The Yolo County Board of Supervisors last week voiced its support for the efforts of California Forward, a nonpartisan organization that aims to create a more responsive, representative and cost-effective government.

California Forward says its vision is for a state where government is closer to the people, fiscal systems are reliable and focused on results, state leaders are held accountable for making improvements, and voters are empowered to understand and exercise their role in a strong democracy.

'California Forward is indeed working to develop the best solutions through robust public discussions,' Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chair Mike McGowan said in a news release. 'We wholeheartedly support their good works and are also grateful to Senator Lois Wolk for her support of this effort.'

The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution affirming the California Forward 2010 Reform Plan, supporting in concept California Forward's proposal to begin empowering community governments in the following ways:

• Protect local revenue: Give communities more control over community-related services and prevent the state from siphoning off local revenue by giving local governments legal ownership of specific funds for community services, including the property tax.
• Foster and fund long-term collaboration: Encourage community-level governments to coordinate and consolidate programs when it makes sense. Allow cities, counties and school districts that craft long-term flexible plans to address community needs, to seek majority-vote approval to provide funds to pay for them, while retaining the vote thresholds established under Proposition 218.

Further, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors also resolved to support in concept California Forward's proposal for improving the state budget process in the following ways:

• Pay-as-you-go: Require that new programs identify a funding source for any new spending.
• Base budgets on results: Require clear goals for every program, measuring their effectiveness, and regularly fixing or eliminating programs that are not working.
• Use one-time revenue wisely. Set aside funds from occasional spikes in revenues to pay off debt rather than establishing new programs with ongoing costs.

For more information, visit http://www.caforward.org.

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