HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2024 0403 CCSA REG ITEM 10GCITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA
City Council Meeting
of April 3, 2024
ACTION APPROVED STAFF
RECOMMENDATION.
BY A. Hurtado.
G. Consider the City’s 2024 Legislative Platform Update. Staff Recommendation:
Review the draft 2024 Legislative Platform, make amendments as desired, and
approve it to guide the City’s legislative and intergovernmental activities. (Staff:
Brian Chong, Assistant to the City Manager)
Item: 10.G.
MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Brian Chong, Assistant to the City Manager
DATE: 04/03/2024 Regular Meeting
SUBJECT: Consider the City’s 2024 Legislative Platform Update
SUMMARY
The City last updated its Legislative Platform in 2022. The Administration, Finance and
Public Safety Committee considered updates to the Legislative Platform on March 6,
2024, and recommends that the City Council adopt the draft 2024 Legislative Platform
(Attachment 1) to incorporate these updates and guide the City’s legislative and
intergovernmental activities.
BACKGROUND
The City maintains a Legislative Platform to facilitate the City’s quick response to
county, state, and federal legislation and proposals in a proactive manner, since
legislation and proposals can often move quickly through legislative bodies with
insufficient time for the City Council to take a formal action on a particular project or
piece of legislation. In such instances, the Mayor (or Mayor Pro Tem or City Manager,
in the Mayor’s absence) is authorized by the Legislative Platform to sign
correspondence expressing the City’s position on pending legislation or projects without
formal City Council action. If a project or piece of legislation pertains to a topic not
included in the Legislative Platform, then the City Council must authorize such
correspondence. Even in these instances, however, the Legislative Platform can serve
as a guide for the City Council when it considers such matters on an ad hoc basis.
City staff routinely monitors state and county legislation for potential impacts to the City
and, to a lesser extent, monitors federal legislation. In 2023, the City took formal
positions on nine state bills, as authorized under the current Legislative Platform.
Additionally, the City took positions and provided feedback on multiple administrative-
level decisions made by the federal, state, and county governments.
Item: 10.G.
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Honorable City Council
04/03/2024 Regular Meeting
Page 2
The City updated its Legislative Platform in 2015, 2019, and 2022; the current 2022
Legislative Platform is provided as Attachment 2. While the City’s major overarching
legislative goals and concerns have not changed significantly, some issues have either
concluded or arisen. In developing the draft 2024 update to the Legislative Platform,
staff has incorporated City Council votes on legislation on issues not included in the
2022 Legislative Platform. Staff also reviewed the current Legislative Platforms for Cal
Cities, the County of Ventura, and other cities throughout the region.
DISCUSSION
All proposed changes for the 2024 Legislative Platform update are shown in
Attachment 3 as follows:
• Deletions are shown in strikethrough
• Additions are shown in bold
Attachment 1 is a clean copy of the draft 2024 Legislative Platform.
While there are also minor clarifications and minor language changes, the most
significant proposed changes are summarized below:
• Ventura County Animal Shelter Expansion Project [Section 1.12]: Ventura
County Animal Services is seeking financial assistance toward expansion of its
Ventura County Animal Shelter facility. Although the City operates its own Vector
and Animal Control Division and maintains a temporary holding facility at the
Moorpark Public Services Facility, City staff utilizes Ventura County Animal
Services shelters when longer-term sheltering is necessitated.
• Exit Fees for Newly Formed Municipal Facilities [Section 1.13]: Clean Power
Alliance (CPA), a municipally-owned community choice aggregator of which the
City is a member, had been lobbying to decrease or eliminate exit fees paid to
investor-owned utilities who previously operated within CPA’s service area.
However, CPA is now fully established, and any additional legislative efforts will
still be covered under Section 1.14.
• Food and Nutrition Program Funding [Section 1.18]: The City operates food
and nutrition programs through the Active Adult Center, and additional funding
would better safeguard and improve service levels.
• Mental Health [Section 1.19]: In 2022, the City Council voted to support
numerous state bills that modernized and reformed California’s mental health
systems. Addition of this section will incorporate that decision into the City’s
Legislative Platform.
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Honorable City Council
04/03/2024 Regular Meeting
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• Food Waste Recovery [Section 2.2]: As all local jurisdictions implement state-
mandated food waste collection service for both residential and non-residential
trash customers, the City is seeking funding to help provide education, outreach,
infrastructure, and reporting activities.
• Arroyo Simi Trail [Sections 2.3 and 8.4]: As the City completes its Arroyo Simi
Trail Master Plan, the City will need to seek funding to construct the trail and
related improvements.
• Homelessness [Section 5.19]: Although the City does not directly provide
homelessness services, additional funding and resources will aide government
and non-profit organizations address the homelessness crisis locally.
• Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis [Section 6.15]: The Ventura County District
Attorney’s Office and various social service providers seek resources and
changes to sentencing guidelines to help officials reduce the usage of fentanyl
and other opioids.
• Broadband Subsidies [Section 8.9]: Federal funds that began subsidizing
broadband service for low-income households during pandemic-related school
closures (the federal Affordable Connectivity Program) are set to expire in
February 2024, and efforts to lobby Congress to continue the program remain
ongoing.
Review by the Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee
The Administration, Finance and Public Safety Committee reviewed the draft 2024
Legislative Platform at its March 6, 2024, meeting and voted unanimously to
recommend its approval to the City Council.
Review by the City Council
The City Council may make additions, deletions, or amendments to any portion of the
draft 2024 Legislative Platform during its review. However, the following issues are
generally not included in the Platform:
• Matters outside of the City’s jurisdiction, such as international relations,
immigration, reproductive rights, etc.
• Overly specific matters that may be written too strictly to have the desired effect;
matters should be just specific enough so that staff will understand the intent.
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An issue’s exclusion from the Legislative Platform does not construe that the City will
not have a position on a particular issue. In recent years, the City Council has
considered matters not addressed in the Legislative Platform, such as statewide mental
health reform.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as it does
not constitute a project, as defined by Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
Therefore, no environmental review is required.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE
This action does not support a current strategic directive.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Review the draft 2024 Legislative Platform, make amendments as desired, and approve
it to guide the City’s legislative and intergovernmental activities.
Attachment 1: Draft 2024 Legislative Platform
Attachment 2: 2022 Legislative Platform
Attachment 3: Draft 2024 Legislative Platform (Showing Edits)
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City of Moorpark
Legislative Platform
DRAFT: April 3, 2024
ATTACHMENT 1
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City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
Page 2 of 13
Table of Contents
Introduction and Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 3
Section 1. Community Services ..................................................................................................................... 4
Section 2. Environmental Quality ................................................................................................................. 5
Section 3. Water ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Section 4. Governance, Transparency, and Labor Relations ........................................................................ 6
Section 5. Housing, Community, and Economic Development .................................................................... 8
Section 6. Public Safety ................................................................................................................................. 9
Section 7. Revenue and Taxation ................................................................................................................ 10
Section 8. Transportation, Communication, and Public Works .................................................................. 12
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Page 3 of 13
i. Introduction and Purpose
The City of Moorpark developed and maintains a Legislative Platform to facilitate the City’s quick
response to county, state, and federal legislation in a proactive manner, since legislation can often move
quickly through legislative bodies, with insufficient time for the City Council to take a formal action on a
particular piece of legislation. The Legislative Platform further serves as a guide for the City Council to
consider legislative affairs on an ad hoc basis.
