BILL ANALYSIS SENATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Senator Dave Cox, Chair BILL NO: AB 1204 HEARING: 6/30/10 AUTHOR: Huber FISCAL: Yes VERSION: 1/14/10 CONSULTANT: Weinberger EL DORADO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION Background and Existing Law Regional transportation planning agencies (RTPAs) are responsible for allocating Transportation Development Act revenues and conducting regional transportation planning activities within their jurisdictions. The El Dorado County Transportation Planning Agency, commonly known as the El Dorado County Transportation Commission (EDCTC), is the RTPA for El Dorado County, exclusive of the Tahoe Basin. The EDCTC's governing board is composed of three members appointed by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors and three members appointed by the Placerville City Council (SB 902, Leslie, 1996). Placerville is the only city in western El Dorado County. Five RTPAs' governing boards include members appointed by any city within their jurisdictions: Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (SB 2110, Leslie, 1994) Nevada County Transportation Planning Agency (SB 2110, Leslie, 1994) Transportation Agency of Monterey County (SB 2110, Leslie, 1994) Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission (SB 869, Mello, 1995) San Diego County consolidated agency (SB 1703, Peace, 2002) By contrast, a newly incorporated city in the EDCTC's jurisdiction cannot appoint members to the Commission's governing board without a change in state law. EDCTC officials want to authorize any city in the Commission's jurisdiction to appoint members to its governing board. Proposed Law AB 1204 -- 1/14/10 -- Page 2 Assembly Bill 1204 increases, from three to four, the number of members that the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors appoints to the El Dorado County Transportation Commission's (EDCTC's) governing board. AB 1204 authorizes the city council of each incorporated city within the EDCTC's jurisdiction to appoint two members to the Commission's governing board. If there is only one incorporated city, the bill authorizes the city council to appoint three members to the governing board. Comments 1. Flexibility . Responding to demographic shifts and efforts to incorporate the community of El Dorado Hills, the EDCTC appointed a citizens' advisory committee to examine the composition of the EDCTC's governing board and recommend changes to its structure. Based on more than 12 hours of public commentary received over the course of six public town hall meetings, the committee unanimously recommended allowing representation on the EDCTC for newly formed cities. After considering the advisory committee's recommendations, the EDCTC's board voted unanimously to approve the language in AB 1204. By allowing representation on the EDCTC to evolve if one or more new cities incorporate in western El Dorado County, AB 1204 gives the EDCTC the same flexibility that state law already provides to RTPAs in Placer, Nevada, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Diego counties. 2. Playing favorites . In light of a failed 2005 effort to incorporate El Dorado Hills, and that community's continued growth, another effort to incorporate El Dorado Hills is likely. Some local officials who oppose incorporation are concerned that, by guaranteeing that a new city gets to appoint members to the EDCTC, AB 1204 tips the balance in favor of incorporation when voters next consider cityhood for El Dorado Hills. The Committee may wish to consider whether AB 1204 unnecessarily involves the Legislature in determining the outcome of a local governance decision. 3. Re-referral . The Senate Rules Committee first referred AB 1204 to the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, which passed the bill by a vote of 6-1 at its June 16 hearing and referred it back to the Rules Committee. The Senate Rules Committee then re-referred AB 1204 to the AB 1204 -- 1/14/10 -- Page 3 Senate Local Government Committee. Assembly Actions Assembly Local Government Committee: 5-0 Assembly Appropriations Committee:17-0 Assembly Floor: 68-0 Support and Opposition (6/24/10) Support : El Dorado County Transportation Commission, El Dorado Hill Chamber of Commerce, Four Seasons Civic League. Opposition : Unknown.