Title
Recommendation to Authorize the Mayor to Sign, on Behalf of the City, a Letter of Support from Mayors Across the Country Regarding H.R. 1225 and S. 500, the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act. (City Manager 2110)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Parks are an important amenity to the City of Alameda (City) residents, both local parks and nearby national parks.
Hundreds of mayors from across the country are signing on to a letter supporting H.R. 1225 and S. 500, the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act.
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign this letter on behalf of the City in support of this proposed federal legislation.
BACKGROUND
Each year, the City Council adopts a Legislative Agenda that guides the City's legislative advocacy efforts. The City reacts quickly to legislative issues that impact the City and are included as priorities in this annual document. If an issue develops that is not covered by the Legislative Agenda, it is brought to the City Council for consideration.
The 2019 Legislative Agenda supports legislation that support the development, expansion, and maintenance of Alameda parks.
While we do not have any national parks in the City, our residents are regular users of national parks and benefit greatly from their existence, maintenance, and protection. The proposed legislation uses an existing funding source to address deferred infrastructure needs.
DISCUSSION
H.R. 1225 and S. 500, the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act, were introduced in February 2019. These bills establish, fund, and provide for the use of amounts in a National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund to address the maintenance backlog of the National Park Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Education, and for other purposes.
Funding to address needed park repairs and deferred maintenance would come from paymen...
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