Whenever possible, the Mayor (or Mayor Pro Tem or City Manager, in the Mayor’s absence) is
authorized to sign correspondence expressing the City’s position on pending legislation, consistent with
the City’s Legislative Platform and/or other positions on pending legislation consistent with the
Legislative Program or prior City Council actions. The Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS)
Committee may also periodically review legislation for recommendation to the City Council.
City staff monitors state and county legislation for potential impacts to the City. State or federal
legislation may also be brought to staff’s attention by the League of California Cities, Ventura Council of
Governments, or other professional organizations for engineering, legislative, finance, community
development, public safety, and other professions.
City positions on pending legislation on topics not included in the Legislative Program shall require a
vote of the City Council. If warranted due to complexity, the City Manager may also present pending
legislation to the Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS) Committee, or other standing
committee as appropriate for the topic, for a recommendation prior to City Council consideration.
Nothing in the Legislative Platform is intended to preclude consideration of any legislation by the City
Council, regardless of whether it is included in the Legislative Platform.
City positions in support of legislation on a specified topic shall be construed as opposition to something
that shall do the opposite, and the reverse is also true. For example, if the Legislative Platform supports
increased funding for libraries, it also inherently opposes decreased funding for libraries.
ii. Participation in League of California Cities City Leaders Summit
The City will participate in the City
Leaders Summit event, hosted by the
League of California Cities in Sacramento
annually in the spring.
The event includes in-person updates from the League of California Cities and its lobbyists representing
cities’ interests, panel discussions of critical contemporaneous issues, meetings with the City’s
representatives in the State Assembly and State Senate, and other networking opportunities.
Participation will further bolster the City’s abilities to successfully lobby state officials in the City’s
interest.
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City of Moorpark • 2024 Legislative Platform
Page 4 of 13
Solid Waste Services
1.1 Oppose legislation that would restrict or limit local government’s ability to franchise refuse and
recycling collection services, to direct municipal solid waste flow (flow control), or to
contractually require haulers to guarantee achievement of AB 939/AB 341/SB 1383 goals.
1.2 Support legislation that shifts AB 939 metrics from mathematical accounting toward program
implementation.
1.3 Support legislation that provides cities with financial assistance for programs designed to
provide for the safe disposal of solid, hazardous, and special wastes.
1.4 Support legislation that promotes source reduction measures without creating an unfunded
mandate.
1.5 Support legislation and efforts to expand the market for recycled materials, including advance
disposal fees, minimum content laws, manufacturer responsibility programs, and recycling
market development zones.
1.6 Support new resource recovery and conversion technologies, such as bio-diesel from organic
waste.
Library Services
1.7 Oppose legislation that reduces funds for libraries, including Public Library Funds, and support
legislation that provides financial assistance for local public libraries without the imposition of
new taxes.
1.8 Support legislation that ensures cities receive a proportionate share of property taxes upon
withdrawal from a county library services district, or any other county service or district for
which property taxes are received.
1.9 Support legislation with the intent to allow City operated Libraries (as opposed to districts) to
have an “Advisory” commission, not a Board, as per current law.
Animal Services
1.10 Support legislation that promotes low-cost or no-cost spay and neuter programs.
1.11 Support legislation that holds animal owners accountable for injuries or property damage
caused by animals under their care or control.
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1.12 Support legislation providing resources toward the Ventura County Animal Shelter expansion
project.
Other Services
1.13 Support funding for local arts activities.
1.14 Support Community Choice Aggregation and measures that further the goals of choice, clean
energy, and affordable rates.
1.15 Support a statewide, dedicated funding source for 211 dispatch services, designed to provide
24/7 support to meet public health and human services needs.
1.16 Support legislation limiting a city’s liability associated with hazardous recreational activities,
such as skateboarding and in-line skating.
1.17 Support legislation that preserves existing resources, and that provides additional resources, for
child care and early childhood education programs such as First 5 and the City’s programs
operated at the Arroyo Vista Recreation Center.
1.18 Support legislation that provides funding for food and nutrition programs for low-income
households.
1.19 Support legislation that provides support, funding, improved access, and/or improved outcomes
for mental health and substance use disorder service providers.
2.1 Support legislation that streamlines the state’s environmental review process and maintains
public participation without compromising environmental quality standards.
2.2 Support legislation and/or programs that provide money and resources to local governments for
energy efficiency programs, energy conservation programs, and food waste recovery programs.
2.3 Support legislation that makes funds available to refurbish and improve parks and trails, and to
acquire and maintain open space.
2.4 Support funding and legislation for the designation and preservation of open space and
preservation, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources.
2.5 Support legislation that exempts from property taxes any City-owned property outside city
limits (but within the same County) that is used for open space preservation purposes.
2.6 Support legislation that reimburses cities for revenue losses stemming from environmental
decisions made without city participation.
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2.7 Support funding and other incentives for local government and private industry projects and
planning strategies to promote sustainability in infrastructure and operations, greater energy
efficiency, lower energy usage, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
2.8 Support legislation to ban all anticoagulant rodenticides statewide, with exceptions for
emergencies.
2.9 Support legislation that reduces or eliminates local government’s owner/operator Superfund
liability.
2.10 Support legislation to either consolidate or streamline the federal and state Clean Air Acts
without reducing air quality standards.
2.11 Support air quality efforts that emphasize use of advanced technologies and market incentives,
including use of alternative fuels and development of an infrastructure for alternative fuel
vehicles.
2.12 Support legislation and science-based regulation of herbicides, rodenticides, and similarly used
chemically-based compounds.
3.1 Support development of reasonably achievable, environmentally sound, and cost-effective Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) based on monitoring and sound science.
3.2 Support legislation and programs to promote water recycling to better safeguard water
supplies.
3.3 Support legislation that protects ground water quality.
3.4 Support legislation that provides incentives for water conservation and drought reduction, such
as education, marketing, and rebate programs.
4.1 Oppose any measure that makes local agencies more dependent on the state for financial
stability and policy direction.
4.2 Support legislation that provides maximum local flexibility in contracting for services, and
oppose legislation that requires the use of city employees rather than contractors.
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4.3 Oppose legislation that limits and/or decreases the existing amount of retention proceeds
withheld from any payment by a public entity to the contractor on a public project.
4.4 Oppose legislation that would restrict a city’s ability to use its own employees on public works
projects when such projects have been previously advertised for bid.
4.5 Oppose legislation that increases local government’s exposure to litigation.
4.6 Oppose legislation that expands or extends any presumptions of occupational injury or illness.
4.7 Oppose legislation that would grant employee benefits that should be decided at the local
bargaining table.
4.8 Oppose legislation that removes or reduces management rights, such as deciding staffing or
service levels, either by direct action or increased liability.
4.9 Oppose efforts that reduce local control over public employee disputes or impose regulation of
an outside agency on such disputes.
4.10 Support legislation that provides reasonable reform of local government pension systems and
that preserves local control.
4.11 Oppose a mandatory Social Security tax for public employers and public employees.
4.12 Support legislation that would reform the Workers’ Compensation system to reduce employer
cost through the reduction of system abuse.
4.13 Support legislation that limits the ability of employees to receive Workers’ Compensation
benefits for occupational injuries/illnesses that result from stress, disciplinary action, or
performance evaluation consultations.
4.14 Support alternative methods of meeting public notice requirements and enhancing them
through the use of cost effective, innovative, and technology friendly methods of
communication.
4.15 Support modifying the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) to provide cities more flexibility to
remedy a potential CVRA lawsuit by converting to a rank-choice voting (RCV) method.
4.16 Support U.S. Congressional, California State Senate, California State Assembly, Ventura County
Supervisorial, and other regional governmental districting/redistricting maps that keep
Moorpark within one district and keep Moorpark in districts with neighboring communities in
southeastern Ventura County.
