Cal Cities Board votes on ballot measures, expands member group

By Brian Hendershot, Cal Cities Advocate managing editor

The Cal Cities Board of Directors met last week in Redondo Beach to vote on several November ballot measures, review Cal Cities’ legislative progress, and expand a member group.

The two-day meeting started with an update on Cal Cities’ legislative agenda. State lawmakers will return to Sacramento on Aug. 3 for a compressed, 30-day sprint to the end of the session. Legislators have a slew of high-profile issues to work through, including potential changes to Cap-and-Invest, wildlife liability, tort law, the California Voting Rights Act, and CalPERS.

Cal Cities lobbyists are providing in-depth breakdowns of each issue area in Cal Cities Advocate over the summer recess.

Board members also received an update on federal-level advocacy from Irma Esparza Diggs, senior executive and director of federal advocacy for the National League of Cities. Diggs warned the Board about two proposals that would establish new rules for mail-in/absentee ballots and allow political appointees to terminate federal grants mid-award.

The Board also took action on three November ballot measures: Propositions 1, 43, and 45.

The Board voted to support Prop. 1, an $11.25 billion affordable housing bond that supports key state housing programs. If approved by voters, it could jumpstart the construction of 135,000 housing units. It also allocates funding for housing preservation and ownership.  

Prop. 43 raises the threshold for approval for citizen-initiated special taxes from a simple majority to two-thirds, starting on Jan. 1, 2027. Legislators agreed to place the measure on the ballot after the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association pulled a property transfer tax initiative. The Board voted to oppose Prop. 43.

After a robust debate, the Board took no position on Prop. 45. Sponsored by the California Chamber of Commerce, the measure seeks to expedite certain water, wildfire, multifamily housing, and transportation by streamlining parts of the state’s environmental review law, CEQA.

The Board also approved an expansion to the Rural Cities Information Exchange, now known as the Small and Rural Cities Member Group, and learned about the Advancing Equity Advisory Committee’s long-term efforts to help cities build more equitable communities.

The member group provides a forum for members to exchange best practices, discuss common challenges, elevate small and rural cities' perspectives, and coordinate advocacy efforts. The advancing equity committee is looking at ways to provide free resources to cities.

The next Board meeting is Sept. 23-25 in Anaheim at the Annual Conference and Expo.