Cal Cities General Assembly approves bylaw amendments and acts on two resolutions during Annual Business Meeting

Sep 29, 2021

Online sales tax resolution sent back to policy committee; railroad property maintenance resolution approved 

Voting delegates at the Annual Business Meeting acted on two general resolutions, as well as proposed bylaws amendments during the last day of the League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo, Sept. 24. 

The first vote of the meeting was on the proposed bylaws amendments to enhance Cal Cities’ governance and make technical changes that:

  • Recognize the Cal Cities Diversity Caucuses in the Cal Cities bylaws to reflect the full contribution the caucuses make to Cal Cities’ mission and vision.
  • Adjust the composition of the Board to achieve a higher impact and be more representative by adding Director seats to the Board for each of the five Diversity Caucuses, and transitioning members of the National League of Cities Board from Cal Cities Directors to one non-voting advisor to the Cal Cities Board.
  • Update the League of California Cities’ moniker to “Cal Cities” to promote consistency.
  • Make various minor technical corrections. 

The bylaws amendments were recommended to the General Assembly by the Cal Cities Board of Directors, following a vote at a special board meeting on August 17. During that meeting, the board voted to recommend the proposed bylaws amendments for approval by the membership at the meeting of the General Assembly.

Following the bylaws amendment vote, the General Assembly considered two resolutions that establish Cal Cities policy. Resolution No. 1 addressed online sales tax equity and was submitted by the city of Rancho Cucamonga. The resolution was referred to the Revenue and Taxation Policy Committee, which approved the resolution with amendments. It was then considered Sept. 23 by the General Resolutions Committee (GRC), which recommended that the resolution be referred back to the Revenue and Taxation Policy Committee with the strong recommendation that it be referred to a City Manager working group. The General Assembly approved the GRC recommendation, and the resolution will now go back to the Revenue and Taxation Policy Committee.

Resolution No. 2 addressed securing railroad property maintenance and was submitted by the city of South Gate. The resolution was referred to two policy committees: Housing, Community, and Economic Development; and Transportation, Communications, and Public Works. Each of the committees approved the resolution with amendments. It was then considered Sept. 23 by the General Resolutions Committee (GRC), which recommended that the resolution be approved as amended by the Housing, Community, and Economic Development Policy Committee. The General Assembly voted to approve the resolution as amended by the Housing, Community, and Economic Development Policy Committee as recommended by the GRC.

Cal Cities staff are working on the next steps for each of these resolutions.

Cal Cities appreciates the time and effort of all those who took part in the 2021 General Assembly and Annual Business Meeting to consider important Cal Cities policies and resolutions. More information on the bylaws amendments and the resolutions is available online in the General Assembly Packet..