4.17 Support legislation facilitating remote attendance and participation at public meetings subject
to the Brown Act, if there is a declared emergency.
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Land Use/Planning
5.1 Support efforts that are consistent with the doctrine of “local control” and the local exercise of
police powers, through planning and zoning processes, over local land use.
5.2 Support legislation that strengthens local control to prepare, adopt, and implement fiscal plans
for orderly growth, development, beautification, and conservation of local planning areas,
including, but not limited to, regulatory authority over zoning, subdivisions, and annexations.
5.3 Support local discretion in the assessment, collection, and usage of development fees.
5.4 Oppose legislation that restricts or weakens a City’s ability to regulate smoking areas, sale of
tobacco products and electronic smoking devices and products, alcoholic beverage licenses,
marijuana dispensaries, or adult-oriented business establishments.
5.5 Oppose legislation that limits cities’ use of eminent domain as a resource for extraordinary
circumstances.
5.6 Support legislation that reforms annexation law by strengthening cities’ authority over spheres
of influence and ensures that fair property tax agreements can be obtained.
5.7 Oppose county development projects for undeveloped areas in the City’s area of interest that
do not conform to City standards.
5.8 Support legislation that provides for shared land use determinations between counties and
cities when the General Plan of the city establishes a planning area consistent with Government
Code provisions.
Housing
5.9 Oppose legislation that expands the state Department of Housing and Community
Development’s review role for local Housing Elements.
5.10 Support legislation that addresses occupancy levels and strengthens cities’ ability to reduce
overcrowding in residential housing.
5.11 Support efforts to develop federal, state, and county participation, financial support, and
incentives for programs that provide adequate, affordable housing for the elderly, handicapped,
and low-income persons throughout the community.
5.12 Support Housing Element reform legislation that provides greater local control and flexibility,
simplifies the process, and improves its effectiveness.
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5.13 Support legislation that fairly implements the Regional Housing Need Allocation process and
defines an equitable process to determine a “fair share” of new housing need to respond to
growth trends in the region.
5.14 Support legislation to ensure that property tax valuations for deed restricted dwelling units with
reinforcing Deeds of Trust are based on the Affordable Sales Price, actually paid by the buyers,
rather than based on market value.
5.15 Support legislation to protect homebuyers from predatory lending by ensuring that mortgage
brokers are effectively regulated and that mortgage loans are suited to the financial means of
the homebuyer.
Economic Development/Redevelopment
5.16 Support legislation that gives cities resources to finance economic development efforts, such as
business attraction, retention, and growth, as well as marketing and tourism.
5.17 Support the enactment and expansion of tax increment financing authority for economic
development, infrastructure, and community revitalization.
5.18 Support efforts to protect local military bases from closure and the work of the Regional
Defense Partnership 21st Century (RDP-21).
Homelessness
5.19 Support legislation that provides financial support and assistance to local governments, non-
profit organizations, and other groups that provide services to unsheltered people, including for
related social services, temporary housing, transitional housing, permanent housing, and mental
health services, particularly those initiatives that lead to self-sufficiency.
6.1 Oppose legislation that weakens enforcement of, and penalties for, commercial truck violations.
6.2 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for commercial truck safety
inspections and the enforcement of commercial truck vehicle codes.
6.3 Support legislation that promotes the efforts of the Moorpark Police Department and the
Ventura County Fire Department to maintain the level of services consistent in sustaining the
City’s rank as one of the nation’s “Safest Cities.”
6.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for emergency preparedness
(including planning, mitigation, and education) and disaster recovery efforts.
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6.5 Support legislation and additional state and federal legislation crafted to ensure that first
responders can perform their duties during emergency response operations without
interference from unmanned aerial systems/drones.
6.6 Support efforts to construct an additional fire station serving the northeastern portion of
Moorpark.
6.7 Support development of wildland fuel management programs to mitigate or decrease impacts
to public health and safety resulting from wildland-urban interface fires and the presence of
Very High Wildfire Severity Zones in the community.
6.8 Oppose legislation that would shift the costs or liability of wildfire emergency response to local
governments.
6.9 Support legislation that increases local law enforcement resources without increasing taxes.
6.10 Protect funding for state Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) and federal Community
Oriented Police Services (COPS) funding.
6.11 Support legislation that allows use of state and federal public safety grants for maintenance
efforts in addition to service increases.
6.12 Support legislation that would provide cities with contract law enforcement a proportionate
share of Proposition 172 sales tax revenues for public safety.
6.13 Support legislation that would provide cities with a greater share of fines and forfeitures.
6.14 Support legislation that would provide a greater share of seized assets to cities.
6.15 Support legislation that provides resources for education, intervention, treatment, and criminal
justice programs related to the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.
7.1 Support measures that provide greater fiscal independence to cities and result in greater
stability and predictability in local government budgeting.
7.2 Oppose any change in revenue allocations that would negatively affect the City of Moorpark,
including but not limited to the redistribution of sales tax, property tax, transient occupancy tax,
and vehicle in-lieu fees.
7.3 Oppose legislation that: (A) Eliminates or restricts the taxing authority of cities over
development; (B) Weakens existing Government Code Section 66000 fee authority; or
(C) Redefines any development tax, condition, or other monetary charge as development fees.
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7.4 Support legislation requiring the state and federal governments to provide full cost
reimbursement to cities for all mandated programs and for all programs resulting in revenue
losses.
7.5 Support legislation that protects the ability of local government to recover the costs of
mandated programs through fees that are not subject to Proposition 218.
7.6 Support legislation that safeguards existing City revenue sources from preemption or seizure by
the state or county.
7.7 Oppose legislation that restricts or limits a city’s ability to use tax-exempt debt for the purchase
or construction of public purpose improvements.
7.8 Support legislation that eliminates cities’ contributions to the Educational Revenue
Augmentation Fund (ERAF) and directs the repayment of past contributions.
7.9 Support the establishment of a constitutionally-protected funding structure for local
government.
7.10 Support efforts that provide greater accountability on the part of counties for the distribution of
funds back to municipalities, including, but not limited to, fines and forfeitures.
7.11 Advocate and join with other Ventura County cities to encourage the Ventura County Treasurer-
Tax Collector to shorten the time to collect property tax readjustments.
7.12 Support efforts by state government to distribute revenue to local government in a manner that
does not create incentives for commercial “sprawl” retail development and/or disincentives for
residential, industrial, open space, or agricultural land uses.
7.13 Support legislation to authorize a simple majority of the voters in a city or county to establish
local priorities, including the right to increase taxes or issue general obligation bonds.
7.14 Support legislation to ensure sales and use tax proceeds collected from Internet sales be
allocated to the local jurisdiction where the product is received by the purchaser.
7.15 Oppose efforts to cut funding for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs and
other community services and workforce assistance programs to serve low-income and/or other
disadvantaged residents.
7.16 Support legislation to give non-entitlement cities the same rights as entitlement cities in CDBG
program administration.
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Transportation
8.1 Support legislation that will help reduce non-local commercial vehicle traffic on SR-118 through
the City.
8.2 Oppose efforts to increase truck size or weight.
8.3 Support enhanced autonomy for local transportation decision-making, and pursue
transportation policy changes that move more dollars and decisions to local policy leaders.
8.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources to cities to finance local
transportation systems, facilities, and improvements, including funding for the Safe Routes to
Schools programs, ADA-related improvements, and the City’s Arroyo Simi Trail project.
