Local government finance
Eastvale Will Decide Whether it Can Afford Cityhood
Submitted by jstephens on 21 May 2010 - 7:16amRiverside County has gained the dubious distinction of being one of the foreclosure capitals of California, if not the country.
One bright spot, however, has been the unincorporated community of Eastvale, which has grown from an exurb of scattered homesteads a decade ago to a major unincorporated bedroom community of roughly 40,000 residents.
"Eastvale is really leading Riverside County in its ascendance from the recession," said Jeff DeGrandpre, president of the Eastvale Incorporation Committee.
On June 8 Eastvale residents will consider Measure A, a multi-part ballot measure to decide whether the community, located in the northwest corner of the county adjacent to the City of Norco, will become the county's 27th city.
Stalled Federal Transportation Bill Puts Local Funding on Hold
Submitted by jstephens on 21 May 2010 - 7:06amWith state and local government revenues shrinking throughout California, planners are increasingly looking to the federal government – and especially transportation funds – to pay for local planning efforts, especially if they involve infill and transit-oriented development efforts. But the two major possible sources of funding – the transportation reauthorization bill and the climate bill – are both stalled with little hope of passage anytime soon.
The climate bill has been caught, at least for the moment, in the crossfire of the immigration debate. So let’s get back to that later and focus instead on the bill that ought to have no trouble passing: the transportation reauthorization bill.
Tiburon Loses Prop. 218 Assessment Challenge
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 26 January 2010 - 3:10pmThe Town of Tiburon has lost another round in its ongoing litigation with property owners over assessments to fund the undergrounding of utility lines.
SD Tax-Processing 'Fee' Declared Illegal
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 1 September 2009 - 4:23pmA fee that the City of San Diego levied on businesses and landlords for processing their taxes has been declared illegal by the Fourth District Court of Appeal. The court ruled that the fee amounted to a general purpose tax that should have been submitted to voters for approval.
State's High Court To Review Another Prop 218 Controversy
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 29 July 2009 - 10:58amThe California Supreme Court has taken up another Proposition 218 case. This one involves voter secrecy in fee elections.
Prop 218 Challenge To Pomona BID Assessments Rejected
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 24 June 2009 - 1:34pmProperty assessments levied to fund the downtown Pomona Property and Business Improvement District did not violate Proposition 218, the Second District Court of Appeal has ruled for a second time.
State High Court Clears Way For Proposition 218 Challenge
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 17 June 2009 - 9:53amFor the second time in less than a year, the California Supreme Court has ruled for individual property owners contesting local government assessments, opening the door for future challenges based on Proposition 218.
Federal Stimulus Grants May Help Locals Meet New Planning Mandates
Submitted by Robin Andersen on 21 May 2009 - 9:45amThere’s never been a weirder time to try to do planning in California.
On the one hand, the state has made climate change a major priority – and it’s driving local government efforts in a hundred different ways, ranging from greenhouse gas analyses in environmental documents to switching out light bulbs in city corporation yards.
On the other hand, the state is cutting back all over the place because of the ever-more-dismal budget crisis. And this is going to make it hard for local governments to meet the requirements the state is laying out.
Washington Stimulates Old-Style Growth, But Change May Come Via Legislation
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 30 March 2009 - 11:00amSuddenly, for the first time in 30 years, Washington is the center of the government money world. This is turning things upside down for the planning and development establishment, as local officials, developers, transportation leaders and others flood the nation’s capital in search of dough. But what will all the dough do? And how will it shape the growth landscape of California over the next few years?
Academics Recommend Proposition 13 Alternatives
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 26 August 2008 - 1:15pmCalling Proposition 13, “deeply flawed,” a new report by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy recommends entirely new approaches to property tax relief.