Chris Norby and Jerry Brown go to Town on RDA/CRA

Redevelopment on the BlockOne announced reform I can embrace is the governor's goal of abolishing redevelopment agencies and restoring their funds to counties and schools. As a longtime critic of these agencies, I've been called by numerous media outlets and colleagues on issues related to this little understood level of government.Redevelopment agencies capture 12% of all property taxes statewide-that's $6 billion annually diverted from school districts, counties and municipal police and fire protection. The funds are largely spent subsidizing private development projects whose promoters acquire land under threat of eminent domain, while 20% pays for low income housing projects.The government should not be in the business of subsidizing private developers, nor of building housing projects. That's the job of the private sector. This money needs to be restored to pay for infrastructure and services. Public money should build classrooms, not Costcos.The agencies cannot be closed, however, until their nearly $100 billion indebtedness is paid off, but a phase-out over time could start, and long-evaded sunset clauses enforced.

Chris Norby (Republican)
Orange County

California State Assembly Republican Member Chris Norby represents the 72nd