8.5 Encourage the timely appropriations for the safety and enhancement of surface transportation
in the region, including local transit, commuter rail, highway projects such as the widening of
the SR 118 Freeway, local road improvements, and intermodal transportation center
development, and to encourage transit-oriented projects in the downtown area.
8.6 Support efforts to construct and operate a full-service Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility
(a.k.a. weigh station) along SR 118.
8.7 Support legislation that provides funding, incentives, and rebates for the installation of electric
vehicle charging stations.
Telecommunications
8.8 Support efforts to provide for the improvement of broadband availability, accessibility,
competition, and performance in the city and in Ventura County.
8.9 Support efforts to provide financial support for broadband access, especially for seniors,
students, and low-income residents.
8.10 Oppose any legislation that reduces or restricts local authority to regulate public right-of-way
and receive compensation for its use, including use by electric bicycle and scooter vehicle
sharing companies.
8.11 Oppose regulations and legislation that erodes or eliminates local government authority
regarding siting of cellular communications towers or transmission sites.
8.12 Support legislation that reinstates effective local regulation of the cable television industry and
other deregulated utilities, including financial reimbursement for use of public right-of-way.
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8.13 Support preserving public, education, and government (PEG) television channels, funding, and
programming support by video service providers, such as payments to local government of
franchise fees, PEG fees, and facility/equipment grants, and furnishing public access production
facilities.
8.14 Oppose efforts to make PEG channels hard to find or navigate to, such as on an obscure channel
or accessible only via several Internet web page menus, of any lesser signal quality than basic
channels, or requiring an additional fee or device for viewers to access.
Public Works
8.15 Support efforts to develop funding policies and incentives at the state and federal level to
ensure funding for the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of public infrastructure.
8.16 Oppose efforts to shift legal costs and liability away from design professionals and contractors to
local governments.
8.17 Support legislation that gives cities the authority to meet their National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) requirements on a more collective and regional basis.
8.18 Support legislation that holds electric utilities accountable for the prevention of Public Safety
Power Shutoff (PSPS) events and mitigation of their impacts.
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Legislative Platform
February 16, 2022
ATTACHMENT 2
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Table of Contents
Introduction and Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 3
Section 1. Community Services ..................................................................................................................... 4
Section 2. Environmental Quality ................................................................................................................. 5
Section 3. Water ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Section 4. Governance, Transparency, and Labor Relations ........................................................................ 6
Section 5. Housing, Community, and Economic Development .................................................................... 8
Section 6. Public Safety ................................................................................................................................. 9
Section 7. Revenue and Taxation ................................................................................................................ 10
Section 8. Transportation, Communication, and Public Works .................................................................. 11
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i. Introduction and Purpose
The City of Moorpark developed and maintains a Legislative Platform to facilitate the City’s quick
response to county, state, and federal legislation in a proactive manner, since legislation can often move
quickly through legislative bodies, with insufficient time for the City Council to take a formal action on a
particular piece of legislation. The Legislative Platform further serves as a guide for the City Council to
consider legislative affairs on an ad hoc basis.
Whenever possible, the Mayor (or Mayor Pro Tem or City Manager, in the Mayor’s absence) is
authorized to sign correspondence expressing the City’s position on pending legislation, consistent with
the City’s Legislative Platform and/or other positions on pending legislation consistent with the
Legislative Program or prior City Council actions. The Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS)
Committee may also periodically review legislation for recommendation to the City Council.
City staff monitors state and county legislation for potential impacts to the City. State or federal
legislation may also be brought to staff’s attention by the League of California Cities, Ventura Council of
Governments, or other professional organizations for engineering, legislative, finance, community
development, public safety, and other professions.
City positions on pending legislation on topics not included in the Legislative Program shall require a
vote of the City Council. If warranted due to complexity, the City Manager may also present pending
legislation to the Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS) Committee, or other standing
committee as appropriate for the topic, for a recommendation prior to City Council consideration.
Nothing in the Legislative Platform is intended to preclude consideration of any legislation by the City
Council, regardless of whether it is included in the Legislative Platform.
City positions in support of legislation on a specified topic shall be construed as opposition to something
that shall do the opposite, and the reverse is also true. For example, if the Legislative Platform supports
increased funding for libraries, it also inherently opposes decreased funding for libraries.
ii. Participation in League of California Cities City Leaders Summit
The City will participate in the City
Leaders Summit event, hosted by the
League of California Cities in Sacramento
annually in the spring.
The event includes in‐person updates from the League of California Cities and its lobbyists representing
cities’ interests, panel discussions of critical contemporaneous issues, meetings with the City’s
representatives in the State Assembly and State Senate, and other networking opportunities.
Participation will further bolster the City’s abilities to successfully lobby state officials in the City’s
interest.
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Solid Waste Services
1.1 Oppose legislation that would restrict or limit local government’s ability to franchise refuse and
recycling collection services, to direct municipal solid waste flow (flow control), or to
contractually require haulers to guarantee achievement of AB 939/AB 341/SB 1383 goals.
1.2 Support legislation that shifts AB 939 metrics from mathematical accounting toward program
implementation.
1.3 Support legislation that provides cities with financial assistance for programs designed to
provide for the safe disposal of solid, hazardous, and special wastes.
1.4 Support legislation that promotes source reduction measures without creating an unfunded
mandate.
1.5 Support legislation and efforts to expand the market for recycled materials, including advance
disposal fees, minimum content laws, manufacturer responsibility programs, and recycling
market development zones.
1.6 Support new resource recovery and conversion technologies, such as bio‐diesel from organic
waste.
Library Services
1.7 Oppose legislation that reduces funds for libraries, including Public Library Funds, and support
legislation that provides financial assistance for local public libraries without the imposition of
new taxes.
1.8 Support legislation that ensures cities receive a proportionate share of property taxes upon
withdrawal from a county library services district, or any other county service or district for
which property taxes are received.
1.9 Support legislation with the intent to allow City operated Libraries (as opposed to districts) to
have an “Advisory” commission, not a Board, as per current law.
Animal Services
1.10 Support legislation that promotes low‐cost or no‐cost spay and neuter programs.
1.11 Support legislation that holds animal owners accountable for injuries or property damage
caused by animals under their care or control.
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Other Services
1.12 Support funding for local arts activities.
1.13 Support legislation promoting fair exit fees for newly formed municipal utilities receiving
customers that were previously served by investor‐owned utilities, and no exit fees for newly
annexed municipal utilities that were never previously served by an investor‐owned utility.
1.14 Support Community Choice Aggregation and measures that further the goals of choice, clean
energy, and affordable rates.
1.15 Support a statewide, dedicated funding source for 211 dispatch services, designed to provide
24/7 support to meet public health and human services needs.
1.16 Support legislation limiting a city’s liability associated with hazardous recreational activities,
such as skateboarding and in‐line skating.
1.17 Support legislation that preserves existing resources, and that provides additional resources, for
child care and early childhood education programs such as First 5 and the City’s programs
operated at the Arroyo Vista Recreation Center.
2.1 Support legislation that streamlines the state’s environmental review process and maintains
public participation without compromising environmental quality standards.
2.2 Support legislation and/or programs that provide money and resources to local governments for
energy efficiency and conservation programs.
2.3 Support legislation that makes funds available to refurbish and improve parks, and to acquire
and maintain open space.
2.4 Support funding and legislation for the designation and preservation of open space and
preservation, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources.
2.5 Support legislation that exempts from property taxes any City‐owned property outside city
limits (but within the same County) that is used for open space preservation purposes.
2.6 Support legislation that reimburses cities for revenue losses stemming from environmental
decisions made without city participation.
