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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2001 0620 CC REG ITEM 11DITEM I I* D CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting ACTION: 62zCQ 6ja.02� MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL 0mrne' on AGENDA REPORT By- TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Kim C. Chudoba, Senior Management Analyst k e, DATE: June 7, 2001 (CC Meeting of 6/20/01) SUBJECT: CONSIDER LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES BYLAWS AMENDMENT AND DUES INCREASE TO IMPLEMENT GRASSROOTS NETWORK BACKGROUND The League of California Cities' Board of Directors "strongly encourages" cities to approve a bylaws amendment and dues increase to implement a Grassroots Network to coordinate city advocacy efforts. If approved by two - thirds of cities that cast ballots, the dues increase would take effect on July 1, 2001. The Grassroots Network would cost cities $1.6 million annually. Individual city costs would vary depending on population. (The smallest cities pay a few hundred dollars in dues, while the largest cities pay tens of thousands of dollars.) Currently, the median dues are $4,930; the Grassroots Network would increase the median dues by $2,588. The City's share of the Grassroots Network would be $1,593 for the last six months of 2001, and $3,313 for 2002. The City's total dues for 2002, including the Grassroots Network, would be $9,624. DISCUSSION In the last two decades, state government has amassed resources and power at the expense of local government. State general fund spending grew 574 percent (from $11.7 billion to $78.8 billion) between fiscal years 1977/1978 and 2000/2001. This is an average of 25 percent per year, unadjusted for inflation. k ti, Honorable City Council June 7, 2001 Page 2 State revenues as a percentage of personal income rank 14th among all states, while local tax revenues as a percentage of personal income rank 33rd. In the early 1990s, the state balanced its books, in part, by shifting about $2.6 billion in property tax revenue from cities, counties, and special districts to fund schools. In 2001, this revenue shift cost cities over $1.6 billion, about seven percent of total property tax collections statewide. Last year, with a $15 billion surplus and a $100 billion budget, the state would not restore these funds. Moreover, the state cut the vehicle license fee (VLF) by 25 percent in 1999 and 35 percent in 2000, with only a conditional commitment to offset the loss from its general fund. In an era of term limits, traditional lobbying methods are often a poor match for grassroots advocacy and campaign contributions. Consequently, many groups have established strong grassroots organizations in response to the new political climate. A recent survey by Wake Forest University found that congressional staff, as well as government and public affairs executives, ranked grassroots activities as more effective in influencing the outcome of legislation than corporate lobbying, campaign contributions, or advocacy advertising. To increase cities' political clout, the League's city managers department suggested the Grassroots Network. Based upon member input, a task force appointed by the board of directors recommended, and the board adopted, a modified proposal. Accountability measures were added, including short -term and long -term goals, periodic evaluations, and a sunset date of December 31, 2008 (unless the membership votes to continue the program). The board could discontinue the Grassroots Network at any time if does not meet its objectives. The Grassroots Network would promote significant city issues, such as fiscal reform and local control. The program would place 14 new staff and three existing staff in 10 field offices to help the League's 16 regional divisions and 476 cities advance priority legislation. The League's board of directors believes that cities would benefit from the increased visibility, making lawmakers more accountable back home. i:" J 194 Honorable City Council June 7, 2001 Page 3 Grassroots Network staff would arrange meetings for city officials with legislators, plan news conferences, organize letter writing and media campaigns, and coordinate activities with community organizations. In addition, they would train city staff on the legislative process and provide periodic updates on legislative developments. The $1.6 million cost of the equivalent of four one - hundredths annual $3.8 billion cities receive one -tenth of one percent of the receive in VLF revenues. These victims of legislative raids during Grassroots Network is the )f one percent (0.04%) of the in sales and use taxes, and annual $1.57 billion cities funding sources could become the next recession. On June 6, 2001, the Budget and Finance Committee recommended approval of the bylaws amendment and dues increase to implement the Grassroots Network. