling and similar
services are not eligible for reimbursement.
Cost reasonableness Costs claimed by State, Local, Tribal and Territorial
governments must be reasonable pursuant to federal
regulations and federal cost principles. A cost is considered
reasonable if, in its nature and amount, it does not exceed
that which would be incurred by a prudent person under the
circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made
to incur the cost.
Unoccupied rooms Generally, unoccupied rooms are ineligible. Exceptions
might be made for reasonable pre-positioning of resources or
other circumstances made on a case-by-case basis.
Termination for
Convenience Clauses
Applicants must follow FEMA’s Procurement Under Grants
Conducted Under Exigent or Emergency Circumstances
guidance and include a termination for convenience clause in
their contracts.
Attachment A
27
1
State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds: Obligation IFR Quick Reference Guide
This Quick Reference Guide provides an overview of the Obligation Interim Final Rule (Obligation
IFR) for informational purposes and is intended as a brief summary.
INTRODUCTION
The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), established by the American
Rescue Plan, delivers $350 billion to state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to support
the response to and recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency.
In November 2023, Treasury issued the Obligation IFR to address recipients’ questions and
comments regarding the definition of obligation. The Obligation IFR revises the definition of
“obligation” in Treasury’s implementing regulations for the SLFRF program and provides related
guidance to give additional flexibility and clarity to recipients to support their use of SLFRF funds.
The Obligation IFR does not alter the existing SLFRF obligation or expenditure deadlines.
Recipients must obligate SLFRF funds by December 31, 2024 , and expend obligated funds by
December 31, 2026 (with the exception of projects under the Surface Transportation projects
and Title I eligible use categories, for which funds must be expended by September 30, 2026). In
addition, the Obligation IFR does not alter the eligible use categories described in the 2022 Final
Rule and the 2023 Interim Final Rule. Recipients seeking information about whether a specific
project may be an eligible use of SLFRF funds should reference the rules, along with the Overview
of the 2022 Final Rule and the Overview of the 2023 Interim Final Rule.
Below is a summary of the Obligation IFR. Recipients should refer to the Obligation IFR for a
complete description of the definition of obligation and associated requirements.
AMENDMENT TO THE DEFINITION OF “OBLIGATION” AT 31 CFR 35.3
Under the revised definition of “obligation,” the term continues to mean an order placed for
property and services and entry into contracts, subawards, and similar transactions that require
payment. Under the Obligation IFR, a recipient is also considered to have incurred an obligation
by December 31, 2024, with respect to a requirement under federal law or regulation or a
provision of the SLFRF award terms and conditions to which the recipient becomes subject as a
result of receiving or expending SLFRF funds.
Accordingly, under the second part of the definition of obligation set out above, a recipient may
use SLFRF funds to cover costs related to:
1.Reporting and compliance requirements, including subrecipient monitoring
2.Single Audit costs
3.Record retention and internal control requirements
4.Property standards
5.Environmental compliance requirements
6.Civil rights and nondiscrimination requirements
Attachment B
28
2
To take advantage of the additional flexibility to cover the costs of meeting these requirements,
the Obligation IFR lists the information that a recipient must submit to Treasury regarding
estimates of SLFRF funds that it will use to cover administrative and compliance related
expenditures. Treasury will update the SLFRF Compliance and Reporting Guidance to reflect
recipients’ additional reporting regarding these estimated amounts.
The Obligation IFR also clarifies that recipients may continue to charge their current negotiated
indirect costs rate agreement established with their federal cognizant agency or the de minimis
rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs pursuant to 2 CF R 200.414(f), after December
31, 2024 through December 31, 2026. Additionally, the Obligation IFR states that Treasury
considered some recipients’ comments to revise the rule to define “costs incurred” by reference
to recipient appropriation, budget, or allocation processes, and explains that this approach would
not provide a standard that could be applied consistently across recipients.
APPLICATION OF OBLIGATION DEADLINE TO SUBRECIPIENTS
Subrecipients are not subject to the December 31, 2024 obligation deadline. The obligation
deadline applies to the recipient of SLFRF funds, and a cost is considered to have been incurred
once a recipient enters into a subaward or contract that obligates the recipient to cover that cost.
Neither subrecipients nor contractors need to take additional steps to obligate SLFRF funds after
entering into a subaward or contract with the recipient.
AMENDMENT AND REPLACEMENT OF CONTRACTS AND SUBAWARDS
In general, recipients cannot re-obligate funds or obligate additional SLFRF funds after the
obligation deadline of December 31, 2024. For instance, if a contractor makes a change order
request after December 31, 2024, that necessitates a contract amendment, the recipient would
not be permitted to obligate additional SLFRF funds to the project because the obligation
deadline would have passed. However, after the obligation deadline, recipients are permitted to
replace a contract or subaward that was entered into prior to December 31, 2024 under the
following circumstances:
1. The recipient terminates the contract or subaward because of the contractor or
subrecipient’s default, the contractor or subrecipient goes out of business, or the
recipient determines that the contractor or subrecipient will not be able to perform under
the contract or carry out the subaward.
2. The recipient and contractor or subrecipient mutually agree to terminate the contract or
subaward for convenience.
3. The recipient terminates the contract or subaward for convenience if the contract or
subaward was not properly awarded (for example, if the contractor was not eligible to
receive the contract), there is clear evidence that the contract or subaward was improper,
the recipient documents the determination that it was not properly awarded, and t he
original contract or subaward was entered into by the recipient in good faith .
Treasury will update the SLFRF Compliance and Reporting Guidance for recipients to report any
contract or subaward replacements after the December 31, 2024, obligation deadline.
Attachment B
29
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1246 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:7.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: December 18, 2023
Subject:2023-24 State Legislative Platform Amendments
Submitted For: Legislation Committee
Department: County Administration
Referral No:
Referral Name: 2023-24 Legislative Platforms
Presenter: L. DeLaney
Contact: (925) 655-2057
Referral History:
The Legislation Committee considers amendments, as needed, to the County’s adopted State and Federal
Legislative Platforms and recommends changes to the Board of Supervisors. The Board adopted the 2023-24
State and Federal Legislative Platforms at their January 17, 2023 meeting. (C. 16) The Platforms were
subsequently amended on July 18, 2023 to include elections related policy statements. (C. 28) (Attachments A
and B)
Referral Update:
When the Legislature returns on January 3, 2024 to kick off the second year of the two-year session, they will
immediately face a January 31 deadline, which is the date by which any “two-year” bills must pass out of the
house of origin. The Legislature’s focus in January also will be on the state’s fiscal condition, given that the
Governor’s January 10 budget proposal will likely address the estimated $68 billion state budget deficit
currently projected by the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
As we anticipate the start of the second year of the legislative session in January 2024, County staff and the
County lobbyists have reviewed the adopted Legislative Platforms for recommended amendments that reflect
the current legislative and budgetary landscape.
Recommended amendments to the 2023-24 State Legislative Platform include the following:
1.Sponsored Bills and Advocacy Priorities (p. 7):
A.Sponsored Bill #1 may not advance in 2024 due to state cost concerns; alternative mechanisms
for obtaining greenhouse gas emissions inventories for California cities, counties, and special
districts are being considered. After confirmation with the County’s partner sponsor, CivicWell, the
bill may be removed.
B.Sponsored Bill #2 was successfully enacted and can be removed from the Platform.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Printed on 12/14/2023Page 1 of 2
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File #:23-1246 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:7.
C.Advocacy Priorities:
i.Remove COVID-19 Economic Recovery. (The Legislature is unlikely to consider
legislative proposals given the state budget situation.)
ii.Climate Change: Add: “Advocate for and support resource/resilience bonds and Contra
Costa County specific projects in the bond measure(s). Funding is needed to facilitate the
conversion of existing buildings to all-electric, promote a countywide approach to adaption
to rising water levels, support the development and implementation of a countywide tree
plan, and build-out the active transportation network across the County.”
iii.Health Care: Add: “CalAIM Implementation engagement with focus on finance
implications as well as impacts on county operations, programs and people served. Advocate
for Behavioral Health workforce assistance and adequate, sustained funding to match new
services and administration expectations. Advocate for secure, adequate, flexible, and
sustained funding for CARE Court implementation, mindful of the state budget.”
iv.Housing and Homelessness: Add “Although state and local governments have made
significant investments in housing and homelessness programs over the last few years,
California lacks a comprehensive, holistic strategy that provides sustained funding and clear
levels of responsibility for all levels of government. Continue to support significant strategic
investments.”
v.The Delta/Water and Levees:Add “Support efforts to protect and improve water
quality, water quantity, and Delta outflow and advocate for increased freshwater flow
through the Delta into the San Francisco Bay. Advocate for significant funding for western
and central Delta levees to support water quality and the existing Delta water conveyance
system and to protect critical infrastructure.Support multi-purpose storage options that
incorporate water supply, flood control, surface water and groundwater storage, groundwater
management, and ecosystem components.”
2.Principles and Policy Statements (p. 8)
Staff recommends consideration of the following additional policy statements to the 2023-24 State Legislative
Platform:
Artificial Intelligence (AI): SUPPORT engagement on policy discussions surrounding the development and
use of artificial intelligence. The policies should recognize and allow for AI’s beneficial uses, including by
counties, but prohibit areas of potential misuse.
Child Welfare Services: SUPPORT the development or designation of safe, appropriate placement options
and congregate care reform for foster youth with acute complex needs.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
CONSIDER the proposed amendments to the 2023-24 State Legislative Platform and RECOMMEND
amendments to the Board of Supervisors for adoption.
Fiscal Impact (if any): None.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Printed on 12/14/2023Page 2 of 2
powered by Legistar™31
2023-24 Adopted
State Legislative
Platform
Contra Costa County
Website: www.contracosta.ca.gov
Adopted January 17, 2023
Amended July 18, 2023
Attachment A
32
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ___________________________________________________________ 3
County Profile ____________________________________________________________________ 3
Demographic Highlights ____________________________________________________________ 3
Governance _____________________________________________________________________ 4
Legislative Platform Purpose ________________________________________________________ 6
Mission, Vision, and Values __________________________________________________________ 6
Sponsored bills ________________________________________________________ 7
Advocacy Priorities ________________________________________________________________ 7
Principles and Policy Statements ___________________________________________ 8
Agriculture and Weights & Measures __________________________________________________ 8
Animal Services ___________________________________________________________________ 8
Child Support Services _____________________________________________________________ 9
Climate Change __________________________________________________________________ 9
The Delta ______________________________________________________________________ 11
Economic Development ____________________________________________________________ 11
Elections _______________________________________________________________________ 12
Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Response ________________________________________ 13
Flood Control and Clean Water _____________________________________________________ 14
Finance and Administration _________________________________________________________ 14
Health Care ____________________________________________________________________ 16
Homeless Services ________________________________________________________________ 19
Human Services __________________________________________________________________ 20
Justice Systems __________________________________________________________________ 25
Land Use/Community Development/Natural Resources ___________________________________ 26
Library Services _________________________________________________________________ 27
Telecommunications and Broadband _________________________________________________ 27
Transportation __________________________________________________________________ 28
Veterans _______________________________________________________________________ 29
Waste Management ______________________________________________________________ 29
Workforce Development __________________________________________________________ 31
Attachment A
33
3
INTRODUCTION
County Profile
One of the original 27 counties established in California in 1850, Contra Costa County is home to
more than one million people, making it the ninth most populous county in the state. Physically, Contra
Costa is over 733 square miles and extends
from the northeastern shore of the San
Francisco Bay easterly about 50 miles to San
Joaquin County. The County is bordered on
the south and west by Alameda County and
on the north by the Suisun and San Pablo
Bays. The western and northern shorelines
are industrialized, while the interior sections
are suburban/residential, commercial and light industrial.
About 40 percent of the county is under the jurisdiction of 19 incorporated cities and towns, and
large portions of the remaining unincorporated area are part of public park systems and a habitat
conservancy. Contra Costa County is very diverse, with communities that range from small agricultural
places like Byron, with a density of about 200
people per square mile, to urban population
centers like Contra Costa Centre, a bustling
transit village with a density of 8,400 people
per square mile.
With its strategic location as The Capital
of The Northern California Mega-RegionTM and
easy access to suppliers and customers, Contra
Costa is a business destination full of opportunity.
Demographic Highlights
According to the 2022 State Department of Finance data, 1,156,555 people live in Contra Costa
County. 15% of the total population, about 176,941 people, reside in the unincorporated areas of the
county. The median age of County residents is 39 years old. Our population of seniors age 60 or older
is expected to grow by approximately 47% between 2020 and 2050, making this age group our fastest
growing.
34
4
44% of County residents are white, with significant proportions of Asian (16.5%) and African American
(8%) people. The Census tracks Latinx ethnicity separately from other populations; in total, the
Hispanic/Latino population makes up approximately 26% of the total population.
Governance
A five-member Board of Supervisors, each elected to four-year terms, serves as the legislative
body of the County, which has a general law form of government. Also elected are the County Assessor,
Auditor-Controller, Clerk-Recorder, District Attorney, Sheriff-Coroner and Treasurer-Tax Collector. The
County Administrator, Monica Nino, is appointed by the Board and is responsible for running the day-
to-day business of the County.
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Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors:
District 1: John M. Gioia
District II: Candace Andersen
District III: Diane Burgis
District IV: Ken Carlson
District V: Federal D. Glover
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Legislative Platform Purpose
The Legislative Platform establishes the priorities, principles, and policy statements of the Contra
Costa County Board of Supervisors and creates the basis for its advocacy efforts, alerting our
legislative partners of the greatest needs of our residents and where we need additional help. The
Platform provides general direction to County departments and agencies, legislative advocates,
delegation members, and the public on our positions on key policy matters that would impact the way
the County does business. The Platform also includes new bill requests for which legislation is sought from
Contra Costa County.
Throughout the legislative session, the County will review and take positions on various policy
and State Budget items. When a recommended position is consistent with existing County policy, as
adopted in the Platform, the CAO’s office or department staff will prepare a County position letter for
signature by the Board Chair.
Contra Costa County has also adopted a Delta Water Platform to identify and promote activities
and policy positions that support the creation of a healthy Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Contra Costa
County uses this Delta Water Platform to guide its actions and advocacy regarding the future of the
Delta.
Mission, Vision, and Values
Contra Costa County has adopted the following Mission, Vision and Values statement:
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SPONSORED BILLS AND ADVOCACY PRIORITIES
Sponsored Bill #1: Legislation to direct the California Air Resources
Board to develop greenhouse gas inventories for California cities,
counties, and special districts. The Legislature should allocate up to $2.5
million for this purpose.
Sponsored Bill #2: S tatewide permitting for hauling solid waste by non-
franchise haulers. Permits are required for non-franchise solid waste
haulers in unincorporated areas of the County, but no similar requirement
exists for cities, which impedes enforcement of illegal dumping.
