[See pdf below, a letter to Gov. Brown.]
Legislation has been introduced in Sacramento that would allow for a two-month extension to the fading life of the state’s Redevelopment Agencies, scheduled to go out of business one week from today.
This legislation, Senate Bill 659, is needed, city governments say, to assist in winding down the agencies in an orderly manner. On Dec.29, after the California Supreme Court upheld Senate Bill 26, which killed agencies after a 66-year run.
“At Monday’s City Council meeting,” said Goran Eriksson, new Chair of the Culver City Chamber of Commerce, “it was apparent that uncertainty exists in implementing S.B. 26. The devil is in the details, and the details are not clear.
“Gov. Brown has taken the role of an elephant in a china store.”
Mr. Eriksson noted that hometown legislator state Sen. Curren D. Price Jr. (D-Culver City) is a co-author of S.B. 659.
“We look forward to having Sen. Price continue his support in the face of Gov. Brown’s announced opposition,” Mr. Eriksson said. “The governor said it is better to have the funeral earlier than later.”
Throughout the month since the high court’s ruling, the Chamber’s position has been:
“The elimination of the Culver City Redevelopment Agency is a shortsighted money grab by Sacramento. It will limit local economic development and local control over our city’s future. We look forward to joining our local government in working to bring an effective economic plan to our vibrant city.”
Mr. Eriksson said one of the worst effects of the erasure of Redevelopment Agencies is that thousands of jobs across California will be wiped out.
“The muscle of the city workforce and the services it provides are being hit hard by Sacramento,” he said. “The people of Culver City need to ask Sacramento to correct the property tax distribution since Culver City will receive a lot smaller portion of the local property tax compared to our neighboring cities.”
Mr. Rose, President/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, may be contacted at ssssteve@culvercitychamber.com or www.culvercitychamber.com
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