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RPVCCA_SR_2011_05_17_04_League_CA_Cities_Coalition_Against_Eliminating_RDAsCrrvOF MEMORANDUM RANCHO PALOS VERDES TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: REVIEWED: Staff Coordinator: HONORABLE MAYOR &CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ~ DENNIS McLEAN,DIRECTOR OF FINANCE &INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MAY 17,2011 REQUEST FROM LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES FOR RANCHO PALOS VERDES TO JOIN COALITION AGAINST ELIMINATION OF REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES CAROLYN LEHR,CITY MANAGER cO-- Matt Waters,Senior Administrative Analyst RECOMMENDATION 1.Adopt Resolution No.2011-,authorizing the City of Rancho Palos Verdes to join a coalition of California cities opposed to elimination of redevelopment agencies. BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION: Jeffrey Keirnan,Regional Public Affairs Manager for the League of California Cities (League)recently contacted City staff regarding the proposed elimination of redevelopment agencies (RDA)in cities and counties as called for in Governor Jerry Brown's draft California State budget proposal.The League is strongly opposed to the Governor's plan, opining in its coalition materials that the proposal will have a strong negative effect on jobs and economic activity throughout the state.The League's correspondence strongly urged the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and other cities with redevelopment agencies to join a coalition opposing the State's proposal to end RDAs. The League previously reached out to all RDAs to contribute to a legal defense fund to contest the Governor's proposed plan.On April 5,2011,the City approved the League's request for $200 which is based on the total amount of tax increment the RDA received in 2008-2009 as compared with other agencies.This was a pro-active request from the League;if no litigation is needed,RPV's RDA contribution will be returned. The impact of the Governor's proposal on Rancho Palos Verdes is not as significant as it is for cities with greater RDA involvement.The RDA currently has no active projects.At this 4-1 League of California Cities Request to Join Coalition Opposed to Abolishment of RDAs May 17,2011 Page 2 time,all of the RDA tax increment is obligated to fund repayment of debt to Los Angeles County and to provide affordable housing via the 20%Set-Aside.The Governor's proposal should not affect the redevelopment agency's $6 million debt to the County of Los Angeles. It is unclear,however,what impact the proposal might have on the $18.6 million in debt ($6.6 million in principal and $12 million in accrued interest)the RDA owes to the City. FISCAL IMPACT There is no financial impact resulting from joining the League's coalition.The financial impact on Rancho Palos Verdes from the State's potential elimination of RDAs,if any,is unknown at this time,as specific proposed legal language is not yet available. ATTACHMENTS: Resolution No.2011- League of California Cities Correspondence League of California RDA Proposal Analysis 4-2 RESOLUTION NO.2011- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES,AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF RANCHO PALSO VERDES JOINING THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES'COALITION OPPOSING THE STATE'S PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES WHEREAS,the proposed elimination of redevelopment agencies (RDA)in cities and counties is called for in Governor Jerry Brown's draft California State budget proposal;and WHEREAS,the City of Rancho Palos Verdes on April 5,2011 approved $200 to support the League of California Cities'legal challenge of the proposal;and WHEREAS,the League of California Cities has challenged the legality of the proposal; and, WHEREAS,the League of California Cities has indicated that the proposal could lead to the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in local economic activity throughout California;and WHEREAS,the League of California Cities has invited the City of Rancho Palos Verdes to join a coalition of California Cities with Redevelopment Agencies to oppose this proposal;and NOW BE IT,THEREFORE,RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES: That the City of Rancho Palos Verdes joins the League of California Cities Coalition in opposition of the State's proposal to abolish redevelopment agencies,is approved and adopted by the City Council. PASSED,APPROVED,AND ADOPTED THIS 1t h DAY OF MAY 2011. /s/Thomas D.Long Mayor ATTEST: /s/Carla Morreale City Clerk State of California ) County of Los Angeles )ss City of Rancho Palos Verdes ) I,Carla Morreale,City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes,hereby certify that the above Resolution No.2011-was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on May 17,2011. City Clerk 4-3 From:Jeff Kiernan [mailto:jkiernan@cacities.org] Sent:Friday,April 29,201111:46 AM To:'bill.workman@redondo.org';'Carol Lehr,RVP';'cgraves@carson.ca.us';Dayle Keller (dkeller@lawndalecity.org);James Mitsch (jmitsch@cityofhawthorne.org);'T Wanamaker (twanamaker@cityofinglewood.org)' Subject:South Bay Redevelopment In preparation for round two of the redevelopment fight,I was just looking over the coalition list and noticed that although your city has a redevelopment agency,you aren't listed as a member of the coalition opposing elimination of RDAs.I'm hoping that in most cases you simply didn't connect with me to get on the coalition list. Please let me know if your city or RDA has passed a resolution opposing the elimination of redevelopment so that your city/RDA can be listed as part of the coalition.To be acknowledged, please sign the attached form and send it back or just send me a copy of the resolution your council passed. There is movement on several key bills,including the redevelopment proposal 5B 286 (which will be taken up in committee on Wednesday),so I am drafting an email update to go out at the beginning of next week following our Monday Board meeting. Things have slowed to a crawl at the Capitol lately,but don't get used to it -it will pick up again soon. Jeff Jeffrey Kiernan Regional Public Affairs Manager League of California Cities 8205 Santa Monica Blvd.