Latest news with #SB802
CBS News
16-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
California senator's homelessness bill sparks backlash from Sacramento leaders
A showdown is brewing between state and local leaders over how to tackle the homelessness crisis in Sacramento County. State Senator Angelique Ashby authorized a bill that would reshape the region's approach to homelessness. But city and county officials argue her plan would do more harm than good, adding unnecessary bureaucracy and taking away local efforts already underway. On Tuesday, Sacramento city and county leaders held a joint news conference to voice their opposition to Senate Bill 802, calling it a step backward. "There's already a plan in place that I believe would have a much better outcome than to put another bureaucratic layer that only weakens the ability to get people the help they need," said Rosario Rodriguez, Sacramento County supervisor for District 4. Sen. Ashby's plan would create a new regional agency, the Sacramento Area Housing and Homelessness Agency, to oversee all housing and homelessness programs throughout the county. She says the goal is to centralize decision-making, coordinate resources, improve accountability, and reduce waste. "If we do not work together, if we continue to be in silos, if we fear collaboration, we will not garner success," Ashby said when she introduced the bill last month. Under SB 802, the new agency would control all state and federal funds for homelessness, decide how money is distributed, and oversee decisions made by cities within the county. But local officials insist the county and its cities already work together to address homelessness, with programs tailored to each community's unique needs. "I believe that when we talk about local control, it's about local cities and jurisdictions managing their own funding," Rodriguez added. Opponents of the bill say they support regional collaboration, but believe it should respect local control and build on progress already made. "I plead with her to pause and bring everybody together to chart a better way and build on the partnership the city and county struck a couple years ago," said Sacramento County Supervisor Rich Desmond. In response, Ashby argues the current system is failing, noting the county has received $400 million in funding over the past five years with little success in reducing homelessness. A formal hearing on SB 802 is scheduled for Wednesday at the State Capitol.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
One of 2 longest serving county commissioners in Florida questions proposed term limits
Republican lawmakers, in their continued zeal to bring more term limits to Florida, now have taken aim at county commissioners and district school board members. Legislation filed this week (SB 802, HB 679) would create a state constitutional amendment to restrict those local officials to no more than eight years in office. That hits close to home for Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor, one of the longest-serving county commissioners in Florida. For Proctor, first elected in 1996 to represent the county's south-side District 1, serving in elected office isn't about power or longevity. It's about love. "It is easy to fall in love with public service," he said in a phone interview. "It tugs on the heartstrings to think that you would only be eight and done." At the same time, he added, "I will play by whatever the rule is," assuming the legislation passes and statewide voters one day OK such term limits. "We can't go beyond the law." According to the Florida Association of Counties, Proctor is tied with Jackson County Commissioner Willie Spires for length in office among currently-serving commissioners, both completing 29 years at the end of 2025. With pre-session committees winding down and the regular session set to begin March 4, state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, and Rep. Michelle Salzman, R-Pensacola, filed the identical bills Tuesday. "Serving in government should be an honor, not a career," Ingoglia said in a statement. "Our forefathers believed that service in government should be brief. I have a sneaking suspicion that the vast majority of Floridians believe so as well." Salzman added: "For too long, some county commissioners have remained in office for decades, leading to stagnation and limited accountability. By filing this (proposed) amendment, we are empowering Florida voters to decide if eight-year term limits are the right path forward." Florida currently limits state lawmakers, for example, to eight years, but the law doesn't prevent people from serving in one chamber then bouncing to another and back, leading to some being in and out of the Legislature for years. School board members were restricted to 12 years total in 2022; similar bills to this year's were filed last year but didn't make it through the regular session. That's why Proctor – also a minister, political science instructor at Florida A&M University and a law school graduate – is doubtful the latest legislation will go anywhere. Besides, he said, local voters should be able to decide whether to limit their commissioners' service: "We're local officials and therefore I don't understand why the Legislature would impose upon (us)." After all, public service is "like fine wine," only getting better with time as commissioners grow their knowledge, experience and ability, Proctor said. As of later Tuesday, the bills had not yet been assigned to committees. Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@ and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Bill Proctor scoffs at 8-year term limits for local Florida officials
