SECTION EIGHT: Other Important Steps

The Senate Special Task Force supports taking a number of other important steps that have been introduced in the form of proposed legislation. Recommendation/ Action #27 Approve legislation that would allow the voters of California to decide whether to change the state constitution to allow local communities the power to approve bonds by a majority vote, rather than a 2/3 vote. The most recent endorsement of the proposal to do away with the "super majority" requirement for approval of local bond measures came in the report of Peter Ueberroth's Council on California Competitiveness, California’s Jobs and Future. There are several reasons why this idea is gaining adherents. More and more citizens are recognizing that: As the Council on California Competitiveness argued, the more local jurisdictions are stymied in their efforts to obtain the funding they need to support services demanded by the public, the more likely local officials are to seek the necessary revenue though the imposition of permit and development fees. The Council views these fees and related charges as job-killing barriers to economic development. Gridlock in government is fostered when a small minority, rather than something close to a majority, can block the perceived needs of a larger majority. This gridlock, in addition to blocking the will of the majority, is a major source of citizens' frustration with, and cynicism about, government. The principle of self-government and self-determination is upheld when local jurisdictions are allowed to determine the levels of taxation they want for the delivery of local goods and services. Since general obligation bonds may be approved at the state level by a majority vote, proponents of local measures are turning to alliances on the state level, where local projects are pooled in a statewide measure. This is inefficient, and it is not logical for citizens in one end of the state to be voting on projects that are primarily for projects at another end of the state. The Senate Task Force is working to see the proposed constitutional amendment placed before the states' voters, and members urge other legislators to back this measure. Recommendation/ Action #28 Support child care facilities bonds and housing bonds. The Senate Task Force supports such measures and believes that residents, particularly single heads of households, would benefit from them. The difficulty in obtaining reasonably priced child care is one of the generally recognized disincentives to working faced by many of those receiving public assistance. The Task Force agrees that the state has a legitimate role to play in alleviating shortages of child care and affordable housing. Recommendation/ Action #29 Using federal SLAIG, and/or other available funds, establish a Governor's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. There is no shortage of evidence that immigrants as a group make significant contributions to our society. It has also been shown that most Immigrants do seek and find employment, thus contributing more in taxes than they take in services. Immigrants and refugees will continue to come to California in large numbers. The State of Texas recently established an immigrants assistance office, funding the office with a little more than one million dollars of federal State Legalization Immigrant Assistance Grant (SLIAG) funds and a small portion of state funds. The Senate Special Task Force on a New L.A. believes that California should establish a similar office using approximately $1.5 million of SLIAG funds. A California Governor's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs would: Coordinate public and private programs for the benefit of immigrants and refugees; Lobby Washington on immigration policies, giving the state a bigger role in determining who enters the country legally and giving California clout in securing federal funding for immigrant and refugee resettlement; Help communities develop programs to address the local needs of immigrants and refugees, which could include solicitation of private donations and volunteers to serve as language teachers: Combat bias toward immigrants and refugees through donation-assisted public relations campaigns and public education activities; Develop a clearinghouse to provide information and respond to requests, and research, develop and disseminate policy positions on key issues; Coordinate policy approaches with other high-immigration states. The Senate Task Force sees great potential in such an office for helping new California residents now living in the disturbance affected areas, and in other areas throughout the state. The office should facilitate the self-sufficiency and social integration of immigrants and refugees in California and foster an understanding and appreciation of the state's cultural diversity.

New Inititatives for a New Los Angeles

Continue to Facilitate Resolution of Debate on Liquor Stores

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