Topic - Governance, Legislation & Law Archive

From Local Government to the Legislature: Making the Transition Part 2 of 2

Freshman legislators share insights about the California Civic Leadership Institute®.

By Samantha Caygill

If You Rebuild It They Will Come: How State-Local Partnerships Have Changed the Face of California and Its Cities

Today multiple bills are pending to recreate tax-increment financing. It requires vision, persistence and enough public investment to attract private capital and development that produce much-needed jobs for Californians.

By Chris McKenzie

Supporting Health in Our Communities

By supporting wellness efforts, cities can offer an environment where residents and employees are encouraged to be more physically active, eat nutritious food and enjoy the advantages of good health.

By Bill Bogaard

From Local Government to the Legislature: Making the Transition

In November 2012 the Legislature welcomed 39 new members, the largest freshman class since 1966. In the Assembly, 69 percent have local government experience.

By Samantha Caygill

Opportunities to Save Pension Costs Through Collective Bargaining After Pension Reform

The Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013 mandates uniform, generally lower benefit formulas for all “new members” of California public agency defined benefit retirement plans.

By Robert A. Blum

Get Your Public Meetings Back on Track

Disruptions in public meetings seem to be increasingly common. This article offers tips for local agency officials on handling conflict and strategies to help make meetings more productive.

Are We at the Tipping Point in Building a New State-Local Partnership?

As the economy begins to recover and the state budget shows signs of stabilizing, the challenges facing California require strong leadership at all levels. Many of our new state legislators came from local government and bring a fresh perspective. Are we on the brink of a new era?

By Chris McKenzie

Meetings: Bane or Blessing? New Resource Center Offers Help

Meetings can present a broad range of challenges for local officials. A collection of useful materials offers practical information on related topics that include chairing a meeting, dealing with a grandstander, complying with open government meetings and more.

Fresno’s Planning Process Builds Trust

Communities use planning to make choices about the future. But the process can be as important as the final plan itself and provide a foundation for future efforts around local issues and concerns.

By Jennifer Armer and Steve Sanders

Neglecting Annexation and Incorporation Will Not Serve the State’s Growth Goals

State policies for achieving sustainability have staked much on the success of cities. Yet the state’s recent actions signal a lack of appreciation for the vital function cities serve as centers of commerce and providers of essential quality of-life services for the vast majority of California’s population.

By Kirstin Kolpitcke and Dan Carrigg