Brown’s plan to abolish redevelopment gains support

03-04-2011

Blog by John Fensterwald/Educated Guess

Assembly Speaker John Perez and Sacramento insiders are saying that Gov. Jerry Brown now appears to have the votes in the Legislature to abolish redevelopment agencies, a plan that could bring school districts an extra $1 billion a year, starting in July 2012, and then potentially a lot more over time. Saying he has yet to see an alternative, Perez told a press luncheon Wednesday, “It’s a likelihood that we’ll see action to eliminate redevelopment agencies.” The proposal already had considerable support in the state Senate. Extending temporary taxes and eliminating the state’s 389 redevelopment agencies, which siphon $5.7 billion in property taxes that would otherwise go to counties, cities, schools, and other state services, are essential to Brown’s plan to address a $26 billion budget deficit with a combination of cuts and revenue. He’s had to counter fierce opposition from big-city mayors, including Perez’s cousin, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and developers who have benefited from billions of dollars of construction projects funded by redevelopment agencies. (more...)

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Brown’s plan to abolish redevelopment gains support

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