Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Water and Wildlife Endangered Species Act (ESA)

The Federal Endangered Species Act (FESA) was passed by Congress in 1973 to protect and recover at risk species and the ecosystems upon which they depend.  In 1984, California followed when the Legislature passed the...

Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Water and Wildlife Wildlife Policy Areas Affecting Local Government

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) are the two primary agencies responsible for fish and wildlife issues impacting rural counties and their citizens. Some of...

Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Water and Wildlife Water: Supply and Demand

Nearly 75 percent of California’s available water originates in the northern one-third of the state (north of Sacramento), while more than 70 percent of the demand occurs in the southern two-thirds of the state and...

Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Transportation About Rural Transportation

California’s State and local transportation infrastructure is a complex system of interstate and intrastate highways, freeways, and city and county-maintained streets and roads.  California’s rural transportation system serves to connect rural and remote communities to...

Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Solid Waste Management About Solid Waste Management

Solid waste management is an important function for municipal governments.  For many counties, the management of landfills is a key component.  These management functions fall under the regulatory purview of the California Department of Resources...

Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Public Safety and Emergency Management Corrections

County Boards of Supervisors, in conjunction with County Sheriffs, District Attorneys, Public Defenders, and Chief Probation Officers, are responsible for law enforcement, the operation of a variety of county public safety facilities (county jails and...

Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Public Safety and Emergency Management 2011 Criminal Justice Realignment

In 2011, the Legislature enacted a comprehensive criminal justice realignment scheme whereby counties became responsible for addressing criminal offenders that had traditionally been the responsibility of the State.  Under the provisions of Assembly Bill 109,...

Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Public Safety and Emergency Management Protecting Local Communities

California’s rural counties play a critical role in protecting their local communities. The California State Constitution requires each county to hold elections to elect both a County Sheriff and District Attorney.  Both the County Sheriff...

Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Health Care and Social Services Telehealth

Access to healthcare in the most rural and remote parts of California have always been a concern.  RCRC supports increasing the availability of telehealth in rural areas as an alternative way for rural citizens to...

Dec 10, 2024

Advocacy   |   Forest and Public Lands Stewardship About State Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)

California’s Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILT) program was established in 1949 to offset adverse impacts to county property tax revenues that result when the state acquires private property for wildlife management areas.  Fish & Game Code Section 1504...