SIGNING THE DECLARATION  (CLICK HERE FOR THE DECLARATION)
A Declaration in Opposition to SB 1 is a State-wide, non-partisan effort and will be presented to Governor Brown before the January legislative session.  The deadline for signing the Declaration is December 16, 2013.  Please note that you must be a registered voter of Contra Costa County to sign the Declaration.  (Other counties have the same Declaration.)  Please participate in this endeavor to keep our tax dollars in our schools and retain local control of Lamorinda development.
---------------------------------------------

Here's the "quick-and-dirty" from one of our members, an Orinda resident:

Senate Bill 1 (co-authored by Steinberg/DeSaulnier) is one of the most threatening pieces of legislation that our cities and townships could see in California.  From the financing of our schools to the rights of private property ownership - little remains unaffected with implementation of this Bill.

The Bill passed in both the Senate and Assembly this year, but was temporarily withdrawn until January for fear that it would be vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown.  At this time, negotiations to sweeten the Bill for the Governor’s signature or amass legislative support to override a veto are in progress.  We cannot allow this Bill to go unchallenged when it is reintroduced.

Some provisions within the Bill are as follows:

 * Sets up Joint Powers Authorities seriously diminishing local control of development in Orinda/Lafayette/Moraga;
 * Creates a new unelected, unaccountable government agency within cities and/or counties to extract property & sales taxes to fund subsidized real estate developments without voter approval;_
 * Grants an "Authority" to determine where, what and when subsidized housing or commercial enterprises are financed;
 * Redefines "Blight" as  "inefficient land use patterns" vs. property deterioration caused by long-term neglect.

For a more in-depth look at the history of redevelopment funding and the future of your community as it is under a new regional body which will be given the authority to decided whether your property is 'inefficient' and could be taken under the heinous Eminent Domain laws, here's an amazing and well-researched piece on SB1 from a local researcher.  (click here)
-------------------------------------------------

Here is a quick summary of what is in SB1 (click here) that we wrote while ago.