Cities need certainty to keep delivering essential services to California families

Contact: Kayla [email protected](530) 844-1744

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rancho Mirage - The League of California Cities Board of Directors today adopted the organization's 2025-26 Advocacy Priorities with a clear message to the state: Cities are a smart and essential investment for a strong California.

"The looming state deficit will make state budget decisions tough, but we cannot let that slow us down from delivering the critical services our residents need," said League of California Cities President and El Cerrito Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Quinto. "Cities are a smart investment for the state, and we stand ready to push back on any efforts to raid funding for local programs to make up for the deficit."

Nearly 100 city leaders who serve in leadership positions in Cal Cities participated in meetings over the last month to chart the organization's priorities for the coming year.

"As families grapple with affordability challenges, there must be certainty in cities' ability to deliver the essential services that families rely upon," said Cal Cities Executive Director and CEO Carolyn Coleman. "Cal Cities is focused on promoting and protecting cities to ensure they remain the engines of California's economy and stay strong for their residents."

The 2025-26 Advocacy Priorities are as follows:

1. Protect and enhance local revenues and expand economic development tools.

   Californians are deeply concerned about affordability. Cities must safeguard local revenue streams, oppose unfunded mandates, and pursue new economic development tools that bolster local economies.
   
   

2. Strengthen partnerships with the state to improve public safety.

   The progress cities have been making to strengthen public safety must be sustained. Cities call on the state to respect the will of the voters and provide the resources needed to fully implement Proposition 36. Cities support sustained investments in police, fire services, and public works as a foundation of public safety.
   
   

3. Secure investments to prevent and reduce homelessness and increase the supply of affordable housing.

   Secure ongoing funding to bolster all cities' efforts to support unhoused residents and strengthen state and regional partnerships to expand access to wraparound services.
   

   Secure ongoing funding to accelerate the construction of affordable housing and reform the Regional Housing Needs Allocation process.
   

   Ensure cities have the flexibility and local decision-making authority to meet their community and state housing goals, as well as reduce homelessness.
   
   

4. Strengthen climate change resiliency and disaster preparedness.
   Support city efforts to prepare, prevent, and adapt to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change, including wildfires, drought, sea level rise, and other extreme weather events. Increase transparency and access to insurance policies, especially following a natural disaster.

Cal Cities will begin working immediately to advance this work in the state Capitol.

Established in 1898, the League of California Cities is a nonprofit statewide association that advocates for cities with the state and federal governments and provides education and training services to elected and appointed city officials.