Advocacy Priorities
COVID-19 Economic Recovery that supports the goals of Mental Well-Being,
Equity in Action, Healthy Communities, Intergenerational Thriving, and a
Welcoming & Safe Community
Climate Change
Heath Care, including Mental Health, Behavioral Health and Substance Use
Disorder (SUD) services
Housing and Homelessness
The Delta/Water and Levees
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PRINCIPLES AND POLICY STATEMENTS
Agriculture and Weights & Measures
• SUPPORT actions to ensure sufficient state funding for pest and disease control and eradication
efforts to protect both agriculture and the native environment.
• SUPPORT funding for agricultural land conservation programs and agricultural enterprise programs,
and revisions to State school siting policies to protect and enhance the viability of local agriculture.
• SUPPORT legislation to facilitate the efforts by the California Department of Food and Agriculture
and the Department of Boating and Waterways to survey and treat all infestations in the Delta of
invasive aquatic species through integrated pest management.
• SUPPORT legislation that preserves the integrity of the Williamson Act, eliminates abuses resulting in
unjustified and premature conversions of contracted land for development, and fully restores
Williamson Act subventions.
• SUPPORT legislation that would preserve or enhance protections now afforded to consumers for
commercial transactions involving commercial weighing or measuring devices (scales, meters and
scanners) or computed by point-of-sale systems.
• SUPPORT efforts to ensure sufficient funding for weights and measures programs that protect
consumers and promote fair competition in the marketplace.
Animal Services
• SUPPORT actions to protect local revenue sources
designated for use by the Animal Services Department; i.e.,
animal licensing, fines and fees.
• SUPPORT actions to protect or increase local control and
flexibility over the scope and level of animal services; and
SUPPORT efforts to protect and/or increase County
flexibility to provide animal services consistent with local
needs and priorities.
• SUPPORT actions to protect against unfunded mandates in
animal services or mandates that are not accompanied by specific revenue sources which completely
offset the costs of the new mandates, both when adopted and in future years. SUPPORT efforts to
ensure full funding of State animal services mandates.
• SUPPORT efforts to preserve the integrity of existing County policy relating to Animal Services (e.g.,
the Animal Control Ordinance and land use requirements).
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Child Support Services
• SUPPORT recognition, promotion and enhancement of the child support program as a safety net
program.
• SUPPORT efforts that create new child support collection tools and methods or enhance existing
child support collection tools and methods. OPPOSE efforts that eliminate or limit existing child
support collection tools and methods.
• SUPPORT efforts to increase funding for the child support program. OPPOSE efforts to reduce
funding for the child support program.
• SUPPORT efforts that enhance or create new data collection tools and methods. OPPOSE efforts
that eliminate or limit existing data collection tools and methods.
Climate Change
• SUPPORT funding and policy to implement the following:
Technologies that support the County’s climate goals, including battery energy storage and
microgrids, solar and wind energy, electric vehicles, and electric vehicle infrastructure;
Energy efficiency programs that encourage whole house retrofits and address asthma
triggers in the built environment;
Planning work for adapting to rising sea levels;
Planning and implementation of microgrids;
Active transportation and green infrastructure
programs;
Job training for careers in clean energy, clean
transportation, and green infrastructure.
• SUPPORT funding and policy to harden and enhance the
infrastructure of public facilities, including public hospitals
and health care centers, to the impacts of climate change.
• SUPPORT actions that: address the impacts of climate change; support climate adaptation and
resilience efforts; support the Green Business program; address the disproportionate impacts that
some communities bear because they are located near sources of exposure such as large industrial
facilities, freeways or transportation corridors and/or live in proximity to areas vulnerable to sea-
level rise or inland flooding; reduce exposure to toxic air pollutants and greenhouse gases; study
and recognize the health impacts of global and regional climate change; and study the economic,
workforce and social impacts of transitioning away from fossil fuels.
• ENSURE that the implementation of AB 32 and successor bills results in harmony between the
greenhouse gas reduction target created by the Air Resources Board for each regional/local
agency, data that reveals disparity in population health status, the housing needs numbers provided
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by the state Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Sustainable Communities
Strategy developed through the Regional Transportation Plan processes.
• SUPPORT efforts that favor allocation of funding and infrastructure from the California Climate
Investments Program to jurisdictions within whose boundaries are the largest emitters of greenhouse
gas, have vulnerable and/or disadvantaged communities that are disproportionately affected by
climate change and environmental pollution, have Natural Community Conservation Plans or similar
land conservation efforts that will address climate change and have demonstrated a local
commitment to climate protection.
• SUPPORT revisions to the Public Resources Code and the Air Resources Board’s Investment Plans to
provide California Climate Investments funding for the conservation of natural lands, parks and
open space through fee title acquisition as well as easements.
• SUPPORT efforts to expand eligible expenditures of the Climate Investments to investments in
accessible transit/transportation systems (serving seniors, disabled, and veterans) which result in
more efficient service and corresponding reductions in greenhouse gas production, and in
investments in infrastructure and programs to promote active transportation, particularly bicycling
and walking.
• OPPOSE changes to the California Environmental Protection Agency’s protocols for designating
disadvantaged communities which result in a reduction in the number or size of disadvantaged
communities in Contra Costa County prioritized for receipt of California Climate Investment funds.
• SUPPORT efforts to ensure life-cycle costs are considered when planning new projects in the state.
• SUPPORT the autonomy of community choice aggregators (CCAs) in policymaking and decision-
making. OPPOSE legislation and regulatory policies that unfairly disadvantage CCAs or CCA
customers or reduce or undermine local decision-making autonomy by the CCA.
• SUPPORT continuing development of local renewable energy resources and supply, including
protection of local autonomy to administer energy efficiency programs and install and utilize
integrated distributed energy resources, and SUPPORT effective leveraging of energy efficiency
programs tailored to address local needs and concerns.
• SUPPORT complete transparency of all energy procurement practices, stranded costs, and
departing load charges; fair competition in statewide energy markets for community choice
aggregators (CCAs) and municipal or other publicly owned utilities; legislation and regulatory
policies that protect CCA customers from improper cost allocation; and OPPOSE legislation that
conflicts with or diminishes CCA procurement autonomy.
• SUPPORT requirements for investor-owned and public energy utilities to provide local governments
with energy usage data for all facilities in their jurisdictions for purposes of developing inventories
of greenhouse gas emissions within their boundaries.
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• SUPPORT resources for local governments to use in addressing impacts of climate change and rising
water levels caused by a warming climate, such as extreme heat, wildfire smoke, sea level rise,
flooding, ground water rise, fires, and power disruptions.
• SUPPORT actions that cost-effectively reduce exposure to criteria air pollutants and toxic air
pollutants.
The Delta
• PROTECTION and RESTORATION of a healthy sustainable Delta ecosystem including adequate
water quality, inflow and outflow, and water supply, to support fisheries, wildlife and habitat in
perpetuity and managing or eradicating invasive species.
• RESPECT and SAFEGUARD Delta Counties’ responsibilities related to land use, water resources,
flood management, tax revenues, public health and safety, economic development, agricultural
stability, recreation, and environmental protection in any projects, policies, or operations.
• SUPPORT rehabilitation, improvement, and maintenance of levees throughout the Delta.
• SUPPORT the Delta pool concept, in which the common resource provides quality freshwater supply
to all Delta users, requiring mutual responsibility to maintain, restore, and protect the common
resource.
• REPRESENT and include local government in any governance structures for the Delta.
• OPPOSE isolated conveyance.
Economic Development
• ADVOCATE for jobs-oriented incentive programs for jurisdictions that have met their Regional
Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) numbers. State legislators will continue to advance bills that
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make it easier to build housing, but it would also benefit the county to have those streamlining
measures apply to jobs-oriented development like office and advanced manufacturing as well.
• SUPPORT an amendment to the California Competes Tax Credit program guidelines to consider
qualifying low-income census tracts within unincorporated areas of a county in the enhanced scoring
category.
Elections
• SUPPORT full state reimbursement for state mandates imposed upon local registrars by the
Secretary of State, including special state elections.
• SUPPORT legislation to assist and fully fund counties in the effective implementation of State-
mandated changes in the elections process and administration including but not limited to expanded
access to language assistance.
• SUPPORT proposals for full state funding to support the accelerated implementation of California’s
expanded vote-by-mail model.
• SUPPORT proposals that would provide full funding for state-mandated requirements related to
signature verification and petition efforts, special elections and redistricting activities.
• OPPOSE any legislation that imposes specific and impractical requirements regarding equipment,
procedures, and personnel responsibilities for election administration.
• OPPOSE any legislation that requires any specific methodologies for post-election audits.
• SUPPORT policies that facilitate secure elections.
• SUPPORT legislation that increases protections against interfering with the casting of ballots at
polling places or by mail, including increasing fines and/or penalties for practices that attempt to
impede the voting process or intimidate votes.
• SUPPORT legislation to protect election workers from harassment and to ensure the physical safety
of workplaces for election administrators.
• SUPPORT legislation to allow for the secure and effective use of new technologies available in the
field of election administration and to provide adequate funding for both deployment and
maintenance of new technologies.
• SUPPORT proposals that provide elections officials flexibility on the availability of in-person voting
locations and the recruitment of poll workers in response to emergency orders.
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Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Response
• ADVOCATE for disaster recovery funding that addresses tax backfills, debris removal, resiliency,
forest health, and economic assistance. SUPPORT legislation that will improve forest management
and emergency communications systems.
• SUPPORT funding for defensible space inspections, community wildfire risk mitigation, and for
hardening of existing homes from wildfire exposure.
• SUPPORT more authority to train volunteers, provide funding for Community Emergency Response
Training (CERT), and help clean-up oil spills without taking on additional legal liability.
• SUPPORT a sales tax exemption for public safety related apparatus and/or equipment over a
certain value (e.g., $250,000).
• SUPPORT exemptions from CEQA for wildfire risk mitigation projects and Essential Services Facilities
(ESF) such as fire stations, and exemptions from fees and air quality limitations for emergency
generators at fire stations.
• SUPPORT a permanent resolution to the reimbursement for air ambulance providers.
• ENSURE that development impact fees provide adequate funding for public safety facilities and
ongoing operations.
• SUPPORT legislation to improve telephone access or back-up during emergencies.
• SUPPORT actions that increase the safety of the shipment of hazardous materials by pipeline
through better monitoring, technical seismic vulnerability studies, leak detection, operational
practices, and equipment.
• SUPPORT legislation to maintain or strengthen the authority and governing role of counties and their
local emergency medical services agencies to plan, implement, and evaluate all aspects and
components of the emergency medical services system.
• SUPPORT legislation to maintain or strengthen the administration and medical control of emergency
medical services, pre-hospital emergency medical care, and ambulance services at the county level.
• SUPPORT legislation that would enable paramedics and emergency medical technicians responding
to 911 calls to transport patients to the most appropriate facility, such as, mental health urgent care
centers or sobering centers, subject to the County’s Emergency Medical Services Policy.
• SUPPORT legislation that provides adequate and stable funding for LEMSAs and EMS systems
components including but not limited to: EMS administration, trauma systems, specialty centers (e.g.
trauma, pediatric, cardiac, stroke), ambulance transport, emergency and disaster preparedness and
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response, reimbursable transport to alternate destinations, and uncompensated care by emergency
department physicians and on-call specialists.
• OPPOSE legislation that would threaten or weaken the authority and governing role of counties or
local medical control over the locally coordinated and standardized provision of emergency
medical services.
• OPPOSE legislation that may result in the fragmentation of the emergency medical services systems,
prehospital emergency medical care, and ambulance services.
• OPPOSE legislation that would prevent or weaken the ability of the LEMSA Medical Director to
assure medical control of the EMS system.
Flood Control and Clean Water
• SUPPORT legislation that would improve integration of planning between member agencies of an
Integrated Regional Water Management Planning group, thereby increasing multi-benefit projects.
• SUPPORT legislation that would require Metropolitan Planning Organizations to integrate local and
regional stormwater needs into their regional transportation planning process.
Finance and Administration
• SUPPORT the State's effort to balance its budget through
actions that do not adversely affect County revenues,
services, or ability to carry out its governmental
responsibilities.
• OPPOSE any state-imposed redistribution, reduction or use
restriction on general purpose revenue, sales taxes or
property taxes unless financially beneficial to the County.
• OPPOSE efforts to limit local authority over transient occupancy taxes (TOT).
• OPPOSE any efforts to increase the County's share-of-cost, maintenance-of-effort requirements or
other financing responsibility for state-mandated programs, absent new revenues sufficient to meet
current and future program needs.
• SUPPORT efforts to ensure that Contra Costa County receives its fair share of state allocations.
• SUPPORT efforts to receive reimbursement for local tax revenues lost pursuant to sales and
property tax exemptions approved by the Legislature and the State Board of Equalization.
• SUPPORT efforts to reform the state/local relationship in a way that makes both fiscal and
programmatic sense for local government and conforms to the adopted 2010 CSAC Realignment
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Principles, with an emphasis on maximum flexibility for counties to manage the existing and
realigned discretionary programs.
• SUPPORT a reduction in the 2/3rd vote requirement to 55% voter approval for locally-approved
special taxes that fund health, education, economic, stormwater services, library, transportation
and/or public safety programs and services.
• SUPPORT efforts to authorize counties to impose forfeitures for violations of ordinances, as
authorized for cities.
• SUPPORT efforts to redefine the circumstances under which commercial and industrial property is
reassessed to reduce the growing imbalance between the share of overall property tax paid by
residential property owners versus commercial/industrial owners.
• SUPPORT efforts to reduce County costs for Workers’ Compensation, including the ability to control
excessive medical utilization and litigation.
• SUPPORT actions that maximize federal, state, and local revenues for county-run services and
programs.
• SUPPORT legislative compliance with both the intent and language of Proposition 1A.
• OPPOSE efforts of the state to avoid state mandate claims through the practice of repealing the
statues then re-enacting them. SUPPORT timely, full payments to counties by the state for programs
operated on their behalf or by mandate.
• SUPPORT full state participation in funding the County’s retiree and retiree health care unfunded
liability.
• OPPOSE the establishment of specific or stricter standards for the use of personal services contracts
by counties that would make contracting with community-based organizations more difficult.
• ENABLE the use of Progressive Design-Build project delivery for construction contracts.
• ENABLE local governments to continue offering opportunities for public meeting attendance,
participation, and accessibility through technological means after the pandemic has ended.
• SUPPORT legislation that will facilitate more efficient and effective public service delivery and
financial management under alternative governance and administrative structures supported by the
Board.
• SUPPORT efforts that ensure public entities are procuring products and delivering services in a
manner that progressively reduces the carbon footprint of goods and services.
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Health Care
• SUPPORT legislation and administrative policy changes
that will continue into the future the flexibilities in use of
Telehealth services that have so benefited our community
during the Public Health Emergency.
• SUPPORT state action to increase health care access and
affordability.
• SUPPORT Medi-Cal reimbursement rate increases to incentivize providers to participate in the
program. Also, SUPPORT Medi-Cal reimbursement rate increases through Proposition 56 funding to
provide quality reproductive health care services.
• SUPPORT reimbursement for a maximum of 2 visits taking place on the same day at one location if
the patient suffers illness/ injury requiring additional diagnosis/ treatment, or if the patient has a
medical visit and mental health or dental visit.
