CITY SEEKS STATE LAWMAKER'S HELP

Assemblyman Jerry Hill spelled out his legislative priorities at the
state level to members of the San Mateo City Council last night as
they made it clear to the city's former mayor what expectations they
have of him.

Hill, D-San Mateo, said his top priorities this session are creating
jobs, balancing the state's looming $21 billion budget deficit and
reforming how the state does business.

Mayor John Lee made it clear to Hill that actions taken by the state
in the past two years to balance its own budget by borrowing property
tax revenue and taking redevelopment agency funds has had a negative
effect on San Mateo and cities across the state.

Lee urged Hill to keep the state out of the city's coffers.

We are currently working with our labor groups for more concessions,"
Lee said. The city had to wipe out $4 million in expenditures from
its budget last year and pass two taxes to raise another $4 million
to keep afloat.

The city, however, has projected another significant revenue
shortfall of up to $6 million this year to its roughly $80 million
operating budget.

The challenge," City Manager Susan Loftus said, "is revenue is
impacted across the board. We don't see an end in sight."

Property tax, sales tax, property transfer tax and hotel tax revenues
are all down in the city.

The city eliminated five positions in the past month alone in the
Planning and Building Department.

We can't maintain service levels in the community based on this
deterioration," Loftus said.

Deputy Mayor Jack Matthews asked Hill about pension reform and what
steps the state was taking to tackle increasing employee cost and benefits.

The state sets the standard. It is the leader in that. Pension reform
really is a problem," Matthews said.

Councilman Brandt Grotte asked Hill to help the city realize its
vision of undergrounding high-speed rail tracks through the city.

The San Mateo downtown corridor has one of the narrowest widths on
the entire Caltrain system and the city determined years ago that
tracks must be buried downtown and in the north part of town.

We need some assurances we will be listened to," Matthews said. "The
authority seems somewhat autonomous."

Councilman David Lim also asked Hill to reach out to the four
Northern California board members on the state's high-speed rail authority.

Hill arranged for Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle to come and take a look
at the Caltrain corridor last month, an effort the council applauded.

Lim asked Hill for more of that type of outreach to the board.

The Legislature does have some influence over the board," Hill said.

The Assemblyman was taken to task for a committee vote he recently
made in support of legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

The council made it clear the drug should not be legalized and Hill
said he only made the vote to allow for a broader conversation on the issue.

Hill does not support a measure on the November ballot calling for
the legalization of the drug.

We understand the need for medical marijuana," Lee said. "However, it
is a gateway drug for children and the state should not look to it as
a revenue generator."

Councilman Robert Ross also expressed the city's desire to keep
red-light cameras up and running in the city as a way to keep the public safe.

Hill recently sent a request to the state's Legislative Analysts
Office, asking for a review of the cameras. Hill is not convinced the
cameras make the public safer and is critical of the
revenue-generating aspect of the devices.