HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12142004 - C52 i AI
- CONTRA
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
aCOSTA
FROM: John Sweeten, County AdministratorCOUNTY
DATE: December 14, 2004
SUBJECT: Year End Report on Federal and State Legislative Programs
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICA'T'ION
RECOMMENDATION($):
ACCEPT the year end report on the County's 2004 Federal and State Legislative Programs.
BACKGROUND/REASON(S)FOR RECOMMENDATION(S):
Annually,, Y the Count Administrator prepares a year end report for the Board of Supervisors on the County's
federal and state legislative programs for that year.
2004 Federal Legislative Program
The County's 2004 Federal Legislative Platform included appropriation requests, authorization requests under
TEA 21 andY
olic positions. Contra Costa County did very well with the following allocations in the Omnibus
P
Appropriations Bill:
ARIES - Coun ide Integrated Justice Information — $625,000 to support integration of all disparate
justice information systems in Contra Costa County to support public safety, linking the 19 cities and their police
departments, Superior Court, County Sheriffs Office, District Attorney, Public Defender, County Probation,
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California Highway Patrol and, eventually, other county, state and federal agencies. The appropriation will help
gh Y . . . . .
fund immediate priority needs as well as the infrastructure necessary for critical long-term priorities. Immediate
priorities include: criminal master name index, criminal history index, probation status information,
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: /0 YES SIGNATURE: ----
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF MM11 I E
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON or f APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED O
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
----� I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
UNANIMOUS ABSENT J4 TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVIS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Contact:
ATTESTED
CAO JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY, DEPUTY
BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATION(cont'd):
a countywide certified ID system and Alameda/Contra Costa region proof of concept. The infrastructure
includes creation of the electronic booking system, sex registration information automation, warrant
service enhancement and gang name affiliation database.
➢ Contra Costa Reads! - $72,000 for a library learning program for all 12,000 second graders in Contra
Costa County. All second graders will be introduced to their local library and how it works; receive their
own library card; and start their own personal library with a new book. Second grade is a critical age for
establishing reading habits, the single most significant predictor of academic success.
➢ San Francisco to Stockton (J. E Baldwin) Ship Channel Deepening - $250,000 appropriation to
continue phase two of J. F. Baldwin Deepening Project. The deepening project is a study of the potential
for deepening the channel section from one foot to five feet and the salinity effects of such deepening.
Phase one efforts focused on economic benefit to the nation, to justify the federal expense and performed
salinity modeling on channel sections. This phase will address remaining issues, including detailed
channel design, environmental documentation, cost analysis, additional numeric modeling and dredged
material disposal options. This will ensure that the project is as"environmentally friendly" as possible.
➢ Suisun Bay Channel/New York Slough Maintenance Dredging - $4.559 million appropriation to the
Army Corps of Engineers for maintenance dredging to the authorized depth of minus 35 feet. Continued
maintenance is essential for safe transport of crude oil and other bulk materials through the San Francisco
Bay, along the Carquinez Straits and into the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. Dredging for this channel is
particularly costly, due to requirements on placement of dredged materials in upland environments. An oil
tanker ran aground in early 2001 due to severe shoaling in a section of this channel, exposing the straits
to potential oil spills
➢ Pinole Shoal Dredging - $1.0 million appropriation to the Army Corps of Engineers for maintenance
dredging (includes associated work at Mare Island) to the authorized depth of minus 35 feet. Recent
condition surveys have illustrated that the channel needs to be dredged every year. The Pinole Shoal
channel is a major arterial for vessel transport through the San Francisco Bay region, serving oil refineries
and bulk cargo which is transported as far east as Stockton. With the exception of dredging in 2003 and
some emergency dredging on channel sections, the channel has not been dredged regularly since the Mare
Island Naval Facility closed several years ago
➢ Walnut Creek Flood Control Basin Studies- $250,000 and $2001000 appropriations for the Army Corps
of Engineers to analyze the Lower Walnut Creek Channel and Grayson Creek/Murderer's Creek,
respectively, to provide environmental enhancement and ecosystem restoration and evaluate fish passage
through the system. The projects are designed to help improve flood protection in a densely populated
area, while leaving the creeks in a natural state, thus providing habitat for migratory birds, fish and other
wildlife; increasing neighborhood livability; and allowing for linkages with recreational and park land.
The appropriation for the Lower Walnut Creek Channel was particularly impressive since it was a "new start."
The San Francisco to Stockton Ship Channel Deepening and Pinole Shoal Dredging appropriations were also
significant because neither were funded in the Administration's proposed budget. Also ARIES got substantially
more this year than last, $625,000 vs. $250,000.
The County also made requests for authorizations under the Transportation Authorization (TEA 21) and water
Resources and Development Act A). The House version of TEA 21 currently includes authorizations for
up to $5 million for State Route 239/84 and alternative analysis and preliminary engineering for the Mococo
Line-eBART. Both the House and Senate versions of VVRDA currently includes language for local match credits
for expenditures prior to execution of the Project Cooperative Agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers for
the following flood control projects: Wildcat/San Pablo Creek Phase One, Section 1135 Project; Pinole Creek,
Section 1135 Project; Wildcat/San Pablo Creek Phase Two Project; Walnut Creek Channel Project; and the
Grayson Creek/Murderers Creek Project. Both TEA 21 and WRDA will need to be reintroduced when the 109f
Congress convenes in January 2005.
