The Placer County Board of Supervisors adopted a legislative platform Tuesday that will serve as the foundation for the county’s advocacy efforts in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. next year.
The 23-page 2013 Legislative Platform lays out the board’s goals and priorities, using them to help identify state and federal issues important to Placer County. “It contains the County’s overall legislative principles for 2013 and specific state and federal proposals of interest to the County,” explained a staff report reviewed by the board.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the board also approved annual contacts with Holland & Knight LLP, the law firm that serves as Placer County’s advocate in Washington, D.C., and with Peterson Consulting Inc., the county’s advocate in Sacramento.
Board members also approved sending a county delegation to the nation’s capital from Feb. 10-14. Placer County sends a small group of board members and top management to Washington, D.C. each year to meet with federal elected and administrative officials about local projects that need federal support.
In past years, Placer County has received substantial federal funding for high-priority projects as a result of its advocacy efforts.
During last year’s trip, the county delegation had more than a dozen meetings with federal officials.
Next year’s legislative platform identifies Placer County’s general principles for legislative and regulatory action, 36 proposals to guide advocacy efforts at the state level and 24 proposals at the federal level.
The report reviewed by the board emphasized that Placer County’s priorities for federal support include biomass, transportation projects such as the Placer Parkway, the proposed Placer County Conservation Plan, the regional sewer system being built between North Auburn and Lincoln, Farm Bill appropriations and health care reform.
At the state level, Placer County will be on guard against moves to reduce or eliminate revenue sources while supporting:
- Increased revenue for county programs;
- Efforts to increase county self-sufficiency, economic growth and infrastructure improvements;
- Regulatory relief or clarification of new permitting requirements; and
- Stable funding for realignment and other state-mandated programs.