A Blatant Disregard of the People’s Vote

At a time when California is still in the grips of a recession, it is simply egregious that the State legislature and the Governor have eliminated one of the only tools cities have to create jobs and stimulate our local economies. When one understands what redevelopment agencies have done for the cities in California it makes you wonder what the real reason is behind this outrageous action. This State has problems to solve but we don’t seem to have serious people in office to solve them. What we have in Sacramento are people who want to tell you what to be afraid of and who’s to blame for it.

Last year the people of California passed Proposition 22 which simply said that the State cannot borrow, grab or take funds specifically earmarked for local government agencies. In fact, the official title to Proposition 22, prepared by then Attorney General Jerry Brown read like this: Proposition 22, “Prohibits the State from borrowing or taking funds used for transportation, redevelopment, or local government projects and services.” The California voters twice said enough is enough to this money grabbing habit first with Proposition 1A in 2004 and then with Proposition 22 in 2010. The voters recognized that cities were being made to be enablers to the State legislature’s irresponsible handling of the State’s budget and it had to stop.

Lawmakers in Sacramento have confused the voters by suggesting that they needed money for education and health care. Using that tactic, they didn’t think the voters would then support local government and cut off the State’s habit of raiding local dollars rather than fixing the real problems causing the State’s budget crisis. Now with the help of special interest groups, the Governor and legislators are punishing all of us because they are blatantly ignoring what the voters said and have violated the State Constitution. The League of California Cities and the California Redevelopment Association, the cities of Union City and San Jose along with the full support of all cities in California have filed a lawsuit with the California Supreme Court to stop and overturn two redevelopment elimination bills AB1X 26 and 27. These bills need to be overturned as soon as possible, to protect our communities and our local economy.

I’m concerned that those in control in Sacramento think they can continue to live by their “smoke and mirror” tactics. Recently Assemblymember Jerry Hill gathered together a group of local elected officials from the cities he represents and discussed the redevelopment agency issue. Albeit I appreciated the opportunity to have this open discussion, it was a little late in the game they are all playing to find out the affects of eliminating redevelopment. The cities in San Mateo County are doing great work through their redevelopment agencies.

AB1X 27 is supposed to be an olive branch, or so they would like it to look, so that we can avoid elimination of the agencies if and only if those agencies pay $1.7 billion dollars this year and $400 million next year and every year thereafter. These required payments are nothing more than extortion and are illegal and unconstitutional. Many of these agencies can’t make the payment and would have to borrow from their general funds and/or cease to exist. Foster City would have to pay $6.2 million dollars this year to stay in the game and about $1.5 million every year thereafter. It was very obvious that local officials were not too pleased with what Mr. Hill was telling us not to mention we were all disappointed that he too had voted to eliminate redevelopment agencies. While this lawsuit proceeds, many cities are in the process of trying to figure out if they are going to be forced to shut down, or pay the steep “ransom” payment required by the State. This is unconstitutional, plain and simple. The lawmakers violated numerous provisions of the California Constitution. They violated Proposition 22!

Governor Brown should understand the plight of city officials since he was the Mayor of Oakland. He knows full well what redevelopment can do for cities. There are other issues that need attention in the process of trying to turn things around in California. The push for change should not be on the backs of local government. It can’t be business as usual and both political parties need to get a grip and work together on behalf of the people they serve.

The question among voters today is, who really is running this State’s government, who’s in charge and who will really benefit…it’s clearly not the people of California. The needs of political parties, unions and special interest groups continue to trump the needs of the people. I urge you to check the various bills that are pending in the State legislature and then look at the voting records of our State officials we put there to represent us. The elimination of redevelopment agencies is only the beginning of the elimination of local city controls over local needs.

I appreciate hearing your thoughts about this and other issues. Contact me at lkoelling@fostercity.org.