President's Message

Overview

President’s Message

Article President’s Message José Cisneros

San Francisco’s “Kindergarten to College” Program Improves the Odds For Students

The first publicly funded, universal children’s college savings account program in the United States has a simple yet ambitious goal: Make sure every child in San Francisco can save for…

Article President’s Message José Cisneros

California’s Crumbling Infrastructure: An Urgent Priority

For the ninth time in the past 10 years, the League has identified infrastructure investment as one of its top priorities. You don’t have to look far to understand why.

Article President’s Message José Cisneros

Making City Operations More Transparent

Most residents want to know how decisions — particularly budget-related decisions — are made at the local level and how much a particular course of action is going to cost the city and its…

Article President’s Message José Cisneros

Getting a Handle on Financial Issues

Many cities are experiencing very painful financial difficulties. Elected city officials grapple with budget challenges nearly every day. But cities are using a number of innovative approaches to…

Article President’s Message Bill Bogaard

A New Advocacy Approach for Building Stronger Cities and a Stronger State

Each year the League board of directors adopts a strategy for focusing the organization’s efforts. This year’s strategy emphasizes working with the state Legislature on issues of local control…

Article President’s Message Bill Bogaard

Using Technology to Enhance Transparency

Technology offers many ways for local governments to increase and enhance the transparency of their operations. A proactive approach is best when it comes to providing information to residents and…

Article President’s Message Bill Bogaard

Supporting Health in Our Communities

By supporting wellness efforts, cities can offer an environment where residents and employees are encouraged to be more physically active, eat nutritious food and enjoy the advantages of good health.

Article President’s Message Bill Bogaard

The Impact of Our Crumbling Infrastructure on California’s Economy

The state’s goals around reducing greenhouse gas emissions are based on a vision that concentrates growth in urban cores and utilizes transit. To meet these goals, cities must be able to make…

Article President’s Message Bill Bogaard

Cultivating Transparency in Your City

When news is breaking about the abuse of public trust in another city, local elected officials are likely to be asked, “How can we be sure that something similar isn’t happening here?”

Article President’s Message Bill Bogaard

Focusing on Economic Development

In an era of tight economic resources, how can we best promote the economies of our cities and California as a whole?

Article President’s Message Mike Kasperzak

Reflecting on Our Progress and Moving Forward

The League has met the challenges of the past year, and much work remains to be done.

Article President’s Message Mike Kasperzak

Putting Technology to Work

The Internet is no longer a new tool, and many cities are making good use of it. In this era of fiscal austerity, we are all working to do more with less. Cities are using technology to improve…

Article President’s Message Mike Kasperzak

Act Now to Create a Healthier Community

As local officials, we grapple with a lot of challenging issues and tough situations, and we don’t always agree on the best thing to do. But once in a while we come across something that makes…

Article President’s Message Mike Kasperzak

Social Contract Is the Cornerstone of Effective State-Local Relations

Maintaining our social contract with state legislators is easier when we first make an effort to understand their perspective and work style, rather than just expecting them to vote a certain way.

Article President’s Message Mike Kasperzak

Moving Toward “We”

Article President’s Message Mike Kasperzak

Maintaining Our Momentum

Article President’s Message Jim Ridenour

Acknowledging Our Accomplishments

We have made significant progress during a year filled with obstacles and difficulties.