• SUPPORT actions that address provider shortages (including physicians, particularly specialists, and
nurses). Innovative programs, such as loan forgiveness programs, should be expanded.
• SUPPORT actions that implement comprehensive systems of care, including case management, for
frequent users of emergency care and those with chronic diseases and/or dual (or multiple)
diagnoses.
• SUPPORT actions that provide sufficient time for detailed data gathering of current safety net
funding in the system and the impact of any redirection of funds on remaining county responsibilities.
• SUPPORT measures that maximize federal reimbursement from Medicaid and S-CHIP.
• SUPPORT actions to implement a Medi-Cal waiver in a manner that maximizes the drawdown of
federal funds for services and facilities, provides flexibility, and ensures that counties receive their
fair share of funding.
• SUPPORT actions to extend Drug Medi-Cal and Minor Consent Medi-Cal Coverage to incarcerated
youths, many of whom are in custody due to drug related crimes.
• SUPPORT coverage of medically necessary alcohol and substance use related disorder treatment at
the same level as other medical conditions.
• SUPPORT legislation that extends the restrictions and prohibitions against the smoking of, and
exposure to, tobacco products; and the promotion of cessation among young people and adults.
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• SUPPORT actions that further align a statewide regulatory framework for the commercial cannabis
industry and that continue to authorize local jurisdictions to adopt more restrictive measures to
protect the health, safety and welfare of their residents. OPPOSE legislation and state regulation
that seeks to weaken or eliminate local control over the commercial cannabis industry.
• SUPPORT necessary County infrastructure and adequate funding related to education, regulation,
testing and enforcement functions associated with cannabis regulatory controls.
• SUPPORT restricting the sale and use of powdered alcohol and other similar products marketed to
youth; restrictions on advertising of cannabis products targeting youth and near places frequented
by youth or alcohol and other drug treatment facilities.
• SUPPORT legislation that extends the restrictions and prohibitions against the smoking of, and
exposure to, cannabis products in various places, including, but not limited to, places of employment,
school campuses, public buildings, day care facilities, multi-family housing, health facilities, alcohol
and other drug treatment facilities, and homeless shelters.
• SUPPORT actions to seek a state ban on electronic devices that deliver flavored e-liquids as well as
the e-juice itself.
• SUPPORT actions aimed at reducing the misuse of prescription drugs, most especially opioids, and
increase prevention and treatment of opioid disorders to eliminate overdoses and combat the
opioid epidemic.
• SUPPORT population-based chronic disease prevention efforts such as the creation and funding of a
State Wellness Trust.
• SUPPORT developing a workforce with gerontological expertise to manage the exponential growth
in the chronically ill aging population.
• SUPPORT efforts that would advance a Health-In-All-Policies approach to policy work done across
the County. This implies consideration of how health is influenced by the built environment and a
connection with land use planning and development.
• SUPPORT ongoing study of the health impacts of global and regional climate change and ongoing
countywide mitigation and adaptation efforts.
• SUPPORT actions that would preserve the nature and quality and continuity of care associated with
safety net services historically provided at the local level, such as the California Children’s Services
(CCS) and Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) programs.
• SUPPORT actions that promote aging in place through the utilization of long-term supports and
services and caregiver support services.
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• SUPPORT increasing the level of funding for Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) and Home and
Community Based Services (HCBS) to meet the increase in cost to provide services and to meet the
tremendous increase in the aging population.
• SUPPORT funding, streamlined processes, and greater flexibility for use of state and federal
funding to respond to Public Health Emergency Preparedness initiatives including Pandemic
Influenza, emerging diseases, and continued funding for all categories related to Public Health
Preparedness.
• SUPPORT increased funding and policy changes for Tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment to
reflect the increased risk of transmission faced across the Bay Area.
• SUPPORT increased funding for the public health infrastructure, capacity and prevention services.
• SUPPORT Local Public Health Departments as an authorized provider for direct billing
reimbursement related to the provision of Immunization, Family Planning, HIV, STD and TB services.
• SUPPORT the reversal of the pre-emption language regarding local Menu-Labeling that is included
the Affordable Care Act.
• SUPPORT enhanced funding and capacity for public health programs.
• SUPPORT efforts to strengthen needle exchange programs as part of an overall program to combat
the spread of HIV and other diseases.
• SUPPORT legislative efforts to reduce or eliminate lead and toxic substances in consumer products,
particularly those used by infants and children.
• SUPPORT funding, policy and programs dedicated to suicide, injury and violence prevention.
• SUPPORT legislation to tax certain beverages that contain added sugars.
• SUPPORT efforts that support healthy meals, adequate meal time, and increased physical
activity/education for school-age children.
• SUPPORT funding that sustains and expands non-infrastructure Safe Routes to School programs that
educate students, parents, and school staff about safe walking and bicycling to school.
• SUPPORT efforts to address the underlying determinants of health and health equity, such as
housing and prevention of displacement, educational attainment and livable wage jobs, and
accessible transportation.
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Homeless Services
• SUPPORT the continuation and expansion of funding for fair and equitable affordable housing,
homelessness assistance and prevention programs, and strategic local and regional responses to
homelessness that promote transparency, equity and data informed decision-making and enhance
access to resources that support the County’s compliance with federal and state anti-homelessness
and anti-poverty initiatives and requirements.
• SUPPORT increasing and maintaining affordable
housing stock and housing stability by way of
supporting funding, policy, or regulations that promote
fair and equitable housing for the most vulnerable low,
very low, and extremely low-income households,
including the acquisition, production and preservation
of various housing types and the protection of stable
housing for vulnerable persons experiencing
homelessness.
• SUPPORT removal of barriers in planning processes, regulatory frameworks, funding programs,
healthcare access, and policy to promote increased equity, innovation, transparency and data-
driven approaches to addressing homelessness and housing affordability, with the goals of
increasing affordable housing and eliminating discrimination and disparate treatment of individuals
based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, housing status, income,
or other household characteristics.
• SUPPORT a wide variety of housing types and formats, for all persons regardless of personal
characteristic or status, and actively promote the equitable distribution and access to affordable
units and holistic services, in line with evidence-based practices, to ensure the elimination of
discrimination and disparate treatment of individuals, particularly vulnerable individuals and those
from communities of color.
• SUPPORT increasing funding, policy, and regulations for disaster planning and relief efforts that
allow the County and the County’s homeless system to plan for and equitably respond to disasters
and pandemics, including for purposes of supporting the health and safety of providers and persons
experiencing homelessness, particularly the most vulnerable and those from communities of color.
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Human Services
Older Adults
• SUPPORT actions that promote individual choice by
easing access to In Home Supportive Services (IHSS).
SUPPORT funding to reduce the intake wait-time for
eligibility and delivery of in-home care.
• SUPPORT allowing counties to use alternative IHSS
reassessment approaches including, but not limited to, telephonic reassessments.
• SUPPORT programs that increase seniors’ access to technology and internet connection.
• SUPPORT fully funding the administration of IHSS.
• SUPPORT funding to recruit, train, and retain IHSS home health care workers. SUPPORT increased
state investment in livable wages for IHSS care providers.
• SUPPORT actions to provide respite for caregivers.
• SUPPORT the creation of funding opportunities and policies which promote the development of
aging-friendly communities.
• SUPPORT actions that strengthen the capacity and funding of Adult Protective Services (APS) to
address all forms of abuse and neglect.
• SUPPORT funding to expand services for older adults and people with disabilities.
• SUPPORT actions to promote the safety of social workers and all in-home care providers.
• SUPPORT funding and policies to provide older adults with holistic, culturally appropriate services
and treatment modalities that support well-being, health, and mental health.
• SUPPORT actions that promote safety in skilled nursing and other long-term care facilities for older
adults.
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Safety Net Programs
• OPPOSE actions that result in reduced level of
services to families, children, adults and seniors, or
that lead to preemption of local control.
• SUPPORT continuous investment in safety net
programs, including the California Earned Income
Tax Credit (Cal EITC) and the Supplemental
Security Income/State Supplementary Payment
(SSI/SSP) Program.
• SUPPORT ongoing funding for programs that
would provide disability benefit advocacy and housing assistance to our indigent, disabled, and
homeless populations.
• SUPPORT ongoing funding for CalAIM PATH III, including funding to support staff.
• SUPPORT fully funding costs for administering programs, especially CalFresh.
• SUPPORT continued flexibilities and waivers in benefits program administration for the benefit of
individuals and families who are struggling.
• SUPPORT actions to improve and expand access to food, including emergency food assistance
networks (e.g. local food banks, and food pantries), increasing the amount and flexibility of
CalFresh and other local assistance programs.
• SUPPORT actions to streamline benefit applications, align verifications between programs, and have
the same appointment for multiple applications.
• SUPPORT the ease of data sharing and coordination of care across safety net programs, including
those administered by the Health Department, such as WIC.
• SUPPORT actions to ease access to Medi-Cal and its services.
• SUPPORT actions which would expand eligibility to CalWORKS.
• SUPPORT increased access to employment training programs and subsidized work programs for
vulnerable populations, including access to community colleges.
• SUPPORT establishing a General Assistance Program with a state share of funding.
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• SUPPORT actions to create whole family care through a more comprehensive safety net of services
that enable families to be stable and have economic opportunities.
• SUPPORT research that describes and assesses local service needs and gaps.
Child Welfare Services
• SUPPORT funding for services that stabilize children and families in the foster care system.
• SUPPORT full funding of efforts to support the Continuum of Care Reform.
• SUPPORT initiatives which would expand benefits and support for reunified families.
• SUPPORT restorative justice and healing-centered framework initiatives and programs that seek to
eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline and end the criminalization of youth.
• SUPPORT funding and initiatives to support children’s mental health and studies on the long-term
impacts of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of adults and
children.
Early Childhood Development
• SUPPORT legislation to expand early childcare, education, mental health
and other comprehensive services and holistic approaches.
• SUPPORT increased funding and support preschool enrichment programs
with family engagement to provide quality care and parent education in
early life.
• SUPPORT policies and systems changes to foster holistic family and early
childhood development and resilience.
• SUPPORT early childhood home visitation to enhance parenting skills and
promote health child development.
• SUPPORT early childhood mental health and trauma prevention programs.
Violence Prevention
• SUPPORT actions that seek to address the impact of gun violence, domestic
violence, community violence, stalking, sexual assault, human trafficking, elder abuse and child
abuse.
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• SUPPORT actions that seek to prevent the underlying causes of all forms of violence and invest in
upstream strategies.
• SUPPORT actions to increase cross-agency and cross-system collaboration on cases involving
violence, including the sharing of confidential or protected information in multidisciplinary team
settings.
• SUPPORT actions to reduce the effects of toxic stress, trauma, and adverse childhood experiences.
• SUPPORT alternatives to the criminal justice system that center community and survivor needs.
• SUPPORT actions to support successful transition from incarceration and detention to the community.
• SUPPORT increase in funding for Lethality Assessment Protocols and reallocation strategies to
support other prevention and social services.
Immigration, Equity, and Inclusion
• SUPPORT the continued expansion of benefits and services for immigrants, refugees, and asylum
seekers regardless of immigration status.
• SUPPORT efforts to expand full scope Medi-Cal to include Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
(DACA) youth, seniors, and all remaining uninsured residents regardless of their immigration status.
• SUPPORT increased language access and culturally responsive social services for all immigrants.
• SUPPORT funding for the hiring and training of bilingual-bicultural social case workers.
• SUPPORT actions to assist immigrants, refugees, and other seeking asylum who experience domestic
or sexual assault to receive resources, including services to prevent homelessness, labor and human
trafficking, and legal resources to help attain citizenship.
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• SUPPORT funds for education and outreach to engage immigrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and
non-legal status communities to help them access benefits, mitigate concerns around public charge,
and address other issues related to their enrollment to safety net programs.
• OPPOSE any changes that may penalize immigrants for using vital public benefits they are legally
allowed to access. OPPOSE any changes to sponsor requirements which add limiting threshold
criteria.
• SUPPORT funding and other resources for day labor programs and other workforce development
programs that serve immigrant communities and undocumented workers.
• SUPPORT actions that would eliminate systemic racism and structural inequities, including efforts to
refocus Medi-Cal and other social safety net programs toward reducing health disparities.
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Justice Systems
• SUPPORT justice reform efforts that reduce racial and ethnic disparities.
• SUPPORT justice reform efforts that reduce barriers to success for
system-involved youth and adults. SUPPORT legislation that encourages
and increases youth engagement.
• SUPPORT justice reform legislation that recognizes adolescent brain
development and the unique needs of transition-aged youth.
• SUPPORT an ongoing commitment to investing in community based organizations and community
alternatives to incarceration and detention.
• SUPPORT legislation to restore pretrial detainee access to federal health benefits.
• SUPPORT legislation raising the maximum age limit for juvenile court jurisdiction, allowing youths to
remain on juvenile probation supervision through age 24, with an elevated focus on rehabilitation
and restorative justice.
• SUPPORT local flexibility and funding to implement justice diversion programs.
• OPPOSE legislation that would shift the responsibility of parolees from the state to the counties
without adequate notification, documentation and funding.
• SUPPORT legislation that will help counties implement 2011 Public Safety Realignment as long as
the proposal would provide for county flexibility, eliminate redundant or unnecessary reporting, and
would not transfer more responsibility without funding.
• SUPPORT legislation that will combat the negative impact that human trafficking has on victims in
our communities, including the impact that this activity has on a range of County services and
supports, and support additional tools, resources and funding to help counties address this growing
problem.
• SUPPORT legislative reform of current bail provisions that will replace reliance on money bail with a
system that incorporates evidence-based pretrial release decisions. ADVOCATE for funding for any
new or revised responsibilities for counties, including the assessment and supervision of people
charged with crimes.
• SUPPORT legislation that provides a solution to addressing the problems of metal theft and
abandoned and trespassing vessels and ground tackle.
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Land Use/Community Development/Natural Resources
• ASSIST in the development and preservation of low and moderate income housing through support
of programs that: 1) provide access to federal, state and local financing, 2) ensure timely review of
residential projects, 3) provide financial and/or regulatory incentives where feasible and
appropriate to offset or reduce the costs of affordable housing development, and 4) promote the
re-use of existing publicly-owned assets.
• MAINTAIN local agency land use
authority.
• SUPPORT ways to streamline overall
compliance with State legislation, while
opposing efforts to expedite a
particular development project.
• ENSURE Contra Costa residents of all
income categories have access to
adequate housing.
• GROW more jobs countywide, particularly in those parts of the County with the longest commutes
and most acute jobs-housing imbalance.
• SUPPORT historically under-invested communities in their equitable economic growth.
• IDENTIFY new or enhanced revenue to support residents’ quality of life.
• ESTABLISH, fund and support locally-controlled resource permitting to streamline economic
development activities and conserve and recover species and the habitats upon which they depend,
natural resources, watersheds and open space.
• SUPPORT legislative actions that reduce the risk to students from the accidental release of
hazardous materials by requiring risk assessments that account for all sources of hazardous
materials as part of school siting and rebuilding decisions.
• SUPPORT legislative actions to evaluate, clean up, and redevelop contaminated sites.
