O.C. Officials Mute on State’s Raw Deal

The state budget crunch is sure to have a negative effect on municipal finances throughout California. Cities, practically without exception, have seen the Legislature consistently erode municipal revenue streams. Regardless of what happens in Sacramento on the budget front, it is safe to bet that municipal finances will take a hit.

Cities in Orange County, like others throughout Southern California, are being forced to cut services or raise taxes in order to compensate for reduced revenue from Sacramento.

The state’s meager contribution to Orange County cities greatly complicates the local city council budget process.

The vast majority of Orange County cities get less than $100 per capita each year from state funding sources.

In fiscal year 1998-99, for example, all but three cities--Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and La Habra--received less than $100 per capita. Irvine and Seal Beach received a little more than $90 per capita. Santa Ana, Mission Viejo, Villa Park and Huntington Beach received roughly $83 per capita. Most of the remaining cities received between $70 and $79 per capita. La Palma and La Brea were at the high end at $79 each. At the low end of the range, Stanton received $70 and Lake Forest, San Juan Capistrano and Placentia took in $71 each.

Four Orange County cities fared even worse at the hands of the Legislature. Westminster, Laguna Niguel, and Fountain Valley received about $66 per capita, while the then-newly incorporated Laguna Woods received only $18 per capita.

By way of comparison, the Legislature doled out about $776 per capita to the city and county of San Francisco in fiscal 1997-98. In the same fiscal year the County of Orange received $282 per capita from the state. This means that even in the most fortunate Orange County cities the combined city and county per-capita revenue from the state only approached $400. In other words, the Legislature, in its collective wisdom, feels Orange County citizens are entitled to only about half the allocation of state funds that San Franciscans enjoy.

Given this situation, one might hope that city council members would be pressuring the Orange County legislative delegation to win more state money for Orange County municipalities.

The silence from city council chambers throughout Orange County, though, is deafening and matched only by the mute acquiescence of the Orange County supervisors.

County supervisors and city council members love to whine about the budget problems they wrestle with every year. Yet, for some reason, they have been spectacularly unsuccessful in bringing political pressure to bear on the county legislative delegation.

A concerted effort by local city council members and the county supervisors to repeatedly surface this issue with the voters has the potential to prod the legislative delegation to better represent the interests of the county’s citizens.

The institution of term limits for state legislators offers a glimmer of hope for beleaguered Orange County residents. As state senators and assembly members are ushered out the door in Sacramento, other local candidates will fill their ranks.

City council members and members of the county Board of Supervisors frequently see themselves as prime prospects to move up the political food chain and enjoy the perks and powers of legislative office in Sacramento.

It would be good for the citizens of Orange County if these newly elected legislators remembered their roots in local government. And their former city council colleagues and county supervisors should do a much better job of reinforcing this message than they have to date.

One would also expect that in exchange for their support of these newly minted legislators, Orange County citizens would enjoy the benefit of fervent defense of their interests at the state level.

It is difficult, however, for individual citizens to keep track of the complex machinations of the Legislature. More than 20,000 bills are introduced each legislative session. All too often this proposed legislation is mind-numbingly complex and carefully crafted to elude citizen comprehension.

Orange County supervisors and city council members, on the other hand, are supported by highly paid professional staff. These professionals are certainly capable of keeping city councils and the Board of Supervisors well informed about legislative actions (or lack thereof).

In addition, the League of California Cities maintains a professional legislative staff in Sacramento, as does the County Supervisors Assn. of California. These professional staff members can be helpful in providing information to local government officials.

In sum, there is no good reason why council members in Orange County cities and the county Board of Supervisors should not be well-informed about the appalling fact that Orange County citizens are getting a raw deal from the Legislature.

By tapping into the readily available resources, county supervisors and city council members in Orange County could do a much better job of pushing the legislative delegation to do what is best for the citizens of Orange County.

Bottom line: Orange County voters should hold supervisors and council members running for the Legislature accountable for their inaction.