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Politics & Government

Lafayette Council Sends Tough Letter to Gov. Brown

The council held up local examples as redevelopment success stories and pushed for alternatives to eliminating redevelopment agency funds.

Gov. Jerry Brown wasn’t at the Lafayette City Council meeting Monday, but his budget proposal for eliminating redevelopment money was a major presence as council members made clear their concerns over the anticipated loss of funds.

The council discussed a draft of a letter to be submitted to Brown by Carl Anduri, mayor of Lafayette.

The letter states that eliminating redevelopment agencies would “violate the will of the people” and “have grave consequences for California’s economy.”

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Proposition 22, approved by voters in November, was intended to send a message to legislators that local funds should remain local, the letter insists.

Anduri was absent, but the four council members in attendance were unanimous in approving additions suggested by council members Don Tatzin and Carol Federighi.

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The successful completion of recent redevelopment projects in Lafayette, they proposed, should be highlighted with mention of the Veteran’s Memorial Building and the Lafayette Library and Learning Center.

Council member Mike Anderson then asked City Manager Steven Falk if flexibility to make deals with redevelopment money was a topic for consideration.

Falk said flexibility had been mentioned by other cities discussing the issue and referring to a year-for-year deal the state might do with agencies to extend deadlines and preserve redevelopment funds.

Tatzin said he was interested in framing the discussion of alternatives instead of simply responding to the pessimistic environment surrounding the issue.

Anderson was concerned about conversations pitting education against redevelopment and said the state appeared to be offering only an either/or alternative. He said the problem was being stated as ‘Don’t do this!’ but that viable solutions were not being offered.

The council decided a retrospective paragraph and alternatives other than eliminating redevelopment agencies should be added to the mayor’s letter.

Brandt Andersson asked about potential lawsuits, if the state insisted on ending redevelopment money. He wanted to hear if the staff had done research on what he referred to as 'the state’s position,' which he described as, "We created it, so we can get rid of it.”

Falk and the Lafayette staff said there was evidence that the legality of Brown’s proposals could be challenged.

Redirecting funds to the state could be contested on the grounds it is incompatible with sections of the California Constitution prohibiting legislation requiring the transfer of tax increments from any local jurisdiction to the state. And the clear mandate from Proposition 22 to leave local government funding untouched has city mayors and councils issuing dire warnings and city attorneys researching state law.

Falk said he would continue to gather information and bring it to the council at future meetings.

Changes to the mayor's letter were voted on and approved.

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