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Library Services
• SUPPORT State funding for the operation of public
libraries, including but not limited to, full funding of
the California Research and Education Network
(CalREN), Lunch at the Library, Zip Books, and the
Pacific Library Partnership.
• SUPPORT State bonds and other state funding for
public library renovation and construction.
• SUPPORT funding for the California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Services Program, which
provides matching funds for public library adult literacy programs that offer free, confidential, one-
on-one basic literacy instruction to English-speaking adults who want to improve their reading,
writing, and spelling skills.
• SUPPORT legislation that allows libraries to purchase eBooks and e-audiobooks at the same price
as consumers.
• SUPPORT funding for early literacy, school readiness, adult literacy, career development,
vocational support, and assistance to vulnerable populations.
• SUPPORT legislation that affirms the freedom to access library materials with diverse points of view
and OPPOSE legislation that seeks to restrict access to library materials with diverse points of view.
Telecommunications and Broadband
• SUPPORT preservation of local government ownership and control of the local public rights-of-way
and ensure reasonable compensation for their use.
• SUPPORT continued funding for Public, Educational and Government Access (PEG) channels to
provide local community access and benefits and increase flexibility in the use of PEG funds.
• ENSURE nondiscriminatory treatment of Public, Educational and Government Access Channels by
Cable System Operators.
• SUPPORT the expansion of broadband (high speed internet service) to drive economic development
and job opportunities, support county service delivery, and improve health, education and public
safety outcomes for residents.
• SUPPORT programs and funding for outreach to raise awareness of programs, discounts, and
subsidies that are available to eligible members of the community for internet service and computer
equipment.
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Transportation
• PROVIDE an integrated, multi-modal transportation system that safely and efficiently meets the
transportation needs of all economic and social segments of the County and provides for the
transport of goods and services throughout Contra Costa County.
• EMPHASIZE the efficient use of the existing transportation system and cost-effective enhancements to
this system. New and emerging policy direction includes an increase in the support for active
transportation modes, support for the development of aging-friendly communities, and a decreasing
emphasis on automotive capacity expanding projects which increase greenhouse gas production.
• SUPPORT the provision of a safe, reliable, efficient, and accessible transportation system that
balances social, environmental, and economic needs of the County through participation in planning
and legislative initiatives (at the state and local level) which emphasize transportation improvements
for seniors and persons with disabilities.
• SUPPORT increased flexibility in the use of transportation funds.
• Increased regional coordination, while
reflecting local input, is necessary for public
transit (paratransit and fixed route), roads,
trails, advanced mobility technology, and
greenhouse gas reduction related projects.
• ENSURE complete life-cycle costs, including an
emphasis on environmentally friendly
construction resources, are considered during
state and local project development.
• SUPPORT improvements in safety throughout
the transportation system, specifically for vulnerable users of the system (children, pedestrians,
cyclists, etc.).
• PROMOTE the streamlining of transportation safety projects.
• SUPPORT actions to put in place local planning coordination mechanisms and requirements for state
funded or regulated facilities such as schools, roads, courts, jails, and OPPOSE efforts to compromise
the County’s road authority and the ability to protect public health, safety, and welfare.
• SUPPORT regional, coordinated aviation transportation planning efforts to improve service delivery
and to provide options to the surface transportation system for people and goods movement.
• SUPPORT actions to increase waterborne transport of goods, in particular relative to the San
Francisco to Stockton Ship Channel.
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• SUPPORT measures to enhance rail safety with an emphasis on; increased state oversight of
railroad bridges, funding for first responder training, funding to improve rail safety and prevent
rail trespass fatalities, improved regulations for tank car safety standards, impacts from sea-level
rise, and data sharing requirements between state emergency managers, local responders, and rail
operators.
• OPPOSE linking transportation funding to housing production.
• OPPOSE reducing or eliminating development impact fees (without secured backfill) in an effort to
increase housing production.
• INCREASE requirements for coordination between transportation agencies and utilities.
• SUPPORT funding increases for active transportation projects and planning with an emphasis on
facilities and investments that increase the likelihood of a mode shift away from automobiles.
• PROVIDE resources to facilitate the deployment of electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging
infrastructure, including funding for vehicles, chargers, and facility upgrades, and improvements to
the electric distribution and transmission grids to safely accommodate increased load.
• SUPPORT actions to increase and improve waterborne transportation of goods when it increases
safety.
Veterans
• SUPPORT legislation and budget actions that will continue the
state's annual local assistance for County Veterans Service Offices
at a minimum of $11 million.
• SUPPORT legislation and funding that will provide veterans
organizations with resources to operate and make necessary
repairs to, or replacement of, their meeting halls and facilities.
• SUPPORT legislation that will improve the timeliness and quality of both VA benefits claim decisions
and VA healthcare services.
Waste Management
• MAINTAIN the County’s existing discretionary authority over matters pertaining to solid or
hazardous waste management, recovery, and disposal. ENSURE new or expanded responsibilities
are not imposed on the County, either directly or indirectly, without providing statutory authority to
guarantee funding to implement actions necessary to adequately enforce or comply.
• SUPPORT legislation that provides new or additional funding sources for local implementation of
applicable solid waste and waste diversion mandates.
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• SUPPORT legislation to provide alternative management standards for the Treated Wood program
at the Department of Toxic Substance Control so treated wood could be processed at Class II
landfills and transfer stations with a composite line.
• SUPPORT legislation that:
Protects local decision-making authority regarding solid waste facility siting;
Protects local solid waste franchising authority;
Expands local solid waste and recycling fee-setting authority;
Protects local governments’ authority to direct the flow of waste; and
Seeks to remedy lack of sufficient authority to address statutory responsibilities.
• SUPPORT legislation promoting the diversion of recyclables and organics from landfills unless
burdensome or impractical for local governments to implement.
• SEEK more robust local regulatory and enforcement authority relative to the storage, transport,
processing, recovery, and disposal of hazardous or solid waste within our jurisdictional boundaries.
• SUPPORT statewide regulation for hauling solid waste
and enforcing increased penalties for illegal dumping.
• SUPPORT legislation that prioritizes, incentivizes, and
innovates hazardous or solid waste reduction and
reuse practices of the waste hierarchy over traditional
recycling.
• SUPPORT actions to improve and diversify markets for
recyclable materials and that encourages:
Solutions to global policy reforms and development of local recycling markets;
Creation of economic incentives for the use of recycled materials;
Increased use of recycled content in products manufactured or sold in California; and
Increased use of materials that are biodegradable and compostable.
• OPPOSE legislation that requires diversion of materials for which there is not adequate markets.
• ENSURE manufacturers are held accountable for proper end-of-life management of products and
packing materials they produce, including pharmaceuticals, batteries, sharps, and veterinary
medicine, to create effective producer-led reduction, reuse and recycling programs and foster more
environmentally sustainable product/packaging design and reduce the quantity of harmful
pharmaceuticals (including veterinary medicine) that ultimately enter wastewater treatment facilities,
bodies of water, and landfills.
• SUPPORT actions that will shift the financial burden of end-of-life management of products from
individuals to producers and sellers.
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• SUPPORT statewide regulation and enforcement to limit production or sale of items that negatively
impact the environment or human health.
• SUPPORT legislation that protects human health and the environment from exposure to hazardous
materials and hazardous wastes such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
• OPPOSE actions that require counties to site, fund, approve, build and/or operate organic
processing facilities, including composting operations.
• SUPPORT actions to protect and expand waste diversion credits or disposal reduction credits.
• SUPPORT the development of conversion technologies as an alternative to land filling and provides
state funding to local jurisdictions for such projects; and provides that all energy produced by such
projects be designated as renewable energy.
• SUPPORT new or additional funding for expanded recycling and organics processing infrastructure.
• SUPPORT funding for CalRecycle to assist in the implementation of laws focused on diverting
organic and recyclable waste from landfill.
• SUPPORT state investment in expanded clean composting, anaerobic digestion and recyclable
materials manufacturing.
• SUPPORT legislation to enable additional food rescue and recovery of edible food, including
expansion of good Samaritan laws, and support legislation that establishes funding for food
recovery programs and develops policies for safe but consistent food date labeling.
• SUPPORT legislation that provides for less burdensome recovery of Household Hazardous Waste.
Workforce Development
• SUPPORT increasing the flexibility of Workforce
Development Board spending and ability to partner with
community agencies and other county bureaus to increase
supportive services and respond to local workforce
needs.
• SUPPORT establishing a higher minimum wage. SUPPORT
paid and job-protected leave policies.
• SUPPORT funding for wage stipends for COVID positive workers and other direct cash assistance to
COVID impacted families, most critically for ethnic-racial minority front line workers in the non-
benefited employment sector.
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• SUPPORT increased teacher training and education, including funding to support employees to
obtain a teaching credential.
• SUPPORT policies and programs that increase economic opportunity for women and improve
gender equity.
• SUPPORT actions that promote training, capacity building and deeper understanding for students,
educators and county staff on trauma informed care, interpersonal violence, adverse childhood
experiences, and healthy workplaces and schools.
• SUPPORT expansion of education and educational materials in multiple languages related to labor
rights, wage theft, proper compensation, and other work-related issues for all workers.
• SUPPORT training for social workers in all of the fields covered by County staff.
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2023-24 Adopted
Federal Legislative
Platform
Contra Costa County
Website: www.contracosta.ca.gov
Adopted January 17, 2023
Amended July 18, 2023
Attachment B
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ___________________________________________________________ 3
County Profile ____________________________________________________________________ 3
Demographic Highlights ____________________________________________________________ 3
Governance _____________________________________________________________________ 4
Legislative Platform Purpose ________________________________________________________ 6
Mission, Vision, and Values __________________________________________________________ 6
Federal Funding Needs: Project specific ____________________________________ 7
Surface Transportation Funding Needs ________________________________________________ 8
Federal Funding Needs: Program specific __________________________________ 10
Priority Policy Statements _______________________________________________ 12
Climate Change _________________________________________________________________ 12
Criminal Justice and Mental Health __________________________________________________ 12
The Delta ______________________________________________________________________ 13
Elections _______________________________________________________________________ 13
Health Care ____________________________________________________________________ 14
Homeless Services ________________________________________________________________ 15
Human Services __________________________________________________________________ 16
Land Use _______________________________________________________________________ 19
Library Services _________________________________________________________________ 19
Natural Resources/Permit Streamlining _______________________________________________ 20
Pipeline Safety __________________________________________________________________ 20
Telecommunications and Broadband _________________________________________________ 20
Transportation, Mobility Management and Coordination _________________________________ 20
Veterans _______________________________________________________________________ 21
Waste Management ______________________________________________________________ 21
Attachment B
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INTRODUCTION
County Profile
One of the original 27 counties established in California in 1850, Contra Costa County is home to more
than one million people, making it the ninth most populous county in the state. Physically, Contra Costa is
over 733 square miles and extends
from the northeastern shore of the San
Francisco Bay easterly about 50 miles
to San Joaquin County. The County is
bordered on the south and west by
Alameda County and on the north by
the Suisun and San Pablo Bays. The
western and northern shorelines are
highly industrialized, while the interior sections are suburban/residential, commercial and light industrial.
About 40 percent of the county is under the jurisdiction
of 19 incorporated cities and towns, and large portions
of the remaining unincorporated area are part of public
park systems. Most of the population is consolidated
along the major transportation corridors--Interstates 80
and 680, Highways 4 and 24, and the BART lines.
Contra Costa County is also very diverse, with
communities that range from small agricultural towns like
Byron, with a population density of about 200 people per square mile, to urban population centers like
Contra Costa Centre, a bustling transit village with a population density of 8,400 people per square mile.
With its strategic location as The Capital of The Northern California Mega-RegionTM and easy access
to suppliers and customers, Contra Costa County is a business destination full of opportunity.
Demographic Highlights
According to the 2022 State Department of Finance data 1,156,555 people live in Contra Costa County.
15% of Contra Costa’s population, 176,941 people, reside in the unincorporated areas of the county.
The median age of Contra Costa County residents is 39 years old. Our population of seniors age 60 or
older is expected to grow by approximately 47% between 2020 and 2050, making this age group our
fastest growing.
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44% of County residents are white, with significant proportions of Asian (16.5%) and African American
(8%) people. The Census tracks Latinx ethnicity separately from other populations; in total, the
Hispanic/Latino population makes up approximately 26% of the total population.
Governance
A five-member Board of Supervisors, each elected to four-year terms, serves as the legislative body of
the County, which has a general law form of government. Also elected are the County Assessor, Auditor-
Controller, Clerk-Recorder, District Attorney, Sheriff-Coroner and Treasurer-Tax Collector. The County
Administrator, Monica Nino, is appointed by the Board and is responsible for running the day-to-day
business of the County.
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Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors:
District 1: John M. Gioia
District II: Candace Andersen
District III: Diane Burgis
District IV: Ken Carlson
District V: Federal D. Glover
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Legislative Platform Purpose
The Legislative Platform establishes the priorities, principles, and policy statements of the Contra
Costa County Board of Supervisors and establishes the basis for its advocacy efforts, alerting our
legislative partners of the greatest needs of our residents and where we need additional help. The
Platform also provides general direction to County departments and agencies, legislative advocates,
delegation members, and the public on our positions on key policy matters that would impact the way
the County does business.
Throughout the legislative session, the County will review and take positions on various policy
and regulatory proposals. When a recommended position is consistent with existing County policy, as
adopted in the Platform, the CAO’s office or department staff will prepare a County position letter for
signature by the Board Chair.
Contra Costa County has also adopted a Delta Water Platform to identify and promote activities
and policy positions that support the creation of a healthy Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Contra Costa
County uses this Delta Water Platform to guide its actions and advocacy regarding the future of the
Delta.
Mission, Vision, and Values
Contra Costa County has adopted the following Mission, Vision and Values statement:
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FEDERAL FUNDING NEEDS: PROJECT SPECIFIC
1. Secure funding for the Army Corps’ annual maintenance dredging of the federal
channels along the County’s borders
that maintain the ship channel to the
authorized depth of -35 feet.
2. Advocate for and support the San
Francisco to Stockton Navigation
Improvement Project that proposes to
deepen the ship channel to realize
transportation efficiencies.
3. Mount Diablo Mercury Mine. Support legislation in the Water Resources
Development Act that would give authority to the Army Corps of Engineers
to build remediation projects in the Remediation of Abandoned Mine Sites
program.
4. Buchanan Field and Byron Airports: Secure funding for Master Plan/Business
Plan Implementation.
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Surface Transportation Funding Needs
Vasco Road Safety Improvements: Project components (barriers, shoulders,
passing facilities) will eliminate cross median collisions, wildlife
undercrossing/overcrossing will preserve migration patterns.
North Richmond Community Supportive Transportation Improvements:
Alternate truck route/regulations, trail/school access improvements to address
community safety, public health and livability needs, and general transportation
improvements to support job growth and priority development area access.
Eastern Contra Costa Multi-use Trail Network:
Active mode access improvements for planned and
existing mass transit stations, schools, and activity
centers.
Brentwood Intermodal Transit Center: Multimodal station access improvements
and the extension of mass transit from the Antioch BART station.
