Flap’s Links for February 23rd from 14:35 to 14:41

These are my links for February 23rd from 14:35 to 14:41:

• How California cities invited the death of redevelopment – Last fall, the League of California Cities, which spent $2.5 million to promote a ballot initiative, argued forcefully that property taxes should be used only to pay for essential public services.

  In their official ballot argument for Proposition 22, the head of the association's Fire Chiefs Department and the president of the California Police Chiefs Association wrote that property taxes should be used "to fund vital local services like 911 response, police and fire protection."

  It's the same argument that Gov. Jerry Brown is using these days as he makes his case to disband the state's 400-plus local redevelopment agencies and to instead spend the property tax revenues they now receive on bread-and-butter services for California taxpayers.

  "Redevelopment funds come directly from local property taxes that would otherwise pay for schools and core city and county services such as police and fire protection and care for the most vulnerable people in our society," Brown said in his State of the State address. "I come down on the side of those who believe that core functions of government must be funded first."

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  Read it all

  California Redevelopment Agencies have been an abuse that has gone on for decades.

  They are really an attempt to recapture local property tax revenues before they go to the state and are wasted on state spending priorities.

  The State of California turned a blind eye to this money grab by local communities while taxes and spending increased.

  Now, the state is broke and wants its money back.

  The state is right but the repercussions to local cities and counties will be widespread but what does Jerry Brown care – that is their problem.

• Indiana lawmakers pass immigration curbs like Arizona – The Indiana senate passed a sweeping immigration bill that echoes Arizona's tougher measures on illegal immigrants and despite opposition from some of the largest employers and business groups in the state.

  The measure, passed on Tuesday night by a vote of 31-18, would allow state and local police to ask a person stopped for infractions like traffic violations for proof of legal residency if the officer has a "reasonable suspicion" they may be in the country illegally.

  Another provision would call for, with some exceptions, the use of English only in public meetings, on Web sites and in documents.

  The bill still needs to be adopted by state's House of Representatives, where opponents say they will now turn.

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  Likely in more states as well.