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Approve the bylaws amendment and dues increase. Attachment 1: Proposed Addition to League Bylaws Attachment 2: Proposed Dues to Establish Grassroots Network C IjGI _Q'9 ATTACHMENT 1 Proposed Addition to League Bylaws Article XVI: Establishment and Financing of Grassroots Network Section 1: Enhancement of Advocacy Efforts. To enhance the League's advocacy efforts on behalf of cities, the League hereby establishes a Grassroots Network. The Grassroots Network consists of a series of field offices throughout California, responsible for coordinating city advocacy efforts and promoting statewide League policy priorities. Section 2: Dues Increase (a) Initial Financing. The dues increase approved concurrently with the addition of Article XVI shall finance the League's Grassroots Network for the second half of 2001 and for 2002. The increase shall be used exclusively to finance the Grassroots Network. (b) Continued Financing. Any subsequent dues increases shall occur in accordance with Article IV.' Section 3: Accountability (a) Annual Goal- Setting and Performance Assessment. The League Board shall set long -term goals and annual objectives for the League's Grassroots Network. The League Board shall periodically report to the League's Member Cities on the Grassroots Network's performance in meeting those goals and objectives. (b) Board Discontinuance. If at any time the League Board finds the Grassroots Network is not meeting its objectives on behalf of cities, the League Board may discontinue the Grassroots Network. (c) Membership Vote on Program Continuation. On or before December 31, 2007, the Board shall ask Member Cities to vote on whether to continue the Grassroots Network beyond December 31, 2008.2 Explanatory Note: "Article IV" is the existing section of the League's bylaws, which provide for 1) a two- thirds vote of approval by the League board for all dues increases as well as 2) division ratification of dues increases in excess of the Consumer Price Index. Article IV also caps individual city dues increases at $5,000 per year. 2 The League's bylaws provide that a majority of votes cast is necessary for decision on League votes. See Article XI I, § 4. C90:1ItG A- rTACHMFNT 2 Proposed Dues to Establish the Grassroots Network (A) �B)_''� (C) Rio% (E) 600 a to A Total Dues to addctionalG" Base Deres }ifou Including Base filuesfor'' Dues for Grassroots'" Grassroots Dues 6rasstoots 2002 Network' = =;. Network Paid in -" 'Last:hif (Est) to 2002 (Est ) For cities having a population of: 2001 of 201 [A + 4 %] 2,251 [C + D] 1 to 500 501 to 600 601 to 700 701 to 800 801 to 900 901 to 1,000 1,001 to 1,250 1,251 to 1,500 1,501 to 1,750 1,751 to 2,000 2,001 to 2,250 2,251 to 2,550 2,501 to 2,750 2,751 to 3,000 3,001 to 4,000 4,001 to 5,000 5,001 to 7,500 7,501 to 10,000 10,001 to 15,000 15,001 to 20,000 20,001 to 25,000 25,001 to 30,000 30,001 to 40,000 40,001 to 50,000 50,001 to 60,000 60,001 to 70,000 70,001 to 80,000 80,001 to 90,000 90,001 to 100,000 100,001 to 125,000 125,001 to 150,000 150,001 to 200,000 ... $37 ... 99 ... 197 $39 ... 216?r �Y ... 259 z ' ... 317 205 ... 494 -57 ... 611 447 ... 727 269 ... 865 r r ... 921 43,361 ... 1,020 514 ... 1,078 160 x ... 1,176 ` ... 1,316 756 ... 1,570 ,. 227 ` i ... 2,044 ... 2,359 958 ... 2,848 z68 •' ... 3,279 ... 4,105 1,122 ... 4,930 ... 6,068 ... 7,382 1,369 ... 8,504 412 ; ... 9,346 ... 9,817 2,125 ... 10,464 =699 ... 11,464 ... 13,075 2,961 ... 14,392 861• -' ... 16,357 5,714. 5,260 , 7x858 8 951 4, $39 26" x: 103 z ' 17,863 205 Plus 819 -57 225 447 per each full 10, 000 of population 269 over 200,001 u 330 43,361 430 514 160 x 635 per each full 10, 000 of population over 5.00, 001 191-a 756 54,028 ,. 227 ` i 900 242 958 z68 •' 1,061 .283; 1,122 1,223 `346' -; 1,369 412 ; 1,633 536 = 2,125 =699 2,453 ' -747.'`; 2,961 861• -' 3,411 078 4,269 a 5,127 6,311 1,938 '? 7,677 G N. 2,232+•• 8,844 2;453 9,720 2,577 =� 10,210 2,741: 10,883 11,923 3;432 ; 13,598 3 T78_•, 14,968 4;294 17,011 5,714. 5,260 , 7x858 8 951 4, $59 157 312 342 410 503 784 969 1,152 1,373 1,461 1,618 1,710 1,865 2,088 2,490 3,241 3,741 4,516 5,201 6,511 7,818 9,624 11,708 13,487 14,823 15,570 16,597 18,182 20,737 22,826 25,942 27,241 1,299 66,125 1,201 82,393 For purposes of establishing the grassroots network, the $5,000 dues cap in League bylaws article IV, section 2, is suspended for the years 2001 and 2002. The dues cap will apply to base dues without interruption and will apply to total dues in year 2003 and years following. The League board will consider in September whether a cost -of- living adjustment for dues will be needed in 2002. This table shows 2002 dues with a cost -of- living adjustment of 4 %. rl` E, .21 �" 200,001 to 500,000 17,176 4;509 '' 17,863 `9378`k. Plus 819 2 }5'N 852 447 per each full 10, 000 of population over 200,001 500,001 to 640,000 41 657 .I 43,361 22'7' JV~I Plus per each full 10, 000 of population over 5.00, 001 Over 640,000 51,950 54,028 X28 365 - $59 157 312 342 410 503 784 969 1,152 1,373 1,461 1,618 1,710 1,865 2,088 2,490 3,241 3,741 4,516 5,201 6,511 7,818 9,624 11,708 13,487 14,823 15,570 16,597 18,182 20,737 22,826 25,942 27,241 1,299 66,125 1,201 82,393 For purposes of establishing the grassroots network, the $5,000 dues cap in League bylaws article IV, section 2, is suspended for the years 2001 and 2002. The dues cap will apply to base dues without interruption and will apply to total dues in year 2003 and years following. The League board will consider in September whether a cost -of- living adjustment for dues will be needed in 2002. This table shows 2002 dues with a cost -of- living adjustment of 4 %. rl` E, .21 �"