REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the Proposed 2019 Priority Advocacy Issues and Long-term Legislative Advocacy Positions (LAPs)
Report
BACKGROUND
A goal of the City's Intergovernmental Relations Program is to enable timely and effective advocacy of City interests on pending legislation and issues that significantly impact City business. The City can initiate advocacy on the basis of any existing City Policy, including the City Charter, Municipal Code, General Plan Elements, and the Council Policy Manual, which is where many of the City’s other legislative goals are addressed. However, every year, the Council adopts the City’s advocacy platform which includes the priority advocacy issues and short-term LAPs for the coming year as well as long-term LAPs found in each chapter of the Council Policy Manual. This report provides Council with the opportunity to review the Proposed 2019 Priority Issues, short-term and long-term LAPs.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.4.14, Legislative Advocacy Positions
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
DISCUSSION
Proposed 2019 Priority Advocacy Issues (Attachment 1) is presented for Council consideration. Priority advocacy issues focus on regional, state, and federal activity already underway or expected within the upcoming calendar year and where the pending legislation or issue is expected to have a significant impact on City business. Staff is proposing a new Priority Advocacy Issue with a total of 13 Priority Advocacy Issues:
1. Investment Funding and Local Control for Workforce Development
2. Interoperability/Public Safety Communications System
3. Environmental Regulatory & Conservation Issues
4. Regional and State-wide Water Supply Issues
5. Local Authority Over Wireless Telecommunications Facilities
6. School Mitigation Fees
7. Regional Transportation Plan: Taxicabs/Network Companies
8. Massage Therapy
9. Anticipated Legislation regarding the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems by Law Enforcement and First Responder Immunity when interfering with Unmanned Aircraft Systems
10. Medical Marijuana/Recreational Marijuana
11. Affordable Housing/Homelessness
12. Engagement with the Federal Aviation Administration Regarding Airplane Noise
13. Local Government Financing to Support Public Infrastructure, Including Affordable Housing
Short-term Advocacy Positions
The following short-term Legislative Advocacy Position, approved in 2018, has been eliminated since it is included in Issue No. 11 of the 2019 Priority Advocacy Issues, entitled Affordable Housing and Homelessness.
Encourage level or increased federal funding for affordable housing and community development programs for local governments; preservation and strengthening of the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program and federal tax exemptions for private activity bonds (PAB); preservation of federal tax exemptions for state and local taxes (SALT), including state and local property, sales, and income taxes; maintain federal tax exemptions for mortgage interest payments on primary residences. Elimination or weakening of the LIHTC and/or PAB programs and/or SALT and mortgage interest deductions could have significant negative impacts on affordable housing production, first-time home buyers, local and state governments’ fiscal health, and the stability of the California housing market.
Long-term Advocacy Positions
The City captures long-term LAPs by issue categories in each chapter of the Council Policy Manual, https://sunnyvale.ca.gov/government/codes/manual.htm. Long-term LAPs do not require annual Council adoption; however, any edits to those positions must be approved by Council. Staff is proposing clarifying edits as shown in redline below to the following sections of the Long-term LAPs (Attachment 2): Council Policy 3.0 -Environmental Management and Council Policy 4.0 - Public Safety. In addition, any reference to RTC No. 12-09 has been corrected to RTC No.12-009.
4.1 Law Enforcement
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the Proposed 2019 Priority Advocacy Issues (Attachment 1 in the report) and Council Policy Long-term Advocacy Positions as proposed to be amended (Attachment 2 in the report).
2. Approve the Proposed 2019 Priority Advocacy Issues (Attachment 1 in the report) and Council Policy Long-term Advocacy Positions as proposed to be amended (Attachment 2 in the report) with additional modifications.
3. Other direction as provided by Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Approve the Proposed 2019 Priority Advocacy Issues and Council Policy Long-term Advocacy Positions as proposed to be amended (Attachment 2).
Staff
Prepared by: Lupita Alamos, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENT
1. 2019 Priority Advocacy Issues and Short-term Legislative Advocacy Positions
2. Council Policy Long-term Advocacy Positions