On Friday (3/7), State Sen. Ellen Corbett gave the Valley Marketing Meeting in Pleasanton a behind-the-scenes look at what's happening in Sacramento and legislation she's working on that addresses real estate issues. Corbett represents the 10th Senate district which includes the cities of San Leandro, Fremont, Hayward, Union City, Pleasanton, Milpitas and Newark and part of San Jose, as well as the communities of Castro Valley, San Lorenzo and Sunol.
Here's a quick summary of her comments:
Here's a quick summary of her comments:
State budget: The governor's plan to deal with the state's multi-billion dollar budget deficit could have major negative consequences for public schools. Corbett urged REALTORS® to oppose these cuts because of the impact they could have on property values. She alluded to the possible formation of a coalition of interest groups that could fight to protect school funding and suggested REALTOR participation.
Foreclosures: Corbett discussed pending legislation that would ease the tax burden for property owners faced with a foreclosure.
Transportation: Commute times and traffic congestion have a direct impact on the quality of life for Alameda County residents. Corbett explained efforts to secure funding to improve I-580 and praised work by Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty to ensure our region gets a share of transportation resources.
Corbett also took questions from the audience. While she's not officially involved with the San Leandro School District, she did an admirable job responding to concerns about out-of-district students attending San Leandro Schools.
REALTOR® Impact: Corbett chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee which reviews legislation that may impact the real estate profession. It is in our interest to cultivate a strong relationship with the senator and ensure she understands REALTOR® issues.
Next Steps: Regarding the senator's comments about a school funding coalition, C.A.R. hasn't been approached to join any such group - yet. However, C.A.R. has historically supported school funding bonds and in 2000 supported Proposition 39, which made it easier for school districts to pass bond measures to finance school construction and improvements by reducing the vote requirement from two-thirds to a 55 percent supermajority.
Senator Corbett really enjoyed speaking at the Valley Marketing Meeting this week and her visit to the Tri-Cities group earlier this year. We're looking forward to hosting her at the Central County Marketing Meeting in the near future.
Information provided by Bay East Association of Realtors
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