PREPARED BY: CHARLES CHING DATE OF MEETING: 09/07/21
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION TO RATIFY A THANK YOU LETTER TRANSMITTED ON AUGUST 3, 2021 FROM SAN PABLO MAYOR ELIZABETH PABON-ALVARADO TO US SENATOR ALEX PADILLA REGARDING A REQUEST FOR FUNDING TO THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE UNDER THE FY 2022 SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,000,000 FOR THE SAN PABLO AVENUE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND INTERSECTION REALIGNMENT PROJECT
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve by Minute Order
Body
Compliance statements
This is not a project as defined by CEQA as a budget or financing mechanism pursuant to 14 Cal. Code of Regulations section 15378(b).
BACKGROUND
The City Manager’s Office (CMO), in collaboration with the City’s lobbyist, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA), have been in direct communication with the following State of California’s Federal US Senate Representatives regarding federal earmarks for infrastructure funding being supported by the US Congress:
CA US Senate Representatives:
US Senator Dianne Feinstein
US Senator Alex Padilla
FY 2022 Appropriations Requests and Congressionally Directed Spending
On April 26, 2021, Senate Appropriations Committee (Committee) Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced his intent to restore one of Congress’ constitutional powers, the power to approve Congressionally-directed spending items, and to do so with enhanced transparency and accountability. Accordingly, in addition to accepting programmatic requests which the Committee does every year, the Senate Appropriations Committee will on a bi-partisan basis accept requests for Congressionally-directed spending items for Fiscal Year 2022.
As part of this funding process, the Committee will carefully review all direct member requests. Only those requests that comply with Committee and Senate rules and are deemed appropriate for federal support will be considered for funding.
In a commitment to transparency, all members are required to post any requests they make for Congressionally-directed spending to their US Senate office website. Following their official postings, the Committee will update information to the general public on funding status with links to each post when they become available.
US Senator Padilla Congressional Funding Requests - City of San Pablo
On June 23, 2021, US Senator Padilla submitted his list of Congressionally-directed funding requests in the Fiscal Year 2022 Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, consistent with the requirements of paragraph of Rule XLIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate. Contained in his submittal, the City of San Pablo is being recommended for an $8,000,000 federal earmark allocation for the San Pablo Avenue Bridge Replacement and Intersection Re-alignment Project (See Attachment; page 5 of 14)
San Pablo Mayor Thank You Letter
On behalf of San Pablo City Council, to thank US Senator Padilla for his formal consideration of the City’s funding request, a letter was executed and transmitted by Mayor Pabon-Alvarado on August 3, 2021 to Senator Padilla via the City’s lobbyist, TPA (see Attachment).
City Manager Recommendation
This evening, the City Manager requests ratification approval by majority vote (via minute order) of the attached letter from Mayor Pabon-Alvarado transmitted on August 3, 2021 through the City’s lobbyist, TPA, to the City’s US Senate representative (see Attachment).
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact associated with this agenda item.
AttachmentS:
1) Thank You Letter to US Senator Alex Padilla from Mayor Pabon-Alvarado transmitted on August 3, 2021.
2) Transmitted List of Congressional Direct Funding Requests from US Senator Padilla Under the Fiscal Year 2022 Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill dated June 23, 202