Contra Costa County's 2004 Legislative Platform included 17 requests for appropriations and 4 requests for
authorizations under TEA 21. Feedback from our delegation indicates that the County should pare down the
number of its requests. Funding is very tight right now and members are being asked to prioritize.
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In addition to advocating for appropriation requests, the County's federal representative, Alcalde and Fay,,
provides strategic advice to the County, monitors issues and bills and alerts the County to areas of possible
interest.
Strategic Advice — With its wide range of in-house expertise and knowledge of federal system, Alcalde and Fay
can provide strategic advice and background on issues of importance. For example, when Indian gaining became
an issue with the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indianspurchase of land, Alcalde and Fay facilitated a briefing for
County staff with a subject matter expert who was knowledgeable about casino development and the casino
financial backers.
Policy Advocacy — On a regular basis, Alcalde and Fay advocates the County's policy positions before our
delegation. For example, this year legislation on CalFed Reauthorization became problematic and, with very
little turnaround time,, Alcalde and Fay communicated our support to our delegation members. Similarly, Alcalde
and Fay expressed the County's concern over S. 1529, which would have disadvantaged states and local
government in development of tribal-state compacts and revenue sharing to mitigate for increased service needs
and costs.
Issue Alerts — Alcalde and Fay is extensively involved in the federal legislative process and so often becomes
aware of new issues that may be of interest to the County. For example, Alcalde and Fay alerted us to HR 3706,
the John Muir National Historic Site Boundary Adjustment Act, which the County subsequently supported.
Tracking Issues— Alcalde and Fay regularly tracks issues of interest for the County, providing updates, analyses
and bills, including rail services/Amtrak, Head Start, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families(TANF), Medi-Cal
DSH payments and others.
Funding Opportunities — Alcalde and Fay regularly alerts the County of potential funding opportunities. For
example, they alerted the County to the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004 (S
1194), signed by the President on October 30, 2004, which creates planning implementation grants for
communities to offer treatment and other services to mentally ill offenders. Also, through informal contacts, we
were alerted of a possible opportunity for funding of the Carquinez Straits Bicycle Trail through the California
Conservancy. Notices of funding opportunities are regularly received and the CAO staff forwards those notices
to departmental representatives as appropriate.
Contra Costa County has a much stronger presence in Washington, D. C. now that it has federal representation.
We have very good relations with our Congressional delegation through Paul Schlesinger. He works closely
with the staff of our Congressional delegates to advocate for our positions. Unlike most of his clients, however,
Contra Costa County does not send representatives annually to Washington, D. C. to advocate for our platform.
Meetings with Congressional delegation members are valuable by giving us the opportunity to impress upon them
the importance of our requests as they prl"onktoze their projects. Federal funding is extremely tight now due to the
need to fund the war on terror and, therefore, it is even more important for Contra Costa County to be a visible
advocate for our constituents. The Board may want to consider the benefits of one or more supervisors taking
the time to go to Washington.., D. C. to meet with our Congressional delegation in early 2005.
2004 State Legislative Proeram
The 2004 State Legislative Platform adopted by the Board of Supervisors called for focusing the County's
legislative advocacy on the State budget. Consistent with that direction, the County's state representative, Cathy
Christian of Nielsen,, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor was highly active in the State budget process,
keeping the County informed of issues and advocating for the County's position, as appropriate.
2004 began with Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to shift $1.3 billion of property tax from local
government, dubbed "ERAF-2." This totally unacceptable proposal triggered an historic campaign to shelter
county finances from further State raids. The campaign was waged on many fronts: negotiations with the
Governor; initiation of Prop 65; development of the Local Government Coalition; agreement on SCA4. later
Proposition IA; the campaign for Proposition IA; and, ultimately, its overwhelming approval by the voters in
November 2004. Throughout this campaign, Cathy Christian was an active player, often directly involved in
negotiations and/or the drafting of materials. This gave Contra Costa County unprecedented access to the latest
information on issues as they evolved and influence on the decision making process.
In addition to its focus on State budget advocacy, the County sponsored two bills in 2004: 1) Redefinition of
Income Ratios and Other Eligibility Criteria for Low Income Home Ownership Programs of the Redevelopment
Agency and 2) School Credits for Jail Inmates. The Redevelopment Agency bill was designed to increase home
ownership among low and moderate income families in Contra Costa County where housing prices are so high.
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We were unable to move forward with the bill due to opposition by the Western Center on Law and Poverty.
We had numerous meetings with the Center and agreed to substantial restrictions in our use of the funds in our
effort to remove their opposition. However, the Western Center, whose primary objective is to promote more
rental housing, demanded that the County agree to restrictions on the use of our housing funds, abrogating the
community decision making process. Senator Torlakson's staff, who helped us facilitate these meetings and tried
to negotiate a reasonable compromise, advised us that we would not be able to get a bill out of committee, so it
was not fruitful to proceed.
The school credits bill (AB 2585) would have established a pilot program for Contra Costa County to provide
reductions in incarceration time for participation in education programs under specific terms and conditions.
This bill was carried by Assemblyman Houston on behalf of the Sheriff and was a Contra Costa County bill only.
It was supported by both the District Attorney and the County Office of Education. However, when it went to
Senator Burton's committee, it was made into a statewide bill, which generated opposition on the part of the
District Attorneys' Association. At that point, the Governor's office indicated that they would not receive the
bill favorably. However, the Governor's office also indicated that they would be amenable to supporting a
Contra Costa County only bill early in the 2005 Legislative Session if Assemblyman Houston reintroduced it.
We are currently discussing that possibility.
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