Supes in D.C. lobbying for funds

Supes in D.C. lobbying for funds
By Danny Bernardini/ DBernardini@TheReporter.com
Posted: 03/04/2009

County supervisors and Fairfield City Council members are in Washington, D.C., lobbying for funds as the U.S. Senate works on an immense appropriations bill to fund government agencies.

Hoping to secure money for a variety of construction, transportation, law enforcement and other projects or programs, the supervisors will begin talks today with, among others, California's two Democratic senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.

Later in the week, Fairfield Mayor Harry Price, along with councilmen Rick Vaccaro and Chuck Timm, will meet with congressional and Pentagon officials.

Supervisor Mike Reagan said talks this week could draw results quickly, as opposed to some years, when lobbying efforts were for projects more than a year to fruition.

"We've got quite an agenda," Reagan said.

There's also the issue of finding out more details of the stimulus package. Reagan and Supervisor Linda Seifert will be attending National Associations of Counties (NACO) Conference, where that topic, among many, will be discussed at length.

"Obviously, one of the big issues is, what is the process for competing for some of the stimulus money?" he said. "There's dozens of silos of money."

Supervisor John Vasquez said the county leaders will ask Boxer for help to fund the fight against gangs and methamphetamine enforcement and will discuss seeking assistance for natural disaster training.

"The best time to train for a disaster isn't when it's happening," Vasquez said. "We learned that during Katrina."

Vasquez also said there will also be discussions about getting the federal government involved in Delta discussions. If nothing else, he added, in talks about security of levees.

"We ought to be coordinating these efforts," he said.

Also on the list is reintroducing the bill to the Senate to complete the land transfer with the Department of Forestry, giving Solano County ownership of the land that is home to the Fouts Springs Youth Correctional Facility .

Carried by Rep. George Miller, D-Solano, the Deafy Glade Land Exchange Act (H.R. 6159) passed in the House by unanimous voice vote in September. Vasquez said they would again talk with the forestry officials to confirm the transfer.

For Fairfield, city leaders will discuss a list of projects, including the following:

* $160,000 to provide services five days a week and a new HVAC unit at the Fairfield Police Activities League Matt Garcia Youth Center.

* $250,000 to refurbish a decommissioned fire station training room to conduct Emergency Operation Center services.

* $350,000 to install closed-circuit TV cameras on North Texas Street.

* $750,000 to improve after-school programs for middle school students (The Place to Be After Three).