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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-18-2007 Adjourned MinutesMayor Patrick J. Morris CITY OF SAN BERNA"INO council Members: 3(b N. "D "Street Esther Estrada Dennis J. Baxter San Bernardino, CA 92418 Tobin Brinker Website: www.sbcity.org Neil Derry Chas Kelley San Bernar ino Rikke Van Johnson Wendy McCamnrack MINT ITF.S MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO JOINT ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 18, 2007 MANAGEMENT INFORMATION CENTER SIXTH FLOOR, CITY HALL The joint adjourned regular meeting of the Mayor and Common Council and Community Development Commission of the City of San Bernardino was called to order by Mayor/Chairman Morris at 3:14 p.m., Tuesday, December 18, 2007, in the Management Information Center, Sixth Floor, City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. Roll Call Roll call was taken by City Clerk Clark with the following being present: Mayor/Chairman Morris; Council Members/Commissioners Baxter, Derry, Kelley, Johnson, McCammack; Senior Assistant City Attorney Roth, City Clerk Clark, City Manager Wilson. Absent: Council Members/Commissioners Estrada, Brinker. Council Member/Commissioner Brinker Arrived At 3:29 p.m., Council Member/Commissioner Brinker arrived at the Council/ Commission meeting. Council Member/Commissioner Estrada Arrived At 3:36 p.m., Council Member/Commissioner Estrada arrived at the Council/ Commission meeting. 12/18/2007 1. Briefing on State Legislative Issues - Senator Bob Dutton The following documents were distributed by Senator Dutton's staff: • Dutton Report Special: Governor to Declare Fiscal Emergency, dated 12/14/2007 • Dutton Report: December 2007 - Budget Deficit Now $14 Billion • Letter dated December 10, 2007, to Senator Michael Machado from Vincent P. Brown, Chief Deputy Director of the State Department of Finance, regarding Proposition 113 Local Streets and Roads Funding Senator Dutton began by stating that he wanted to make sure that he had a good understanding of what the priorities are here in San Bernardino, so that he can help the City as much as possible at the State level. The first item discussed was the governor's plans to declare a fiscal emergency when the Legislature reconvenes in January. Senator Dutton explained that Proposition 58 basically provides that the governor, at his discretion and with no real criteria other than the fact that he feels that there is a fiscal crisis, can call an emergency. This puts the Legislature into special session. He stated that the governor will give them a plan of how he's going to deal with the fiscal emergency. The Legislature can then consider the plan and send him a bill or series of bills to deal with the crisis —and they have 45 days to do that. If they do not send him a bill or a package of bills within 45 days, the Legislature is forbidden by law to actually entertain or pass any other legislation during that period of time —until they deal with the fiscal crisis everything else is placed on hold. He stated that bottom line, it has been determined that there is more than a $14 billion problem. Senator Dutton explained that this is not all in one year —it's spread over a two- year period. When the State talks about its budget deficits, it's over a current budget year, of which there are still six months left, and then they are talking about the next year. He stated that the way that breaks down, it's a $6 billion problem this year (of which $2 billion they have to take care of because they only have a $4 billion reserve) and it's $8 billion for next year. He stated that it is basically double what they thought they were going to have to deal with, and the governor has put everyone on notice that he's looking at taking a 10 percent cut overall. He stated that the budget for last year was $103 billion, so if they do a 10 percent cut, they are talking about a $10 billion reduction, which would be $5 billion this year and $10 billion next year for a total of $15 billion, which is about what it will take to make the changes. 2 12/18/2007 He stated that he was not sure just what this might mean to the City of San Bernardino; however, the preference would be that they are not going to touch local government. The Senator acknowledged that there is a procedure where they can borrow from the cities; however, he felt there would be real resistance about additional borrowing. He noted that there are now mechanisms in place, which did not exist in years past, where the money would have to be repaid. He pointed out that this is general fund money, but there are also special funds like the Proposition 1B Finance and Transportation Bond —and he knew that the City of San Bernardino had $6.4 million coming out of that bond. He added that the Department of Finance hasn't responded as quickly as anticipated with regards to setting up the mechanism by which cities can obtain access to that