REPORT:
Legislative Committee
SYNPOSIS:
The Legislative Committee held its regular meeting on Friday, October
14, 2005. The next Legislative Committee meeting is scheduled for
Thursday, November 10, 2005, at 8:00 a.m. in Conference Room CC8.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
Receive and file this report.
Beatrice J.S. LaPisto-Kirtley, Chair
Legislative Committee
Attendance [Attachment 1]
The Legislative Committee met on October 14, 2005. Present by
videoconference, were Committee Chair Bea LaPisto-Kirtley, and Committee
Members Roy Wilson, Michael Antonovich, and Jan Perry.
Update on Proposal to Modify the Composition of the AQMD Governing
Board.
Susan Seamans, Councilmember for the City of Rolling Hills Estates and
the city’s representative on the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG),
provided a report that SBCCOG has hired consultant Claudette Moody to review
the composition of the AQMD Governing Board. SBCCOG believes additional
members should be added to the AQMD Governing Board to increase
representation for the South Bay and Western Sector cities of the Los
Angeles County. She added that it would be preferable for newer cities, such
as Malibu and Calabasas, currently considered within the Eastern Sector, to
be realigned/incorporated into the Western Sector. SBCCOG would like to
sponsor legislation to make these changes by next spring.
Claudette Moody reported that a number of task force meetings on this
issue were held over the summer and several proposals were discussed. The
task force has decided on a proposal to add eight additional members (two
each from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) to the
AQMD Governing Board, which would result in a 20-member board. They feel
that this approach would allow for better representation across all counties
in AQMD’s jurisdiction. Councilmember Seamans said that they feel that a
large Board is a reasonable proposal at this time due to California’s
increasing population, which has increased since the AQMD Governing Board
was originally established. This approach would not change the terms of
office of the Board Members.
Ms. Moody said that she would continue her outreach to other cities and
AQMD Governing Board Members (in addition to those in the Los Angeles County
area), and that she would discuss with the task force whether those counties
with higher levels of air pollution should have additional representation,
as was mentioned in one of her previous presentations to this committee.
Chair LaPisto-Kirtley requested that this item be brought back for
discussion by all Governing Board members at their December meeting. She
also requested that staff review the proposals that the task force has
discussed, including a proposal to add one Board Member so that the cities
of Western Los Angeles County could elect someone not from the City of Los
Angeles, and for staff to provide a population breakdown for each of these
proposals, and to compare the population breakdown with previous figures
when the AQMD Governing Board was originally established.
Extend Contract for Legislative Representation in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Ganguli reported that staff is recommending a one-year extension with
the firm of Copeland, Lowery, Jacquez, Denton & White, LLC in an amount not
to exceed $135,716. This firm has worked with the congressional delegation,
staff, and AQMD Board Members on energy and transportation bills. Dr.
Ganguli reported that this firm assisted in recently securing $2 million for
this region in a transportation bill appropriation over a four-year period.
In addition, AQMD has had success in defeating legislation that would have
severely affected its authority regarding refinery and permitting issues.
The Legislative Committee agreed to recommend that the Governing Board
extend the contract for legislative representation in Washington, D.C. for
Copeland, Lowery, Jacquez, Denton & White, LLC for an additional year, in an
amount not to exceed $135,716. [Refer to the November 4, 2005 Board
Agenda Item #14 for additional information on this item.]
Extend Contract for Legislative Representation in Sacramento,
California
Dr. Ganguli reported that staff is recommending a one-year extension to
the contract for Allan Lind and Associates, and California Strategies and
Advocacy, LLC for legislative representation in Sacramento, California. He
said that staff is pleased with both of these firms’ services and cited the
Governor’s recent signing of AB 1222 – Remote Sensing Pilot Program for
Locomotive Emissions. The contract extension of Allan Lind and Associates is
for an amount not to exceed $102,108; and for California Strategies and
Advocacy, LLC in an amount not to exceed $186,480. Both of these amounts
include CPI increases.
Dr. Wallerstein added that in staff’s view, the broader team, including
California Strategies and Advocacy, LLC, has improved AQMD’s visibility, not
only in the capitol and on both sides of the legislature, but also in the
Governor’s office and throughout the various California agencies that
interact with AQMD. Staff feels that we have a successful team and it is
their desire to keep it together.
The Legislative Committee agreed to recommend that the Governing Board
extend the contracts for legislative representation in Sacramento,
California to Allan Lind and Associates for an amount not to exceed $102,108
and to California Strategies and Advocacy, LLC for an amount not to exceed
$186,480 per year. [Refer to the November 4, 2005 Board Agenda Item
#15 for additional information on this item.]
Federal Report/Update [Attachment 2]
Lynn Jacquez, AQMD federal legislative consultant, reported that her firm
will continue to work with staff regarding the transportation bill and
funding. She added that the hurricane disasters may have an adverse impact
on the budget and that there have been suggestions that some projects and
earmarks could possibly be cut across the board, and so they will be keeping
an eye on this. They hope to have an end-of-the-year assessment within the
next month.
Sacramento Report/Update
Sacramento legislative consultant, Richard Polanco, reported that it was
a successful year with AB 1222 being signed. He said that there are two
outstanding AQMD-sponsored measures that will go back in January (AB 888 and
SB 459). He commended the AQMD staff for their working relationship with the
legislative consultants and acknowledged the support and success of the
community in having their voices heard.
Allan Lind also reported successful efforts this legislative year with
nine bills supported by the AQMD being signed into law, the state’s
subvention funding for AQMD sustained another year, and $25 million added to
the budget for the retrofit and replacement of older diesel school buses.
Discussion on Possible Policy Clarification on Legislative Positions
Required To Be Taken Prior to Next Meeting of the Governing Board or Its
Legislative Committee.
This item was deferred to the November 10, 2005 Legislative Committee
meeting.
Other Business
None
Public Comments
None
Attachments
(EXE 56 KB)
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Attendance Roster |
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Federal Report/Update |
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