2.7 Support funding and other incentives for local government and private industry projects and
planning strategies to promote sustainability in infrastructure and operations, greater energy
efficiency, lower energy usage, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
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2.8 Support legislation to ban all anticoagulant rodenticides statewide, with exceptions for
emergencies.
2.9 Support legislation that reduces or eliminates local government’s owner/operator Superfund
liability.
2.10 Support legislation to either consolidate or streamline the federal and state Clean Air Acts
without reducing air quality standards.
2.11 Support air quality efforts that emphasize use of advanced technologies and market incentives,
including use of alternative fuels and development of an infrastructure for alternative fuel
vehicles.
2.12 Support legislation and science‐based regulation of herbicides, rodenticides, and similarly used
chemically‐based compounds.
3.1 Support development of reasonably achievable, environmentally sound, and cost‐effective Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) based on monitoring and sound science.
3.2 Support legislation and programs to promote water recycling to better safeguard water
supplies.
3.3 Support legislation that protects ground water quality.
3.4 Support legislation that provides incentives for water conservation and drought reduction, such
as education, marketing, and rebate programs.
4.1 Oppose any measure that makes local agencies more dependent on the state for financial
stability and policy direction.
4.2 Support legislation that provides maximum local flexibility in contracting for services, and
oppose legislation that requires the use of city employees rather than contractors.
4.3 Oppose legislation that limits and/or decreases the existing amount of retention proceeds
withheld from any payment by a public entity to the contractor on a public project.
4.4 Oppose legislation that would restrict a city’s ability to use its own employees on public works
projects when such projects have been previously advertised for bid.
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4.5 Oppose legislation that increases local government’s exposure to litigation.
4.6 Oppose legislation that expands or extends any presumptions of occupational injury or illness.
4.7 Oppose legislation that would grant employee benefits that should be decided at the local
bargaining table.
4.8 Oppose legislation that removes or reduces management rights, such as deciding staffing or
service levels, either by direct action or increased liability.
4.9 Oppose efforts that reduce local control over public employee disputes or impose regulation of
an outside agency on such disputes.
4.10 Support legislation that provides reasonable reform of local government pension systems and
that preserves local control.
4.11 Oppose a mandatory Social Security tax for public employers and public employees.
4.12 Support legislation that would reform the Workers’ Compensation system to reduce employer
cost through the reduction of system abuse.
4.13 Support legislation that limits the ability of employees to receive Workers’ Compensation
benefits for occupational injuries/illnesses that result from stress, disciplinary action, or
performance evaluation consultations.
4.14 Support alternative methods of meeting public notice requirements and enhancing them
through the use of cost effective and innovative, technology friendly methods of
communication.
4.15 Support modifying the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) to provide cities more flexibility to
remedy a potential CVRA lawsuit by converting to a rank‐choice voting (RCV) method.
4.16 Support U.S. Congressional, California State Senate, California State Assembly, Ventura County
Supervisorial, and other regional governmental districting/redistricting maps that keep
Moorpark within one district and keep Moorpark in districts with neighboring communities in
southeastern Ventura County.
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Land Use/Planning
5.1 Support efforts that are consistent with the doctrine of “local control” and the local exercise of
police powers, through planning and zoning processes, over local land use.
5.2 Support legislation that strengthens local control to prepare, adopt, and implement fiscal plans
for orderly growth, development, beautification, and conservation of local planning areas,
including, but not limited to, regulatory authority over zoning, subdivisions, and annexations.
5.3 Support local discretion in the assessment, collection, and usage of development fees.
5.4 Oppose legislation that restricts or weakens a City’s ability to regulate smoking areas, sale of
tobacco products and electronic smoking devices and products, alcoholic beverage licenses,
marijuana dispensaries, or adult‐oriented business establishments.
5.5 Oppose legislation that limits cities’ use of eminent domain as a resource for extraordinary
circumstances.
5.6 Support legislation that reforms annexation law by strengthening cities’ authority over spheres
of influence and ensures that fair property tax agreements can be obtained.
5.7 Oppose county development projects for undeveloped areas in the City’s area of interest that
do not conform to City standards.
5.8 Support legislation that provides for shared land use determinations between counties and
cities when the General Plan of the city establishes a planning area consistent with Government
Code provisions.
Housing
5.9 Oppose legislation that expands the state Department of Housing and Community
Development’s review role for local Housing Elements.
5.10 Support legislation that addresses occupancy levels and strengthens cities’ ability to reduce
overcrowding in residential housing.
5.11 Support efforts to develop federal, state, and county participation, financial support, and
incentives for programs that provide adequate, affordable housing for the elderly, handicapped,
and low‐income persons throughout the community.
5.12 Support Housing Element reform legislation that provides greater local control and flexibility,
simplifies the process, and improves its effectiveness.
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5.13 Support legislation that fairly implements the Regional Housing Need Allocation process and
defines an equitable process to determine a “fair share” of new housing need to respond to
growth trends in the region.
5.14 Support legislation to ensure that property tax valuations for deed restricted dwelling units with
reinforcing Deeds of Trust are based on the Affordable Sales Price, actually paid by the buyers,
rather than based on market value.
5.15 Support legislation to protect homebuyers from predatory lending by ensuring that mortgage
brokers are effectively regulated and that mortgage loans are suited to the financial means of
the homebuyer.
Economic Development/Redevelopment
5.16 Support legislation that gives cities resources to finance economic development efforts, such as
business attraction, retention, and growth, as well as marketing and tourism.
5.17 Support the enactment and expansion of tax increment financing authority for economic
development, infrastructure, and community revitalization.
5.18 Support efforts to protect local military bases from closure and the work of the Regional
Defense Partnership 21st Century (RDP‐21).
6.1 Oppose legislation that weakens enforcement of, and penalties for, commercial truck violations.
6.2 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for commercial truck safety
inspections and the enforcement of commercial truck vehicle codes.
6.3 Support legislation that promotes the efforts of the Moorpark Police Department and the
Ventura County Fire District to maintain the level of services consistent in sustaining the City’s
rank as one of the nation’s “Safest Cities.”
6.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for emergency preparedness
(including planning, mitigation, and education) and disaster recovery efforts.
6.5 Support legislation and additional state and federal legislation crafted to ensure that first
responders can perform their duties during emergency response operations without
interference from unmanned aerial systems/drones.
6.6 Support efforts to construct an additional fire station serving the northeastern portion of
Moorpark.
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6.7 Support development of wildland fuel management programs to decrease impacts to public
health and safety resulting from wildland‐urban interface fires.
6.8 Oppose legislation that would shift the costs or liability of wildfire emergency response to local
governments.
6.9 Support legislation that increases local law enforcement resources without increasing taxes.
6.10 Protect funding for state Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) and federal Community
Oriented Police Services (COPS) funding.
6.11 Support legislation that allows use of state and federal public safety grants for maintenance
efforts in addition to service increases.
6.12 Support legislation that would provide cities with contract law enforcement a proportionate
share of Proposition 172 sales tax revenues for public safety.
6.13 Support legislation that would provide cities with a greater share of fines and forfeitures.
6.14 Support legislation that would provide a greater share of seized assets to cities.
7.1 Support measures that provide greater fiscal independence to cities and result in greater
stability and predictability in local government budgeting.
7.2 Oppose any change in revenue allocations that would negatively affect the City of Moorpark,
including but not limited to the redistribution of sales tax, property tax, transient occupancy tax,
and vehicle in‐lieu fees.
7.3 Oppose legislation that: (A) Eliminates or restricts the taxing authority of cities over
development; (B) Weakens existing Government Code Section 66000 fee authority; or
(C) Redefines any development tax, condition, or other monetary charge as development fees.
