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T 0 W N S E N D <br />TPA <br />MEMORANDUM <br />To: Mayor Stephen H. Cassidy and Members of the San Leandro City Council <br />CC: Chris Zapata, City Manager <br />Lianne Marshall, Assistant City Manager <br />Eric Engelbart, Assistant to the City Manager <br />From: Christopher Townsend, President, Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. <br />Niccolo De Luca, Northern California Director <br />Casey Elliott, State Capitol Director <br />Richard Harmon, Director <br />Alex Gibbs, Associate <br />Date: November 3, 2014 <br />Subject: Summary of 2014 State Legislative Activities <br />Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA) has prepared this report for the City of San Leandro following <br />the end of the 2014 State legislative session. This report lists our efforts to date including a <br />summary of our legislative and funding advocacy actions on behalf of the City. <br />2014 State Legislative Highlights <br />Starting in mid-February 2014, TPA immediately began working with the elected City leaders and <br />City Manager's executive staff to develop, implement, advocate and secure several major City <br />initiatives. The San Leandro specific initiatives were accomplished through legislation, advocating <br />for grants and working directly with Assembly Member Bonta and his office, Senator Corbett and <br />her office, Senator Hancock and her office, the office of the Senate Pro Tem, the Office of the <br />Assembly Speaker, and the Governor's Administration. <br />Our top accomplishment for the legislative year was the TPA led efforts to secure the <br />passage of Assembly Bill 2292 (Bonta) which provides cities and counties with new tools to <br />expand broadband projects that would bring high-speed communications, jobs, and new <br />businesses to local communities. Specifically, this bill simply allows cities and counties to <br />finance broadband projects using infrastructure financing districts. <br />Our extensive efforts through the entire legislative process included: <br />• Providing research on past related legislation; <br />• Securing Assembly Member Bonta as the author; <br />• Drafting a one-page bill summary to explain the topic and solution, drafting the City's <br />sponsorship letter and support letters for other entities, and other marketing materials; <br />• Resolving concerns from stakeholders such as Comcast, AT&T, and others, regarding <br />the goals of the bill, and then securing their support in our legislative efforts; <br />Southern California Office • 2699 White Road • Suite 251 • Irvine, CA 92614 • Phone (949) 399-9050 • Fax (949) 476-8215 <br />Northern California Office • 300 Frank Ogawa PI.- Suite 204 • Oakland, CA 94612• Phone (510) 835-9050 • Fax (510) 835-9030 <br />State Capitol Office • 925 L Street • Suite 1404 • Sacramento, CA 95814 • Phone (916) 447-4086 • Fax (916) 444-2063 <br />Federal Government Office • 611 Pennsylvania Avenue SE • #331 • Washington, DC • Phone (202) 744-2926 <br />