money. However, the Department of Finance has said that possibly by January 15 they will have that mechanism in place. Council Member/Commissioner McCammack asked the Senator to watch out for those protections in Proposition IA that were so great for the cities. Mayor/Chairman Morris inquired about the governor's new health care plan for California. Senator Dutton stated that the speaker pro tem has basically said that until they deal with the fiscal crisis, the health plan is a nonstarter —that basically the way it was structured was as another government program. He stated that he hadn't really done a detailed analysis, but it looked to him like they were trying to set something up similar to Workers' Comp with the State Fund. He stated that the plan called for a tax increase of 1-6 percent. However, he didn't think it was the right way to go because he didn't think turning it into a State -run program was going to solve the problem —that they can't even provide health care services to inmates, a service which has been taken over by the federal government. Senator Dutton stated that there is a prison crisis right now —that the prison budget has gone from 6 percent to 12 percent. He stated that if they are going to do rehabilitation, then they need to be doing rehabilitation; and the only way they can go down the path that the Legislature previously approved is if they get serious in developing partnerships with the cities, the counties, and the state and really take a look at how they're going to try to do a re-entry program and make it work. 3 12/18/2007 He stated that what has happened now with parole and probation both, they've put all this extra burden on these releases, yet they don't give them the tools in order to do anything with the inmates they are turning loose, and that is a formula for disaster. They are creating a real problem for the people that they are supposed to be protecting when they just turn them loose like that with inadequate supervision, no place to live, no type of employment opportunities, etc. Council Member/Commissioner McCammack asked what had happened to combining State Disability and health care; and the Senator stated that no one appears interested in doing this. Mayor/Chairman Morris mentioned the construction of a new courthouse in San Bernardino, noting that last year we were in the budget for $5 million for planning and acquisition costs and next year for $12 million for the actual plans for construction; and set to have a new courthouse by 2011. He asked Senator Dutton to protect us on this issue. Senator Dutton noted that bond issues for courts and jails have not done well, so there will have to be an allocated amount of money from the general fund for this. The Mayor asked the Senator to keep a watchful eye on this for the City. Council Member/Commissioner Kelley stated that this Mayor and Council had committed to hiring a firm to design a community center, and they have committed $6 million in the City's Capital Improvement Program for this purpose. He stated that given the fact that circumstances in Sacramento are what they are, the Mayor and Council were asking again today for any help that the Senator could steer their way —whether it be through park bond money or whatever else could be done to make sure that this happens. Senator Dutton stated that they didn't get the implementation language put together yet, but Proposition 1C has $400-500 million for intercity -type parks and facilities. That language hasn't been written yet, but they are on top of that and will continue to watch that. He stated that he has actually had the various department heads coming down here for a lot of different programs including the housing bond, and they have recently been talking to the park people. However, the Legislature has not yet done the legislation that will actually enable the money to be used. Mayor/Chairman Morris asked Senator Dutton how the City could help him do his job in a way that gives him a sense of accomplishment. 4 12/18/2007 Senator Dutton stated that the main thing is to keep the lines of communication open —that his function is to help represent the City of San Bernardino to the State of California. He added that we need to make sure that we think of things on a city-wide or regional basis. 2. Adjournment Prior to adjourning, Mayor/Chairman Morris announced the appointment of Council Members Brinker, Johnson, and McCammack to the Mayor's Parolee Ad Hoc Committee. It was decided that the first meeting would be held the morning of January 3, 2008, with the Mayor arranging the exact time. At 4:04 p.m., the meeting adjourned. The next joint regular meeting of the Mayor and Common Council/Community Development Commission is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Monday, January 7, 2008, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. No. of Items: 2 No. of Hours: 1 RACHEL G. CLARK City Clerk By: L L Linda E. Hartzel Deputy City Clerk 5 12/18/2007