Iron Horse Corridor Enhancement Program: Improvements to trail access (to/from
activity center and other regional trails), additional facilities for different active
modes, overcrossings, and at grade intersection improvements.
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State Route 4 / Old River Bridge Study: The existing structure is narrow;
improvements would address safety and traffic flow.
West Contra Costa High Capacity Transit:
Implementation of the WCCTAC High
Capacity Transit Study.
Kirker Pass Truck Climbing Lane
(southbound) and Turn Channelization:
Needed for improved traffic flow and
safety.
Vasco Road – Byron Highway Connector: Connection between two major
arterials improving connectivity while removing through/truck traffic from the
Byron community.
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FEDERAL FUNDING NEEDS: PROGRAM SPECIFIC
1. Housing: Support funding for economic development and affordable housing
for local agencies engaged in building stronger, more economically viable
communities.
2. Local Cost Share. Support legislation that would give the Army Corps of
Engineers the authority to reduce the project cost share in disadvantaged
communities to 10% local match.
3. Multimodal National Freight Network: Support increases in funding for
National Freight Strategic Plan implementation specifically to fulfill the
goals of the Northern Waterfront initiative and to address congestion in the
I -680 Corridor.
4. Rail Safety: Support measures to enhance the safety of rail transportation of
hazardous materials with an emphasis on: increased state oversight of
railroad bridges; funding for first responder training; funding to improve rail
safety and prevent rail trespass fatalities; funding to improve the rail system
to address the impacts of Sea Level Rise; improved regulations for tank car
safety standards for hazardous materials; funding for enforcement; data
sharing requirements between state emergency managers, local responders
and rail operators; support for
improved partnerships between state
and federal regulators; and
addressing the enhanced hazard from
incompatible hazardous materials
being stored or transported in
proximity to each other.
5. Rural Road Funding Program: Support the creation of a new program to
modernize rural roads consistent with emerging safety, complete streets,
active mode policies.
6. Stormwater Program Funding: Support additional funding through the EPA to
enable compliance with the Clean Water Act. 73
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7. Surface Transportation Program/Increases in Highway (road/rail) Bridge
Funding: Consistent with the National Association of Counties (NACo)
position, regulation changes are needed that allow for direct funding to
qualified local jurisdictions to expedite economic benefits, increase
purchasing power, and bolster travel, business and economic growth.
8. Transportation Funding for Disabled, Low-income, and Elderly Persons:
Support increased capital and operations funding, in addition to funding and
policy changes that would address local, state, and federally identified
needs for coordination improvements.
9. Flood Risk and Water Supply Forecasting: Support coordination and funding
for the Advanced Quantitative Precipitation Information (AQPI) radar
system. https://psl.noaa.gov/aqpi/
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PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENTS
Climate Change
• SUPPORT funding and policy to implement the following:
Technologies that support the County’s climate goals,
including battery energy storage and microgrids, solar
and wind energy, electric vehicles, and electric vehicle
charging infrastructure;
Energy efficiency programs that encourage whole house
retrofits and address asthma triggers in the built
environment;
Planning work for adapting to rising sea levels;
Planning and implementation of microgrids;
Active transportation and green infrastructure programs;
Job training for careers in clean energy, clean transportation, and green infrastructure.
• SUPPORT legislative and administrative efforts that: address the impacts of climate change; support
climate adaptation and resilience efforts; support the Green Business program; address the
disproportionate impacts that some communities bear because they are located near sources of
exposure such as large industrial facilities, freeways or transportation corridors and/or live in
proximity to areas vulnerable to sea-level rise or inland flooding; reduce exposure to toxic air
pollutants and reduce greenhouse gases; study and recognize the health impacts of global and
regional climate change; and study the economic, workforce and social impacts of transitioning away
from fossil fuels.
• SUPPORT the concept of establishing a national price on carbon-based fuels to address the costs to
society of emissions from those fuels.
Criminal Justice and Mental Health
• SUPPORT policies and approaches that would enhance the ability of county officials and our
partners to prevent and treat mental health and substance use disorders, both in the community and
within the confines of the criminal justice system.
• SUPPORT policies and programs that divert non-violent individuals struggling with mental illness
and/or substance use disorders from local jails into more appropriate treatment programs.
• SUPPORT legislation and regulations that would amend the federal Medicaid Inmate Exclusion
Policy (MIEP) and allow non-convicted individuals to have continued access to necessary treatment
through federal health benefits such as Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP and VA health benefits.
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The Delta
• SUPPORT protection and restoration of a healthy sustainable Delta ecosystem including adequate
water quality, inflow and outflow, and water supply, to support fisheries, wildlife and habitat in
perpetuity and managing or eradicating invasive species.
• SAFEGUARD Delta Counties’ responsibilities related to land use, water resources, flood
management, tax revenues, public health and safety, economic development, agricultural stability,
recreation, and environmental protection in any projects, policies, or operations.
• SUPPORT rehabilitation, improvement, and maintenance of levees throughout the Delta.
• SUPPORT the Delta pool, in which the common resource provides quality freshwater supply to all
Delta users, requiring mutual responsibility to maintain, restore, and protect the common resource.
• REPRESENT and include local government in any governance structures for the Delta.
• OPPOSE isolated conveyance.
Elections
• SUPPORT policies that facilitate secure elections.
• SUPPORT a consistent, predictable, and dedicated federal funding stream to assist counties with
meeting the significant federal requirements imposed on local governments administering elections.
• OPPOSE any legislation that imposes specific and impractical requirements regarding equipment,
procedures, and personnel responsibilities for election administration.
• OPPOSE any legislation that requires any specific methodologies for post-election audits.
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• SUPPORT policies that value and fund the role and functions of the U.S. Election Assistance
Commission (EAC). OPPOSE any legislation that seeks to create further federal certification
processes in addition to EAC certification.
Health Care
• SUPPORT full funding of the Federal Medicaid program. OPPOSE federal efforts to reduce
Medicaid funding or restrict access to Medicaid benefits and services. OPPOSE federal legislation
and administrative efforts to privatize Medicaid and/or to impose work requirements as a condition
of Medicaid (Medi-Cal) eligibility.
• OPPOSE efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act or to replace it with any proposals that
represent significant, permanent structural alterations to current subsidized segments of the health
care system. SUPPORT efforts to strengthen the ACA and
expand eligibility, regardless of immigration status.
• OPPOSE new block-granting proposals, harsh cuts, or
proposals that will significantly and/or permanently shift
the structure of health and human service funding and
programming that would lead to the restriction or
elimination of safety-net programs.
• OPPOSE efforts to eliminate or reduce funding for essential public health services, inclusive of
funding for immunization, HIV/Ryan White, Communicable Disease and Tuberculosis Control,
Hansen’s Disease, Teen Pregnancy, Public Health Preparedness and Maternal Child Health Funding.
• OPPOSE changes to Title X Family Planning Program, enacted in 1970, dedicated solely to
providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services.
• SUPPORT Medicaid (Medi-Cal) funding for same day mental health appointments.
• SUPPORT reauthorization of funding for HIV/Ryan White Care, Maternal Child Health Funding
including Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV), and CHIP (Children’s Health
Insurance Program).
• SUPPORT legislation and administrative changes that will enhance counties’ ability to provide
comprehensive Behavioral Health Services.
• PROTECT funding for core local public health and prevention efforts.
• ADVOCATE for federal resources to address local pandemic response efforts, including vaccination
efforts, that provide direct allocations to local governments to offset revenue losses and maximize
local flexibility for use of such funds.
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• SUPPORT legislation and administrative policy changes that will continue into the future the
flexibilities in use of Telehealth services.
Homeless Services
• SUPPORT the continuation and expansion of funding for
fair and equitable affordable housing, homelessness
assistance and prevention programs, and strategic local
and regional responses to homelessness that promote
transparency, equity and data informed decision-making
and enhance access to resources that support the
County’s compliance with federal and state anti-
homelessness and anti-poverty initiatives and
requirements.
• SUPPORT increasing and maintaining affordable housing stock and housing stability by way of
supporting funding, policy, or regulations that promote fair and equitable housing for the most
vulnerable low, very low, and extremely low-income households, including the production and
preservation of various housing types and the protection of stable housing for vulnerable persons
experiencing homelessness.
• SUPPORT removal of barriers in planning processes, regulatory frameworks, funding programs,
healthcare access, and policy to promote increased equity, innovation, transparency and data-
driven approaches to addressing homelessness and housing affordability, with the goals of
increasing affordable housing and eliminating discrimination and disparate treatment of individuals
based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, ability, housing status, income,
or other household characteristics.
• SUPPORT wide variety of housing types and formats, for all persons regardless of personal
characteristic or status, and actively promote the equitable distribution and access to affordable
units and holistic services, in line with evidence-based practices, to ensure the elimination of
discrimination and disparate treatment of individuals, particularly vulnerable individuals and those
from communities of color.
• SUPPORT increasing funding, policy, and regulations for disaster planning and relief efforts that
allow the County and the County’s homeless system to plan for and equitably respond to disasters
and pandemics, including for purposes of supporting the health and safety of providers and persons
experiencing homelessness, particularly the most vulnerable and those from communities of color.
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Human Services
Older Adults and Aging
• OPPOSE elimination or cuts to funding for older adult
programs and services. SUPPORT funding for programs that
support older adults, veterans, disabled individuals, the
homeless, and low-income individuals, especially the most
vulnerable in racial minority communities.
• SUPPORT funding and policies to provide older adults with holistic (culturally appropriate) services
and treatment modalities that support well-being, health, and mental health.
• SUPPORT health insurance programs that maintain or expand current services and protections under
Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including – but not limited to – protections
for preexisting conditions.
• SUPPORT funding to maintain or increase Social Security, SSI and Federal Disability programs.
Safety Net Programs
• SUPPORT reinstatement of the Child Tax Credit.
• SUPPORT reevaluation and updates to the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
• SUPPORT funding for entitlement programs that help low-income families, especially the ethnic
minority communities, to reach self-sufficiency. This includes efforts to expand eligibility to the
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program to all tax filers regardless of immigration status.
• SUPPORT funding for retroactive and future COVID-19 related expenses at the state, and ideally,
county level, with flexibility to address county-specific needs and ensure protections and the access
to treatment modalities in the racial and ethnic communities disproportionately impacted.
• SUPPORT the extension of flexibilities and waivers for benefit program administration.
• OPPOSE actions that would result in cost shifts on federal entitlement programs to state and
localities or which would result in greater dependency on county-funded programs.
• SUPPORT efforts to increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit amounts to
better meet recipients’ nutritional needs, adjust SNAP eligibility requirements to include populations
with significant need, and remove current federal barriers that prevent some nutrition programs
from employing EBT technology.
• OPPOSE efforts to eliminate states’ flexibility in taking high cost of living into eligibility
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• OPPOSE funding cuts or block granting benefit programs, including SNAP and Medicaid.
• SUPPORT efforts that allow people to apply for benefits while incarcerated. OPPOSE efforts to
limit eligibility for individuals with certain criminal records or to impose work requirements on them
for benefit programs, including SNAP and Medicaid.
• SUPPORT efforts to eliminate time limits for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
recipients and provide families who are working with modest cash assistance grants to supplement
low earnings.
• SUPPORT reauthorization and increase the TANF Block Grant. OPPOSE changes to TANF that will
require counties to invest new funds to administer the program.
• OPPOSE efforts to restrict allowable state maintenance-of-effort expenditures and end federal
efforts to impose a national TANF error rate.
• SUPPORT federal and state financial assistance to aid county and local government efforts to meet
unfunded federal mandates.
• OPPOSE elimination and reduction in funding for programs that help low-
income families pay their heating bills and reduce energy bills by making
homes more energy efficient, including LIHEAP and Weatherization Assistance
Program (WAP).
Child Welfare Services
• SUPPORT legislation that increases and protects the safety and well-being of
children at risk of abuse, neglect and exploitation.
• OPPOSE the elimination or cuts to funding streams for child welfare programs.
• SUPPORT increasing prevention dollars to help children who are victims of
abuse, neglect and exploitation remain safely in their own homes or family-
based settings and provide support to their caregivers.
• SUPPORT efforts to provide states with financial incentives, as opposed to
monetary penalties, and minimize the significant administrative burden
associated with child welfare review processes.
Early Childhood Development
• SUPPORT efforts that ensure all children have access to quality care by
expanding high quality learning opportunities for children, expanding subsidized childcare and tax
credits, increasing new childcare slots, increasing access to home visiting programs, and making
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funding available for First 5 commissions, increasing wages and supporting infrastructure of ECE
programs.
• SUPPORT policies that increase or align eligibility guidelines to ensure more access of services for
low income working families to programs such as Head Start.
• OPPOSE actions that would reduce funding for early childhood education, including Head Start and
Early Head Start programs.
• SUPPORT funding and initiatives to support children’s mental health and studies on the long-term
impacts of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of adults and children
Immigration, Inclusion, and Racial and Ethnic Equity
• OPPOSE actions to repeal DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) as well as legislation and
administrative efforts that negatively target immigrants.
• OPPOSE actions which discourage or prevent immigrant populations from accessing public benefits
and housing, including any negative changes to the Public Charge Final Rule published in September
2022.
• SUPPORT the inclusion of historically marginalized communities in the development of housing,
workforce, and health policies.
• SUPPORT legislation and administrative actions that address inequities in housing, health (including
mental health), education, economic development, reentry, and criminal justice.
Violence Prevention
• SUPPORT efforts to prevent, interrupt and end gun violence, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual
assault, elder abuse and human trafficking in all its forms.
• OPPOSE any elimination and cuts to grant programs for violence prevention, human/labor
trafficking, victim services, and federal grants related to the Violence Against Women Act.
• SUPPORT efforts that increase access to cultural responsiveness and language support for victims of
crime.
• SUPPORT efforts to protect housing access and employment rights for victims of harassment and
survivors of interpersonal violence.
• SUPPORT programs and actions that address suicide, injury and violence prevention.
• SUPPORT efforts aimed at reducing health disparities and inequities associated with violence
against women, communities of color, and the LGBTQ+ community. 81
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• SUPPORT increased funding for Lethality Assessment Protocols (LAP) and reallocation strategies to
support other prevention programs and social services.
Workforce Development
• SUPPORT policies that meet the needs of serving businesses, workers, job seekers, and youth under
the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) that preserve local decision-making relative to
spending, direction of work, and other functions of local workforce boards.
• SUPPORT establishing a higher minimum wage.
• SUPPORT additional funding for WIOA programs and
activities including education, training, apprenticeships,
job seeker support, and job placements. SUPPORT
additional funding for racial-ethnic minority
communities impacted by COVID job loss and
displacement.
• SUPPORT policies that increase access to training and education for social workers and staff in
Aging, including programs that assist students in obtaining a social work degree.
• SUPPORT policies that drive innovation in training and apprenticeships for jobs of the future and
expansion of equitable economic opportunity.
• SUPPORT policies that provide greater access for people with disabilities to participate in
programs for training, education, upskilling, and job seeking.
Land Use
• SUPPORT legislative efforts to evaluate, clean up and redevelop contaminated sites.
