Local Leaders Campaign Against Brown's Redevelopment Proposal

Local leaders from throughout San Diego County gathered together Monday afternoon to announce their support for a campaign against to eliminate redevelopment agencies.

The campaign, labeled MyVoteCountsCa.org, blasts Brown's attempt to discard the nearly 400 redevelopment agencies in an effort to close California's $26.6 billion budget gap as talks of the Legislature reaching a budget agreement come closer.

San Diego councilmember Lorie Zapf noted that the vast majority of California voters supported Proposition 22 and Brown's proposal ignored voters.

"Franky, I'm outraged," said Zapf. "All over San Diego, we have examples of redevelopment dollars at work. In this tough economy, it makes no sense for Sacramento to shut down redevelopment agencies."

The campaign, which is supported by the League of California Cities and was kicked off last week, claims that the elimination of redevelopment agencies would terminate 300,000 jobs annually and would "kill" about $40 billion in local economic activity.

"We're infuriated with Sacramento," said National City Mayor Ron Morrison, who said local governments should be on the "endangered species list."

Morrison, alongside other elected leaders, said Brown's proposal ignores —an initiative that was drafted by the League of California Cities and passed by voters in November 2010. Also known as The Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Protection Act, Proposition 22 prevents the state from taking certain dollars from local governments, including redevelopment funds. 

"The voters have spoken loud and clear but Sacramento isn't listening," he said. "Sacramento is saying 'your vote doesn't really count.' But we're all here to say, 'My vote counts.' "

Elected leaders also said the governor's proposal is unconstitutional, and the League of California Cities, which has members from all California municipalities, has said it will sue if Brown's proposal comes to life.

"This type of illegal end run around the voters’ will breeds greater voter cynicism and discontent," said Chris McKenzie, executive director of the League of California Cities, in a statement. "State leaders who support such illegal acts should ask why voters would believe any future laws the voters enact will be respected if legislators and the governor are so quick to scrap what the voters did a few short months ago.” 

Campaign leaders said they hope to gather thousands of signatures to deliver to state legislators by the week's end.

Though municipal leaders are gathering together in an attempt to stop Brown's proposal, state Sen. Joel Anderson (R-Poway) said all programs need to be reviewed as the state evaluates the budget.

"Redevelopment and other government programs need review, and I appreciate the governor's willingness to take a fresh look at cost-cutting proposals. Some community redevelopments have been highly successful while others have led to gross abuses," Anderson said. "A case-by-case review is important, and I look forward to working with the governor, other legislators, local officials and community leaders in reviewing budget proposals."