7.4 Support legislation requiring the state and federal governments to provide full cost
reimbursement to cities for all mandated programs and for all programs resulting in revenue
losses.
7.5 Support legislation that protects the ability of local government to recover the costs of
mandated programs through fees that are not subject to Proposition 218.
7.6 Support legislation that safeguards existing City revenue sources from preemption or seizure by
the state or county.
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7.7 Oppose legislation that restricts or limits a city’s ability to use tax‐exempt debt for the purchase
or construction of public purpose improvements.
7.8 Support legislation that eliminates cities’ contributions to the Educational Revenue
Augmentation Fund (ERAF) and directs the repayment of past contributions.
7.9 Support the establishment of a constitutionally‐protected funding structure for local
government.
7.10 Support efforts that provide greater accountability on the part of counties for the distribution of
funds back to municipalities, including, but not limited to, fines and forfeitures.
7.11 Advocate and join with other Ventura County cities to encourage the Ventura County Treasurer‐
Tax Collector to shorten the time to collect property tax readjustments.
7.12 Support efforts by state government to distribute revenue to local government in a manner that
does not create incentives for commercial “sprawl” retail development and/or disincentives for
residential, industrial, open space, or agricultural land uses.
7.13 Support legislation to authorize a simple majority of the voters in a city or county to establish
local priorities, including the right to increase taxes or issue general obligation bonds.
7.14 Support legislation to ensure tax proceeds collected from Internet sales be allocated to the
location where the product is received by the purchaser.
7.15 Oppose efforts to cut funding for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs and
other community services and workforce assistance programs to serve low‐income and/or other
disadvantaged residents.
7.16 Support legislation to give non‐entitlement cities the same rights as entitlement cities in CDBG
program administration.
Transportation
8.1 Support legislation that will help reduce non‐local commercial vehicle traffic on SR‐118 through
the City.
8.2 Oppose efforts to increase truck size or weight.
8.3 Support enhanced autonomy for local transportation decision‐making, and pursue
transportation policy changes that move more dollars and decisions to local policy leaders.
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8.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources to cities to finance local
transportation systems, facilities, and improvements, including the Safe Routes to Schools
programs.
8.5 Encourage the timely appropriations for the safety and enhancement of surface transportation
in the region, including local transit, commuter rail, highway projects such as the widening of
the SR 118 Freeway, and local road improvements such as the proposed North Hills Parkway,
and intermodal transportation center development, and to encourage transit‐oriented projects
in the downtown area.
8.6 Support efforts to construct and operate a full‐service Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility
(a.k.a. weigh station) along SR 118.
8.7 Support legislation that provides funding, incentives, and rebates for the installation of electric
vehicle charging stations.
Telecommunications
8.8 Support efforts to provide for the improvement of broadband availability, accessibility,
competition, and performance in the city and in Ventura County.
8.9 Oppose any legislation that reduces or restricts local authority to regulate public right‐of‐way
and receive compensation for its use.
8.10 Oppose regulations and legislation that erodes or eliminates local government authority
regarding siting of cellular communications towers or transmission sites.
8.11 Support legislation that reinstates effective local regulation of the cable television industry and
other deregulated utilities, including financial reimbursement for use of public right‐of‐way.
8.12 Support preserving public, education, and government (PEG) television channels, funding, and
programming support by video service providers, such as payments to local government of
franchise fees, PEG fees, and facility/equipment grants, and furnishing public access production
facilities.
8.13 Oppose efforts to make PEG channels hard to find or navigate to, such as on an obscure channel
or accessible only via several Internet web page menus, of any lesser signal quality than basic
channels, or requiring an additional fee or device for viewers to access.
Public Works
8.14 Support efforts to develop funding policies and incentives at the state and federal level to
ensure funding for the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of public infrastructure.
8.15 Oppose efforts to shift legal costs and liability away from design professionals and contractors to
local governments.
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8.16 Support legislation that gives cities the authority to meet their National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) requirements on a more collective and regional basis.
8.17 Support legislation that holds electric utilities accountable for the prevention of Public Safety
Power Shutoff (PSPS) events and mitigation of their impacts.
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Legislative Platform
DRAFT: April 3, 2024
ATTACHMENT 3
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Table of Contents
Introduction and Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 3
Section 1. Community Services ..................................................................................................................... 4
Section 2. Environmental Quality ................................................................................................................. 5
Section 3. Water ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Section 4. Governance, Transparency, and Labor Relations ........................................................................ 6
Section 5. Housing, Community, and Economic Development .................................................................... 8
Section 6. Public Safety ................................................................................................................................. 9
Section 7. Revenue and Taxation ................................................................................................................ 10
Section 8. Transportation, Communication, and Public Works .............................................................. 1112
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i. Introduction and Purpose
The City of Moorpark developed and maintains a Legislative Platform to facilitate the City’s quick
response to county, state, and federal legislation in a proactive manner, since legislation can often move
quickly through legislative bodies, with insufficient time for the City Council to take a formal action on a
particular piece of legislation. The Legislative Platform further serves as a guide for the City Council to
consider legislative affairs on an ad hoc basis.
Whenever possible, the Mayor (or Mayor Pro Tem or City Manager, in the Mayor’s absence) is
authorized to sign correspondence expressing the City’s position on pending legislation, consistent with
the City’s Legislative Platform and/or other positions on pending legislation consistent with the
Legislative Program or prior City Council actions. The Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS)
Committee may also periodically review legislation for recommendation to the City Council.
City staff monitors state and county legislation for potential impacts to the City. State or federal
legislation may also be brought to staff’s attention by the League of California Cities, Ventura Council of
Governments, or other professional organizations for engineering, legislative, finance, community
development, public safety, and other professions.
City positions on pending legislation on topics not included in the Legislative Program shall require a
vote of the City Council. If warranted due to complexity, the City Manager may also present pending
legislation to the Administration, Finance, and Public Safety (AFPS) Committee, or other standing
committee as appropriate for the topic, for a recommendation prior to City Council consideration.
Nothing in the Legislative Platform is intended to preclude consideration of any legislation by the City
Council, regardless of whether it is included in the Legislative Platform.
City positions in support of legislation on a specified topic shall be construed as opposition to something
that shall do the opposite, and the reverse is also true. For example, if the Legislative Platform supports
increased funding for libraries, it also inherently opposes decreased funding for libraries.
ii. Participation in League of California Cities City Leaders Summit
The City will participate in the City
Leaders Summit event, hosted by the
League of California Cities in Sacramento
annually in the spring.
The event includes in-person updates from the League of California Cities and its lobbyists representing
cities’ interests, panel discussions of critical contemporaneous issues, meetings with the City’s
representatives in the State Assembly and State Senate, and other networking opportunities.
Participation will further bolster the City’s abilities to successfully lobby state officials in the City’s
interest.
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Solid Waste Services
1.1 Oppose legislation that would restrict or limit local government’s ability to franchise refuse and
recycling collection services, to direct municipal solid waste flow (flow control), or to
contractually require haulers to guarantee achievement of AB 939/AB 341/SB 1383 goals.
1.2 Support legislation that shifts AB 939 metrics from mathematical accounting toward program
implementation.
1.3 Support legislation that provides cities with financial assistance for programs designed to
provide for the safe disposal of solid, hazardous, and special wastes.
1.4 Support legislation that promotes source reduction measures without creating an unfunded
mandate.
1.5 Support legislation and efforts to expand the market for recycled materials, including advance
disposal fees, minimum content laws, manufacturer responsibility programs, and recycling
market development zones.
