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Formation
of a Lakewood Unified School District:
(Published
03.05.02) The
Lakewood City Council reaffirms their support for the formation
of a Lakewood Unified School District from the Lakewood portions
of the four existing unified school districts that divide
Lakewood. Meetings were held in 2001 with school superintendents
and board members of the four districts to seek common ground
on both long-term and short-term improvements to educational
quality and governance affecting Lakewood. The City Council
rejected a proposal from the Bellflower Unified School District
to form a school district-organized committee to discuss annexing
the Long Beach and Paramount Unified School District portions
in Lakewood in order to form a Bellflower-Lakewood School
District. Council Members, however, agreed to explore short-
and mid-range options that would increase Lakewood’s influence
in the governance of existing districts through redrawing
their boundaries.
Appeal
of the Municipal Discharge Permit requirements imposed by
the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board:
In
December 2001, the Governor-appointed Los Angeles Regional
Water Quality Board promulgated a municipal discharge permit
for cities within its jurisdiction. The permit includes many
onerous and costly conditions. Many of the conditions approved
by the Board are based on flawed logic and a serious miscalculation
of costs and the technical effectiveness of proposed cleanup
measures. For example, the cost of implementing the new permit
may reach $53 billion within ten years at an estimated cost
to Lakewood property owners of $1,295 per household. In addition
to the Municipal Discharge Permit, the Board also has proposed
onerous conditions on Sanitation District facilities, including
those that discharge supply into the San Gabriel River. For
example, the Board is requiring the discharged water meet
all drinking water requirements, despite the fact that no
communities downstream from the District’s San Gabriel River
facilities use the discharged water for drinking water purposes.
On January 8, the City Council appointed special counsel to
appeal the discharge permit to the State Water Resources Control
Board. The Board has 270 days to act on Lakewood’s appeal.
Protection
of local revenues, including the sales tax and vehicle license
fees from state revenue raids:
Serious
threats exist to two of Lakewood’s most important General
Fund revenue sources--motor vehicle license fees and sales
tax. In “normal” budget years, nearly 60 percent of these
revenues are used for Lakewood law enforcement, recreation
services, local street resurfacing, and street lighting programs.
2002 threats to these revenues include:
- Reduced
or elimination of State “backfill” of vehicle license
fee revenues, amounting to nearly $3 million annually
to Lakewood. Efforts to repeal or reduce the state backfill
to reduce the state budget deficit would have a catastrophic
effect on the Lakewood budget.
- Sales
tax sharing on a regional basis is proposed in AB
680 (Steinberg). Two-thirds of all the city’s sales tax
growth from would be diverted to a new distribution formula.
Reform
of the state housing allocation process and enactment of housing
production reform measures that rely on incentives, not mandates:
Legislation
is pending in the State Assembly to penalize cities that do
not identify areas for the construction of high-density housing
for low-income persons. Lakewood’s allocation of such housing
units is determined by the Southern California Association
of Governments and the state Department of Housing and Community
Development. The allocation model is criticized for fairness
and accuracy. Additionally, the State Housing and Community
Department is mandating that cities use their zoning authority
to encourage the placement of homeless shelters and other
“transitional housing.”
Enactment
of a California “Cop on Board” and a Volunteer Federal Deputy
Program for Homeland Security:
Since
the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, national, state,
and local leaders have struggled with the need to enhance
homeland security without creating economic catastrophe.
They have also been forced to balance the need for tighter
security with the American ideals of personal liberty and
having a free and open society.
Measures
that have been taken thus far, such as the deployment of national
guard troops and airport restrictions, are, at best, temporary
measures to ease public fear and deter further terrorist or
copy cat attacks until more permanent remedies can be found.
Unfortunately, most of the long-term measures currently under
consideration come with tremendous price tags and/or the potential
to significantly impair public movement and commerce. Their
potential for success is also questionable, given the very
nature of terrorism, which can occur anywhere at anytime and
often, focuses on the most vulnerable (unprotected) targets.
The magnitude of deploying security personnel at all possible
points of terrorist attack appears to overwhelm federal resources.
According
to U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are approximately
766,429 federal, state, and local police officers within the
United States. This is a tremendous resource of highly qualified,
highly motivated, and extremely well trained individuals who
undoubtedly stand ready to do their part in the interest of
homeland security. Having them properly equipped, specially
trained in Homeland Security threats and tactics, and legally
empowered can provide a strong deterrent to terrorists, enhance
the public’s sense of security, and provide real protection
in the event they are in a position to observe or become aware
of an actual act of violence. On any given day, there are
thousands of off-duty police officers/deputy sheriffs traveling
in public places and on various modes of public transportation.
These are individuals who have been verified to be of sound
character and have extensive training and experience in observing
and taking appropriate action during critical incidents.
In other words, they are ideal candidates to become deterrents
and potential guardians of the general public against acts
of terrorism.
The
Lakewood City Council proposes the following federal and/or
state legislation as a long-term strategy to enhance homeland
security, and the public’s perception of security, with minimal
cost and a short implementation time line. Legislation or
executive orders should contain the following primary components:
- A
“Volunteer Federal Deputy” program would be created to
authorize certain off-duty law enforcement officers to
(a) receive Homeland Security training in tactics to suppress
terrorist acts venues open to the public and (b) be authorized
to act as Volunteer Federal Deputies.
- Because
of their training and experience in observing, preventing
and suppressing criminal behavior in a variety of situations,
properly credentialed peace officers would be encouraged
by the federal government to become Volunteer Federal
Deputies.
- No
venue, normally open to the public, would be permitted
to restrict state or federally authorized law enforcement
officers from carrying concealed weapons on the premises.
The peace officers will be required to identify themselves
to the operators of such venues and carry with them proper
Volunteer Deputy credentials at all times while armed.
- Volunteer
Federal Deputies would be authorized to carry concealed
weapons on aircraft, trains, buses, and other modes of
public transportation that operate wholly within the United
States. Before participating in the program, each law
enforcement officer shall be required to obtain prior
approval from his/her law enforcement agency, undergo
a supplemental federal background check, and attend regional
training on his/her own time. “Volunteer Federal Deputy”
credentials will be issued by the United States Department
of Justice only to those candidates who meet all of the
aforementioned requirements. Each participating state
in the Volunteer Federal Deputy program would provide
full faith and credit to the credentials and authority
of law enforcement officers duly authorized by any other
participating state. This shall include the authority
to carry concealed weapons across state lines and take
appropriate police action in the interest of public safety.
- State
participation in the program would be determined by application
to the designated federal authority by the governor of
the state in his/her emergency capacity or via joint action
of the state legislature and governor.
A companion
California “Cop on Board” program is also proposed to encourage
volunteer travel by authorized peace officers on intrastate
conveyances and while attending cultural, entertainment, sporting
and other public venues.
Lakewood, California -
Lakewood
City Hall
5050 Clark Avenue - Lakewood, CA - 90712
562-866-9771 voice | 562-866-0505 fax
CityLine automated information 562-925-4357
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