BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1757 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 11, 2016 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Lorena Gonzalez, Chair AB 1757 (Waldron) - As Amended May 5, 2016 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Local Government |Vote:|7 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill increases the North County Transit District's (District) compensation limits for the District's Board of Directors (Board). Specifically, this bill: AB 1757 Page 2 1)Increases, from $75 to $150, the compensation to be paid to Board members and their alternates for each day the member or alternate attends meetings of the Board, and increases the total amount of this compensation from $300 per month to $750 per month. 2)Removes a requirement that the Board adopt a resolution before allowing Board members and alternates to receive compensation for representing the Board at meetings of other governmental entities and public agencies, and increases the compensation for these activities to the same amounts in 1), above. FISCAL EFFECT: 1)In FY 2015, the District spent approximately $11,850 on Board compensation, which averages approximately 17 meetings per year for a nine-member board. This bill would double that amount to $23,700 annually, assuming the same level of participation at meetings by the Board. Board member compensation has not been increased since 1988. 2)The bill contains a "Local Request Disclaimer" meaning that no state reimbursement of local costs is required. COMMENTS: 1)Purpose. According to the author, "District Board Members are compensated at $75 per meeting, an amount that has remained unchanged since 1988. This amount is also only half of what representatives of other local and regional boards receive for the same commitment of time. In addition, Board Members AB 1757 Page 3 routinely serve on other regional boards on behalf of the District, where their counterparts receive compensation that is double their amount." 2)Background. The North San Diego County Transit Development Board (NSDCTDB) was created by legislation in 1975 to plan, construct and operate - directly or through a contractor - public transit systems in its area of jurisdiction. In 2003, the Legislature transferred future transit planning, programming, development and construction to SANDAG, San Diego's regional planning agency. NSDCTDB continued to operate the Breeze, Coaster and Sprinter public transit lines. Effective January 1, 2006, the District was renamed the North County Transit District (AB 1238, Plescia, Chapter 150, Statutes of 2005). Today the District moves more than 12 million passengers annually. 3)Previous Legislation. AB 1988 (Chavez) of 2014 would have made several changes to the District's Act, including increasing the compensation for Board members and alternates from $75 to $150 for each day the member or alternate attends a meeting of the Board and increasing the monthly cap from $300 to $600. AB 1988 was held in the Assembly Local Government Committee. Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 AB 1757 Page 4