Library Services
• SUPPORT funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of
federal support for the nation's approximately 120,000 libraries and 35,000 museums and related
organizations.
• SUPPORT the reauthorization and funding for the
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) including
the Museum and Library Services Act.
• SUPPORT federal funding for library renovation and
construction projects.
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Natural Resources/Permit Streamlining
• SUPPORT locally-controlled resource permitting to streamline economic development activities and
conserve and recover species and the habitats upon which they depend, natural resources,
watersheds and open space.
Pipeline Safety
• SUPPORT legislative efforts that increase the safety of the shipment of hazardous materials by
pipeline through better monitoring, technical seismic vulnerability studies, leak detection, operational
practices and equipment.
Telecommunications and Broadband
• SUPPORT the expansion of broadband (high speed internet service) and the deployment of
emergency technologies, such as small cell 5G, to drive economic development and job
opportunities, support county service delivery, and improve health, education and public safety
outcomes for residents.
• SUPPORT the restoration of net neutrality to ensure open and nondiscriminatory access to online
information.
• SUPPORT preservation of local government ownership and control of the local public rights-of-way
and ensure reasonable compensation for their use.
• OPPOSE Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rulemaking that would reduce franchise fee
obligations which fund community television operations and the General Fund.
• ENSURE nondiscriminatory treatment of Public, Educational and Government (PEG) channels by
cable system operators.
• SUPPORT continued funding for PEG channels.
• SUPPORT local decision-making and accountability of local elected officials and OPPOSE any
actions that would preempt or limit the zoning and siting authority of local governments.
• SUPPORT extension of Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) that provides income-eligible
individuals and families discounts to internet service and computer equipment. SUPPORT funding for
outreach to create awareness of ACP and other opportunities for increased digital access.
Transportation, Mobility Management and Coordination
• SUPPORT and seek opportunities to streamline the regulatory process as well as encourage the
development of regulations that are appropriate and flexible.
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• SUPPORT policies, programs and funding increases that enable new technologies, practices, and
services to improve mobility to vulnerable populations.
• SUPPORT legislative efforts to increase and improve waterborne transportation of goods when it
increases safety.
Veterans
• SUPPORT legislation to increase availability, accessibility, and utilization of Veterans Benefits.
• SUPPORT legislation to provide America’s veterans
organizations with resources to make necessary repairs to
or replacement of their meeting halls and facilities.
• SUPPORT legislation that enhances health care/mental
health care in support of veterans.
• SUPPORT legislation that would focus on getting homeless
veterans off the street and into housing.
• SUPPORT legislative efforts to advance the exoneration of the Port Chicago 50.
Waste Management
• SUPPORT legislation that protects human health and the environment from exposure to hazardous
materials and hazardous wastes.
• SUPPORT legislative efforts that establish producer responsibility for management of products at
the end of their useful life including pharmaceuticals, batteries, sharps, and veterinary medicine.
• SUPPORT legislative efforts that reduce the quantity of harmful pharmaceuticals (including
veterinary medicine) that ultimately enter wastewater treatment facilities, bodies of water, and
landfills.
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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1247 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:8.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: December 18, 2023
Subject:FY 24-25 State Budget Update
Submitted For: Legislation Committee
Department: County Administration
Referral No:
Referral Name: State Budget
Presenter: Michelle Rubalcava & Geoff Neill, Nielsen Merksamer
Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-655-2057
Referral History:
The Legislation Committee regularly receives reports on the State Budget and considers its impacts on County
revenues and operations.
Referral Update:
On December 8, 2023, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released their annual report on the state’s budget
condition, 2024-25 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook. (Attachment A)
At this time, the LAO forecasts a state budget deficit of $68 billion in fiscal year 2024-25 due mostly to the net
effect of unexpected revenue changes in 2022-23 and 2023-24. The Fiscal Outlook details the perceived
economic weaknesses and forecasted revenue changes that resulted in the anticipated state budget shortfall. The
2024-25 Fiscal Outlook also includes the LAO’s assumptions about the state’s economy for fiscal years 2024-
25 through 2027-28 and how the state’s economy affects the state’s annual revenues and expenditures.
The LAO is the California Legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal and policy advisor. The LAO’s annual Fiscal
Outlook publication provides an independent assessment of the California state budget condition for the
upcoming fiscal year. The publication also includes a forecast of the state’s longer-term condition, typically a
three-year period following the upcoming fiscal year.
In a letter from the Department of Finance issued on December 13, the Department directed agency secretaries,
department directors and other officials to limit spending and "strongly encouraged" state constitutional officers
to do the same in their offices. The letter was sent under the subject line "Current Year Expenditure Freeze" but
made no mention of a hiring freeze. It was sent to agency secretaries, department directors, and other staff at
state departments - including budget and accounting officers, human resources staff, and business officers.
Governor Newsom will announce his proposed budget for 2024-25 along with the state’s updated revenue
forecast by January 10, 2024.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Printed on 12/14/2023Page 1 of 2
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File #:23-1247 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:8.
New Legislative Leadership and Committee Chairs
Assembly: As anticipated, on November 21, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas announced a number of
appointments and changes to Assembly leadership, policy committees, and budget committees assignments.
Of note to Contra Costa County, in particular, is the appointment of Assembly Member Buffy Wicks as Chair of
the Assembly Appropriations Committee, the appointment of Assembly Member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan as
Chair of the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee, and the appointment of Assembly
Member Lori Wilson as Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee.
The following changes are of note to the health and human services departments:
-Budget Committee: Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel has been appointed to replace Assemblymember
Phil Ting as Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.
-Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health: Assemblymember Akilah Weber has been appointed
Chair.
-NEW Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services: Assemblymember Corey Jackson has
been appointed Chair as this newly created budget subcommittee, which was previously combined with Budget
Subcommittee No. 1 on Health.
-Health Committee: Assemblymember Mia Bonta has been appointed to replace Assemblymember Jim
Wood as Chair of the policy committee.
-Human Services Committee: Assemblymember Alex Lee has been appointed to replace
Assemblymember Corey Jackson as Chair of the policy committee.
Senate: In August, Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins announced that Senator Mike McGuire had been
selected by the Senate Democratic Caucus as the next Pro Tem Designee. Although the original announcement
did not include a transition date, it has since been determined that Senator McGuire will be sworn in as the new
Senate President pro Tempore on February 5, 2024.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):RECEIVE the report and provide direction/input to staff and the County’s
lobbyists, as needed.
Fiscal Impact (if any): The fiscal impact of the State’s FY 24-25 Budget is as yet unknown.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Printed on 12/14/2023Page 2 of 2
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www.lao.ca.gov
2024-25 BUDGET
1
GABRIEL PETEK
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
DECEMBER 2023
The 2024-25 Budget:
California’s
Fiscal Outlook
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Executive Summary
California Faces a $68 Billion Deficit. Largely as a result of a severe revenue decline in
2022-23, the state faces a serious budget deficit. Specifically, under the state’s current law
and policy, we estimate the Legislature will need to solve a budget problem of $68 billion in the
upcoming budget process.
Unprecedented Prior-Year Revenue Shortfall Creates Unique Challenges. Typically, the
budget process does not involve large changes in revenue in the prior year (in this case, 2022-23).
This is because prior-year taxes usually have been filed and associated revenues collected.
Due to the state conforming to federal tax filing extensions, however, the Legislature is gaining a
complete picture of 2022-23 tax collections after the fiscal year has already ended. Specifically,
we estimate that 2022-23 revenue will be $26 billion below budget act estimates. This creates
unique and difficult challenges—including limiting the Legislature’s options for addressing the
budget problem.
Legislature Has Multiple Tools Available to Address Budget Problem. While addressing
a deficit of this scope will be challenging, the Legislature has a number of options available to
do so. In particular, the state has nearly $24 billion in reserves to address the budget problem.
In addition, there are options to reduce spending on schools and community colleges that could
address nearly $17 billion of the budget problem. Further adjustments to other areas of the
budget, such as reductions to one-time spending, could address at least an additional $10 billion
or so. These options and some others, like cost shifts, would allow the Legislature to solve most
of the deficit largely without impacting the state’s core ongoing service level.
Legislature Will Have Fewer Options to Address Multiyear Deficits in the Coming Years.
Given the state faces a serious budget problem, using general purpose reserves this year is
merited. That said, we suggest the Legislature exercise some caution when deploying tools like
reserves and cost shifts. The state’s reserves are unlikely to be sufficient to cover the state’s
multiyear deficits—which average $30 billion per year under our estimates. These deficits likely
necessitate ongoing spending reductions, revenue increases, or both. As a result, preserving a
substantial portion—potentially up to half—of reserves would provide a helpful cushion in light of
the anticipated shortfalls that lie ahead.
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INTRODUCTION
Each year, our office publishes the Fiscal Outlook
in anticipation of the upcoming budget season.
The goal of this report is to give the Legislature our
independent estimates and analysis of the state’s
budget condition as lawmakers begin planning the
2024-25 budget. This year, this report has three
key takeaways:
• California Faces a Serious Deficit.
Largely as a result of a severe revenue decline
in 2022-23, the state faces a serious budget
deficit. Specifically, under the state’s current
law and policy, we estimate the Legislature will
need to solve a budget problem of $68 billion
in the coming budget process.
• Unprecedented Prior-Year Revenue
Shortfall. Typically, the budget process
does not involve large changes in revenue in
the prior year (in this case, 2022-23). This is
because prior-year taxes usually have been
filed and associated revenues collected.
Due to the state conforming to federal tax
filing extensions, however, the Legislature is
only gaining a complete picture of 2022-23
tax collections after the fiscal year has already
ended. Specifically, we estimate that 2022-23
revenue will be $26 billion below budget
act estimates.
• Legislature Has Multiple Tools Available to
Address Budget Problem. While addressing
a deficit of this scope will be challenging, the
Legislature has a number of options available
to do so. In particular, the Legislature has
reserves to withdraw, one-time spending to
pull back, and alternative approaches for
school funding to consider. These options,
along with some others, would allow the
Legislature to solve most of the deficit largely
without impacting the state’s core ongoing
service level.
CALIFORNIA ENTERED A DOWNTURN LAST YEAR
Higher Borrowing Costs and Reduced
Investment Have Cooled California’s Economy.
In an effort to cool an overheated U.S. economy,
the Federal Reserve has taken actions over the
last two years to make borrowing more expensive
and reduce the amount of money available for
investment. This has slowed economic activity in
a number of ways. For example, home sales are
down by about half, largely because the monthly
mortgage to purchase a typical California home
has gone from $3,500 to $5,400. Some effects of
the Federal Reserve’s actions have hit segments
of the economy that have an outsized importance
to California. In particular, investment in California
startups and technology companies is especially
sensitive to financial conditions and, as a result,
has dropped significantly. For example, the number
of California companies that went public (sold
stock to public investors for the first time) in 2022
and 2023 is down over 80 percent from 2021.
As a result, California businesses have had much
less funding available to expand operations or hire
new workers.
State’s Economy Entered a Downturn in 2022.
These mounting economic headwinds have pushed
the state’s economy into a downturn. The number
of unemployed workers in California has risen
nearly 200,000 since the summer of 2022. This has
resulted in a jump in the state’s unemployment rate
from 3.8 percent to 4.8 percent, as Figure 1 on
the next page shows. Similarly, inflation-adjusted
incomes posted five straight quarters of
year-over-year declines from the first quarter of
2022 to the first quarter 2023.
Recent Revenue Collections Show Impact of
Economic Downturn. With the state’s conformity
to federal actions postponing deadlines for tax
payments on investment and business income
for much of the past year, the state adopted the
2023-24 budget without a clear picture of the impact
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of recent economic weakness on state revenues.
Regardless, there have been signs of revenue
weakness over the past year. The portion of
income taxes collected directly from workers’
paychecks was down 2 percent over the last twelve
months compared to the preceding year. Sales
tax collections have been essentially flat, despite
above-average growth in consumer prices. The full
extent of revenue weakness, however, came into full
focus recently with the arrival of the postponed tax
payments. With the deadline passed, collections
data now show a severe revenue decline, with
total income tax collections down 25 percent in
2022-23. This decline is similar to those seen during
the Great Recession and dot-com bust. While the
slowdown of investment in California companies
and corresponding broader economic weakness
likely were primary drivers of this decline, another
important factor was financial market distress
in 2022. Overall, the experience of the last few years
suggests California’s economy and revenues are
uniquely sensitive to Federal Reserve actions.
Significant Risk That Weakness Could
Persist Into Next Year. Whether the recent
weakness will continue is difficult to say. However,
the odds do not appear to be in the state’s favor.
Past downturns similar to this recent episode have
tended to be followed by additional weakness.
For instance, as Figure 1 shows, an increase in the
unemployment rate similar to the recent period has
consistently been followed by an extended period of
elevated unemployment. Similarly, in the past, years
with large revenue declines typically have been
followed by an additional year of lackluster revenue
performance. History does not always repeat itself
and might not this time. Nonetheless, there is a
significant risk the current weakness could continue
into next year.
Sahm Rule Triggered On
Sahm Recession Indicator signals the start of a recession when the three-month moving average of the unemployment rate rises by 0.5 percentage points or more relative to its
low during the previous 12 months.
Figure 1
Uptick in Unemployment Rate Triggered a Recession Indicator
Federal policymakers use the Sahm Rule to track the start of recessions in real time.
The Sahm Rule has accurately indicated—with no false positives—the prior six U.S. recessions as well as
California downturns.
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16%
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
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Revenue Outlook Reflects Risk
of Continued Weakness. Reflecting
the risk of continued weakness,
our revenue outlook—shown in
Figure 2—anticipates collections
will be nearly flat in 2023-24, after
falling 20 percent in 2022-23.
Our outlook then has revenue growth
returning in 2024-25 and beyond.
Based on this trajectory, our revenue
outlook expects collections to come
in $58 billion below budget act
assumptions across 2022-23 through
2024-25, with about half of this
difference ($26 billion) attributable to
2022-23. As always, this forecast is
highly uncertain. It is entirely possible
that revenues could end up $15 billion
higher or lower than our forecast for
2023-24 and $30 billion higher or
lower for 2024-25.
THE BUDGET PROBLEM
Budget Year
In this section, we describe our estimates of
California’s budget condition for the upcoming
fiscal year: 2024-25. We expect the state will face
a serious deficit, also known as a budget problem.
A budget problem occurs when resources for the
upcoming budget are insufficient
to cover the costs of currently
authorized services.
State Faces a $68 Billion
Deficit. Under current law and
policy, we estimate the state
faces a budget problem of
$68 billion. Figure 3 reflects the
budget problem in the 2024-25
ending balance in the Special
Fund for Economic Uncertainties.
The budget problem is the net
effect of the following factors:
• State Anticipated a Deficit
of Around $14 Billion.
The 2023-24 Budget Act
planned for a spending level
in 2024-25 that was higher than expected
revenue collections. Put another way, last
year’s budget planned for a deficit in 2024-25.
That anticipated deficit of $14 billion is the
starting place for the upcoming budget
process and therefore adds to the calculation
of the budget problem.
