Gaining Political Clout in Numbers : With the state raiding local coffers, now is not the time for Garden Grove to leave League of California Cities.

The city of Garden Grove’s decision recently to withdraw from the League of California Cities would be perplexing at any time, but is especially so now.

Cities across California lost more than $700 million over the past three years as local revenue was redirected by the Legislature to schools to relieve state government’s deficit.

The loss to Orange County cities topped $89 million. Garden Grove’s loss totaled $4.35 million.

The reduction of local finances led to layoffs, cutbacks in services provided by cities and painful efforts to modestly raise revenue locally in some cities to protect high-profile community programs.

With the state deficit climbing into the billions, Sacramento’s revenue grab could have been much bigger. The key to protecting local revenue is that cities across the state work together to develop ways in which to offer municipal services more cost-effectively.

The League of California Cities is a statewide association of municipal governments that represents city interests before the state Legislature and the governor. The organization is like a chamber of commerce or professional association that works to promote the interests of its members and the efficiency of its profession.

Nearly every city in California--469 of them--belongs to the league. The association offers the only formal opportunity for cities across the state to work together to promote efficient municipal government, consensus on the range of issues that impact local government, and representation before the state Legislature.

Those activities have resulted in funds for more police on the streets and dollars to fix the local roads themselves. The league has also been instrumental in achieving reforms on redevelopment, worker’s compensation and open meeting laws.

On the local level here in Orange County, we carry on the strong work done by the statewide league.

The Orange County division of the league complements the statewide organization by creating a forum where area cities can debate regional issues, build a consensus, and make their concerns and recommendations known to a variety of regional agencies and the County of Orange.

We come together monthly to discuss issues of mutual concern suggested by our member cities, hear speakers on topics of interest or who challenge our cities to look at local government in new ways, and vote on public policy issues and positions taken by our organization.

The division also toils to implement the league’s statewide strategy on the state budget deliberations in an effort to deliver local government’s message directly to our legislators.

For example, in 1993 we organized and carried out face-to-face meetings between our mayors and their state senators and assembly members. The point was to underscore the dramatic fiscal impact state diversion of local revenue was having on our cities and their ability to provide services to their residents.

We also used these meetings to highlight innovative approaches taken by our cities individually to provide services and manage with less revenue.

These ideas, exchanged and developed individually by cities across the state, resonate with elected officials in a hundred different California communities.

The League of California Cities provides a great opportunity to share ideas and approaches that can become the catalyst for more innovative programs and encourages their implementation statewide.

This kind of innovation exchange strengthens and streamlines local government in California. Our ability to be effective with less is enhanced when we share our ideas.

These are just some of the reasons the League of California Cities is an important part of the local government landscape. Membership in the organization is absolutely critical to sustain the strongest and clearest voice possible for cities and to provide the framework and opportunity for cities to continue to innovate and improve local government.

Cities face exceedingly uncertain times in California as we grapple with declining fiscal resources and ongoing threats to divert local revenue to state government.

This is not the time to be drilling holes in the bottom of our own lifeboat.