Local Governments To Push Ahead With Ballot Initiative To Require State To Pay for Mandates
Local governments and police agencies on Monday received permission from the state to begin gathering signatures in support of a proposed state constitutional amendment that would require the state to pay local governments for programs that it requires cities and counties to administer, the Sacramento Bee reports. Such programs include in-home care for disabled residents that can be costly for local governments. Under the proposal, the state would be required to pay within six months the administration costs of a program that is determined by a state court or the Commission on State Mandates to be a mandated program. If the state does not make the payment on time, cities and counties could suspend the program. The ballot initiative also includes a proposal that would force the state to reimburse local governments if the governor or the Legislature reduces the vehicle license fee. Supporters of the ballot initiative, who have raised $1 million in funds for their effort, need to collect 589,105 signatures from registered voters by June 1 to qualify the proposal for the November ballot (Bluth, Sacramento Bee, 1/6).
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