Figure 2
LAO Revenue Outlook
Total Revenue Excluding Federal Cost Recovery (In Billions)
160
180
200
220
240
260
$280
2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28
The shaded area shows how far revenues could deviate from our
main forecast. Outcomes beyond the shaded area are possible,
but revenues most likely will fall in the shaded area.
Figure 3
General Fund Condition Under Fiscal Outlook
(In Millions)
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Prior-year fund balance $52,561 $167 -$32,792
Revenues and transfers 179,961 189,062 193,255
Expenditures 232,355 222,021 222,782
Ending Fund Balance $167 -$32,792 -$62,318
Encumbrances $5,272 $5,272 $5,272
SFEU balance -$5,105 -$38,064 -$67,590
Reserves
BSA balance $21,515 $22,074 $22,809
Safety Net Reserve 900 900 900
SFEU = Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties and BSA = Budget Stabilization Account.
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• Revenues Are Lower Than Budget Act
Projections by $58 Billion. As described
earlier, collections data to date show a
severe revenue decline, with total income
tax collections down 25 percent in 2022-23.
Reflecting the risk of continued economic
weakness, our forecast anticipates flat
revenue growth for 2023-24, with positive
growth returning in 2024-25 and beyond.
Based on this trajectory, our revenue outlook
expects collections to come in $58 billion
below budget act assumptions across the
budget window. This is the major driver of the
budget problem.
• School and Community College Spending
Is Lower by More Than $4 Billion.
Proposition 98 (1988) establishes a minimum
annual funding requirement for schools and
community colleges, met with state General
Fund and local property tax revenue. When
General Fund revenue declines, the minimum
requirement usually declines in tandem.
Most school spending, however, does not
automatically decrease when the minimum
requirement drops in the current or prior
year. As described in the nearby box, the
state could decide to reduce Proposition 98
General Fund spending by nearly $21 billion
under our outlook, but the automatic reduction
is about $4 billion. The budget problem is
therefore lower by about $4 billion in our
deficit calculation.
• Other Spending Is Lower by $4 Billion.
We estimate spending across the rest of the
budget will be lower than the administration’s
June projections by about $4 billion over
the budget window. The major driver of this
difference is spending on health and human
services (HHS) programs, where our estimates
are lower by about $3 billion. We do not have
department- or program-level detail on the
administration’s HHS spending forecast, so
we cannot give more detail about the nature
of this difference. This lowers the budget
problem by a like amount.
• Entering Fund Balance Is Lower by
$3 Billion. Budgetary changes to years
before the budget window are reflected in
the 2022-23 entering fund balance. (These
changes occur due to accounting rules,
which sometimes result in the state “accruing”
or attributing revenues or spending to
earlier years, based on when the underlying
economic activity is estimated to have
occurred.) Our estimate of the budget problem
reflects a $3 billion downward adjustment in
the entering fund balance as a result of lower
revenues. This adds to the budget problem.
• Reserve Deposits Are Higher by
$400 Million. Proposition 2 (2014) requires
the state to set aside minimum amounts to
deposit into its reserve, pay down debts,
and (under certain conditions) spend money
on infrastructure. These requirements are
determined by a set of relatively complex
formulas. Ordinarily, the required set asides
increase when revenues increase and drop
when revenues decrease. This year, however,
due to a variety of idiosyncratic issues, under
current law and policy, the state’s reserve
requirements would increase in response
to our revenue forecast. The nearby box
describes the reasons why. As we discuss
later, in response to a budget emergency,
the Legislature and Governor can decide to
suspend these deposits and/or withdraw
funds from the reserve.
Multiyear
In this section, we describe our estimates of
California’s budget condition for the multiyear
period through 2027-28. This projection is based
on our main revenue forecast, as shown in Figure 2,
and spending forecast, as shown in Appendix 2.
State Faces Significant Operating Deficits.
Figure 4 on page 10, shows our projections of
the multiyear condition of the budget under our
main revenue forecast. As the figure shows, in
addition to the $68 billion budget problem we
have identified for 2024-25, the state faces annual
operating deficits of around $30 billion per year.
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ONLY MODEST AUTOMATIC SPENDING CHANGES
IN RESPONSE TO LOWER REVENUES
State Has Two Constitutional Reserves with Formula-Driven Requirements. Proposition 2
(2014) governs deposits into (and withdrawals from) the state’s two constitutional reserves: the Budget
Stabilization Account (BSA), a general purpose reserve, and the Proposition 98 Reserve, which is
dedicated to schools and community colleges. In both cases, reserve requirements tend to go up when
revenues increase, particularly when capital gains taxes rise, and vice versa. These requirements are
automatically adjusted in response to changes in revenue estimates and both reserves have maximum
thresholds. In the case of the BSA, requirements above the maximum threshold must be spent on
infrastructure instead. In the case of the Proposition 98 Reserve, reserve withdrawals are sometimes
required, especially in tighter fiscal times.
Proposition 2
This Year, Most Declines in BSA-Related Requirements Do Not Impact Budget’s Bottom
Line. Typically, drops in revenue would result in lower BSA and infrastructure requirements. Under our
estimates, the state’s required payments on infrastructure decline by billions of dollars, but because
of the way these payments are scored, these changes have no impact on the budget’s bottom line.
In addition, BSA deposits increase largely because of the significant downward revenue adjustment
to 2022-23. The large downward revenue adjustment means the state must continue to make
reserve deposits to reach the 10 percent threshold (under our understanding of the administration’s
interpretation of Proposition 2) after 2022-23.
Proposition 98
Proposition 98 Sets Minimum Level of School Funding. Proposition 98 (1988) amended the
California Constitution to establish a minimum annual funding requirement for schools and community
colleges. The state calculates the minimum requirement using formulas that account for various inputs,
including General Fund revenue. The state meets the requirement through a combination of General
Fund spending and local property tax revenue. The state recalculates the minimum requirement at
the end of the year based on revised estimates of these inputs, followed by a second recalculation at
the end of the following year. When the minimum requirement decreases, the state can leave school
spending at the level it initially approved in the budget or reduce spending to the lower requirement.
Estimate of Minimum General Fund Spending Requirement Under Proposition 98 Is Down
$21 Billion… Under our outlook, the decline in General Fund revenue reduces the minimum required
General Fund spending under Proposition 98 by $21 billion from 2022-23 through 2024-25, which
represents a reduction of nearly 38 cents for each dollar of lower revenue. This reduction includes
$9.6 billion in 2022-23, $7 billion in 2023-24, and $4.4 billion in 2024-25. The magnitude of the
downward revision in 2022-23 is unprecedented for a fiscal year that is already over. Although the
state has experienced large swings in the minimum requirement for fiscal years that are currently in
progress, revisions to prior fiscal years are typically minor and rarely exceed a few hundreds of millions
of dollars.
… But Automatic Reduction in School Spending Is Only $4.3 Billion. Although the constitutional
minimum funding requirement is down $21 billion, the automatic reduction in school spending over the
period is only $4.3 billion. Most of this reduction relates to the automatic elimination of required deposits
into the Proposition 98 Reserve in 2022-23 and 2023-24. After accounting for the effects of lower reserve
deposits—along with several smaller adjustments—General Fund spending over the three years is down
$4.3 billion compared with the June 2023 estimates. This reduction leaves school spending nearly
$16.7 billion above the levels that would exist if the state only funded at the constitutional minimum each year
of the period.
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These operating deficits represent
additional budget problems
the Legislature would need to
address in the coming years,
either by reducing spending,
increasing revenues, shifting
costs, or using reserves. Although
highly uncertain, our projection
of the state’s deficits would
accumulate to $155 billion across
the forecast window, which is
significantly more than the amount
of reserves the state has available
(about $24 billion).
Extent of Future Deficits
Depends on Legislative
Decisions This Year. The multiyear
deficits shown in Figure 4 are
subject to substantial uncertainty.
First, revenue estimates can easily
differ from our estimates by tens of billions of
dollars in either direction. Second, these deficits
are based on our assessment of the costs of the
state’s programs under current law and policy.
The state’s actual costs will be higher or lower
depending on decisions made by the Legislature,
including, for example, about how to fund schools
and community colleges in 2022-23.
SOLVING THE BUDGET PROBLEM
State Has Various Options to Address the
Budget Problem. While addressing a deficit of
$68 billion will be challenging, the Legislature has a
number of options available to do so. In this section,
we describe some of the key ones. (Some of the
solutions here assume a budget emergency is
declared.) These solutions include:
• Withdraw Reserves. Under our estimates, the
state would have about $24 billion in reserves
to help address the budget problem (assuming
a budget emergency is declared).
• Reduce Proposition 98 Spending. Over
the three-year period, the state could reduce
General Fund costs by $16.7 billion if it were
to lower school spending to the constitutional
minimum allowed under Proposition 98.
One option for implementing some of this
reduction would be to use the Proposition 98
Reserve to cover school-related costs
that exceed the Proposition 98 minimum
requirement in 2022-23.
• Reduce Other One-Time Spending.
We estimate the state has at least $8 billion in
one-time and temporary spending in 2024-25
that could be pulled back to help address
the budget problem. In addition, there are
potentially billions of dollars more in spending
from prior years that has been committed but
not yet distributed, and therefore also could be
reduced to help address the budget problem.
• Identify Other Solutions. Even after using
most or all of these solutions, the Legislature
still would need to find more solutions
to address the remainder of the budget
problem. Other options include additional
cost shifts (such as more loans from special
funds), revenue solutions, and ongoing
spending reductions.
Figure 4
State Faces Serious Budget Problem in 2024-25,
and Significant Operating Deficits in Future Years
(In Billions)
-70
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-$10
2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28
Budget Problem Operating Deficits
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Withdraw Reserves
State Could Withdraw Up to $24 Billion
in General Purpose Reserves. As shown in
Figure 3, the state has $23 billion in the BSA under
our estimates, plus about $1 billion in the Safety
Net Reserve, to address the budget problem.
The Safety Net Reserve is available to fund program
costs in HHS programs, like Medi-Cal, while the
BSA can only be accessed in a budget emergency,
as described below.
Budget Emergency Available Under Our
Estimates. The Legislature can only suspend
mandatory deposits or make withdrawals from
either of its two constitutional reserves—the BSA
and the Proposition 98 Reserve—if the Governor
declares a budget emergency. The Governor
may declare a budget emergency in two cases:
(1) if estimated resources in the current or upcoming
fiscal year are insufficient to keep spending at
the level of the highest of the prior three budgets,
adjusted for inflation and population (a “fiscal
budget emergency”), or (2) in response to a natural
or man-made disaster. Under our forecast, a fiscal
emergency would be available both in 2023-24 and
2024-25. In the case of a fiscal budget emergency,
the Legislature only can withdraw the lesser
of: (1) the amount of the budget emergency, or
(2) 50 percent of the BSA balance (in each year).
As of this writing, the Governor has not called a
fiscal budget emergency for 2023-24 or 2024-25.
Reduce Proposition 98 Spending
Spending Reductions Would Help Balance
the Budget but Involve Trade-Offs. If the
Legislature reduced school spending to the
constitutional minimum allowed by Proposition 98,
it would address up to $16.7 billion of the budget
problem. To obtain these savings, the state would
have to reduce spending it previously approved in
2022-23 and 2023-24. In previous downturns, the
state relied heavily on two main approaches for
implementing such reductions: (1) across-the-board
reductions to per-pupil allocations and (2) payment
deferrals. These options, however, tend to be
disruptive for school operations, particularly
when the state announces them on short notice.
In addition, the state’s options for reductions in
2022-23 are relatively limited because the state
has allocated most of the funding attributable to
the prior year already. Before resorting to cuts or
deferrals, however, the state could reduce spending
in other ways that would be less disruptive
for schools.
Proposition 98 Reserve Could Cover
Spending Above the Minimum Requirement
in 2022-23. Based on deposits the state made
in 2020-21 and 2021-22, the Proposition 98
Reserve currently holds a balance of $8.1 billion.
(This amount excludes the additional deposits
the state had anticipated making in 2022-23 and
2023-24 prior to our lower revenue estimates.)
The state could use up to $7.7 billion of this
balance to cover school spending that exceeds
the Proposition 98 minimum requirement in
2022-23. Using the Proposition 98 Reserve in
this way would allow the state to lower General
Fund spending to the constitutional minimum
level in the prior year without reducing the funding
allocations it previously approved. From an
accounting perspective, Proposition 98 Reserve
withdrawals also do not count as spending for
the purpose of determining the minimum funding
requirement in future years. This means using the
Proposition 98 Reserve for 2022-23 also would
reduce the constitutional minimum requirements
in 2023-24 and 2024-25. (The formulas governing
the Proposition 98 Reserve would require the state
to withdraw the remaining amount in the reserve—
about $450 million—in 2023-24.)
State Could Make Reductions to Programs
With Unallocated Funds. Although the
Proposition 98 Reserve could allow the state
to reduce General Fund spending with minimal
disruption to school programs, the reserve balance
is not large enough to obtain $16.7 billion in
savings by itself. If the state wanted to obtain the
maximum possible savings, it would need to make
additional reductions. One option is to reduce
program funding that has not yet been allocated
to schools. For example, the state previously
approved $1.1 billion for grants to community
schools that count as spending in 2022-23 but have
not yet been awarded. (This funding is in addition
to the roughly $3 billion in funding for community
schools that the state approved prior to 2022-23.)
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In addition, several hundreds of millions of dollars
in State Preschool funding provided in 2022-23
and 2023-24 is currently not obligated for any
specific purpose. Over the coming months, the
state likely will be able to identify additional grants
and programs with unspent funds. Reducing grants
that have not yet been allocated to schools could
allow the state to reduce General Fund spending
while minimizing reductions to funding that schools
were already planning to receive. As we explain in
the Appendix, if the Legislature took these actions,
Proposition 98 funding would be sufficient to
cover all but $1 billion of ongoing program costs
in 2024-25.
Reduce One-Time Spending
Pulling Back One-Time and Temporary
Spending Could Provide More Than $10 Billion
in Solutions. We estimate the state has $8.6 billion
in one-time and temporary spending slated for
2024-25 that can be reduced entirely in order to
address the serious budget problem. This includes
spending of: $2.2 billion in transportation,
$1.9 billion in natural resources and environment,
and $1.8 billion in various education programs.
In addition, the Legislature has committed tens of
billions of dollars in previous years to one-time and
temporary purposes, including billions of dollars
in the current year. Some of these funds could be
withdrawn to address the deficit, but the Legislature
would need to request more information from the
administration to know the precise amounts that
could be feasibly reduced. To maximize flexibility
and mitigate disruption, some of these pullbacks
could merit early action in 2024.
Identify Other Solutions
State Might Have Some Cost Shift Options
Remaining. Cost shifts occur when the state
moves costs between fund sources or entities—
for example, shifting spending from the General
Fund to special funds or, as has been done in
prior budgets, shifting costs from the state to local
governments. The state used about $10 billion in
cost shifts to address last year’s budget problem
and could have some additional capacity to shift
additional costs again this year. For example, we
think the state would have more capacity to make
loans from special funds if those loans were made
on a pooled basis, rather than on an individual
fund basis.