1.6 Support new resource recovery and conversion technologies, such as bio-diesel from organic
waste.
Library Services
1.7 Oppose legislation that reduces funds for libraries, including Public Library Funds, and support
legislation that provides financial assistance for local public libraries without the imposition of
new taxes.
1.8 Support legislation that ensures cities receive a proportionate share of property taxes upon
withdrawal from a county library services district, or any other county service or district for
which property taxes are received.
1.9 Support legislation with the intent to allow City operated Libraries (as opposed to districts) to
have an “Advisory” commission, not a Board, as per current law.
Animal Services
1.10 Support legislation that promotes low-cost or no-cost spay and neuter programs.
1.11 Support legislation that holds animal owners accountable for injuries or property damage
caused by animals under their care or control.
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1.12 Support legislation providing resources toward the Ventura County Animal Shelter expansion
project.
Other Services
1.123 Support funding for local arts activities.
1.13 Support legislation promoting fair exit fees for newly formed municipal utilities receiving
customers that were previously served by investor-owned utilities, and no exit fees for newly
annexed municipal utilities that were never previously served by an investor-owned utility.
1.14 Support Community Choice Aggregation and measures that further the goals of choice, clean
energy, and affordable rates.
1.15 Support a statewide, dedicated funding source for 211 dispatch services, designed to provide
24/7 support to meet public health and human services needs.
1.16 Support legislation limiting a city’s liability associated with hazardous recreational activities,
such as skateboarding and in-line skating.
1.17 Support legislation that preserves existing resources, and that provides additional resources, for
child care and early childhood education programs such as First 5 and the City’s programs
operated at the Arroyo Vista Recreation Center.
1.18 Support legislation that provides funding for food and nutrition programs for low-income
households.
1.19 Support legislation that provides support, funding, improved access, and/or improved
outcomes for mental health and substance use disorder service providers.
2.1 Support legislation that streamlines the state’s environmental review process and maintains
public participation without compromising environmental quality standards.
2.2 Support legislation and/or programs that provide money and resources to local governments for
energy efficiency programs, and energy conservation programs, and food waste recovery
programs.
2.3 Support legislation that makes funds available to refurbish and improve parks, and trails, and to
acquire and maintain open space.
2.4 Support funding and legislation for the designation and preservation of open space and
preservation, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources.
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2.5 Support legislation that exempts from property taxes any City-owned property outside city
limits (but within the same County) that is used for open space preservation purposes.
2.6 Support legislation that reimburses cities for revenue losses stemming from environmental
decisions made without city participation.
2.7 Support funding and other incentives for local government and private industry projects and
planning strategies to promote sustainability in infrastructure and operations, greater energy
efficiency, lower energy usage, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
2.8 Support legislation to ban all anticoagulant rodenticides statewide, with exceptions for
emergencies.
2.9 Support legislation that reduces or eliminates local government’s owner/operator Superfund
liability.
2.10 Support legislation to either consolidate or streamline the federal and state Clean Air Acts
without reducing air quality standards.
2.11 Support air quality efforts that emphasize use of advanced technologies and market incentives,
including use of alternative fuels and development of an infrastructure for alternative fuel
vehicles.
2.12 Support legislation and science-based regulation of herbicides, rodenticides, and similarly used
chemically-based compounds.
3.1 Support development of reasonably achievable, environmentally sound, and cost-effective Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) based on monitoring and sound science.
3.2 Support legislation and programs to promote water recycling to better safeguard water
supplies.
3.3 Support legislation that protects ground water quality.
3.4 Support legislation that provides incentives for water conservation and drought reduction, such
as education, marketing, and rebate programs.
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4.1 Oppose any measure that makes local agencies more dependent on the state for financial
stability and policy direction.
4.2 Support legislation that provides maximum local flexibility in contracting for services, and
oppose legislation that requires the use of city employees rather than contractors.
4.3 Oppose legislation that limits and/or decreases the existing amount of retention proceeds
withheld from any payment by a public entity to the contractor on a public project.
4.4 Oppose legislation that would restrict a city’s ability to use its own employees on public works
projects when such projects have been previously advertised for bid.
4.5 Oppose legislation that increases local government’s exposure to litigation.
4.6 Oppose legislation that expands or extends any presumptions of occupational injury or illness.
4.7 Oppose legislation that would grant employee benefits that should be decided at the local
bargaining table.
4.8 Oppose legislation that removes or reduces management rights, such as deciding staffing or
service levels, either by direct action or increased liability.
4.9 Oppose efforts that reduce local control over public employee disputes or impose regulation of
an outside agency on such disputes.
4.10 Support legislation that provides reasonable reform of local government pension systems and
that preserves local control.
4.11 Oppose a mandatory Social Security tax for public employers and public employees.
4.12 Support legislation that would reform the Workers’ Compensation system to reduce employer
cost through the reduction of system abuse.
4.13 Support legislation that limits the ability of employees to receive Workers’ Compensation
benefits for occupational injuries/illnesses that result from stress, disciplinary action, or
performance evaluation consultations.
4.14 Support alternative methods of meeting public notice requirements and enhancing them
through the use of cost effective, and innovative, and technology friendly methods of
communication.
4.15 Support modifying the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) to provide cities more flexibility to
remedy a potential CVRA lawsuit by converting to a rank-choice voting (RCV) method.
4.16 Support U.S. Congressional, California State Senate, California State Assembly, Ventura County
Supervisorial, and other regional governmental districting/redistricting maps that keep
Moorpark within one district and keep Moorpark in districts with neighboring communities in
southeastern Ventura County.
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4.17 Support legislation facilitating remote attendance and participation at public meetings subject
to the Brown Act, if there is a declared emergency.
Land Use/Planning
5.1 Support efforts that are consistent with the doctrine of “local control” and the local exercise of
police powers, through planning and zoning processes, over local land use.
5.2 Support legislation that strengthens local control to prepare, adopt, and implement fiscal plans
for orderly growth, development, beautification, and conservation of local planning areas,
including, but not limited to, regulatory authority over zoning, subdivisions, and annexations.
5.3 Support local discretion in the assessment, collection, and usage of development fees.
5.4 Oppose legislation that restricts or weakens a City’s ability to regulate smoking areas, sale of
tobacco products and electronic smoking devices and products, alcoholic beverage licenses,
marijuana dispensaries, or adult-oriented business establishments.
5.5 Oppose legislation that limits cities’ use of eminent domain as a resource for extraordinary
circumstances.
5.6 Support legislation that reforms annexation law by strengthening cities’ authority over spheres
of influence and ensures that fair property tax agreements can be obtained.
5.7 Oppose county development projects for undeveloped areas in the City’s area of interest that
do not conform to City standards.
5.8 Support legislation that provides for shared land use determinations between counties and
cities when the General Plan of the city establishes a planning area consistent with Government
Code provisions.
Housing
5.9 Oppose legislation that expands the state Department of Housing and Community
Development’s review role for local Housing Elements.
5.10 Support legislation that addresses occupancy levels and strengthens cities’ ability to reduce
overcrowding in residential housing.
5.11 Support efforts to develop federal, state, and county participation, financial support, and
incentives for programs that provide adequate, affordable housing for the elderly, handicapped,
and low-income persons throughout the community.
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5.12 Support Housing Element reform legislation that provides greater local control and flexibility,
simplifies the process, and improves its effectiveness.
5.13 Support legislation that fairly implements the Regional Housing Need Allocation process and
defines an equitable process to determine a “fair share” of new housing need to respond to
growth trends in the region.
