CSAC Bulletin Articles: Housing

Transportation Tax Swap Approved by Assembly and Senate Budget Committees

The full Senate Budget and Finance Committee adopted, by unanimous vote, the comprehensive transportation tax swap fix as proposed in the Governor’s January 2011-12 budget during their hearing on Wednesday, including the validation of the replacement taxes and the transfer of truck weight fees. The full Assembly Budget Committee also adopted the proposal, with the Republican members voting “no”.

Assembly Budget Subcommittee No.

Proposition 26 & the Transportation Tax Swap

CSAC, along with the Legislature and multiple transportation stakeholders, continues to analyze and understand the affects of Proposition 26 on the transportation tax swap enacted in March 2010 (AB X8 6 and AB X8 9). Recall that the transportation tax swap eliminated the sales tax on gasoline (Proposition 42 and spillover) and replaced it with a 17.3-cent increase in the excise tax on gasoline (Highway Users Tax Account or HUTA) and a 1.75 percent rate increase in the sales tax on diesel. 

AB 602 (Feuer)—Oppose
As Proposed to be Amended

AB 602, by Assembly Member Mike Feuer, seeks to change the decision of a Court of Appeal (Urban Habitat v. City of Pleasanton) relating to a statute of limitations for housing elements and other housing related issues. More specifically, we understand the bill will be amended to provide a five-year statute of limitations for challenging a housing element and related statutes, such as growth limitations, density bonus ordinances, and zoning changes.

Housing

AB 602 (Feuer) – Oppose
As Amended on June 21, 2010

Assembly Bill 602, by Assembly Member Mike Feuer, would change the decision of a Court of Appeal (Urban Habitat v. City of Pleasanton) relating to a statute of limitations provision for challenging housing elements. CSAC has a number of concerns with the approach of the bill, which are described in detail in our letter which can be found on the CSAC website.

CSAC Helping To Develop Comprehensive Fee Land Into Trust Reform

CSAC, working with a coalition of three other state associations representing New York, Idaho, and Wisconsin counties, has been diligently working to develop a proposal for comprehensive fee land into trust reform at the federal level. While this issue has been on the agenda for local governments around the country for decades, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Carcieri v. Salazar(129 S.Ct.