State Has Used Revenue Increases to
Address Past Budget Problems. For example,
in 2020-21, the state temporarily suspended
net operating loss (NOL) deductions, preventing
corporations with net income over $1 million from
using NOLs. The state also limited businesses
from claiming more than $5 million in tax credits.
The state also has increased broad-based taxes
on a temporary and permanent basis in similar
revenue downturns.
Other Spending Reductions. Given the extent
of the deficit, the state might also have to reduce
other spending—including cuts into its core service
level—in order to balance the budget. In facing
budget problems of similar magnitudes, the state
in the past has made reductions to employee
compensation and lowered spending on higher
education and the judicial branch. The Legislature
also could explore using more of the state’s recently
reauthorized tax on managed care organization
to offset the General Fund costs of Medi-Cal,
rather than for other costs, such as increasing
provider rates.
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COMMENTS
Unprecedented Prior-Year Revenue Revision
Creates Unique Challenges. Typically, the budget
process does not involve large changes in revenue
in the prior year (in this case, 2022-23). This is
because usually prior-year taxes already have been
filed and associated revenues collected. Due to
the federal tax filing extensions, however, the
Legislature is gaining a complete picture of 2022-23
tax collections after the fiscal year has already
ended. This creates unique and difficult challenges.
Had the Legislature had complete information
about 2022-23 tax collections in May, as would be
typical, it would have solved much of this deficit in
June 2023. At that time, the Legislature would have
had more options available to reduce spending.
Now that the fiscal year has ended, adjusting
spending for 2022-23 across a broad range of
programs will be more challenging, including for
schools and community colleges and much of the
rest of the budget.
Early Action Could Increase Flexibility. Given
the scale of the budget problem, we suggest
the Legislature immediately begin evaluating
past spending to find monies that have been
committed but not yet distributed. These could be
pulled back to help address the budget problem.
Taking early action on these reductions could
increase the choices available to the Legislature.
Once more money has been distributed, fewer
options will be available by May.
Legislature Will Have Fewer Options to
Address Multiyear Deficits in the Coming Years.
Given the state faces a serious budget problem,
using general purpose reserves this year is merited.
That said, we suggest the Legislature exercise
some caution when deploying tools like reserves
and cost shifts. The state’s reserves—which total
$24 billion—are unlikely to be sufficient to cover the
state’s multiyear deficits—which average $30 billion
per year under our estimates. These deficits
likely necessitate ongoing spending reductions,
revenue increases, or both. As a result, preserving
a substantial portion—potentially up to half—of
reserves would provide a helpful cushion in light of
the anticipated shortfalls that lie ahead.
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APPENDIX 1: OUTLOOK FOR SCHOOL AND
COMMUNITY COLLEGE FUNDING
Total Proposition 98 Funding Requirement
Down $18.8 Billion Compared With June
Estimates. Under our outlook, the minimum
funding requirement for schools across 2022-23,
2023-24, and 2024-25 is $18.8 billion lower than
the estimates from June 2023. This reduction
reflects two main adjustments: (1) a $21 billion
decrease in required General Fund spending and
(2) a $2.2 billion increase in local property tax
revenue. The reduction in required General Fund
spending reflects our significantly lower estimates
of General Fund revenue, with the minimum
funding requirement decreasing nearly 38 cents
for each dollar of lower revenue. The increase in
local property tax revenue reflects preliminary data
showing growth in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Appendix
Figure 1 and Figure 2 on the following pages
provide more detail on these changes by year.
As the bottom of Appendix Figure 2 shows, the total
reduction in the minimum funding requirement is
$9 billion in 2022-23, $6.3 billion in 2023-24, and
$3.5 billion in 2024-25. These amounts represent
the maximum reductions in school funding—relative
to June 2023 estimates—the state could make
while still meeting the Proposition 98 minimum
funding requirement.
Under Baseline Assumptions, State Would
Provide $11.9 Billion More Than the Revised
Minimum Requirement in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Although the Proposition 98 funding requirement
changes automatically based on updated revenue
estimates, the law does not automatically adjust
most school spending in the current or prior
year. For 2022-23, we estimate that automatic
adjustments only reduce Proposition 98 spending
by $1.3 billion compared with the level anticipated
in June 2023. This reduction mainly reflects
the elimination of the required deposit into the
Proposition 98 Reserve (the deposit is no longer
required due to our lower estimates of capital gains
revenue). It also reflects a small increase in costs
for the Local Control Funding Formula and various
smaller adjustments. Accounting for the $9 billion
decrease in the Proposition 98 funding requirement
and the $1.3 billion decrease in costs, overall
spending in the prior year is $7.7 billion above the
minimum requirement. This funding above the
minimum level also becomes part of the base for
calculating the minimum requirement in 2023-24.
Specifically, it increases the 2023-24 requirement
by $4.2 billion relative to the amount the state
otherwise would have to provide. Across both years
combined, funding under our baseline assumptions
is $11.9 billion higher than the amount the state
would provide if it were to fund at the minimum
level only.
Decision About Spending in 2022-23 and
2023-24 Affects Calculation of the Funding
Requirement in 2024-25. The Legislature’s
decision about whether to reduce funding to the
lower minimum requirement in the current and prior
year has significant implications for the calculation
of the funding requirement in 2024-25. We estimate
that if the state leaves funding $11.9 billion above
the Proposition 98 minimum requirement across
2022-23 and 2023-24 (consistent with our baseline
assumptions), the funding requirement in 2024-25
would be $113 billion. This level of funding would
be slightly higher than the estimate the state made
in June 2023. Conversely, if the state were to lower
funding in 2022-23 and 2023-24 to the minimum
levels allowed under Proposition 98, the funding
requirement in 2024-25 would be $108.2 billion.
This level of funding would be about $3.5 billion
less than the estimate the state made in June 2023.
If the state were to lower spending somewhat but
not to the minimum levels in 2022-23 and 2023-24,
the funding requirement in 2024-25 would fall
somewhere between $108.2 billion and $113 billion.
Total Costs for Existing Programs and
Statutory Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
Estimated at $109.3 Billion. Separate from
our calculations of the Proposition 98 funding
requirement, we also estimated the cost of
maintaining existing school and community college
programs in 2024-25. In making this estimate,
we accounted for cost increases and decreases
related to (1) changes in student attendance and
community college enrollment, (2) an estimated
statutory COLA of 1.27 percent, and (3) the
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expiration of various one-time costs and savings
included in the June 2023 budget plan. Under
our estimates, the total cost for existing programs
in 2024-25 is $109.3 billion. Of this amount,
$1.3 billion is the cost specifically associated
with the 1.27 percent statutory COLA. Under our
baseline assumption (in which the state does
not reduce funding to the minimum level in the
current or prior year), the Proposition 98 funding
requirement in 2024-25 would be more than enough
to cover the statutory COLA. If the state were to
reduce spending to the minimum level, however,
the 2024-25 funding requirement would be about
$1 billion less than the cost of existing programs
adjusted for COLA.
State Estimated to Withdraw Entire
Proposition 98 Reserve Balance. Under our
outlook, the reductions in Proposition 98 funding
require the state to withdraw the entire $8.1 billion
balance in the Proposition 98 Reserve. Under our
baseline assumption—that is, absent any special
action by the Legislature—the constitutional
formulas would require withdrawals of nearly
$5.5 billion in 2023-24 and nearly $2.7 billion in
2024-25. Alternatively, the state could decide
to withdraw funds preemptively and use them
to cover costs that exceed the Proposition 98
requirement in the prior year. Under this approach,
the state would withdraw $7.7 billion from the
reserve for use in 2022-23 (it would be required to
withdraw the remaining $450 million in 2023-24).
This approach would allow the state to reduce
General Fund spending on schools in the prior year
without cutting school programs below previously
approved levels. (This approach also assumes
a budget emergency is declared.) Under the
Constitution, the Legislature may use withdrawals
from the Proposition 98 Reserve for any school or
community college purpose.
Appendix 1, Figure 1
Comparing Proposition 98 Funding Levels in the Budget Windowª
(In Billions)
$107.4 $108.3
$111.6
$106.0 $106.2
$113.0
$98.3
$102.0
$108.2
Enacted Budget Level Baseline Funding Assumptionb Minimum Funding Levelc
a Reflects total General Fund and local property tax revenue for schools and community colleges.
b For 2022-23 and 2023-24, reflects June funding level with automatic adjustments, including elimination of required reserve deposits and baseline adjustments to
Local Control Funding Formula. For 2024-25, reflects estimate of the Proposition 98 minimum requirement building upon the baseline spending assumptions in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
c Reflects funding level if state funds at the Proposition 98 minimum requirement each year of the period.
90
95
100
105
110
115
$120
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
$8.1 Billion Reserve Withdrawal
Available During the Budget Window
-$4.8
5
$10
-$4.2
-$7.7
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Appendix 1, Figure 2
Comparing Proposition 98 Funding Estimates
(Dollars in Millions)
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Three-Year Totals
Proposition 98 Estimates
June 2023 Enacted Budget
Proposition 98 Funding:
General Fund $78,117 $77,457 $79,739 $235,314
Local property tax 29,241 30,854 31,881 $91,977
Totals $107,359 $108,312 $111,621 $327,291
General Fund tax revenueª$204,533 $201,213 $203,116 $608,862
K-12 average daily attendance 0.1%0.3%-0.2%—
Per capita personal income 7.6 4.4 3.1 —
Per capital General Fundb -6.2 -0.8 1.4 —
Operative test 1 1 1 —
LAO December Outlook With Baseline Adjustments Only
Proposition 98 Funding:
General Fund $76,244 $74,651 $80,111 $231,007
Local property tax 29,778 31,543 32,867 94,189
Totals $106,022 $106,195 $112,979 $325,195
General Fund tax revenueª$179,091 $182,747 $190,099 $551,938
K-12 average daily attendance 0.9%0.7%0.7%—
Per capita personal income 7.6 4.4 4.3 —
Per capital General Fundb -17.8 2.9 5.3 —
Operative test 1 3 2 —
LAO December Outlook With Funding Reduced to Minimum Level
Proposition 98 Funding:
General Fund $68,553 $70,491 $75,295 $214,338
Local property tax 29,778 31,543 32,867 94,189
Totals $98,330 $102,035 $108,162 $308,527
General Fund tax revenueª$179,091 $182,747 $190,099 $551,938
K-12 average daily attendance 0.9%0.7%0.7%—
Per capita personal income (Test 2)7.6 4.4 4.3 —
Per capital General Fund (Test 3)b -17.8 2.9 5.3 —
Operative test 1 1 2 —
Funding Comparisons
Difference From Enacted Budget to LAO Baseline
General Fund -$1,873 -$2,806 $372 -$4,307
Local property tax 536 689 986 2,211
Totals -$1,336 -$2,117 $1,358 -$2,096
Difference From LAO Baseline to Proposition 98 Minimum Level
General Fund -$7,692 -$4,160 -$4,816 -$16,668
Local property tax ————
Totals -$7,692 -$4,160 -$4,816 -$16,668
Difference From Enacted Budget to Proposition 98 Minimum Level
General Fund -$9,565 -$6,966 -$4,445 -$20,975
Local property tax 536 689 986 2,211
Totals -$9,028 -$6,277 -$3,459 -$18,764
a Excludes non-tax revenues and transfers, which do not affect the Proposition 98 calculations.
b As set forth in the State Constitution, reflects change in per capita General Fund plus 0.5 percent.
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APPENDIX 2
Appendix 2, Figure 1
General Fund Spending Through 2024-25
(In Billions)
2023-24
Outlook
2024-25
Change From
2022-23
Legislative, Executive $6.1 $5.2 -15%
Courts 3.5 3.7 6
Business, Consumer Services, and Housing 2.6 0.5 -79
Transportation 0.9 0.1 -94
Natural Resources 5.7 4.6 -20
Environmental Protection 0.6 0.4 -33
Health and Human Services 73.4 75.4 3
Corrections and Rehabilitation 14.2 13.5 -4
Education 21.2 21.4 1
Labor and Workforce Development 0.9 1.2 43
Government Operations 4.0 2.3 -42
General Government
Non-Agency Departments 1.8 1.7 -3
Tax Relief/Local Government 0.6 0.6 6
Statewide Expenditures 4.8 5.7 18
Capital Outlay 0.5 0.3 -37
Debt Service 5.8 5.9 2
Non-98 Spending Totals $146.4 $142.7 -3%
Proposition 98a $75.6 $80.1 6%
Totals 222.0 222.8 0%
a Reflects General Fund component of the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee.
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Appendix 2, Figure 2
General Fund Spending by Agency Through 2027-28
(In Billions)
Agency 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28
Average
Annual
Growth
Legislative, Executive $14.1 $6.1 $5.2 $3.1 $2.5 $2.5 -22.0%
Courts 3.5 3.5 3.7 3.8 3.9 4.1 3.5
Business, Consumer Services, and
Housing
3.9 2.6 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.2 -28.8
Transportation 1.5 0.9 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.0 -17.7
Natural Resources 13.7 5.7 4.6 4.9 3.5 3.3 -10.9
Environmental Protection 3.9 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.1 -28.0
Health and Human Services 61.2 73.4 75.4 79.4 84.3 89.9 6.0
Corrections and Rehabilitation 14.8 14.2 13.5 13.1 13.1 13.0 -1.2
Education 20.0 21.2 21.4 20.3 21.3 22.2 1.2
Labor and Workforce Development 1.3 0.9 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.0 -5.5
Government Operations 5.5 4.0 2.3 3.4 7.0 8.1 52.0
General Government
Non-Agency Departments 2.3 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.3 1.1 -13.9
Tax Relief/Local Government 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 3.9
Statewide Expenditures 1.3 4.8 5.7 6.9 8.2 9.1 16.9
Capital Outlay 3.3 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.0 -48.3
Debt Service 5.2 5.8 5.9 5.9 5.9 6.0 0.6
Non-98 Spending Totals $156.1 $146.4 $142.7 $145.1 $152.9 $161.5 4.2%
Proposition 98a $76.2 $75.6 $80.1 $84.5 $87.3 $89.7 3.8%
Proposition 2 Infrastructureb $0.0 $0.2 $0.7 $1.7 $4.8 $5.4 95.7%
Total Forecasted Spending 232.4 222.0 222.8 229.6 240.3 251.2 4.1%
a Reflects General Fund component of the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee.
b In 2022-23 and 2023-24, amounts are distributed across agencies. In 2024-25 and after, Proposition 2 infrastructure requirements are assumed to offset
existing costs, for example for bond debt service, and so do not result in higher total state costs.
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LAO PUBLICATIONS
This report was prepared by Ann Hollingshead, with contributions from Ken Kapphahn and Brian Uhler, as well as
others across the office, and reviewed by Edgar Cabral and Carolyn Chu. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) is a
nonpartisan office that provides fiscal and policy information and advice to the Legislature.
To request publications call (916) 445-4656. This report and others, as well as an e-mail subscription service, are
available on the LAO’s website at www.lao.ca.gov. The LAO is located at 925 L Street, Suite 1000, Sacramento,
California 95814.
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