5.14 Support legislation to ensure that property tax valuations for deed restricted dwelling units with
reinforcing Deeds of Trust are based on the Affordable Sales Price, actually paid by the buyers,
rather than based on market value.
5.15 Support legislation to protect homebuyers from predatory lending by ensuring that mortgage
brokers are effectively regulated and that mortgage loans are suited to the financial means of
the homebuyer.
Economic Development/Redevelopment
5.16 Support legislation that gives cities resources to finance economic development efforts, such as
business attraction, retention, and growth, as well as marketing and tourism.
5.17 Support the enactment and expansion of tax increment financing authority for economic
development, infrastructure, and community revitalization.
5.18 Support efforts to protect local military bases from closure and the work of the Regional
Defense Partnership 21st Century (RDP-21).
Homelessness
5.19 Support legislation that provides financial support and assistance to local governments, non-
profit organizations, and other groups that provide services to unsheltered people, including
for related social services, temporary housing, transitional housing, permanent housing, and
mental health services, particularly those initiatives that lead to self-sufficiency.
6.1 Oppose legislation that weakens enforcement of, and penalties for, commercial truck violations.
6.2 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for commercial truck safety
inspections and the enforcement of commercial truck vehicle codes.
6.3 Support legislation that promotes the efforts of the Moorpark Police Department and the
Ventura County Fire District Department to maintain the level of services consistent in
sustaining the City’s rank as one of the nation’s “Safest Cities.”
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6.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources for emergency preparedness
(including planning, mitigation, and education) and disaster recovery efforts.
6.5 Support legislation and additional state and federal legislation crafted to ensure that first
responders can perform their duties during emergency response operations without
interference from unmanned aerial systems/drones.
6.6 Support efforts to construct an additional fire station serving the northeastern portion of
Moorpark.
6.7 Support development of wildland fuel management programs to mitigate or decrease impacts
to public health and safety resulting from wildland-urban interface fires and the presence of
Very High Wildfire Severity Zones in the community.
6.8 Oppose legislation that would shift the costs or liability of wildfire emergency response to local
governments.
6.9 Support legislation that increases local law enforcement resources without increasing taxes.
6.10 Protect funding for state Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) and federal Community
Oriented Police Services (COPS) funding.
6.11 Support legislation that allows use of state and federal public safety grants for maintenance
efforts in addition to service increases.
6.12 Support legislation that would provide cities with contract law enforcement a proportionate
share of Proposition 172 sales tax revenues for public safety.
6.13 Support legislation that would provide cities with a greater share of fines and forfeitures.
6.14 Support legislation that would provide a greater share of seized assets to cities.
6.15 Support legislation that provides resources for education, intervention, treatment, and
criminal justice programs related to the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.
7.1 Support measures that provide greater fiscal independence to cities and result in greater
stability and predictability in local government budgeting.
7.2 Oppose any change in revenue allocations that would negatively affect the City of Moorpark,
including but not limited to the redistribution of sales tax, property tax, transient occupancy tax,
and vehicle in-lieu fees.
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7.3 Oppose legislation that: (A) Eliminates or restricts the taxing authority of cities over
development; (B) Weakens existing Government Code Section 66000 fee authority; or
(C) Redefines any development tax, condition, or other monetary charge as development fees.
7.4 Support legislation requiring the state and federal governments to provide full cost
reimbursement to cities for all mandated programs and for all programs resulting in revenue
losses.
7.5 Support legislation that protects the ability of local government to recover the costs of
mandated programs through fees that are not subject to Proposition 218.
7.6 Support legislation that safeguards existing City revenue sources from preemption or seizure by
the state or county.
7.7 Oppose legislation that restricts or limits a city’s ability to use tax-exempt debt for the purchase
or construction of public purpose improvements.
7.8 Support legislation that eliminates cities’ contributions to the Educational Revenue
Augmentation Fund (ERAF) and directs the repayment of past contributions.
7.9 Support the establishment of a constitutionally-protected funding structure for local
government.
7.10 Support efforts that provide greater accountability on the part of counties for the distribution of
funds back to municipalities, including, but not limited to, fines and forfeitures.
7.11 Advocate and join with other Ventura County cities to encourage the Ventura County Treasurer-
Tax Collector to shorten the time to collect property tax readjustments.
7.12 Support efforts by state government to distribute revenue to local government in a manner that
does not create incentives for commercial “sprawl” retail development and/or disincentives for
residential, industrial, open space, or agricultural land uses.
7.13 Support legislation to authorize a simple majority of the voters in a city or county to establish
local priorities, including the right to increase taxes or issue general obligation bonds.
7.14 Support legislation to ensure sales and use tax proceeds collected from Internet sales be
allocated to the location local jurisdiction where the product is received by the purchaser.
7.15 Oppose efforts to cut funding for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs and
other community services and workforce assistance programs to serve low-income and/or other
disadvantaged residents.
7.16 Support legislation to give non-entitlement cities the same rights as entitlement cities in CDBG
program administration.
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Transportation
8.1 Support legislation that will help reduce non-local commercial vehicle traffic on SR-118 through
the City.
8.2 Oppose efforts to increase truck size or weight.
8.3 Support enhanced autonomy for local transportation decision-making, and pursue
transportation policy changes that move more dollars and decisions to local policy leaders.
8.4 Support legislation that would provide additional resources to cities to finance local
transportation systems, facilities, and improvements, including funding for the Safe Routes to
Schools programs, ADA-related improvements, and the City’s Arroyo Simi Trail project.
8.5 Encourage the timely appropriations for the safety and enhancement of surface transportation
in the region, including local transit, commuter rail, highway projects such as the widening of
the SR 118 Freeway, and local road improvements such as the proposed North Hills Parkway,
and intermodal transportation center development, and to encourage transit-oriented projects
in the downtown area.
8.6 Support efforts to construct and operate a full-service Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility
(a.k.a. weigh station) along SR 118.
8.7 Support legislation that provides funding, incentives, and rebates for the installation of electric
vehicle charging stations.
Telecommunications
8.8 Support efforts to provide for the improvement of broadband availability, accessibility,
competition, and performance in the city and in Ventura County.
8.9 Support efforts to provide financial support for broadband access, especially for seniors,
students, and low-income residents.
8.910 Oppose any legislation that reduces or restricts local authority to regulate public right-of-way
and receive compensation for its use, including use by electric bicycle and scooter vehicle
sharing companies.
8.101 Oppose regulations and legislation that erodes or eliminates local government authority
regarding siting of cellular communications towers or transmission sites.
8.112 Support legislation that reinstates effective local regulation of the cable television industry and
other deregulated utilities, including financial reimbursement for use of public right-of-way.
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8.123 Support preserving public, education, and government (PEG) television channels, funding, and
programming support by video service providers, such as payments to local government of
franchise fees, PEG fees, and facility/equipment grants, and furnishing public access production
facilities.
8.134 Oppose efforts to make PEG channels hard to find or navigate to, such as on an obscure channel
or accessible only via several Internet web page menus, of any lesser signal quality than basic
channels, or requiring an additional fee or device for viewers to access.
Public Works
8.145 Support efforts to develop funding policies and incentives at the state and federal level to
ensure funding for the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of public infrastructure.
8.156 Oppose efforts to shift legal costs and liability away from design professionals and contractors to
local governments.
8.167 Support legislation that gives cities the authority to meet their National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) requirements on a more collective and regional basis.
8.178 Support legislation that holds electric utilities accountable for the prevention of Public Safety
Power Shutoff (PSPS) events and mitigation of their impacts.
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