DATE:
August 31, 2021
15
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
ADVANCING FEDERAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On January 26, 2021(14), the Board authorized a revised 2021 Legislative Program that includes focused and succinct guiding principles and key legislative initiatives and priorities which set the County on a new course of advocacy. This Board also directed the CAO to review and calibrate the roles and responsibilities of the Office of Strategy and Intergovernmental Affairs staff and functions according to the new legislative program to focus on proactive action and nimble advocacy of the adopted guiding principles and legislative priorities. Building on that direction, and in response to recent federal actions, it has become clear that the County would greatly benefit from having staff based in Washington, D.C. and co-located with the National Association of Counties (NACo).
The changing dynamics in Washington, D.C. over the first few months of the Biden Administration has provided fiscal and policy opportunities that greatly benefit the County of San Diego, with more opportunities on the horizon. Combined with our new, flexible Legislative Program that has allowed the County to engage for the first time proactively in a broad array of legislative opportunities, it is the right time to build momentum on the ground in Washington, D.C. Replicating a model adopted by Miami-Dade County, co-locating a staff member with NACo provides real-time and face-to-face access to the county-focused advocacy NACo provides as well as close proximity to Capitol Hill and our delegation's D.C. offices.
Today's action would add a staff member to the Office of Strategy and Intergovernmental Affairs to be based in Washington, D.C. in the offices of NACo, and be responsible for focused efforts on advancing the Board's Legislative Program on all federal advocacy efforts.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1) Approve the request to ad...
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