Springs Group Hosts Letter Writing Campaign to Save Sidewalks

Editors Note: The Springs Community Alliance will host their next meeting on Thursday, Feb. 2 from 5:30 - 7:00 at the Sonoma Valley Grange. More details on their Facebook.

On Dec. 29, 2011 the California Supreme Court ruled to uphold ABXI, which abolished redevelopment agencies and struck down companion legislation, which would have allowed the agencies to survive if they contrubuted money – – to the state. 

A coalition is working to pass SB 659, a temporary postponement of the Feb. 1 desolution deadline, to preserve the ability to develop new programs for job creation and neighborhood renewal.

Without these funds there will be no more sidewalks, street lights and additional parking on Highway 12.

The major improvements to the Springs neighborhood will end where they are now at Boyes Boulevard instead of all the way north to Agua Caliente Road. That means no sidewalks for the kids who walk to Flowery Elementary and the Charter School and no safe pedestrian corridor for the residents and businesses along this portion of the highway.

You can help save the Highway 12 project and other planned community improvements by contacting Governor Brown and members of the State legislature and urging them to support SB 659.

See the the letter sent by the Springs Community Alliance to Governor Brown, Senator Evans and Assembly Member Huffman below for sample text.

For more information of SB 659 and saving job-creating neighborhood renewal click here.

January 24, 20012

Senator Noreen Evans

50 D Street

Suite 120A

Santa Rosa, CA 95404

 

Governor Jerry Brown

c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173

Sacramento, CA 95814

 

Assembly Member Jared Huffman

11 English Street

Petaluma, CA  94952

 

The Springs Community Alliance urges the legislature to pass and you to quickly sign SB 659 (Padilla), a bill that would temporarily postpone the scheduled February 1, 2012 date to dissolve California’s 425 redevelopment agencies. Failure to postpone dissolution will lead to chaos, lawsuits and job loss.

Implementing the legislation passed last year by the legislature, AB 1x 26, is proving to be fraught with uncertainties, legal liabilities and even the potential that the State could be left holding the bag due to gaps and ambiguities in the law. Concerns include restrictions on the ability to transfer property, restrictions on repaying interagency loans, the legal status of successor agencies, the risk associated with bond payments and the inability to commit bond proceeds.

The biggest concern is the question of responsibility for payment of the more than $20 billion in outstanding bond debt and tens of billions in additional liabilities that the State Controller reports are on the redevelopment agencies’ books. While AB 1x 26 is intended to ensure that all outstanding debt and liabilities get paid, bond experts are raising serious concerns about the lack of clarity about how this massive debt will be repaid in a timely way to avoid defaults once agencies are dissolved. In fact, Moody’s recently downgraded California’s bond rating because of this uncertainty.

With so many unanswered questions and legitimate concerns, Legislators and the governor ought to hit the pause button in order to try to resolve the myriad potential problems associated with the new law.

We urge your support of SB 659.

Sincerely,

SPRINGS COMMUNITY ALLIANCE

Stephen J. Cox