#1-206 West Hollywood,CA 90046-5958 Cell:(310)630-7505 4-4 Get the Facts I Protect Our Local Economy Home Jobs at Risk In Your Community STOP THE STATE'S REDEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL PROTECT LOCAL JOBS AND THE ECONOMY Get the Facts Take Action Coalition News Contact Us Join Us ' Page 1 of2 Home Get the Facts Download a PDF of the facts outlined below here. As part of its 2011-12 budget proposal,the Administration has proposed permanently shutting down local redevelopment agencies.This proposal represents more of the same misguided and illegal State budget raids of local government funds that voters have repeatedly sought to end.It will bring little financial benefit to the State,but will permanently destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs,billions in local economic activity and a key local tool to meet the state's infililand-use objectives.A broad coalition of mayors,council members,local governments,business and labor,environmental leaders and affordable housing advocates oppose the State's attempt to kill local redevelopment.Here's why: Proposal Represents More of the Same State Raids of Local Funds that Voters Have Repeatedly and Overwhelmingly Acted to Stop. •The proposal to kill redevelopment represents the same old budget tactics of raiding local government funds to solve the State's budget problems. •In November,more than 5.7 million voters,a resounding 60.7%,voted to pass Prop.22,to stop the State from taking, borrowing or redirecting local government funds -including local redevelopment. •Cities and local governments want to work with the State as partners to balance the State budget and in the important effort to realign services to the local level.But this proposal creates a toxic environment that city and other local government officials have no choice but to oppose. No Financial Gain,Significant Economic Pain. The State's own numbers show that killing redevelopment will bring very little financial relief for the State.In fact,after this budget year,the State Department ofFinance acknowledges zero State savings from shutting down redevelopment.Redevelopment agencies have more than $87 billion in bond and other contractual obligations that legally must be repaid before revenues are available to any other purpose. However,killing redevelopment will cause serious and permanent economic damage at the local level.Redevelopment activities: •Support 304,000 jobs annually,including 170,600 construction jobs. http://www.protectourlocaleconomy.com!get_the_facts 5/10/20114-5 Get the Facts I Protect Our Local Economy •Contribute over $40 billion annually to California's economy in the generation of goods and services. •Generate more than $2 billion in state and local taxes in a typical year. Proposal Will Wipe Out a Vital Tool to Meet Infill Land-Use Objectives and to Develop Affordable Housing. Page 2 of2 •Eliminating redevelopment will take away one of the few tools local governments have to comply with state requirements to plan for more compact urban development supported by transit-oriented development,housing,jobs and infrastructure. Redevelopment agencies have the experience and tools needed to help implement the requirements of AB 32 and SB 375. •Redevelopment is also the second largest funder of affordable housing,behind only the federal government.Over 98,000 units of affordable housing have been constructed or rehabilitated since 1993.Twenty percent of property taxes generated from redevelopment activities must be spent on affordable housing. Proposal is Unconstitutional and Politically Unviable. •Shutting down redevelopment agencies is a clear violation of multiple State constitutional provisions,including Article XVI, section 16 which requires tax increment to be paid to redevelopment agencies to repay the public cost of redevelopment projects and Article XIII,section 25.5 (Proposition 22 --passed just last November)which explicitly prohibits the State from taking tax increment from redevelopment agencies. •Additionally,killing redevelopment could violate the U.S.and California constitutions which prohibit impairment of contracts. Redevelopment agencies have more than $87 billion in contractual bond obligations,and have entered into tens of thousands of contracts with banks,developers and bond houses.The Legislature cannot constitutionally abrogate those contracts or unilaterally substitute a new party to replace the redevelopment agency without the consent of the other parties to the contract. •Jeopardizing these contractual obligations will shake investor confidence and the creditworthiness of the State and increase state and local bonding and borrowing costs for years to come. •Lastly,the Administration's proposal is simply unviable -shutting down 398 agencies,more than 700 project areas, hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in contracts and economic commitments is an ill-advised and politically untenable prospect. http://www.protectourlocaleconomy.com/get_the_facts 5/10/20114-6