Council approves resolution opposing governor’s plan to
eliminate local agencies
With Gov. Jerry Brown’s threatened dissolution of redevelopment
agencies still on the table, Hollister recently joined other cities
in formally opposing the planned abolishment for next fiscal
year.
The Hollister City Council this month adopted a resolution
citing the economic benefits of the local RDA and urging the
governor to reconsider his plan.
Council approves resolution opposing governor’s plan to eliminate local agencies
With Gov. Jerry Brown’s threatened dissolution of redevelopment agencies still on the table, Hollister recently joined other cities in formally opposing the planned abolishment for next fiscal year.
The Hollister City Council this month adopted a resolution citing the economic benefits of the local RDA and urging the governor to reconsider his plan.
“This proposal represents more of the same misguided and illegal state budget raids of local government funds that voters have repeatedly sought to end,” the resolution stated, adding that elimination of the agencies “will bring very little financial benefit to the state.”
The council noted that redevelopment agencies throughout California have more than $87 billion in bond and other contractual obligations that must be repaid before revenues are available for any other purpose, including offsetting state budget deficits.
“This proposal will destroy local economic development,” the resolution stated, “including hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in local economic activity throughout California.
Abolishing redevelopment in Hollister, the council-approved measure stated, would end projects such as the West Gateway Beautification plan, the 400 Block Project at the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets and the redevelopment of the former Leatherback site on McCray Street and Prospect Avenue.
The end of the Hollister RDA would eliminate 26 full-time jobs and as many as 300 construction jobs, the city claims.
“Eliminating redevelopment will take away one of the few tools local governments have to comply with state requirements to plan for more compact urban development supported by transit-oriented development, housing, jobs and infrastructure,” the resolution said.
Affordable housing programs would also be affected if RDA’s are abolished, cities claim, noting that the agencies are the second-largest funder of affordable housing in the state – behind the federal government.
