In 2008, the City of Palm Desert became the first city in California to pursue public financing of distributed renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements under AB 811.… Read More
In 2008, the Berkeley City Council approved an amendment to the Berkeley Municipal Code (BMC) and created the Special Tax Financing Law. The Special Tax Financing Law is the implementing legislation that allows for the creation of the Sustainable Energy Financing District, by which the City would help property owners finance solar installations and energy efficiency improvements by creating a special tax that is paid through their individual property tax bills.… Read More
In 2008, California passed legislation to enable every city (and county) in the state to establish voluntary districts for homeowners wanting to fit their homes with renewable energy or make energy efficiency improvements and pay for the improvements with a special assessment on their property taxes. … Read More
On May 21, 2009, Vancouver passed an important resolution to encourage technological openness in the City. The city is committing to making more data available, which will encourage citizen oversight and understanding of what the city government is doing.
The city is committing to open/accessible data, open standards, and open source software (not by mandating it, but by mandating its consideration when replacing or acquiring new systems).
Building the core network (a network that will first serve the public needs of the city, schools, state, and Ramsey county but could later be the backbone of a network serving others in the city) correctly the first time offers the freedom later to expand at a reasonable cost, if the city chooses. This is the smart decision because it does not commit the city to any further action but frees it consider what is best at a future date. Should it later be expanded, the core will be ready; if it is never expanded, the city will still benefit from a more reliable and secure network than would be built if only looking to solve current needs.… Read More
Examples and history from a handful of community owned sports teams including information on Appleton, WI, Timber Rattlers, Green Bay Packers, Harrisburg Senators, Memphis Redbirds, Rochester, NY, Red Barons, Syracuse, NY, Sky Chiefs and the Toledo Mud Hens.… Read More
In 1998, Assembly Bill 684 – the New York State Sports Fan Protection Act – was introduced by Assemblypersons Richard Brodsky and Richard Gottfried as a means to acquire the Yankees if owner George Steinbrenner followed through on his threats to move the club to New Jersey. The bill would establish a State Sports Authority, which could condemn a franchise through the legal practice of eminent domain and sell shares of it to the public if either a) the cost of a stadium to the public exceeded the value of the franchise, or b) the franchise takes action to move from the state.… Read More
Numerous bills involving community ownership were introduced during the Minnesota Twins stadium debate of 1997 and early 1998. Most, however, were tainted with the inclusion of a publicly funded ballpark. Representative Phyllis Kahn’s House Bill 3348 separated this controversial issue from the community ownership concept, which received broad public support. In 2002, Kahn re-introduced a similar bill H.F No. 2587 which was debated, amended and passed out of the House Governmental Operations and Veterans Affairs Policy. The bill stalled after Governor Ventura’s administration put forward a plan to help the Minnesota Twins get a new outdoor stadium with the help of the state’s bonding authority.… Read More
In response to Major League Baseball’s plan to eliminate the Minnesota Twins from the league, Senator Paul Wellstone introduced legislation in November 2001 to amend the Clayton Act to make the antitrust laws applicable to the elimination or relocation of major league baseball franchises. Current law provides baseball an exemption from antitrust rules and regulations.… Read More